Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

I am watching the grass grow. Literally.

About this time each year I usually write something about my garden a new flower, how the tomatoes are doing or what the deer have found particularly tasty this year but in 2020, the year of COVID-19, it really is about watching the grass grow.

As I have said before, I came to this green thumb thing rather late in life and am continuously surprising myself at how much Im liking it. Who knew?

Latest chapter Ive been paying attention to how the lawn in front of our house has been deteriorating in recent seasons. Yes, we weed and feed and water. And yes, its green, but full of gawd-awful weeds and who knows what. Last summer we had a weed guy give us some advice, which turned out to be that the lawn wasnt really salvageable. A landscape guy told us how to proceed from there.

In addition, our sprinkler system had blown up, so that would have to be tended to as well.

We killed out the lawn in the fall. In early spring, we again killed out any weeds that regenerated, and were all set for the landscaper to come in and lay sod in May, right after he repaired the sprinkler system.

But before that could happen, the new coronavirus had shut everything down.

Because I had already planted geraniums, salvia and sunpatiens out front, in anticipation of everything being up and working, I had to hand- and spot-water the blooming things. Surely, a minor inconvenience in light of how COVID-19 was ravaging the nation, but still something for me to deal with.

Unfortunately, the landscaper began being harder to get hold of. Phone calls not returned. Things promised but not delivered. And finally, silence. I hope he didnt lose his company. But there I was in July, looking for a new guy.

Meantime, I had potted, as usual, the assorted plants and flowers and tomatoes I keep on my back deck, up and away from the deer. These I always water using a hose connected to a water source below the deck. Im happy to report that I have a new dahlia variety doing well this year, plus the little succulent cuttings I brought home a year ago from the yard of my friend in California are also coming along nicely out there.

With a good recommendation, I found another landscaper, but he was backlogged with his regular customers, so I had to wait. It didnt look like Id get a lawn in until the end of summer. He could (and did) fix the sprinkler system sooner, but I didnt want to turn it on just for border flowers, so I continued grumpily hand watering.

Then one of his customers canceled a scheduled job, and we were able to get our new lawn on Aug. 3. Oh, happy day. Sprinkler system engaged and adjusted a couple of times, and a Kentucky blue grass lawn abounds out front. Were still in the heavy watering phase as the grass is putting out roots, but it is such a delight to see.

I know theres criticism of lawns in general, which Ill gladly engage another day, but today, I am so happy just to watch my grass grow. And to tend my garden.

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Front Porch: Thrilled to watch the green, green grass of home - The Spokesman-Review

Growing a great lawn should be like rolling down a hill a deep green, grassy hill. It should be easy.

Many of us have turned our attention to the grass growing under our feet. Chances are, it has not been growing much until recently. Our long, hot and dry summer was not exactly grass-growing friendly.

And, once again, we come to the rescue with some good news: The best lawn-growing weather of the season is now.

Even if it is dry where you live, there are some things that are consistent every September. Days get shorter, nighttime dew is heavy and generally our evenings are cooler than they were just a month ago.

We grow great grass in many parts of Canada because we can. The sod-growing industry is a massive business the provincial agriculture ministry says more than 4,000 hectares of sod are grown in Ontario alone each year.

Thickening an established lawn or starting a new one is much easier now than in spring.

Let us help you get started with these five tips:

1. Thickening an established lawn: If weeds dominate your grass, or brown areas have occurred during the summer drought, or bare patches appear for whatever reason (if you have a dog or dog visitors, you know what we mean) start by spreading a six to eight centimetres of lawn soil or triple mix over the area. Rake it smooth.

Spread quality lawn seed at the rate of one kilogram over 100 square metres (about two pounds/1,000 square feet). Rake it smooth again. Then step on it or use a lawn roller, one-third full of water, to firm the seed and soil together. Water thoroughly.

2. Starting a new lawn: Follow the same advice, above, but be sure that the area is weed-free before you sow the new seed. Double the seed rate.

