DRG901

I wasn't really sure if this should be in the Downtown or Midtown section but it's in the Medical District, soo.. $56M mixed-use development proposed for Medical District $56M mixed-use development proposed for Medical District - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian "A $55.7 million mixed-use development is proposed for nearly the entire block along Union, between Cleveland and Claybrook. The 2.9-acre development would rise where First Horizon and IberiaBank branches now operate in the Medical District" "Called URBN on Union, the development comprises 270 apartment units, 17,500 square feet of ground floor retail and 411-space parking structure."

More info on the overall plan Details on $200 million Accelerate Memphis plan revealed in mayor's presentation to city council (wreg.com)

Hyde Foundation buys 15 acres on Walnut Grove for mixed-use development Hyde Foundation buys 15 acres for mixed-use development by Derwin Sisnett and Nora Jendoubi - Memphis Business Journal (bizjournals.com) "The Hyde Family Foundation recently purchased 15 acres near Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library to support a major commercial development. Memphis-based Maslow Development Inc. is leading the project with Hyde's support. Maslow partners Derwin Sisnett and Nora Jendoubi said in a statement that they are working on a "school-centered, mixed-use development" for the 15 acres but are "very early in the design process." The property, 3100 Walnut Grove Road, is currently vacant. Hyde spent $1.57 million on it to support "the continued civic revitalization of the Binghampton neighborhood — a neighborhood of focus for the Foundation," Hyde Family Foundation president Teresa Sloyan said." Some of that vision can be seen on Maslow's website. The "Lighthouse Project" portion of the site describes a 15-acre, mixed-use development with a school, mixed-income housing, and workforce development opportunities. Hyde purchased the property under the entity Lighthouse Community Ecosystem LLC." Link to website with some more info/renderings: Lighthouse Project | Maslow Development Inc.

Memphian preps 10 acres near Downtown for catalytic development From the Memphis Business Journal- property purchased South of the South Main District with ideas for redevelopment. Would be nice to see more investment pushing South. Frank Smith preps 10 acres on E.H. Crump Boulevard for Downtown development - Memphis Business Journal (bizjournals.com) "Not a developer himself, Smith got in touch with Anna Holtzclaw, who coordinates the Memphis Real Estate Diversity Initiative for Urban Land Institute (ULI) Memphis. Through the program, three teams of aspiring developers designed potential projects for the site. The teams presented that work on Dec. 14, 2020. One of the teams pitched a mixed-use development with entertainment and retail space, a mix of market-rate and low-income apartments, and some townhomes. Another pitched a retail and entertainment-focused development with an amphitheater, restaurants, and creative workspace. The third pitched a 125,000-square-foot greenhouse and 247 apartments, along with 14,000 square feet of retail. Smith said he loved the idea to build a greenhouse or other facilities that could help the city’s agriculture technology industry. And, along with the residential and commercial possibilities, he said he could foresee a school on the site. Whatever is built on the 10 acres, though, Smith wants it to feel like an extension of South Main Street. If he’s successful at doing that, it could play a major role in pushing investors to look south of Downtown’s core."

This is true in a lot of neighborhoods closer to the core (Cooper-Young/Evergreen come to mind)- I am not sure the history. I always sort of guessed it was part of revitalization attempts of those neighborhoods in the late 80's/90's perhaps? Again, just a guess on my part and wasn't really around when those areas saw more investment (I'm close to 40 now). I would love to see more of this across the city someday.

