Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at 38 Music Square East
Nashville
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: R.C. Mathews Contractor
Owner: Belmont University
Lead Design Firm: Earl Swensson Associates
General Contractor: R.C. Mathews Contractor
Structural Engineer: Ross Bryan Associates
Electrical Engineer: Business Solutions
Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business now inhabits the previous Buddy Lee Attractions structure at 38 Music Square East, a Music Row landmark.
The $8.9-million interior restoration and build-out of the 17,654-sq-ft structure included workplaces, conference areas, class, songwriting spaces, STC 50 listening spaces and practicum suites, together with substantial structural, electrical and mechanical upgrades. Work ranged from August 2024 to August 2025 in between 2 totally inhabited office complex, and it completed on schedule and at budget plan.
The AET class is a completely separated, double-walled assembly whose interior shell is structurally independent of the existing structure. Krieger STC 50 doors and frames entered into the listening spaces, songwriting class and practicum suites so nearby areas might tape-record and listen without disrupting each other. Workplace shops utilize a Techneon removable partition system, which lets Belmont make future modifications with very little disturbance.
Image by Jeremiah Hull
The structure sets an upper CMU and bar joist structure with a lower hollowcore structure, and demolition kept exposing unidentified conditions in both. The group utilized 3D modeling to exercise support, system routing and disputes before teams reached them. That mattered most when the existing elevator was destroyed and a brand-new shaft developed, considering that the brand-new structure needed to line up exactly with existing elevations.
VDC software application likewise identified wall mount and anchor places within the strengthened bar joists and CMU walls. Teams grouted structural spaces, fixed harmed hollowcore and strengthened existing bar joists.
2 momentary systems kept the structure steady throughout that work. The 41-ft CMU wall was braced with custom-fabricated steel, completely grouted at the connection points, and bonded to the existing bar joists. The bracing remained in location till the brand-new structure was protected. Listed below, a crafted shoring strategy brought the hollowcore through altering load courses. It was sequenced so loads moved correctly at each phase and kept track of for motion or overstress.
Image by Jeremiah Hull
On the outside, custom-fabricated brick matched masonry that is no longer made. New glass was chosen to reproduce the initial store glazing, likewise out of production, while satisfying existing efficiency requirements. Inside, the group changed the huge stair, developed a Wall of Fame and worked songwriter quotes into areas throughout the center.
Staging area was tight. Managed demolition zones lowered direct exposure for surrounding structures, constant clean-up cut slip-and-trip dangers and dust containment kept particulates out of renter areas. Biweekly owner-architect-contractor conferences and schedule evaluations, plus weekly trade coordination, let the group respond rapidly to field conditions.
All workers finished OSHA 10- or 30-hour training. With over 64,500 work hours, the job had no recordable or lost-time occurrences. After welding triggers struck a third-party car, the group enhanced its hot work treatments.
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