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

[MDC26]

5 hours ago, JTM1 said:

Baptist is quietly building a medical school campus that will rival UTHSC. 

I think you are being a bit optimistic there. Don’t get be wrong, it’s huge news they are opening a DO school, but the building they are going to use is a metal tin building. I wonder if there will be a research component to the osteopath school. Yo rival UTHSC, they would have to have that too. 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

22 hours ago, James Owen said:

They only own two or three buildings downtown, and haven't had much of a presence in the area since the old BMH hospital tower closed and was torn down years ago.

Speaking of UTHSC, they recently released an updated Master Plan that includes several new buildings being added over the course of the next decade: https://www.uthsc.edu/campus-master-plan/documents/campus-master-plan-2022.pdf

Pretty spiffy master plan. Wonder why they’re just now coming out with one? Maybe I missed it, but their short term goal should be to either tear down or renovate the high rise on Pauline and Madison. There was news of it some years back. The next goal should be to fill in the area where the old baptist hospital footprint used to be. 

[James Owen]

57 minutes ago, The Guardian of Memphis said:

Pretty spiffy master plan. Wonder why they’re just now coming out with one? Maybe I missed it, but their short term goal should be to either tear down or renovate the high rise on Pauline and Madison. There was news of it some years back. The next goal should be to fill in the area where the old baptist hospital footprint used to be. 

There had been plans to develop a research park on those grounds - none of which materialized outside of the Vivarium component. However, with the recent disbanding of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation last year, those efforts appear to be on hold for the foreseeable future, but may pick up again down the road once we see some further movement on what UTHSC is doing, what becomes of Regional One's campus in a few years, etc.

[MDC26]

2 hours ago, The Guardian of Memphis said:

Pretty spiffy master plan. Wonder why they’re just now coming out with one? Maybe I missed it, but their short term goal should be to either tear down or renovate the high rise on Pauline and Madison. There was news of it some years back. The next goal should be to fill in the area where the old baptist hospital footprint used to be. 

They come out with a new master plan every 5-10 years. This was just an overview. Some of the others are close to 200 pages. They looked at turning the vacant medical offices tower into a hotel, but then the next chancellor decided to tear it down and it’s supposed to be the site of the new college of medicine building. I wish it would get renovated into mixed use. New windows, do something with the sides, and put an awning on it, it would look pretty decent. 
 

https://www.uthsc.edu/campus-master-plan/documents/campus-master-plan.pdf

[MDC26]

Downtown Mobility Center on  schedule to open in July

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/development/2022/11/17/downtown-memphis-mobility-center-opening-parking/69636994007/

Edited November 17, 2022 by MDC26

[Memphisborn]

On 11/11/2022 at 7:30 PM, MDC26 said:

They come out with a new master plan every 5-10 years. This was just an overview. Some of the others are close to 200 pages. They looked at turning the vacant medical offices tower into a hotel, but then the next chancellor decided to tear it down and it’s supposed to be the site of the new college of medicine building. I wish it would get renovated into mixed use. New windows, do something with the sides, and put an awning on it, it would look pretty decent. 
 

https://www.uthsc.edu/campus-master-plan/documents/campus-master-plan.pdf

UTHSC has a good master plan. One thing I would love to see them add is a Culinary institution there are no Culinarily schools in downtown Memphis and it would help elevate them into the top 2O schools with this addition. The CA building is a prime candidate for such an institution. It’s proximity to main campus is very good and would give young aspiring chefs/ hospitality management students an excellent career path. 
 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

On 11/16/2022 at 9:19 PM, MDC26 said:

Downtown Mobility Center on  schedule to open in July

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/development/2022/11/17/downtown-memphis-mobility-center-opening-parking/69636994007/

The rendering shows a "MARKET", who will be the tenants of this facility?

[MDC26]

A local architect has filed 4 liens, totalling $575k, against Tom Intrator for projects at 316/324 S Front and 386 S Main.  

Currently Intrator has finished a frontage improvement project at 372 S Main, and has projects nearing completion at 18 S Main, and 107 S Main.  

I think this may be from taking on too much at one time in unsure economic times.  Intrator may be well off, but he's not a billionaire that's paying all these projects himself.  He's trying to get investors, and trying to get loans to finance these projects.  To get investors and loans, you have to have plans made up, and those plans cost money.  He should have had the capital to pay for said plans in the beginning.  Hopefully he can get the financing taken care of to pay the local architect, and get these two projects plus the Dream Hotel going.  If he can't get those done, then there's no chance he can get the Pinch project done.  

https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/section/business/article/32634/unpaid-architect-patrick-macgruder-five-liens-against-intrator-downtown-property

Edited December 2, 2022 by MDC26

[Memphisborn]

29 minutes ago, MDC26 said:

A local architect has filed 4 liens, totalling $575k, against Tom Intrator for projects at 316/324 S Front and 386 S Main.  

Currently Intrator has finished a frontage improvement project at 372 S Main, and has projects nearing completion at 18 S Main, and 107 S Main.  