3. Sodding: Len Cullen Marks dad and Bens grandpa said you could lay sod upside down in September and it would still grow. He said it after a young Mark protested his role on a sod-laying crew by turning his lengths grass-side down. Those strips, indeed, grew grass. But we dont recommend you try it.

Sod costs much more per square metre than seed. But it is an instant solution to achieve good grass, and this time of year it puts down roots in a hurry.

Lay sod on a bed of quality triple mix or lawn soil that is at least eight to 10 cm thick. The thicker the good soil, the better-quality grass you will grow over the long haul.

4. Fertilizing: It drives us crazy to see fall lawn food featured for sale this time of year. Retailers are responding to consumer demand for the product in September. And while we are all for the service mantra of the customer is always right, they are wrong are fertilizing grass this time of year.

The best time of the year to fertilize your lawn is in late autumn, like October or early November a couple of weeks before the snow flies. The reason for this late application of lawn food is to build up the natural sugars in the roots of the grass plants, boosting grass plant nutrients in preparation for the long winter ahead.

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Yes, winter is coming. But not for three or four months, so do not get your woolly socks out just yet. Nor your lawn fertilizer.

5. Cutting: Your lawn responds best to being cut at seven to nine cm high (2-1/2 to three inches). The higher the better, as the longer the grass blades, the deeper the roots. And the deeper the roots, the more tolerant your lawn is of drought, overwatering snow mould and disease.

Use a mulching mower if you can. Returning the grass blades to the root zone of grass plants is what Mother Nature intended.

Speaking of Mother Nature, therein is the point of the whole thing. We do not control the weather or the changing of the seasons. Nature provides all kinds of cues for us to do various jobs around the garden and right now, all the signs point to your lawn (and dividing hostas well share those details with you in an upcoming column).

And, along with our tips, the best advice we can give you to help grow a good lawn is to follow natures lead.

Mark and Ben Cullen are expert gardeners and contributors for the Star. Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkCullen4

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Try these five tips to protect and grow your home turf - Toronto Star

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Global Impact of Covid-19 on Turf Grass Seed Market to Record Significant Revenue Growth During the Forecast Period 20202027 | Green Velvet Sod Farms,...

FRISCO, Texas When the Cowboys return to the practice field, they will begin preparing for their Week 1 opponent, the Los Angeles Rams. Training camp is over. The roster is about to be trimmed to a final 53.

To wrap up the past week at The Star, here are 10 observations and notes.

1.) Players have the green light. Its unclear at the moment if Dallas will have several players kneel during the national anthem before the season opener to protest social injustice and police brutality. Defensive tackle Dontari Poe is the only player who has said he plans to kneel. The Cowboys have never had a player kneel during the anthem. In the past, theyve discussed doing something together as a team. Quarterback Dak Prescott said Wednesday that they continue to have private conversations on the topic, and its about expressing yourself.

Thats what this country is about, Prescott said, the freedom to do...

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No tackling, new grass, 2020 expectations: 10 Cowboys observations and notes - The Athletic

As a road grader removed sod to clear out and push back the edge of Frye Road, and a road sweeper cleared the remaining dirt, Commissioner Brendan Kearns and Larry Robbins, county engineer/highway director, discussed paving schedules on Thursday.

Tribune-Star/Howard GreningerVigo County Commissioner Brendan Kearns looks over a map of Lakewood subdivision near Riley with Larry Robbins, county engineer/highway director, as the two discuss improving South Canal Street.Other subdivision road improvements are slated for next year.

Frye Road is one of seven roads the county will repave this year at just over 22 miles in part with matching funds from Indianas Community Crossing grant as well as from the countys motor vehicle highway, cumulative bridge and economic development income tax funds.

In all, the county is spending $6.5 million to repave between 65 and 67 miles this year, before the snow flies.

Community Crossings covers the asphalt component, but this is the county, the machinery and manpower, doing the improvements before hand, Kearns said, standing along Frye Road as county dump trucks passed.

A large section of Frye Road is to be paved next week. Improvements extend from Indiana 46 to Margaret Avenue.

