Downtown Memphis News & Developments (CBD, South Main, Riverfront, Medical District, The Edge, Uptown)

[Memphis4ever]

10 hours ago, DRG901 said:

Downtown has billions of dollars of projects going on across the board and thousands of residential units underway (hence what this announcement is) but yes  I guess it's struggling mightily.   But yes we get it.

This building is empty due to media releases about the owner not upholding promises to update elevators etc.  Downtown Memphis is doing well and adaptive reuse is a very memphis thing its ok.

[DRG901]

8 hours ago, Memphis4ever said:

This building is empty due to media releases about the owner not upholding promises to update elevators etc.  Downtown Memphis is doing well and adaptive reuse is a very memphis thing its ok.

Yes, I was being sarcastic

[MDC26]

114 N Main (Crump Building) plans for renovation of the 5 upper floors.  

https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoods/article/24204/114-n-main-renovation-downtown-memphis-commission

 

Also, Felicia Suzanne's announced they are moving to a new location.  Haven't announced where yet.  My prediction is the Anderson-Coward house where Justine's used to be.    I'm sure a restaurant will grab their current spot quickly since its got an awesome patio.  Maybe the Majestic owners will open a permanent location for their COVID Italian pop-up restaurant Cocozza.  

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/09/20/memphis-restaurants-felicia-suzannes-moving-main-street-downtown/5785334001/

[VSRJ]

More details on the Raymond James tower conversion to residential and some mixed-use.  Honestly, I don't care who or what's inside the building as long as it isn't empty like 100 N. Main and the Sterick. 

Owner plans to turn 50 North Front Street into residential to navigate a challenging market

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2021/09/20/downtown-tower-to-turn-into-apartment-building.html

Quote

The plan for the building involves tentatively renaming it Memphis Waterfront Tower and converting the top 19 floors into 300 upper-level residential apartment units, keeping the first two floors for commercial use.

“I hope to see real viability in what could be the new era of this prominent waterfront building,” Sofer said. “My hope is to swiftly adjust to today’s market realities.”

He said the first two floors will house businesses that “benefit the building," such as restaurants, coffee shops, and maybe a small bank. He added that he is going into the conversion with a flexible mindset and may do it “floor by floor” if an office tenant is landed during the process.

 

[MDC26]

1 hour ago, VSRJ said:

More details on the Raymond James tower conversion to residential and some mixed-use.  Honestly, I don't care who or what's inside the building as long as it isn't empty like 100 N. Main and the Sterick. 

Owner plans to turn 50 North Front Street into residential to navigate a challenging market

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2021/09/20/downtown-tower-to-turn-into-apartment-building.html

 

Definitely would be bad to have 3 of the tallest 5 buildings in downtown all empty.  I'm hopeful with high interest from all the submitted plans for 100 N Main.  I also don't think anyone wants to take on the Sterick building until the lease runs up.  Who in their right mind would "buy" the building when the lease runs up in 3 1/2 years, and the building reverts back to the property owners? Hopefully in 2025, something gets going on it.  

[VSRJ]

15 minutes ago, MDC26 said:

Definitely would be bad to have 3 of the tallest 5 buildings in downtown all empty.  I'm hopeful with high interest from all the submitted plans for 100 N Main.  I also don't think anyone wants to take on the Sterick building until the lease runs up.  Who in their right mind would "buy" the building when the lease runs up in 3 1/2 years, and the building reverts back to the property owners? Hopefully in 2025, something gets going on it.  

Agreed. Sterick is such a messy situation.

[James Owen]

The old Crews Wing at Methodist University Hospital (the building on the southeastern corner of Union & Bellevue) is being prepped for demolition later this year, and will be replaced with green space upon completion.

This was always in the plans as part of a long-term modernization of that campus. https://www.methodisthealth.org/newsroom/news-article/methodist-university-hospital-names-new-tower

[DRG901]

Board approves Downtown Mobility Center

Board approves Downtown Mobility Center - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian

 

[DRG901]

On 8/24/2021 at 12:30 PM, VSRJ said:

I'm excited to see more of his projects start moving. More info on the others here: https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/11/12/intrators-five-south-main-projects-move-forward.html

Downtown Intrator project moves forward with permit valued at $23M

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2021/08/24/intrator-front-street-building-permit.html

 

 

More news on this one and new renderings.  Looks good.

$30M South Front mixed-use development approved - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian

[VSRJ]

Wow that does look incredible. That stretch of Front and the immediate surrounding area are really seeing some impressive investments.

[DowntownUrbanite]

On 9/16/2021 at 9:53 AM, MDC26 said:

It's good it will be put to a more productive use, but sad that our newest high rise office building downtown is being converted to residential because it can't be filled.  Its shocking that its at only 8% vacancy since Raymond James moved out.  It hurt to move all those jobs from downtown to out East.  There needs to be a good mix of jobs and residences downtown, and if it skews too far one way or another, it has negative impacts.  

Unfortunately the move of Raymond James and others also has to do with inconvenient/insecure parking in the core of Downtown along with the growing criminal and homeless element. The inactions of our elected officials, lack of rules of engagement such as vehicular pursuit, and the understaffing of the MPD have  emboldened criminals. Drag racing was occurring down Front Street and Riverside Drive and there were out of control parties in the Raymond James parking lots. Even with the addition of speed bumps, the mayhem has continued. We also have a developer, who will remain unnamed, who continues to move headquarters from within Memphis to the East/Collierville/Germantown submarket. We as a City need to address these issues or we will never have a growing Downtown Office Market.

