One Beale

[mandrws1]

Gene Carlisle released the renderings for the One Beale luxury condo/hotel tower in today's commercial appeal! The building is beautiful! I'm on my t-mobile sidekick so I don't have the ability to paste it, but I want to know what you all think about it. The building looks mostly glass and although its gorgeous, I'm afraid it won't fit in with the other buildings downtown. The article seems to suggest that this thing is gonna go up soon in order to better compete with the horizon towers, which are a better fit IMO. While this is exciting news, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the buildings design and how it'll fit in with the unique character of downtown Memphis?

[ricky_the_great]

Gene Carlisle released the renderings for the One Beale luxury condo/hotel tower in today's commercial appeal! The building is beautiful! I'm on my t-mobile sidekick so I don't have the ability to paste it, but I want to know what you all think about it. The building looks mostly glass and although its gorgeous, I'm afraid it won't fit in with the other buildings downtown. The article seems to suggest that this thing is gonna go up soon in order to better compete with the horizon towers, which are a better fit IMO. While this is exciting news, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the buildings design and how it'll fit in with the unique character of downtown Memphis?

heres the story the rendering is on commercial appeal. i'll post it later when im not so sleepy haha!

One Beale sings 'wow'

Luxury condos, hotel proposed for river landing

By Amos Maki

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December 3, 2005

When Gene Carlisle said he wanted a "wow building" where Beale Street meets Riverside Drive -- arguably one of the most important pieces of real estate in the city -- it wasn't just talk.

Carlisle, the Wendy's restaurant magnate of the Mid-South, is poised to develop the first phase of One Beale, a 27-story, $150 million condo/luxury hotel development that will redefine the Memphis skyline and Downtown living.

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"Being at the foot of Beale Street and right on the river, it's the best spot in the city," said Andy Kitsinger, director of planning and development at the Center City Commission. "They'll have a free ticket to the Beale Street Music festival every year."

The tower will feature 168 hotel rooms and 159 luxury condos. The hotel rooms would occupy floors 5 through 10 of the building while the condos, which will range in price from $350,000 to $2 million, will finish out the tower.

"This is all about Memphis' future," said Carlisle, founder and chairman of Carlisle Corp., which owns 90 Wendy's restaurants with sales topping $120 million annually. "We've seen the city evolve, and this is about looking ahead and what Memphis can become. It's not about the last 50 years; it's about the next 50 years."

The first floor will hold a grand lobby, retail space, an upscale restaurant and a spa. There will be two floors dedicated to 75,000 square feet of Class A office space, and the fourth floor will be reserved for meeting and conference rooms.

Carlisle said he is in the final stage of negotiating a joint venture with a hotel chain and he expects to announce a deal within the next few weeks. He already is interviewing sales and marketing firms and general contractors.

"Unless we have grossly missed the residential piece, this deal is a go," said Carlisle. "We know we've got the right location, we think we've got the right product for it, and we think the market we're after is after a lifestyle and value that is above everything else."

The building design -- by Mark Weaver, Janet Smith-Haltom and Rob Jurbergs of Memphis-based Hnedak Bobo Group -- will go before the Center City Commission's Design and Review Board on Wednesday.

The design is reminiscent of projects found in more mature markets like New York City or Miami.

"Gene said it had to sing," said Smith-Haltom. "We think it does."

While Carlisle is joining a booming Downtown condo market -- with more than 1,000 condos under construction or in the works -- he is targeting the virtually untapped ultra-high-end segment.

According to Bologna Consultants, the average price for condos sold this year is $200,664. Between 2002 and this year, the average sale price for condos hovered between $151,504 and $225,101.

"We're going after something completely different," Carlisle said, referring to the $350,000-and-up condos.

But not without competition.

The Bryan Co. is developing The Horizon, a condo complex featuring two 16-story towers on Riverside Drive just south of the RiverTower at South Bluffs that will have units from $200,000 to $1 million.

That development prompted Carlisle to shorten the time to get to market.

"For a long time, we had all the time in the world to play with this thing because we didn't have anybody to take our customers away," he said.

To speed the project along, Carlisle changed some of his initial plans. Originally, the hotel was to be in a second, smaller tower, but the hotel chain wanted to be in the prime tower facing the river. Carlisle agreed.

Once the first phase is complete, Carlisle can move forward with the rest of the project, which will likely include a smaller hotel and condo tower on what are now parking lots on Beale at Wagner and Front.

That phase could bring the total cost of the development to more than $300 million.

-- Amos Maki: 529-2351

How it Stacks Up

At 27 stories and 313 feet, the condo/hotel tower at One Beale would be among the tallest buildings in Memphis. Here's how it would measure up:

100 North Main: 37 stories, 430 feet

One Commerce Square: 31 stories, 396 feet

Sterick Building: 31 stories, 365 feet

Clark Tower: 32 stories, 365 feet

Morgan Keegan Tower: 23 stories, 341 feet

First Tennessee building: 25 stories, 332 feet

Source: Memphis Public Library and Information Center

[Rural King]

Wow that is an amazing design. I really like it. I don't know how it will mix in with the skyline overall, but the design is really sharp on its own.

