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

[VSRJ]

Below is a new rendering of the convention center expansion/renovation I haven't seen before:

Sale of naming rights to convention center, Liberty Bowl move forward

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/04/16/sale-of-naming-rights-to-convention-center-liberty.html

Quote

Last year, Memphis COO Doug McGowen said the city was looking under every rock to find new revenue. Four months into 2019, the city's efforts to sell naming rights for both the convention center and Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium continues in earnest.

 

Edited April 16, 2019 by VSRJ

[East Side Urbanite]

On 4/16/2019 at 2:52 PM, VSRJ said:

Below is a new rendering of the convention center expansion/renovation I haven't seen before:

Sale of naming rights to convention center, Liberty Bowl move forward

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/04/16/sale-of-naming-rights-to-convention-center-liberty.html

 

Nice. I had not seen. thx for posting, VSRJ

[VSRJ]

More adaptive reuse in Downtown Memphis! Glad to see this one is moving forward.

Construction moving forward on Memphis' first Aloft hotel

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/04/24/construction-moving-forward-on-memphis-first-aloft.html

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Construction and framing are underway at a Downtown Memphis hotel set to include a private screening room.

Vince Vaghela, president of Vibrant Hotels Inc., said the Downtown Memphis Aloft Hotel at 161 Jefferson Ave. is expected to open in the summer of 2020. It will be the area's first Aloft branded property.

Back in 2017, a permit valued at $8 million was filed for the redevelopment of the 12-story Tenoke Building Downtown. The building's full-service Aloft hotel will include 156 guest rooms, seating for 70 to 80 people at its full-service restaurant, three banquet facilities, the brand's signature W XYZ bar, an indoor swimming pool, and a large fitness center.

 

Tenoke Building:

Edited April 24, 2019 by VSRJ

[dxfret]

The rendering for the Aloft hotel is horrendous. Let’s hope the final product looks much better. 

[Tennessine]

On 4/25/2019 at 3:17 PM, dxfret said:

The rendering for the Aloft hotel is horrendous. Let’s hope the final product looks much better. 

It's nothing to swoon about, but it's not a bad design in my opinion. I think the brown siding looks a little unattractive, but I like the rest of the design- especially the ground level. Hopefully there will be ground-level retail to increase street activation.

[East Side Urbanite]

This exterior design ... not working for me. But renderings can me misleading. Fingers crossed.

WW

 

[VSRJ]

I'm all for making South Main more dense and pedestrian friendly, but I don't think we should emulate the mostly new Gulch.

New York developer sees Gulch-like potential for South Main

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/04/29/new-york-developer-sees-gulch-like-potential-for.html

Another 'burb-based business is relocating to the core and rehabbing an old building. The wave of adaptive reuse continues!

Investment firm headed to Edge

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/development/2019/04/24/memphis-investment-firm-heads-edge-retail-space-open-downtown/3561670002/

[BnaBreaker]

Yeah, I love that South Main is capturing the eye of out of town developers, but it's already great the way it is.  I'd actually say it's a vastly superior urban neighborhood to The Gulch.  If they're wanting to replace some of the vacant lots with highrises then so be it, but fundamentally altering the existing vibe of South Main to more emulate The Gulch would be a big mistake, in my opinion.

[East Side Urbanite]

On 4/29/2019 at 5:11 PM, BnaBreaker said:

Yeah, I love that South Main is capturing the eye of out of town developers, but it's already great the way it is.  I'd actually say it's a vastly superior urban neighborhood to The Gulch.  If they're wanting to replace some of the vacant lots with highrises then so be it, but fundamentally altering the existing vibe of South Main to more emulate The Gulch would be a big mistake, in my opinion.

I agree with this fully.

WW

[VSRJ]

This is pretty big. Looking at their portfolio (https://www.herzogdemeuron.com/index/projects/complete-works.html), there's no telling what this will look like. I'm excited.

Esteemed Swiss firm to design Brooks Museum

https://dailymemphian.com/article/5188/Esteemed-Swiss-firm-to-design-Brooks-Museum

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The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art has landed a globally prestigious firm to design its new home overlooking the Mississippi River.

Herzog & de Meuron, based in Basel, Switzerland, and New York, will design the $105 million museum atop the bluff along the west side of Front, between Union and Monroe. The Memphis Fire Department headquarters and a parking garage operate there now.

 

And in related (but very frustrating news), the plans to demolish the garage are already causing "concern and anxiety" among some residents and workers who will lose their beloved parking spots. 

https://dailymemphian.com/section/business/article/5140/Brooks-plans-to-demolish-garage-causes-concern-anxiety

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by VSRJ

[VSRJ]

Orion Federal Credit Union moves into new HQ inside old Wonder Bread factory

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/development/2019/06/04/orion-federal-credit-union-moves-into-memphis-wonder-bread-building/1340023001/

Quote

The first corporate employees from Orion Federal Credit Union have started to move into the company's new headquarters in the former Wonder Bread bakery building in the Edge neighborhood, the company announced Tuesday.

