Radio Ga Ga: Living in Nashville's 12 South

Radio Ga Ga: Living in Nashville's 12 South

1101 Montrose Ave is a 5 bedroom, 5.5 bath home with a detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) in 12 South. It sits five minutes from Bartaco and Frothy Monkey, and about twenty minutes on foot from Belmont University's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

I saw Marc Martel front a Queen tribute at the Fisher Center this month. Brian May and Roger Taylor hand-picked him in 2012 to lead their official Queen tribute act, and he sang lead vocals on the Oscar-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody. At Fisher, it was all about the music. But you couldn't stay a passive spectator watching the fist pumping, strutting energy of Freddie Mercury, the kind that makes you feel like you're at the 1985 Live Aid concert at London's Wembley Stadium.

What also stuck with me was what this Nashville community and its proximity make possible. Dinner in 12 South, a twenty-minute walk to Belmont University, home again without touching a highway. That is the allure of this pocket of Nashville, and it is what the new listing at 1101 Montrose Ave sells.

What's in Walking Distance?

Can you walk from 12 South to Belmont University and Fisher Center?

Yes, about 20 minutes on foot, and that includes the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, the 1,727-seat venue behind shows like Marc Martel's Queen tribute and this fall's Dolly Parton special. 12 South carries a Walk Score of 82, rated Very Walkable, and 1101 Montrose Ave sits right in it. From the door:  

• 5 minutes: Bartaco, Frothy Monkey
• 7 minutes: Five Daughters Bakery, Butter Milk Ranch, Ladybird Taco, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
• 10 minutes: La La Land, Sushi San
• 20 minutes: Belmont's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

As of September 2026, the Fisher Center's published fall schedule includes ABBA tribute Arrival From Sweden on October 3, a live two-hour Dolly Parton tribute taped by CMA on October 21, and the Nutcracker in December. A week here has a rhythm most addresses can't offer without a car.

The neighborhood is still adding to that rhythm. Au Cheval, the Chicago import from Hogsalt and Author & Edit Hospitality, opens in 12 South this fall right next to Sushi-San and La La Land.

The House Itself: Character, New Value

1101 Montrose Ave Nashville TN, 37204

Listed by Patrick Higgins and Adam Spivey of Compass Tennessee. Built in 1922, renovated and expanded in 2024 by The Magness Group. The main house is 3,132 square feet, 4 bedrooms, each with an ensuite bath, including a main-level primary suite. Hardwood floors, a fireplace, a wet bar, a large island kitchen open to the living space.

Outside: a fenced, flat, turfed yard, and a detached two-car garage with alley access.

Above the garage sits a 783 square foot detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU), a guest house with its own entrance. Full kitchen, living area, bedroom, bath, separate laundry. It can house guests, run as a home office, or generate rental income. That is a second dwelling most 1922 homes were never built to include, and the renovation adds real value here, not just new finishes.

Total living space across both structures: 3,915 square feet, on a 50x159 corner lot.

Questions About Living Here

Is 12 South Nashville walkable? Yes, it's regularly ranked Nashville's most walkable neighborhood, carrying a Walk Score of 82. Most of its restaurants, boutiques, and Belmont University itself sit within a 5 to 20 minute walk of homes like 1101 Montrose Ave.

What restaurants are near 1101 Montrose Ave? Bartaco and Frothy Monkey are five minutes away. Five Daughters Bakery, Butter Milk Ranch, Ladybird Taco, and Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams are seven. La La Land and Sushi San are ten. See our full 12 South neighborhood guide for demographics and available listings.

What new restaurants are coming to 12 South? As of September 2026, Au Cheval, the Chicago import from Hogsalt and Author & Edit Hospitality, is set to open in 12 South this fall, right next to Sushi-San and La La Land.

Is the guest house at 1101 Montrose Ave legal to rent? It can function as a rental, but Nashville's short-term and long-term rental rules vary by property and permit type. Confirm current Metro Nashville regulations before treating it as guaranteed income.

The Point

A century-old shell became two functioning homes on one walkable block. That combination, historic character, a rentable second unit, five minutes to a taco or a coffee, twenty to a concert hall, is what makes 12 South worth the premium.

Bill Diebenow is a Compass REALTOR® and LeadingRE Relocation Specialist (LRS) serving Greater Nashville and Williamson County. 

Call or text 615-337-3660.

Bill Diebenow | Compass | 615-337-3660