We had kind of a rough start this year with the [COVID-19] virus and everything going on, and we got behind on mowing and grading some roads, Robbins said.

We had people out that were COVID-related issues on the highway department, Kearns added.

Robbins said the best way to maintain county roads is to keep water off the road surface.

This grass came over the edge of the road and then water sits, Robbins said, pointing to the edge of Frye Road. That is the section of the road that deteriorates and crumbles, he said. With dirt and grass taking over the edge of the pavement you get four to five feet of pavement that lays in water, then the subgrade gets wet and everything is impacted.

We are pulling back these road shoulders and reshaping some of the ditches, to get water to run in the ditch where it is supposed to be instead of out on the road, Robbins said.

Vigo County maintains 826 miles of roadway, with 671 miles of paved roads and 155 miles of gravel roads. Other roads paved using Community Crossings funds this year include Old Paris Road, Thralls Road, Park Avenue, Grant Avenue, Oregon Church Road and Louisville Road.

Tribune-Star/Howard GreningerRough road: Vigo County Commissioner Brendan Kearns inspects alligator cracks along South Canal Street in Lakewood subdivision. The road is under consideration for repaving this year, with other sections of the subdivision slated for improvements next year.

The county, Robbins said, uses a PASER system to evaluate roads. PASER, an acronym for Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating, is a system to visually rate the surface condition of pavement, from a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being pavement in a failed condition and 10 being pavement in excellent condition.

Roads are evaluated on issues that include surface cracking, there is alligator cracking, there is rutting and shoulder cracking, Robbins said.

The system provides a recommendation for repair. Roads with a rating of 7 to 9 may require chip and seal or a microsurfacing overlay. Get down into a 5 or 6 rating, the road requires deep patching or surface overlay work, while ratings of 4 and 3 require rebuilding the surface with two inches of asphalt overlay. A rating of 2 or 1 is a complete road replacement.

For new road construction, most of the county roads are four inches [of asphalt] while others, like Springhill Drive, are up to 10 to 12 inches, Robbins said.

That rating system is being used on other road work on tap for this year.

Kearns said he is evaluating repaving South Canal Street in Lakewood subdivision, a road that pass in front of Riley Elementary School.

Since we are paving Frye Road behind [the subdivision] and Louisville Road, this is a good opportunity to keep that momentum going and keep those improvements going, Kearns said. It costs about $79,000 per mile just for asphalt pavement, excluding road preparation, the commissioner added.

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Robbins said South Canal Road had a rating of 5 in 2018, so it likely has a rating of 4 now, he said, adding the road has not been improved for about two decades.

Kearns, while inspecting the road, said this is what is called alligatored. You can see how it kind of looks like an alligators back. The problem with this is when water gets in there, those alligator cracks get bigger. In the winter time, that will freeze and pop out that asphalt.

Robbins suggested a phased improvement for Lakewood subdivision, with improvements done on roads on the east side of the lake this year, with road improvements on the west side next year.

Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com. Follow on Twitter@TribStarHoward.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Vigo County looks to repave 65 miles of roads this year - Terre Haute Tribune Star

Photographs have a way of capturing emotion. A photo may echo sadness and desperation, as is the case with Dorothea Langes 1936 photograph known as Migrant Mother, showing a distraught mother and her children during the Great Depression. It may capture the spirit of triumph, as is accomplished with John Rooneys iconic 1965 shot of boxing heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali standing over opponent Sonny Liston. A photograph can also appear to signify hope and joy, la Alfred Eisenstaedts V-J Day in Times Square.

Regardless of the scene or sentiment that is captured in a photograph, images from throughout history have the ability to freeze moments in time. In doing so, they allow future generations to peer into the past and obtain glimpses into life before their own, whether its the major events (e.g., Nat Feins The Babe Bows Out or Abraham Zapruders JFK Assassination, Frame 313) or the small moments (e.g. W. Eugene Smiths Country Doctor, or the first-ever cell phone photo, Philippe Kahns image of his newborn daughters first moments).