It will take a few weeks before all 150 administrative employees have moved to the redeveloped building at 400 Monroe Ave., which still has the illuminated Wonder Bread sign affixed to the top. The bank branch at the former corporate headquarters at 7845 U.S. 64 in Bartlett will remain open, company spokesperson Casey Condra said.

 

[VSRJ]

This is great news. The solid brick wall is very unsightly. It would be great to see a restaurant reopen in the space.

Lots of new windows proposed for Downtown historic building

https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoods/article/5464/Lots-of-new-windows-proposed-for-Downtown-historic-building

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Preserving and converting two historic but rundown Cotton Row buildings into apartments appears to be a holy project:  The developers propose punching scores of new windows into the old brick masonry.

A development group led by Billy Orgel has submitted an application to the Memphis Landmarks Commission, which will consider the proposal at its next meeting at 4 p.m. June 27 in City Hall.

The partnership is renovating adjacent buildings 99 and 105 S. Front with plans to house apartments there. The back of the buildings faces the Mississippi River.

But the vast majority of new window openings will be on the more expansive north and south sides of the larger building, 99 S. Front.

The landmarks application shows that the developers propose creating at least 51 new windows on the south side of 99 S. Front and 46 new windows on the north side.

Also, some townhouse apartments are planned for the roof of 99 S. Front.

The major facade change to the smaller 105 S. Front is the creation of a roll-up door in the rear for vehicular access, the application shows.

Among the most recent tenants were the The Pier and Butcher Shop restaurants.

The structures back up to Wagner Place. A rear wood deck and loading dock are to be removed.

 

 

[East Side Urbanite]

On 6/6/2019 at 8:11 AM, VSRJ said:

This is great news. The solid brick wall is very unsightly. It would be great to see a restaurant reopen in the space.

Lots of new windows proposed for Downtown historic building

https://dailymemphian.com/section/neighborhoods/article/5464/Lots-of-new-windows-proposed-for-Downtown-historic-building

 

Agree. Has the potential to be a cool, old-school building with some updates.

[JTM1]

On 4/16/2019 at 2:52 PM, VSRJ said:

Below is a new rendering of the convention center expansion/renovation I haven't seen before:

Sale of naming rights to convention center, Liberty Bowl move forward

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/04/16/sale-of-naming-rights-to-convention-center-liberty.html

 

This rendering looks good, but I can't think of any corporation that will attach their name to the Liberty Bowl.  When will the Memphis leaders recognize they need a new multipurpose stadium downtown?

[VSRJ]

This looks great — can't wait to see it in person.

The Central Station Hotel puts fresh spin on Memphis music

https://dailymemphian.com/section/businessreal-estate/article/5525/The-Central-Station-Hotel-puts-fresh-spin-on-Memphis-music

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After 20 months of work converting the 105-year-old building from apartments, the doors to the The Central Station Hotel lobby will fling open as soon as September.

 

[VSRJ]

The wave of Downtown Memphis adaptive reuse continues!

AutoZone plans expansion, $145M investment Downtown

https://dailymemphian.com/article/5663/AutoZone-plans-expansion-145M-investment-Downtown

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AutoZone is seeking a tax incentive to expand with the addition of 130 jobs and a $145.5 million investment nearly across from its Downtown headquarters.

The new jobs would pay an average base salary of $80,439.

The project would provide space for new technology and customer support operations for the company’s digital, retail and commercial expansion.

“This expansion will allow the company to provide faster fulfillment of parts requests and aid mechanics with on-demand access to comprehensive repair information,” state  documents filed with the Economic Development Growth Engine of Memphis & Shelby County.

<strong>AutoZone plans to expand into and renovate the 139-year-old buildings at 104-110 S. Front as part of its $145 million investment that would add 130 new jobs.</strong> (Tom Bailey/The Daily Memphian)
AutoZone plans to expand into and renovate the 139-year-old buildings at 104-110 S. Front as part of its $145 million investment that would add 130 new jobs. (Tom Bailey/The Daily Memphian)

The new site on South Front includes spaces in 139-year-old buildings where architecture firm Hnedak Bobo Group was housed before moving to One Commerce Square. The renovated space would house servers, databases and computer software and hardware, as well as engineers, software developers and other employees, the documents state.

The vast majority of the $145.5 million investment – $139.4 million – would be for personal property.

 

[East Side Urbanite]

Outstanding news.

WW

[VSRJ]

IKEA Lounge and others coming to BOXLOT pop-up shop concept:

https://choose901.com/press-release-mmdc-launches-boxlot-retail-concept-in-the-edge-district/

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The Medical District is a place for businesses to grow and thrive, and BOXLOT is an exciting concept to test and accelerate this potential,” says Vonesha Mitchell of MMDC. “BOXLOT builds on MMDC’s portfolio of business incentive programs while amplifying the momentum and vitality of the Edge neighborhood and larger Medical District. We look forward to attracting new retail business activity while supporting other District businesses.”