[ricky_the_great]

Wow that is an amazing design. I really like it. I don't know how it will mix in with the skyline overall, but the design is really sharp on its own.

normally i dont like glass in memphis skyline but i like this, i think it'll be neat.

[Clobber]

normally i dont like glass in memphis skyline but i like this, i think it'll be neat.

I don't know, the prism seems a little weird on that building. Doesn't seem to fit. I don't know, maybe it will look better on a physical model, or in real life. It's certainly bold, and Memphis' skyline needs that. Now they need a 400 footer . . .

The building behind it looks new too, and looks like a 15-story. Of course, maybe that's just for perspective . . .

Gene Carlisle released the renderings for the One Beale luxury condo/hotel tower in today's commercial appeal! The building is beautiful! I'm on my t-mobile sidekick so I don't have the ability to paste it, but I want to know what you all think about it. The building looks mostly glass and although its gorgeous, I'm afraid it won't fit in with the other buildings downtown. The article seems to suggest that this thing is gonna go up soon in order to better compete with the horizon towers, which are a better fit IMO. While this is exciting news, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the buildings design and how it'll fit in with the unique character of downtown Memphis?

I don't think it's a problem in terms of fitting in downtown. I'm more concerned with the different design aspects fitting with each other. But, I don't think it'll have any negative effect on the character of downtown. It actually adds to it with a diverse architectural style, which downtown desperately needs some variety in styles.

[it's just dave]

I think Carlise hit the nail on the head when he said, "We've seen the city evolve, and this is about looking ahead and what Memphis can become. It's not about the last 50 years; it's about the next 50 years."

Even though Memphis is a premier city with its old towers and beautiful past it's exciting to see something like this on the horizon. Look at it this way, it's like being at an old established country club with all its sophisticated older members standing around looking pretty classy, and Jessica Alba walks in.

Quite the wow factor. Great!

[sleepy]

The building behind it looks new too, and looks like a 15-story. Of course, maybe that's just for perspective . . .

I think the building behind it is the phase two that the article referred to--the smaller tower with an additional hotel and condos.

[Nashvillain]

I think it looks really cool. When I see the Memphis skyline i'm always struck by how brown and earthy it is, like the buildings sort of just grew right out of the soil (not a criticism). I think this building will certainly stand out and "point the way to the future." And as far as fitting in with Beale street, to me, urban environments are all about the sort of haphazard and willy-nilly juxtapositions of styles and sizes, etc. That's what makes them visually exciting unlike the suburbs where everything looks the same and communities are "planned."

I'm excited, I hope to see it under way soon.

[Hankster]

Very, very cool. I personally think it will be a nice fit into the Memphis skyline. I like diversity, and this will add just that. It's time for Memphis to start going UP again! It's an awesome location, and I don't think the developer will have too much trouble getting this project off to a fast start.

[Lexy]

Awesome. I like this design. Bold, cutting edge, risque! I think it will take the Memphis skyline to another level as far as future developments are concerned. I am very pleased to see this happening right now.

[BnaBreaker]

That is a handsome looking building! I hope it gets built! I was thinking about it, and I think that as long as a building doesn't completely TOWER over the rest of the skyline, it will fit right in whether it is modern or not. All the Memphis skyline lacks is a tall building from this era. It has everything else, so there really isn't a specific type of design in the skyline. It is a mix of everything that somehow seems to blend together. So I think this tower will just increase the diversity of the skyline while not taking away from it. I think the theme of the Memphis skyline should be "Unity in Diversity".

[ricky_the_great]

why is it that this building and hte Horizon seem to be going Way faster than the Vue on main.. which has been talked about for quite a while.

[sleepy]

why is it that this building and hte Horizon seem to be going Way faster than the Vue on main.. which has been talked about for quite a while.

The Vue is getting HUD money. The design has changed at least once because of the cost of steel. Each design change has to be run through HUD. Last I read on this board, MLG&W was working on the site utilities.

Here's the project's website:

http://www.thevueonmain.com/

[HKG]

No. 1 Beale kicks! The Vue on Main, Horizon Towers, and No. 1 Beale are hefty additions to the old Memphis skyline (if the Vue will ever go beyond digging a pit on Main Street). It's nice to see older buildings like the Goodwyn Institute and Lincoln Tower being refurbished at the same time new buidlings are being built.

[ricky_the_great]

The Vue is getting HUD money. The design has changed at least once because of the cost of steel. Each design change has to be run through HUD. Last I read on this board, MLG&W was working on the site utilities.

