Contemporary homes find space in old-school Sylvan Heights

The juxtaposition borders on jaw-dropping.

Architecturally cutting-edge residences for the urbane and hip - mimicking those futuristic living spaces the intelligentsia read about in Dwell, Metropolitan Home and Metropolis magazines - are rising within West Nashville's blue-collar Sylvan Heights neighborhood.

Given that this particular segment of Sylvan Heights is reminiscent - both in its architecture and infrastructure - of ramshackle rural America, circa 1950, the re-invention of the area is both bold and exciting.

Local developer Brett Massey, a strong proponent of the local New Urbanism movement community, is driving the effort with the homes, which perch precariously on a hill overlooking Interstate 440, Midtown, downtown and beyond.

"I drove around town looking at interesting parcels," Massey said, describing how he discovered what will be called Nevada Heights for sales and marketing purposes. "Then I found [local architect] Manuel Zeitlin."

That was a few years ago, as various matters complicated the development of the hill. Now, with the difficulties addressed and with fellow developer Dreaminc. a part of the mix, the 13 lots have one finished home, two residences that are almost completed and receiving significant interest from prospective buyers.

Massey has developed a handful of traditional homes in more suburban areas of the city. However, he yearned to tackle something more offbeat.

"I've always been intrigued with this type architecture," he said.

Massey is working with Eric Scowden, an associate designer with Manuel Zeitlin Architects and the lead designer for some of the Nevada Heights homes.

"My experience and the reaction we've gotten from the first three is that there is a large market of young professionals that are interested in this type of lifestyle and home," Scowden said.

Scowden describes the function and form of the homes as "contemporary with a modernist vocabulary."

"The style is based on an efficiency of living space and on simplification of lifestyle," he said.

For exterior materials, Scowden has used aluminum print press plates, glass, cement fiber board and formed-in-place concrete. The interiors are open, with clean lines.

Compared to nearby houses - many of which can still be bought for less than $100,000 - the Nevada Heights residences are not cheap. Prices range from $200,000 to $500,000, with those costs driven by practical considerations.

Scowden said affordability will remain an issues "until technology and the fabrication process are refined."

Still, Massey is not concerned about selling the homes.

"I've got more buyers than I have lots," he said. "The barrier has been broken."