NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A bar celebrating a Grammy-winning legend is hitting some sour notes in downtown Nashville as it now faces a lawsuit over signage on a historic building.
Historic Nashville Inc. is suing Sinatra Bar and Lounge, which is located on the 4th Avenue North side of the 145-year-old Southern Turf Building. The nonprofit organization is known for creating buzz about the city's most endangered historic places with its annual Nashville Nine list.
Historic Nashville, Inc., a local non-profit, holds conservation easements on several buildings across Nashville. Those easements are intended to preserve the appearance of historic buildings and are granted to HNI by the building owner. The easements are authorized under Tennessee law, and easement donors may receive property tax exemptions and IRS tax deductions. One of the easements granted to HNI is for the Southern Turf building. The conservation easement was granted to HNI by the owner of that building back in 1983. Last year, HNI filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court to enforce its rights under its conservation easement. Because that litigation is ongoing, HNI is not able to comment on the status of the suit.
At the center of the dispute is a conservation easement that Historic Nashville holds on the property, which requires the nonprofit to have input on any changes made to the building's exterior.
In a lengthy complaint, Historic Nashville claims that it was not consulted about the use of signage installed on the historic structure for the Sinatra Bar.
According to documents, a few days after Sinatra Bar opened in May 2023, Historic Nashville Inc. wrote to Icon Entertainment Group, the hospitality group behind the venue. In their letter, they called out the "unapproved installation of an exterior sign on the historic building" and requested that it be removed. They also requested proposals for a new sign and stipulated that any repairs needed during the process should be handled properly.
Icon Entertainment Group, under CEO Bill Miller, maintains they followed proper procedures, stating they obtained all permits required by Metro for the sign and followed all official protocols.
Bill Miller is active preservationist that continues to try to champion improvement for downtown Nashville. In no way do we feel that this sign is detrimental or a blight on improvements to Banker's Alley and Printer's Alley. We believe that we have satisfied all Metro requirements and obtained the necessary approvals to have the sign on the side of the building.
In a letter to Historic Nashville's attorneys, an architect for Icon even argued that the sign resembles others in the area and noted that numerous holes in the facade indicate similar signs likely existed in the past.
Metro Planning confirms the sign was approved by the Historic Zoning Commission, but they are aware of Historic Nashville's claims that Sinatra Bar never consulted with the nonprofit as required by the conservation easement.
Two years later, the sign remains in place, along with string lights and at least one speaker that Historic Nashville also finds problematic. The case is scheduled to go before a judge in Davidson County Chancery Court at 9 a.m. on June 20.
While downtown Nashville continues to see new construction, facades from the 1800s remain intact throughout the area, highlighting the ongoing tension between preservation and modern business needs.
Are you concerned about historic preservation in Nashville? Email Hannah.McDonald@NewsChannel5.com with your thoughts on balancing development with maintaining the city's historic character.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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