Like any time period in the age of photography, the 1800s in America has been widely chronicled, in images dating back to the early years of the century. A look back on the images will take viewers to the countrys first boardwalk in New Jersey, make them grapple with the realities of the Civil War, and bring them along a journey to discover the evolution of transportation over the course of the decades.

To learn more about 19th-century America through photographs, Stacker compiled a collection of 50 essential images that capture what life was like in the 1800s. Photos are sourced from a wide range of government databases and national photo libraries. From photos depicting iconic inventors and activists in action, to those simply depicting a day on the beach, each of these images shines a light on a small corner of American life between 1800 and 1899. Read on to view fascinating images and learn more about the events and trends that shaped 19th-century America.

You may also like: 100 iconic photos that capture 100 years of world history

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50 photos from American life in the 19th century - Helena Independent Record

A digital advertising and buyer expertise chief, Evan Kohn is chief enterprise officer at Pypestream, the place he created PypePro, an AI onboarding methodology utilized by Fortune 500 companies.Extra posts by this contributor

When folks attain out to customer support, theyre in search of greater than an answer to their quick drawback. They need empathy and understanding. What theyre typically met with is a queue.

Nothing frustrates folks greater than calling buyer help and getting caught in a loop. Based on a research by Vonage, 61% of shoppers really feel interactive voice response (IVR) actively poisons the customer experience and solely 13% discovered it extra useful than calling a human immediately.

Like many options, IVR falls short in personalizing the client expertise (CX). A buyer calls in for a selected activity like paying a invoice and as an alternative cycles by way of a one-size-fits-all menu that in actuality suits no one. Experiences like this clearly point out to clients a model doesnt care about them as an individual, solely as a case quantity.

Personalizing the expertise is a begin, however this isnt the top. Prospects will count on a one-on-one interplay the second they enter your customer support channel. To make that occur, AI and analytics are creating scalable alternatives to point out your clients how a lot they matter to you. Manufacturers making the most of that chance can create unequalled CX that units them far forward of their competitors.

Personalization has develop into a preferred buzzword in recent times, however true personalization is way tougher to achieve than many firms understand. That was the case in 2016 when companies first hopped on the chat bandwagon. The potential for a brand new communication methodology was there, however the one-size-fits-all method firms took in growing their interplay platforms created extra issues for patrons than it solved.

What they missed is find out how to create digital experiences through which clients converse with automation that adapts based mostly on person context. Data like their services or products historical past and preferences needs to be pulled up the second a buyer engages. Knowledge on disposition, tone, sentiment and acknowledged intent ought to affect how the client strikes by way of the system and reaches their desired finish objective. That navigation needs to be easy and go nicely past text-based communications, together with immersive UX choices like maps, surveys, carousel picks and extra all in a spirit of reducing the cognitive weight for the client.

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mmWave 5G Network Will be Exclusive to iPhone 12 Pro Max, Will Launch in Only Three Countries - Best gaming pro

The Lied Place Residences building, which when finished will be Lincoln's second-tallest building at about 250 feet, has started to rise above the Que Place parking garage next door.

The Lied Place Residences building, which when finished will be Lincoln's second-tallest building at about 250 feet, has started to rise above the Que Place parking garage next door.

Nebraska construction firms seem to be weathering the coronavirus pandemic well, according to the results of a national survey released Wednesday.

The survey from the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk found that as many firms operating in the state have added employees as have cut them over the past few months.

According to the survey, 32% of Nebraska construction companies have furloughed or terminated employees, but an additional 32% have added workers.

Both of those rates are slightly higher than national figures, which show 29% of companies have furloughed or terminated workers, while only 23% have added workers.

Over the past 12 months, 36% of the state's construction firms have reduced their headcount, while 36% have kept their numbers steady and 27% have added workers.

The companies that are adding workers are having a tough time finding them, with 82% reporting difficulty finding hourly craft workers, a much higher percentage than the 52% nationally reporting difficulty.

Few firms have survived unscathed from the pandemic amid widespread project delays and cancellations, Ken Simonson, the associations chief economist, said in a news release. Ironically, even as the pandemic undermines demand for construction services, it is reinforcing conditions that have historically made it hard for many firms to find qualified craft workers to hire.

