The Neuhoff Curve Building

Situated on Nashville’s Cumberland River and resurrected after decades of uninhabited deterioration, the Curve Building is the crown jewel of historic Germantown’s new 14-acre Neuhoff District. Long coveted by the community, the distinctive 5-story former slaughterhouse was originally constructed in nine phases as the operations grew over the 20th Century. Varying construction practices were used throughout the building's lifetime, creating a collision of structures that complicated the renovation with unusual technical challenges. Informed by irreparable fire and water damage, selective demolition and restrained modern interventions reveal a place of urban wonder and exploration, juxtaposing inside and out, patina and polish, authenticity and mystique.

The developers, New City Properties, and designers shared a common approach of restraint and respect for the 210,000 s.f. Curve Building. The renovation required an evolutionary design process during demolition and construction, as the building informed solutions when challenges arose. Framing views and creating unexpected experiences, the building takes on a playful nature, contrasting its previous use. Repairing the structure while retaining its endearing imperfections and repurposing materials and objects from the site establishes a raw, gritty, yet familiar character. Certified LEED BD+C CS Silver, the Curve Building brings a heightened sense of authenticity, evolution, and sense of place to the evolving Germantown neighborhood with its retail, restaurants, upper-floor office space, and rich public spaces. Neuhoff embraces architecture’s mandate to repurpose obsolete building typologies and celebrate them as places of public engagement and social and environmental stewardship.