BOXLOT is a temporary activation driven by MMDC with partners Creative Punch Marketing Group and PKM Architects. Shab Chic Marketplace, a micro-retail development previously on this site, paved the way for the BOXLOT project.

After re-design and construction, BOXLOT opens in September with two local retail tenants and a partnership with an international brand. KickSpins, owned by Memphis musician and producer Tonya Dyson, is a hybrid record and custom sneaker boutique. Majik & Co. features vintage fashion, shoes, and specialty items curated by Memphian Auston Freeman. BOXLOT serves to connect established brands to the market in the Edge and Medical District through pop-ups and other unique retail experiences. Through a partnership with furniture retailer IKEA, the IKEA Lounge features a custom selection of furniture and serves as a venue for live music performances. A full schedule of art and music events will be announced on BOXLOT’s website.

 

 

[VSRJ]

Orgel development group makes pitch for $23M Front Street renovation

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/09/04/orgel-development-group-makes-pitch-for-23m-front.html (story behind paywall)

The $23.3 million plan calls for 112 apartments; two commercial/retail spaces in 5,300 square feet; and 61 underground parking spaces.

[VSRJ]

This is great news. This is too prime of a location to sit empty.

Mixed-use development planned for Downtown 'game changer' property

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/09/04/mixed-use-development-planned-for-downtown.html

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A project to turn some old buildings on South Main Street into a mixture of apartments and retail will be one of the items discussed at an upcoming Downtown meeting Sept. 10.

The Downtown Memphis Commission's (DMC) Center City Revenue Finance Corp. board will consider a request from GFLP Holdings LLC for a 15-year PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) for the adaptive reuse of three historic buildings into a mixed-use redevelopment with 38 apartments and ground-floor retail. The attached buildings are located at 82, 86, and 88 S. Main St., in the block between Union Avenue and Barboro Alley.

 

These are the buildings that will be included in the development:

[VSRJ]

First look: Downtown's Ambassador Hotel renovation

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/09/05/first-look-downtownsambassador-hotel.html

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The building, at 345 S. Main, was bought by local restaurateurs Ed and Brittany Cabigao, who also own South of Beale, Interim, and Zaka Bowl. They plan to move South of Beale, currently located at 361 S. Main, to the ground floor of the old hotel and convert the upper floors into 10 apartments. In total, the project's development cost is just shy of $2.5 million, according to DMC documents.

[East Side Urbanite]

I like this project. Very nice potential.

[VSRJ]

Good news for Downtown!

Prospero Health to set up operations in Memphis

https://dailymemphian.com/section/business/article/7503/prospero-health-to-set-up-operations-in-memph

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Health care startup Prospero Health plans to invest $1.5 million and hire 249 workers in Memphis, setting up operations in One Commerce Square Downtown.

City and state officials made the announcement Tuesday morning, Sept. 17, inside the Downtown office building at Monroe and Main Street.

Prospero Health, headquartered in Boston, provides home-based supportive care. Its mission is to empower people facing serious illness to live their best lives by surrounding them with a team of caring and compassionate experts.

 

 

[VSRJ]

$5M Cossitt reno moves forward with cafe, recording studios, meeting space

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/09/18/first-look-5m-cossitt-reno-moves-forward-with-cafe.html

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Contractors got their first look at plans for the Cossitt Library’s renovation on Friday, Sept. 13, as the main piece of the project went out to bid.

But, the project isn't for a typical library.

The renovation of the Cossitt — which is estimated to cost about $5 million, all told — will include a new cafe, courtyard, meeting spaces with river views, and recording studios. 

Branch manager Shamichael Hallman said it has been designed to attract a wide array of visitors — with spaces designed for business meetings, recording studios with the latest technology, and six sewing machines.

 

 

[VSRJ]

This is a really cool concept:

Inside the box retail launches Friday with music, sneakers, and Ikea

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/09/18/inside-the-box-retail-launches-friday-with-music.html

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BOXLOT, a mini shopping center constructed out of shipping containers, launches Friday, Sept. 20, in the Edge District.

"People are out here enjoying the neighborhood and the space, and we're creating this opportunity for small businesses," said Vonesha Mitchell, program manager for community and economic development with the Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC).

The space, located across the street from Edge Alley and the High Cotton Brewing Co., is anchored by Kickspins from Tonya Dyson, a longtime fixture of the music scene. She teamed up with Damien Baker; her half is the "spins" — the music — while Baker takes on the "kicks" — sneakers.

There is also the IKEA Lounge, a small showroom featuring furniture from Ikea, which also donated the outdoor furniture for BOXLOT. The goal, Mitchell said, is to have a big-name retailer without having too many to overwhelm the neighborhood.