Jess Neely Drive to close permanently next week to vehicular traffic

[BrentVU]

Jess Neely is the street that separates McGugin Center from FirstBank Stadium.

Jess Neely Drive between 25th Avenue and Natchez Trace will permanently close to vehicular traffic the week of Jan. 9 to make way for a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly greenway.

A part of the Vandy United Capital Projects, work will begin on Jess Neely Drive to install updated utilities and infrastructure to support the upcoming redesign of the FirstBank Stadium south endzone and future Vandy United projects.

The south sidewalk will remain open to pedestrian and bicycle movement...

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2022/12/20/ ... -greenway/

[Go Vandy!]

Finally we can see some (sorry) concrete evidence of improvement (Parmer*, north end zone & this). Very encouraging.

[dcdore]

Finally we can see some (sorry) concrete evidence of improvement (Parmer*, north end zone & this). Very encouraging.

I just have this uneasy feeling that it is all "too little, too late". If VU had done something like this 20 years ago, it might have made a difference over the past 20 years. The changes in the landscape of major college sports in just the last 2-3 years might render all this a waste.

[DS2001]

I'm happy they're finally starting to put some things into motion. I know Clark wants that new indoor practice facility behind McGugin completed yesterday.

[AuricGoldfinger]

The AD needs to be announcing these developments along with the university. We've hardly heard a peep regarding Vandy United updates in recent months (even though I know work is occurring).

[historybill]

It is amusing to me that when Vanderbilt first built the jogging track near the football stadium, they made a promise to residents of the Belmont Hillsboro neighborhood that they would ALWAYS been welcome to use that track. This was in the late 1980s or early 1990s, I think. Under the Joe Wyatt/Jeff Carr regime.

Then, a few years later, they put a big gate around it and made it so that only students could use it, right?

[VandyfanKY]

This is a milestone. Recall that Populus engineers detected a power deficiency that required a new substation on 25th near the existing indoor practice field. A new underground trench and conduit will carry that power to the Vandy United projects. Removing vehicular through traffic will enhance pedestrian movements between McGugin and the new south end dining facility. This also simplifies a future roundabout at Natchez Trace and 25th that could allow a western stadium expansion in the future.

[FayetteDore]

The AD needs to be announcing these developments along with the university. We've hardly heard a peep regarding Vandy United updates in recent months (even though I know work is occurring).

You're right of course. The linked article above is on MyVU, which is obviously geared toward an internal VU community audience of staff and students, where it needs to be. It also needs to be presented to an external audience -- particularly the fanbase. Thanks to Brent for finding and posting here.

I have been watching for some indication of work in the south end zone area, which I had expected to begin soon after the last home game, and then I saw UK practicing for the MCB there just after Christmas and assumed that VU had some contractual obligation on that.

And thank you VandyFanKY for your construction/engineering updates.

So this IS good news (except for the likely demise of my CHEAP south end zone seats )

[Versus75]

Makes sense. I would never know if the road was going to be closed for whatever gameday reason, so I just avoided it.

On non-game days there are other options anyway.

[Versus75]

This also simplifies a future roundabout at Natchez Trace and 25th that could allow a western stadium expansion in the future.

Perry Wallace Way?

[AuricGoldfinger]

This also simplifies a future roundabout at Natchez Trace and 25th that could allow a western stadium expansion in the future.

Perry Wallace Way?

That's 28th and Natchez Trace, I believe.

[VandyfanKY]

This also simplifies a future roundabout at Natchez Trace and 25th that could allow a western stadium expansion in the future.

Perry Wallace Way?

That's 28th and Natchez Trace, I believe.

Yeah, meant to type 28th. A roundabout would probably include Vanderbilt Place as well.

[AuricGoldfinger]

Perry Wallace Way?

That's 28th and Natchez Trace, I believe.

Yeah, meant to type 28th. A roundabout would probably include Vanderbilt Place as well.

I'm a big advocate of that idea. I'd like to see Natchez Trace closed on the west side of the stadium and traffic routed to 28th on the west side of the Holiday Inn.

[Hartcfairfax]

Future home for Vandyville?

[DS2001]

Looks like demolition of the South end zone will be beginning sooner rather than later and all football seating will be on the sidelines for the next two seasons. Will shrink the stadium to around 31,000 while construction is going on.
Jess Neely is now fenced off down to the entrance to Hawkins field. We were able to walk through the stadium concourse to get to Memorial for the basketball game. It’s going to be a cluster for the next two years over there.