Urban Market Opens in Heart of Downtown Nashville

H.G. Hill Urban Market Debuts in Nashville's Newest Neighborhood; Fresh Food Now Within Walking Distance for Residents

Nashville, Tennessee - February 6, 2006 - Hundreds of residents who have made the urban core of Nashville their home over the last few months are finding themselves right in the middle of a bona fide neighborhood today. The new H.G. Hill Urban Market, located in the lobby of the 31-story Viridian on Church Street, officially swung open its doors, offering residents the fresh food and conveniences that only their very own grocery store can provide.

"There's nothing else quite like being able to walk across the street or down the block to your local grocery store, a place where employees know you and neighbors greet you," said Scott Means of S&C Foods, Inc, the owner and operator of the new market. "This is the first and only neighborhood grocery store for downtown's central business district. Now, fresh seafood, meat, a bakery and deli are just minutes away. This is a landmark day for downtown, Nashville's newest residential community."

The 4,500 square foot market is open from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM on weekdays and 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekends. More than 75% of the store's offerings will be fresh items, including high-quality organic produce, prepared foods and heat-and-eat meals. The store also features a full-service meat and seafood counter, a deli section, produce, fish and frozen food sections along with fresh sushi and prepared salads daily.

The market is also offering some unique services specifically designed for the urban professional. For instance, shoppers can place orders in advance and H.G. Hill will have the groceries bagged and ready for pick up, saving valuable time for residents on the go.

Designed by Kansas City-based AWG Design Group, the market blends an old-fashioned look with a modern feel. The interior features a rolling ladder to reach products up the wall, 30 foot ceilings with large columns and modern metals. The market, which is staffed by 10 employees, is a new concept for H.G. Hill, the Nashville-based supermarket chain.

"When we set out to build Viridian, we heard from everyone across Nashville that downtown needed its own grocery store," said Tony Giarratana, whose company Giarratana Development partnered with Novare Group to develop Viridian. "We listened and, in turn, residents followed. Church Street has been reenergized by these new residents. This urban market will help the neighborhood continue to grow."

"Our goal in developing Viridian was not only to build a beautiful condominium community, but also to create a great urban experience for Viridian's residents and others who live downtown," said Frank Reese, Novare's lead developer for Nashville. "This opening is a red-letter day."

Viridian was the first of several residential projects reshaping Nashville's skyline. Others include Encore, which is now under construction and is SoBro's first residential development and another joint venture between Giarratana Development and Novare Group; and Signature Tower, a $300 million residential skyscraper, which will be built one-half block from Viridian and is also a Giarratana Development property. Other recent downtown projects include the conversion of the Bennie Dillon building into loft apartments and the conversion of the top four floors of The Cumberland apartments into condominium penthouses.