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Nebraska construction firms holding their own in pandemic, survey shows - Kearney Hub

A Dallas builder plans to start construction soon on an affordable housing community in Garland.

OM Housing is building the 112-unit Lakeview Pointe Apartments, a $30 million rental community on Lake Ray Hubbard. The 122,000-square-foot project will be located at 3102 Zion Road, and more than a third of the units in the apartment building will be priced at market rate.

The rental community off Interstate 30 will be built using tax credits from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Bank OZK, Capital One Bank, Freddie Mac and Boston Financial provided financing for the project.

The community will include a swimming pool, a clubhouse with a kitchen, a coffee lounge and a community activity center for children.

HEDK Architects designed the project, and the general contractor is Spring Valley Construction.

This is a strong example of housing credits being used as an economic incentive tool in a public-private partnership, CEO Deepak Sulakhe said in a statement. Developing eco-friendly communities is something OM Housing prides itself on.

OM Housing has been in business since 2005 and has developed more than 7,000 housing units valued at more than $550 million.

The Garland project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2021.

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Garland apartment project will bring affordable rental units - The Dallas Morning News

A look at the websites of Nashville's high-end apartment buildings reveals a common thread: expansive shared workspaces, outdoor patios and pools, event venues, hotel-like services and organized community activities.

Some of Nashville's newest apartment buildings aren't just selling a living space anymorethey're selling a lifestyle.

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down most of those highly-advertised amenities in March, leaving these buildings to find creative ways to offer residents virtual and sanitized versions of thatpromised lifestyle. Some had the serendipitous realization thatwith a few tweaks, their existing amenities were surprisingly well-suited to "the new normal."

Kenect Nashville's 16,000 square foot shared workspace, shown here in an artist's rendering, is expected to be complete in October 2020.(Photo: Courtesy of Kenect Nashville)

Residences at Capitol View, which opened in the North Gulch area in 2018, boasts a ground floor with restaurants that consistently offered carry-out options during COVID-19 shutdowns, shops and a Publix grocery store.

"It was a selling point before, and I think even more so now, having those things so close to you and being open is really important," Ashley Van Fossen, community manager at Residences at Capitol View, told The Tennessean.

Kenect Nashville, a new apartment building and social club hybrid on 19th Avenue South, embraces a similarmodel. Though it is still under construction, it will offer 21,000 square feet of retail space on its ground floor in 2021.

A 16,000-square-foot coworking space with plenty of room for social distancing is slated to open in late October, and the building will eventually include a community kitchen, a gym and fitness studio, soundproof studios, outdoor spaces and more. Memberships to the social club amenities are also available for non-residents (residents have automatic memberships).

An artist's rendering depicts Kenect Nashville's fitness center.(Photo: Courtesy of Kenect Nashville)

"All in one big building, it offers you everything that you need within reach," saidAvi Niego, Executive Director for Kenect Nashville. "You don't really have to go anywhere if you don't want to. And obviously, there's some advantages to that during the pandemic."

The move toward sleek shared workspaces, event spaces and other lifestyle-centric amenities has been several years in the making for Nashville's apartment offerings.

In 2014, a 275-unit luxury apartment building on Davidson Street, now called Infinity Music Row, announced that it would feature a shared recording studio and a live performance venue with seating for 50. A 328-unit SoBro building now called The Burham Nashville announced plans for a two-story coworking and events space on its ground floor in 2017.

Residences at Capitol View shut down its shared spaces during phase one of Nashville's pandemic plan, and fitness classes, bingo games and trivia nights went virtual, Van Fossen said. They launched a courtyard concert series, featuring a DJ and local musicians that residents could watch from their balconies and patios. A "wellness room" could be reserved for exercise or meditation for a single resident, with cleaning between reservations.

