Perched neatly on the east bank of the Cumberland River, The Bridge Building Event Spaces is more than just a room with a view.
It all started in 1902 when businessman and Vanderbilt University grad Arthur Dyer founded the Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO). Due to significant floods in the early 1900s, many bridges in Tennessee were destroyed and Dyer saw an opportunity. But it wasn’t all just about bridges. The company’s first major job was actually constructing the steel framework for The Arcade, an open-air shopping center and landmark in downtown Nashville.
Nashville Banner, May 22, 1909
In 1908, as the company began to experience rapid growth, Dyer built a six-story, 5,000-square-foot office building for their headquarters in what would later become one of the most enviable locations in all of Music City.
Over the next decade, NABRICO became known throughout the Southeast, building 73 bridges in Tennessee and over half of all the moveable bridges in Florida, even shipping bridges to Central and South America. Consequently, in 1923, the company made its first addition to the original six-story office building in Nashville to accommodate its growing workforce.
Nashville Public Library Metro Archives, between 1923 - 28
While many bridge companies closed during the Great Depression, NABRICO continued diversifying its expertise and expanded into the marine field. Producing nearly 100 combat vessels and barges for World War I and World War II, NABRICO became widely recognized for its splashy barge spectacles, where new river barges were dropped into the water in public launching ceremonies.
A breakdown of what NABRICO built for WWII:
- Five U.S. Navy barracks vessels
- Six U.S. Navy covered lighters
- 37 U.S. QMC deck barges
- 11 U.S. QMC oil barges
- Four U.S. QMC water barges
- 10 U.S. QMC cargo barges
- 14 U.S. Navy subchasers
- Two U.S. Mine sweepers
Library of Congress, February 1998
After World War II, the company began building fewer bridges and focused on improving the efficiency of towboats and barges, becoming the world’s largest builder of inland barges. Throughout the 20th century, NABRICO continued to be a leader not only in the marine field but also in the Nashville community, constructing the Municipal Auditorium’s steel dome in 1962, the Belle Meade Plaza shopping center, and more notable buildings across the city. This led to a second addition to its Nashville headquarters in 1965.
NABRICO continued to operate out of the building until the mid-1990s when the city purchased it to make way for Adelphia Coliseum, now Nissan Stadium. All of the company’s surrounding structures were demolished, but the original office building and its two additions were spared.
Throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, the building sat empty until a plan to redevelop the riverfront was announced in 2006. The Nashville Riverfront rapidly began transforming.
After surviving the flood of 2010, the future never looked brighter as The Bridge Building's revitalization began as a part of the Nashville Riverfront Redevelopment Plan. And the architects that were chosen to take on the project? None other than Hastings Architecture Associates, LLC.
Nashville Public Library Metro Archives, 2010
Their vision was clear as day: to achieve LEED Platinum certification through good design and innovative energy features while preserving the original form and features of the old building. And they did just that!
The addition of a geothermal heat pump mechanical system, LED lighting, solar water heating system, rainwater harvesting system, and high-efficiency windows granted The Bridge Building a LEED-Platinum Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The first in the state of Tennessee.
This platinum rating made the Nashville Bridge Building the world’s highest-rated building within the Core and Shell category, beating out 4,467 other structures!
Today, it is internationally recognized as one of the greenest buildings in the world and one of Nashville's top spots to throw any kind of celebration.
From graduation ceremonies in the Cumberland space, to rehearsal dinners on the rooftop and wedding ceremonies on the riverfront, the opportunities are endless. With countless spaces to choose from and customize, whatever you're envisioning, we're up for the challenge! Let your imagination run wild.
Scroll on to see the transformation of The Bridge Building over the years, and what we've been up to since.
John Myers Photography, 2022
SOURCES
Carver, Martha. Tennessee’s Survey Report for Historic Highway Bridges. 2008.
Crume, Yoko, and Richard. “Nashville’s Bridge Building | Solar Today Magazine.” American Solar Energy Society, 16 May 2016.