Another article on the Racquet Club site. Definitely a site with a lot of potential. Looking forward to seeing plans once more comes out. 'Mixed-use development of significant size and scale:' Carlisle talks Racquet Club purchase, vision Chance Carlisle discusses purchasing Racquet Club of Memphis and plans for redevelopment. - Memphis Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Carlisle-associated LLC purchases former Racquet Club land Former Racquet Club property purchased by Carlisle-associated LLC - Memphis Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Commercial space, townhouses planned for Cooper-Young By Tom Bailey, Daily Memphian--Commercial space, townhouses planned for Cooper-Young - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian "Cooper-Young’s north edge has attracted plans for yet another mixed-use development, this time for about 4,500 square feet of retail at 2197 Central Ave. with five townhouses behind. City Construction & Development LLC has filed an application for a zoning variance with the Board of Adjustment for the one-acre site at the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Meda Street. The developer has a contract to buy the building that houses Party Concepts, which will move within six months of the completion of the property sale." “It’s becoming more of a walkable area with Railgarten and Urban Outfitters and Lululemon and Aldo’s Pizza and the (Memphis Made) brewery,” Thomas said. The conceptual site plan filed with the Board of Adjustment shows a 4,500-square-foot commercial space near the sidewalk of Central and Meda with most of the 36 parking spaces behind the building. South of that parking lot is a row of five, attached townhouses facing Meda. Each townhouse will be 2,000 to 2,100 square feet and likely will be two stories, Thomas said. The units will be built to be sold, not rented, he said." What will be demolished fronting Central Site plan:

Great site. Some on the threatened list have been renovated/redeveloped since that page was updated. Tennessee Brewery: Historic Brewery Gets New Life in Memphis (multihousingnews.com) See inside: Tennessee Brewery's nearly completed first phase - Memphis Business Journal (bizjournals.com) Towery Building on Union, back building renovated with a new build up front (The Citizen apartments) The Citizen apartments in Midtown filling up - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian

I agree it's definitely not just a basketball city. I was at all aspects of Game Day last year, what day, Go Tigers . But it's not just Nashville having a team. It would definitely take a major plan with a sparkling new stadium with major corporate players on board, as well as the city, etc etc. As well as the NFL being interested in expanding again or relocating a team. We just dropped millions into the Liberty Bowl with new seating/ Tiger Lane etc that was meant for it to last another 20 years or so. It's much improved and we have (in normal years) seen higher attendance and support. There's no way the city and University and everyone involved would look to build something new, especially right now with the pandemic and economic uncertainty. Again, down the line it will come up eventually for replacement and then there'd have to be a major push with every party involved but that will be years down the road.

There was definitely a huge appetite for a team in the 70's/80's/90's and great corporate support with FedEx and others-- after we lost out on the 95 expansion bid and a year later the Oilers were moving to Nashville and we were picked to basically babysit them for 2 years while they were building a brand new stadium (again, probably the main reason Memphis shot itself in the foot by losing out on the expansion or any possible relocations) did not go over well considering it'd been attempted for so long. There was zero chance after that the NFL would put a team in both cities so close to each other with such close populations at the time.

Lamar Avenue leads the way in how Memphis 3.0 could change city’s look Lamar leads the way in how Memphis 3.0 could change city's look - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian

Yeah there's no chance of that happening at this point, especially as long as the Titans are in Nashville. If Memphis had built a new stadium in the 90's I think they would've gotten a team instead of Jacksonville, and I am not sure how successful it would have been long term- possibly would have been the same type of success as the Jaguars. But I can't re-write history... and if we did get a team back then I think we never would've gotten the Grizzlies and I think the NBA is a better fit for Memphis and always thought back in the 80's/90's they should have put their efforts into an NBA team instead of the NFL, which eventually they seemed to figure out and has been a great 20 year run so far.

Central Yards has cleared its first hurdle: "The planning board voted 9-0 with one recusal on Thursday, Dec. 10, to support what is, by Midtown standards, a huge development: 348 apartments, 615 parking spaces, and 53,000 square feet of commercial space. The proposed Central Yards mixed-use development next goes to the City Council with a strong recommendation for approval by the Land Use Control Board." Planning board supports Central Yards project - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian

Well here's a rendering.

Fingers crossed? I hope this pans out and I hope there's renderings at the meeting tomorrow.

