photograph by erik lattwein / dreamstime
Downtown Memphis has continued to evolve as we come out of the pandemic into curious fiscal times that seem, for now at least, to be stabilizing. Plenty of projects are underway from proposal to completion that are changing the face of the core Downtown area; we check in on several here.
The State of Downtown
The Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) said in its 2022 “State of Downtown” report that restaurants and nightlife had returned, the Grizzlies had enjoyed a hot run, and live music was (and is) being played every day of the year.
According to the DMC, last year tourism rebounded and pedestrian counts returned to pre-pandemic levels. Memphis Tourism and the Greater Memphis Chamber said last year that the leisure and hospitality industries here made a “full recovery” from job losses associated with the Covid-19 pandemic after nearly two and a half years.
In addition to the rhythms of daily life, Downtown’s population is increasing. The DMC said the number of people living in the area rose by 6 percent in 2022, up to 26,086 residents.
The area is continuing to develop with growth and development on the rise despite occasional setbacks. Developer Chance Carlisle is heading up the One Beale project, but his plan to open a Grand Hyatt ran afoul of what Mayor Jim Strickland thought was prudent late last year and the project is on hold. And a Loews Hotel by the convention center stalled last year. But other hotel developments have been proceeding apace.
In the report, DMC president and CEO Paul Young paints a rosy picture of what’s been going on and what the agency hopes will come. The agency is tasked to attract and retain development Downtown, something largely done through tax abatements.
Last year, the DMC incentivized 38 projects that it says will bring 1,165 apartment units, 310 hotel rooms, 85,000 square feet of retail space, 5,500 square feet of office space, and 1,000 parking spaces.
photograph courtesy downtown memphis commission
Major Projects
- Tom Lee Park’s major renovation, on Riverside Drive, is adding spaces for sports and fitness, children’s play, outdoor education, community and private events, concerts, festivals, and more, including Memphis in May’s Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.
- The Mobility Center, a mixed-use building at Beale Street and Main Street, will have a 960-stall parking garage, an area for ride-share pickup and drop-off, and space for bicycle storage and electric scooter stalls.
- The Walk, a 29-acre area on Union Avenue that will have apartments, hotels, retail, office, and open space, is a long-term, multi-phase project. The plan is to connect several Downtown neighborhoods including Uptown, South City, the Medical District, and the Downtown core.
- The Historic Snuff District, just north of Downtown’s core, is now headquarters for Varsity Spirit. The area also has office space, rental units, retail, and restaurant space.
- Construction has begun on the new Memphis Brooks Museum of Art at Union Avenue and Front Street. The museum is expected to be completed in 2025.
- The newly redone Cossitt Library, also on Front Street, opened in April after being shut down for five years. It offers 10,000 books as well as performance spaces, digital communications services, and a dining area.
- As part of its mission to boost Downtown, the DNC has various programs going on. The 2022 report says its Groove On Demand rideshare service expanded from an eight-mile area to 12. About 50,000 Groove On Demand rides were taken last year.
- The DMC is also focusing on safety and received a Shelby County grant to work with the University of Memphis to develop new safety strategies. It also plans to expand the Blue Suede Brigade hospitality team to include overnight shifts.
The agency also won an award from the International Downtown Association for its work on diversity, equity, and inclusion. On that front, the DMC took over the region’s Emerging Developer curriculum, which encourages a developer community that looks more like the Memphis community.
“Our stewardship of Downtown is critical to our entire community,” DMC president and CEO Paul Young says in the report. “Downtown is the Memphis the world recognizes: We are Beale Street, the Grizzlies, Sun Studio, and the National Civil Rights Museum. We are also the neighborhood of choice for AutoZone, St. Jude, and FedExLogistics, as well as six breweries, one world-class distillery, and countless innovators in the arts, music-tech, med-tech, and ag-tech space.”
“‘Downtown for everyone’ is more than a slogan,” Young continued. “It is the fight song for our entire community. We take it seriously. We are Downtown Memphis.”
photograph courtesy cbre, reprinted with permission
The Sterick Building
One of the most surprising and welcome announcements was the purchase by Stuart Harris of the historic Sterick Building at North B.B King Boulevard and Madison Avenue.
The 340,000-square-foot, 29-story skyscraper was built in 1929 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. However, the building has stood vacant since 1986. Previously, the idea of a purchase had been complicated, owing to a ground lease that had considered the building separate from the land it sits on. But the new agreement resolves that issue, allowing for future plans of a full redevelopment to begin taking shape.
Harris, principal of Constellation Properties, has acquired the property. Harris previously oversaw redevelopment of the Commonwealth building at 240 Madison Avenue. Constellation Properties also purchased parcels at 220 and 224 Madison Avenue, with an eye on further developing the corridor from the Commonwealth down to the Sterick.
rendering courtesy downtown memphis commission
Proposed dock at Greenbelt Park.
New Projects Underway
Meanwhile, new proposals for Downtown show a skybridge on Front Street, a boat dock at Greenbelt Park, and a new co-working space in the Edge District.
AutoZone Inc. has proposed building a skybridge from the $42 million Downtown Mobility Center, currently under construction, and its Downtown headquarters on Front Street. The bridge would link the Mobility Center’s fifth level to AutoZone’s third level, spanning the intersection of Front Street and Peabody Place.
“This skybridge will be an enclosed and secure connection for AutoZone employees and their visitors,” according to a description of the project. “The exterior of the skybridge will extend the modern aesthetic of the Mobility Center using the same metal finishes and curtain wall glazing.” The DMC’s Design Review Board approved the proposal in February.
Greenbelt Park already has a boat ramp at its northern edge, but the city is proposing to dock more than boats: Cruising vessels, cruise ships, and riverboats could pull in at Greenbelt Park.
“With the growth of the number of cruising vessels on the Mississippi River, the city of Memphis needs to be able to accommodate multiple vessels docking Downtown,” reads a description of the project.
An enormous dock would jut into the river just north of the existing boat ramp. Two shade structures would be built nearby for passengers waiting land transportation. Another building would house golf carts for passengers. The parking lot would be patched and new lighting added.
Some Mud Island residents have expressed concern that the new dock’s additional traffic will be a problem for the neighborhood, but the DMC staff emphasizes the improvements: “The new pedestrian paths will help connect visitors to the park’s existing trail system, and the shade structures will provide a welcome amenity during warm weather,” reads the staff report. “The proposed structures blend well with the landscape of the park, and the use of the golf cart storage structure for signage and art near the entrance to the lot will assist with wayfinding.”
rendering courtesy downtown memphis commission
Proposed co-working space.
The Design Review Board also gave the go-ahead to a tucked-away and vacant space in the Edge District that could see two new storefronts, one an office for cnct. design + develop and the other offering studios, gallery space, and retail space for Ugly Art Co. The building at 635 Madison stands near Marshall and Madison with an alley connecting the two streets.
“Art will spill into the alley in the form of asphalt art and lighting,” reads a description. “The alley will connect the site, strengthening access to a central courtyard and pedestrian traffic within the Edge District.”
Design renderings show the massive white walls of the building covered with a mural of koi. The application says the fish are only placeholders, but the koi theme is expected to carry through to the final design.
Samuel X. Cicci and Jon W. Sparks provided additional reporting.