I think this may be from taking on too much at one time in unsure economic times.  Intrator may be well off, but he's not a billionaire that's paying all these projects himself.  He's trying to get investors, and trying to get loans to finance these projects.  To get investors and loans, you have to have plans made up, and those plans cost money.  He should have had the capital to pay for said plans in the beginning.  Hopefully he can get the financing taken care of to pay the local architect, and get these two projects plus the Dream Hotel going.  If he can't get those done, then there's no chance he can get the Pinch project done.  

https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/section/business/article/32634/unpaid-architect-patrick-macgruder-five-liens-against-intrator-downtown-property

This is disappointing news. Thought intrator was more equipped and prepared than this. This puts a huge question mark surrounding him and his ability to do a project like Dream. We shall see what happens 

[MDC26]

20 minutes ago, Memphisborn said:

This is disappointing news. Thought intrator was more equipped and prepared than this. This puts a huge question mark surrounding him and his ability to do a project like Dream. We shall see what happens 

All these projects were initially planned before supply interest rates skyrocketed and inflation of building materials/supply chain issues.  Unfortunately, economic development across the country will take a hit, and will keep a lot of projects from happening, especially big projects.  

[James Owen]

52 minutes ago, MDC26 said:

All these projects were initially planned before supply interest rates skyrocketed and inflation of building materials/supply chain issues.  Unfortunately, economic development across the country will take a hit, and will keep a lot of projects from happening, especially big projects.  

Inflation, supply chain issues, and rising interest rates have made every project that has not already broken ground more expensive to pursue at this point and it's being felt by investors the most, which is why you're seeing many developers - Intrator included - either push back the start date or significantly scale back some of their own plans.

Small-scale stuff like the Dream Hotel will still happen, but the more ambitious stuff like the redevelopment of the Pinch District will probably take more time to materialize once there is better stability when it comes to borrowing.

[The Guardian of Memphis]

Waiting on dxfret. 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

No it’s not a good look but I’d rather light a candle than curse the darkness. LOL. I don’t like the pile up of bills, but he does have other properties downtown than he is working on or worked on. This isn’t a Sidney Schlenker deal. He’s bought a lot of the pinch…we can’t expect everyone to be perfect. Let’s give this dude a chance for the dream hotel to come about. If it doesn’t then let’s throw stones.  If anything, we cannot let his pinch properties sit idle for years on end. If he can’t follow through on his plans, we must not settle for anything smaller height wise. Maybe the banks want to see if he can manage his smaller properties before he gets more loans. 

Edited December 3, 2022 by The Guardian of Memphis

[dxfret]

Yet another in a long string of  failed development further tarnishes the city’s reputation.    Memphis seems to attract only questionable bottom fishers who lack the ability to make anything happen.  

[Memphis4ever]

On 12/3/2022 at 9:17 AM, dxfret said:

Yet another in a long string of  failed development further tarnishes the city’s reputation.    Memphis seems to attract only questionable bottom fishers who lack the ability to make anything happen.  

You do realize there are still many decent size projects under construction that will get us through this period.  The more gets built the easier future developments are to happen.  We got this in Memphis.  Remember everything good is not vertical the city is rebuilding public parks, community centers, neighborhood centers etc.  So as a whole there is a lot of good development happening in Memphis that has been needed.

Mobility Center

[VSRJ]

This looks really nice!

NCRM plans big renovation, expansion of Legacy Building, redevelopment of Founders Park

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2022/12/22/national-civil-rights-museum-legacy-expansion-plan.html

Quote

 

According to an application filed with the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, the organization is set to embark on the Legacy Expansion Project, with plans to completely renovate its 17,000-square foot, three-story Legacy Building to accommodate for new exhibits and other uses. It’s also expected to grow the space, via a 7,500-square-foot, one-story expansion that can accommodate an “intensive vegetative roof space,” per the filing.

The Legacy Building is the the former boarding house from which the assassin who killed Martin Luther King Jr. fired. The building already includes several exhibits, such as a timeline of the civil rights movement and details around the investigation into the assassination. Those exhibits, as well as a Freedom Awards Lounge, appear to be given more room in the renovation footprint, according to floor plans.

Updates to the Legacy Building aren’t the only plans encompassed in the project. In addition to that work, the National Civil Rights Museum wants to completely redevelop the adjacent, 0.70-acre Founders’ Park.

 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

This is great. Would like to see more development on Mulberry/Second St. as well.

[TheKernel91]

On 1/1/2023 at 2:27 PM, The Guardian of Memphis said:

This is great. Would like to see more development on Mulberry/Second St. as well.

Just in time for Butler Row development nearby.

[MDC26]

Will be 2nd completed Intrator project.  

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/development/2023/01/09/downtown-memphis-spaces-coworking-tom-intrator-projects-new-businesses/69790597007/

[Memphis4ever]

Tower crane coming for st judes 2 15 story towers. 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

3 hours ago, Memphis4ever said:

Tower crane coming for st judes 2 15 story towers. 

Let's gooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

[Memphis4ever]

7 Vance Avenue pics 

 

 

[smeagolsfree]

To be familiar with the project I found a rendering to post here of 7 Vance.

[VSRJ]

1 hour ago, smeagolsfree said:

To be familiar with the project I found a rendering to post here of 7 Vance.

Although I wish the Nylon Net building could have been preserved, I think this will blend in with the area well.

[James Owen]

Just now, VSRJ said:

Although I wish the Nylon Net building could have been preserved, I think this will blend in with the area well.

The original intent was to preserve the base level and smoke stacks in some way before it was determined to be structurally impossible. It won't exactly be like what was once there, but close enough.