Reinforcing the Past: The Structural Balancing Act at Inglewood

Renovation work is often a balancing act. For the Inglewood Shell Building at 3701 Gallatin Pike, which is now home to M.L.Rose, Crieve Hall Bagel, Club Pilates, and the upcoming Nick the Greek, that balance was everything. The project became a standout example of structural renovation in Nashville’s Inglewood neighborhood.

The structural engineering team at Design and Engineering, Inc. worked on the “MLR – Inglewood” project from beginning to end. From the outset, we knew this wasn’t just about fixing an old structure. It was about designing a modern tenant experience within buildings with decades of layered history and idiosyncrasies. A.Ray Hospitality, led by founder Austin Ray, had a clear vision for what this place could become. The team at DandE worked to bring that vision to life. Throughout the project, we kept returning to the same structural renovation question: when do you preserve what’s already there, and when do you introduce something new?

Structural Renovation: Navigating the Existing Structure

The site consisted of two buildings: a WWII-era barrel-vaulted structure with a flat roof addition and partial basement, and an auto shop we referred to as “Tenant A.” Following selective demolition, we had about 10,000 SF of interior space, plus a courtyard we aimed to transform.

The barrel vault was the standout feature. It was framed with arched steel trusses that couldn’t be touched or loaded with equipment. That created an immediate problem: restaurants like M.L.Rose come with big HVAC requirements.

Interior view of the barrel vault with exposed steel trusses.

The flat roofs of the main building featured early steel bar joists and concrete I joists that were difficult to evaluate under modern standards. And Tenant A’s roof was a post-tensioned concrete slab, also unsuitable for substantial new rooftop loading.

We took a tailored approach to each of the four roof sections. For the flat concrete roof, we designed a parallel frame of W-beams supported on HSS columns that pass through the roof deck and bear directly on the steel framing below. This floating frame supports four RTUs and one makeup air unit, including three that serve the barrel vault.

For the steel joist and post-tensioned areas, we worked closely with the architects to build new support walls directly from the foundation. Those walls were strategically placed below new equipment and aligned with tenant demising walls and kitchen layouts to avoid conflicts. It was a constant collaboration to ensure the renovation worked structurally and architecturally.

Reimagining the Courtyard

The courtyard space between the two buildings was a design problem wrapped in drainage and sunlight issues. Sloping toward the garage doors of Tenant A and receiving water from four roof sections, the space had only one undersized drain, and it was surrounded on three sides by graffiti-covered CMU walls and utilities. All four tenants needed to connect to it, so raising the grade wasn’t an option.

The original condition of the courtyard area.

We first explored familiar solutions for the M.L.Rose brand—turf, string lights, shade canopies—but none solved the functional problems: ponding water, unusable seating, and a boxed-in feel.

So, the team proposed something bolder. What if we treated the courtyard as a project centerpiece rather than a secondary space? The solution: a 2,000 SF roof supported by six new columns tucked between utilities and walls. The roof cantilevers out over three existing rooflines, maintains over 16 feet of internal clearance, and brings a clean, intentional character to the space. It was a huge increase to the structural scope of the project, but functionally it allowed year-round usability for the courtyard.

Concept elevation sketch presented during early planning.

Our client supported the concept immediately. They saw the long-term value of treating the courtyard as a true guest space, not just an architectural leftover. That decision gave the design team the green light to solve the problem thoroughly, and the space is now one of the most unique features of the site.

Teamwork and Practicality

This kind of structural renovation, threading new solutions through old construction, requires more than design skills. It demands ongoing conversation. Shaub Construction, who has worked on several M.L.Rose locations in the area, served as the general contractor and was engaged with us throughout. Their familiarity with the client, combined with their attention to detail in the field, helped us know when a detail needed refinement and when a more radical approach was the right call.

And of course, our clients deserve the most credit. They trusted us to preserve what made the building special, while also supporting moves that pushed the design beyond what was expected. That trust made space for real creativity.

Finished photo of the new courtyard area – Photo by Nathan Zucker

What DandE Took Away

There’s no universal playbook for this kind of renovation. Every wall, every beam, every inconsistent roof line must be evaluated for what it can, and can’t, handle. Sometimes we reinforce it. Sometimes we avoid it. And sometimes, we build something completely new beyond it.

This project reminded us that the right answer isn’t always clean or consistent. But when you get the balance right, when you preserve just enough and add just enough, we can end up with a structure that feels whole. Not new, not old. Just right.

By: Will Craig, PE