Edited October 8, 2021 by DowntownUrbanite
typo

[DRG901]

 

Prospero Health expands new HQ Downtown, commits to hire 530 people over 5 years

Prospero Health is moving to a new headquarters Downtown at 50 S. B.B. King Blvd. as part of a major expansion and hiring investment. - Memphis Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

 

"Prospero Health is moving to a new headquarters Downtown as part of a major expansion.

The health startup has had a meteoric rise. The company placed its operational headquarters in Memphis at the behest of its cofounder and COO, Michael Scarbrough, in 2019. 

At that time, it occupied 12,000 square feet at One Commerce Square, with 16 local employees. A year later, it doubled its square footage and got to 67 local employees.

Now, the company is relocating to 80,000 square feet across four floors at 50 S. B.B. King Blvd. The company plans to move into its new HQ in early 2022.  "

[VSRJ]

State of Downtown 2021 (actual presentation begins around minute 22:30):

 

[VSRJ]

I'm interested to see a better rendering of this, but I'm cautiously optimistic that it will be aesthetically pleasing.

Permit filed for Downtown Mobility Center

https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoods/article/25345/memphis-permit-filed-for-downtown-mobility-center

Quote

The Downtown Mobility Center would stand seven stories on the 1.3-acre surface parking lot immediately north of the Orpheum Theatre and include nearly 1,000 parking spaces and ground-floor retail space.

 

[James Owen]

11 minutes ago, VSRJ said:

I'm interested to see a better rendering of this, but I'm cautiously optimistic that it will be aesthetically pleasing.

Permit filed for Downtown Mobility Center

https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoods/article/25345/memphis-permit-filed-for-downtown-mobility-center

 

Here's a link to the presentation given to the Design Review Board in October with updated renderings of the mobility center: https://downtownmemphis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Downtown-Mobility-Center-DRB-Application-21-49-2021.09.29.pdf

[Memphis4ever]

Downtown board approves new PILOT for Medical District development - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian  New mixed use development in the Medical/Edge district five-story project, 49 apartment units, 1800 sq ft ground floor leasable retail space and 9,660 square feet of support space. 

 

 

[VSRJ]

More adaptive reuse in Memphis!

Memphis investors plan $29M redevelopment of old Greyhound Bus building in Uptown

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2021/12/09/greyhound-building-uptown-november-6-developers.html

Quote

A group of Memphis developers plans to purchase and redevelop the old Greyhound building at 525 N. Main St. November 6 Investments' $29 million project would be one of adaptive reuse, with 40 industrial apartment lofts in the former bus station and an additional 25 units where there are currently storage lockers and artist space.

...

Also part of the project is the old Schlitz Brewery. It will be converted into 34,000 square feet of destination retail, the developers said.

Edited December 9, 2021 by VSRJ

[MDC26]

22 hours ago, VSRJ said:

More adaptive reuse in Memphis!

Memphis investors plan $29M redevelopment of old Greyhound Bus building in Uptown

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2021/12/09/greyhound-building-uptown-november-6-developers.html

I wonder if anyone has any plans to create a park/amenity for the exposed areas of Gayoso Bayou.  There's 5 exposed areas, but St Jude is wanting to cover one part up and build a parking garage.   Sometimes they're filled with water, and sometimes they're empty.  And lots of times have trash in them.  That's because the Gayoso is the main drainage for most of downtown, and the trash gets swept into it.  Right now they are inaccessible for safety reasons and are fenced off.  They act as reservoirs and there's a pump station on front, that when the pumps are turned on, it drains the water into the Wolf River Lagoon.  I think they only have to turn the pumps on when there's a decent rain.  It would be cool if they could make them accessible and more scenic with terraces and fountains and other amenities.   Maybe have some filtering system further upstream to keep the trash out and just have water lines for fountains and to keep them filled.  

[Memphis4ever]

Construction Progress on St Jude's Domino's Village

[DRG901]

Sorry, posted on the wrong page, disregard.

Edited December 22, 2021 by DRG901
Sorry, posted on the wrong page, disregard.

[MDC26]

The Artwork and lighting finally completed  on Main St underpass going to the Pinch.  Been planned for 4-5 years, but TDOT was the hold up as they had to move the fence to the other side of the columns.

https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoods/article/26114/new-sequin-mural-lights-up-downtown-thoroughfare

[MDC26]

More Edge Development - Wine shop and a bar

https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoods/article/26188/memphis-edge-district-development-goes-before-design-review-board

 

[DRG901]

New mixed-use development planned for South Main - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian

"A mixed-use development planned for South Main would anchor emerging corridors and offer more housing for a growing Downtown.

Butler Row would span more than 2 acres, including the intersection at East Butler Avenue and B.B. King Boulevard, according to an application filed with the Board of Adjustment. "

"The Butler, if approved for a variance, would deliver 316 residential units and 13,575 square feet of commercial space. It would also provide for 300 structured parking spaces."

 

[VSRJ]

Wow that looks really nice. And great placement across the street from Wiseacre!

[JTM1]

5 hours ago, DRG901 said:

New mixed-use development planned for South Main - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian

"A mixed-use development planned for South Main would anchor emerging corridors and offer more housing for a growing Downtown.

Butler Row would span more than 2 acres, including the intersection at East Butler Avenue and B.B. King Boulevard, according to an application filed with the Board of Adjustment. "

"The Butler, if approved for a variance, would deliver 316 residential units and 13,575 square feet of commercial space. It would also provide for 300 structured parking spaces."

 

This is very nice and will certainly add to the growing density of downtown.  I was hoping for something more of a  Brownstone type townhome in this area.

There is an old metal building that sits across from this location. It appears to be an old gin, I wonder what will become of that building?