The Residences at Capitol View now regularly cleans its shared poolside chairs using a steam sanitizing machine due to the coronavirus pandemic.(Photo: Courtesy of The Residences at Capitol View)

When restrictions eased, the building reopened its shared workspaces and fitness center with social distancing rules. Virtual offerings will continue as long as there is a need, according to Van Fossen. Three private workrooms and a conference room are now offered for two-hour bookings.

"We definitely saw an increase in (workroom) use, especially with so many people working from home and wanting to get out of their apartment for a couple of hours, it just gives them that ability," Van Fossen said.

The Residences at Capitol View offer three private workrooms that can be reserved for two-hour blocks. The rooms are sanitized between reservations.(Photo: Courtesy of The Residences at Capitol View)

Kenect Nashville similarly pivoted cooking demonstrations, music shows and fitness courses to a virtual platform for residents whohave already moved into the building as it continues to take shape. By October, the coworking space will offer a change of scenery for those working from home, a place to print documents, and spaces for small meetings, all regularly sanitized.

"I think there was a ... shift already in creating a new product, a new way of living, but the pandemic kind of accelerated it," Niego said. "... For the next six months to a year, it's probably the new reality we have to adjust to."

The pandemic led to buyer and renter hesitation in the Nashville housing market in the spring, but people are still moving to Nashville, and some apartment complexes are looking to attract new tenantswithmove-in deals.

Van Fossen said Residences at Capitol View saw interest in new leases drop at the beginning of the pandemic as employers put hiring on hold and uncertainty abounded, but lease renewals rose.

"In the last two months, we've definitely seen leasing pick back up," she said. "Not quite pre-March numbers, but there's definitely more of an interest."

The health and economic concerns brought by the pandemic may actually accelerate population growth in smaller cities like Nashville, according to a summer 2020 report by Marcus & Millichap, a national brokerage firm. More people working from home, social distancing needs and economic instability may lead to people looking for less expensive, less dense housing than can be found in larger cities,the report states.

The club room and all shared amenity spaces at The Residences at Capitol View feature WiFi.(Photo: Courtesy of The Residences at Capitol View)

The number of Nashville apartment complexes offering move-in incentives has increased significantly from last year, according to a report from real estate website Zillow. In July, 37.9% of Nashville rental listings offered some type of concession, including a month of free rent, waived or reduced deposits and fees, gift cards or perks like free parking. In July 2019, 21.1% offered such incentives the same percentage of Nashville rental listings with concessions in Februarybefore the pandemic hit.

But the typical rent price remains steady: $1,662 per month in July, up 2.3% year over year, according to Zillow.

Van Fossen's building is offering a $500 gift card at move-in on certain units, according to its website. They also offer a look-and-lease special for those who apply within 48 hours of an in-person or virtual tour: waived application and administration fees, credited toward the first month's rent.

A representative for Kenect Nashville said demand has been fairly steady, and the building has "stayed leasing consistently." Because the building and some of its amenities are still under construction, Kenect Nashville is offering one month of free rent and a waived administration fee with a 12-month lease. Other incentives are available for faculty members of the nearby Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

As cities around the nation shut down in an effort to slowthe spread of the virus, the housing rental industry faced a dilemma: capturing interest without the aid ofin-person tours.

Bevan White, vice president of marketing at Pegasus Residential, a southeastern property management company with properties in Tennessee, told Zillow that the company switched to virtual leasing in late March, increased concessions at some properties and added smart home features in others to increase value and interest.

"Teams have used teaser photos, pre-recorded walk-throughs of amenities and even personalized recorded messages to capture renters' interest before conducting a full virtual tour," White said.

Virtual tours have proved to be a vital tool for Residences at Capitol View, Van Fossen said, so much so that she thinks they will be a permanent feature.

"I think it's really great for people moving (from) out of state, or people that are super busy and aren't able to stop by," she said.

Reach Cassandra Stephenson at ckstephenson@tennessean.com or at (731) 694-7261. Follow Cassandra on Twitter at @CStephenson731.

Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2020/09/04/covid-19-nashville-apartments-tenants/3450122001/

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Nashville 'lifestyle' apartments turn to virtual events, move-in incentives during pandemic - Tennessean