Comma Designworks’ Post

I really enjoyed Bisnow's Nashville Construction & Development Summit this morning and thought the content went beyond the typical "market update" talk that can be par-for-the-course for panel discussions. I also appreciate the willingness of Metro Codes leadership to be a part of the panel and take questions. Here is a paraphrased recap that anyone in Nashville in an AEC/CRE industry might find interesting: -Beginning in early 2025, Metro Nashville will move to a new permitting software that will allow for a single file upload point per project that will be accessed by ALL reviewing agencies and departments. This will help simplify the permit application process and remove potential communication breakdowns between departments. -Metro Codes is seeing review times for projects in the 4 to 6 week range, signaling a major improvement compared to past timelines (this reflects the Code department review only, not the entire permitting process). -Inspection timelines (in Metro) now show an average of 1-2 days from the inspection request to arrival on site. This includes Electrical inspections, which had been notoriously unpredictable in the past with timelines as long as 30 days or more. -Metro Water/Stormwater reviews will no longer be the longest and most difficult part of the review process. A lot of progress has been made since February 2024 to increase efficiency and reduce approval timelines after key personnel changes within the department. -Beyond the relationships built within governing agencies, don't underestimate the power and importance of relationships with the utility providers. Each utility provider has their own set of standards and a "this is how we do things" mentality. -Design-build (or, at a minimum, design-assist) as a delivery method was heavily promoted by the contractors, Owners, and designers on stage as the best option for timing, cost, and coordination.