Here's the project's website:

http://www.thevueonmain.com/

im not familier with HUD? what does that stand for?

[cheeriokid61]

I think the building is wonderful, and will make Memphis' skyline whole lot better, but if you cover up the very cool prism with your finger, the rest of the building looks really bad, no offense. I don't mean to criticize the building, but I think that they need to work a little more on the rest of the building, not just one corner of it.

On the other hand, if they light it the right way, One Beale could be incredible at night. Image a giant 300 foot glowing prism in the Memphis skyline. That will be so cool.

[sleepy]

im not familier with HUD? what does that stand for?

It's a department of the United States government--the Office of Housing and Urban Development. The Vue, which is apartments, not condos--will have a number of affordable apartments in the $500--$750 range. So my guess, the developer snared some low-interest money or an outright grant from HUD.

With all the old apartment buildings down there going condo--the Claridge, many SouthMain lofts, 10 Main St., etc. I think it's a good idea. The only remaining apt. buildings I can think of are the Gayoso House, Echelon, and 99 Main.

With the Sears building proposal, the only thing remaining to put back to life is the Sterrick Building. Too bad they didn't snare some HUD money for that.

[sleepy]

I think the building is wonderful, and will make Memphis' skyline whole lot better, but if you cover up the very cool prism with your finger, the rest of the building looks really bad, no offense. I don't mean to criticize the building, but I think that they need to work a little more on the rest of the building, not just one corner of it.

On the other hand, if they light it the right way, One Beale could be incredible at night. Image a giant 300 foot glowing prism in the Memphis skyline. That will be so cool.

I know what you mean. I don't really think the rest of the building looks "bad", just really, really bland. It looks like it could be on the beachfront in any city in Florida along with a dozen other identical towers. I actually think the phase 2 building on the left is a lot more interesting looking.

But the tower shows a little streak of brown going up on the right--maybe that's a patch of brick which would look nice.

I like the prism as well. My first thought was seeing the reflections of sunsets off the River. I like the idea of lighting it up at night as well. A really nice shade of blue would really fit in with Beale Street.

[Dale]

im not familier with HUD? what does that stand for?

[Department of] Housing and Urban Development.

[ariesjow]

That's a really beautiful condo tower. I'm happy this is going up in Memphis. The skyline needs a new tower. That it's residential is even a bigger plus.

[sleepy]

That's a really beautiful condo tower. I'm happy this is going up in Memphis. The skyline needs a new tower. That it's residential is even a bigger plus.

Downtown Memphis long ago ceased to be the business center of the area. That's been in East Memphis for awhile. Downtown gets 1 office building maybe every ten years.

The only skyscrapers presently going up downtown are all residential--the 28 story Vue, the 27 story One Beale, and two 16 story Horizon Towers. Hmmm . . . . that's 87 stories, too bad they couldn't have put it all in one building.

This is a lousy webcam shot, but One Beale will be at the end of the street (Beale) to the left of that highrise condo building:

[ricky_the_great]

Downtown Memphis long ago ceased to be the business center of the area. That's been in East Memphis for awhile. Downtown gets 1 office building maybe every ten years.

The only skyscrapers presently going up downtown are all residential--the 28 story Vue, the 27 story One Beale, and two 16 story Horizon Towers. Hmmm . . . . that's 87 stories, too bad they couldn't have put it all in one building.

This is a lousy webcam shot, but One Beale will be at the end of the street (Beale) to the left of that highrise condo building:

i hope that one day it will be business center again. I think the government should work towards improving offices in downtown. or work on devoloping the Metro area. so that downtown is closer to the actual center

[bluff2085]

any speculations as to when all three of these large scale projects--vue, no. 1 beale, and horizon towers--will be available to the public, realistically?

[sleepy]

any speculations as to when all three of these large scale projects--vue, no. 1 beale, and horizon towers--will be available to the public, realistically?

Who knows. I don't live in Memphis so I can't run downtown and check things out.

Horizon Towers opened a sales office a month or two ago. The Vue is a hole in the ground and the utility company is putting in services. One Beale is in its initial planning stages, as far as the article says.

Realistically, I'd have to say that the Vue might start up with actual construction fairly shortly since the ground has been cleared. Just a guess, but the others will probably see something going this spring. One Beale seems particularly eager to get going ahead of the Horizon project.

[Clobber]

That is a handsome looking building! I hope it gets built! I was thinking about it, and I think that as long as a building doesn't completely TOWER over the rest of the skyline, it will fit right in whether it is modern or not. All the Memphis skyline lacks is a tall building from this era. It has everything else, so there really isn't a specific type of design in the skyline. It is a mix of everything that somehow seems to blend together. So I think this tower will just increase the diversity of the skyline while not taking away from it. I think the theme of the Memphis skyline should be "Unity in Diversity".

Yeah, I think we need our version of a One Liberty Place or something . . .