What Historical Character?

I keep hearing the back and forth on this proposal for a Westin Hotel in Lower Broadway, downtown between 2nd and 3rd Ave. One side promises to maintain the historical character of Lower Broadway, while the other cries foul and believes the project will destroy all that the Lower Broadway community symbolizes.

Maybe I'm just a cynic, but exactly what image exactly are we looking to protect? The infrequent stores and restaurants peppered along the dirty streets? The overpriced parking strips which do nothing for visual value except to show people what a lot of wasted concrete space looks like. How many Nashville residents frequent lower Broadway on a regular basis "just for the character?"

As some who grew up downtown (Hume-Fogg Class of 1997), worked downtown (Demos', B.B. King's), and played downtown (Dancin' in the District, Predators games, Kats games, etc.) I feel I have a little authority on what the "image" is of downtown. Putting in a 19 story hotel that is state-of-the-art, environmentally "green" in its design, and accepting of the street level shops will not do anything to destroy Lower Broadway.

If the plans proposed by the Westin Company are true to form and they are trying to preserve the street-level world around them, then I have no problem with a company coming in to try and make downtown work again. But for anyone crying foul because of "historical character," I think you need a new rallying cry.