Bowling, laser tag and golf are on their way to Liberty Park. City signs deal with entertainment venue Bowling venue on its way to Memphis' Liberty Park (commercialappeal.com) Samuel Hardiman Memphis Commercial Appeal "The city of Memphis has signed a letter of intent with Austin-based High 5 Entertainment for a 65,000 square foot bowling, laser tag, ropes course and golf simulator facility, the city said in a news release Monday. The 65,000 square foot development will have both indoor and outdoor components. The 40,000 building will include bowling, a bar, axe-throwing, laser tag, virtual reality, a video game arcade and a golf simulator on the ground floor. The upstairs venue will be for private bowling events, the news release said. Outside, there will be a 25,000 square foot miniature golf-course. " " Construction is expected to begin in early-2021, the city said. The facility is scheduled to be complete by the 2022 holiday season. Inking an entertainment venue is a win for the city of Memphis' expansive plans for the rebranded Liberty Park, which will include a 227,000 square foot youth sports venue, two hotels, other retail and potentially residential apartments. Before the pandemic, city officials traveled to scout potential entertainment venues and were in talks with several different potential venues. The entertainment venue, now High 5, was seen as the lynchpin for the project."

I hope so... I was expecting this. Terrible time for anyone to finance a hotel. Hopefully once the market improves but who knows how things will pan out for the next couple of years.

Developers plan to tear down a vacant office building in the Medical District and replace it with apartments, from the Memphis Business Journal https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2020/11/19/patton-taylor-plan-medical-district-apartments.html "CTLP LLC just purchased the vacant medical office building at 220 S. Claybrook St. for $1.8 million. The partners plan to demolish it in January and replace it with roughly 84 apartments. "It’s a great spot, right across the street from Methodist Hospital [and close to] the Southern College of Optometry and [University of Tennessee Health Science Center]," Taylor said. "We think it's very appealing to a lot of different people from young professionals to … residents and medical students." The nearby hospitals, via the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, have long pushed for more housing in the district and insisted there's plenty of demand. Taylor agrees with that assessment, especially given the long-running success of The Bristol on Union. Taylor said he expects his new building to land rents somewhere between the prices at The Bristol — about $1.70 per square foot, according to its website — and The Citizen, the new building about 1 mile east on Union Avenue that's renting for about $1.90. The new property will include four stories of units above a first-floor parking garage and should be completed in the summer of 2021, Taylor said." What's currently there to be demolished:

Yeah this is a huge improvement. The Cook should have been replaced/upgraded decades ago. I was always one to think a completely new cc build on the Union Row site by the Forum/AZP/Beale would have been perfect (that was floated around 2007-08 or so if my memory is correct?) but understand $$ doesn't grow on trees and think they did a great job updating what they had. Timing is bad but hopefully the world gets back to some sort of normalcy with crowds/conventions and I think it'll have no problem getting better events than the past. On the bright side, I'm happy this was all financed and under construction before Covid hit or we'd probably be looking at a huge delay or it would've been scrapped altogether.

Nice! I remember rumors of a huge project at this site 5-6 years ago but wasn't expecting any announcement soon after so much time, especially in the uncertainty of 2020.. will be interesting to see what happens.

Kroger has sold a huge piece of land (17 acres) that they have owned for a while, with no plans to do anything with it (except a fuel center which is across from their existing store). This was at one time set to be a huge mixed use development and at one point was supposed to include a Target pre 2008 recession- sorry I can't remember all the details but hopefully this sees some movement this time around. At the time of the past proposals Crosstown down the street was still vacant. If done right this could be a huge project and really connect the Cleveland corridor in that part of Midtown. https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoodsmidtown/article/17706/kroger-sells-vacant-washington-bottoms-land "WSG had filed plans 12 years ago with the city for a 28-acre redevelopment featuring a walkable “urban village” of upscale housing, retail, office space, hotel and restaurants. The company borrowed $14 million through Lehman Brothers Holdings. But the Great Recession killed the project."

Renovation of the Marine Hospital into apartments wrapping up, from The Daily Memphian Transformation for historic Marine Residence nearly finished https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/section/business/article/17647/transformation-of-historic-hospital-marine-residence-memphis

‘Mobility Center’ crowns $62M plan to improve Downtown parking, walking Well, this will take care of another surface parking lot. https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoodsdowntown/article/17660/downtown-memphis-mobility-center-beale-street-tourists

LOL, is that The Beatles I see there walking down the Abbey Road (err.. MLK crosswalk)?