What's this thing?

[sleepy]

I was looking at the Center City Commission's website and came across this strange looking building at

1177 Madison Ave---"Renovation of a 5-story building into a 32-room hotel"

Apparently, it's already under construction. I guess the pic is what the front will look like.

[soverbey]

i take madison home on the way from work...i'll check it out this afternoon and see if i can find out more.

[Clobber]

Is that near the Med Center? The structure looks familiar (without the adornments). The property I'm thinking of was auctioned off by John Roebuck.

[northernbizzkit1]

The name makes it seem slightly seedy...a la Admiral Benbow Inn from a few years ago.

[Psalm 91]

I believe that building is across the street from Spikner (sp) medical supplies and Mississippi Blvd. Christian Church...Not too far from Southern College of Optometry. A stone's throw from the interstate (240) and Madison Ave. bridge.

Is "Gen X Inn" the name of this building????????????????????

[sleepy]

The name makes it seem slightly seedy...a la Admiral Benbow Inn from a few years ago.

I remember when the Benbow was actually a respectable motel back in the 60's and 70's. It took it a long time to acheive cult status.

I predict GenXInn will get there real quick.

[HKG]

That building on Madison looks really familiar. God, I hope no one paints a building like that. Interesting spot for a hotel, though. Maybe someone sees the light of Marshall Ave., in my opinion the street with the most potential in downtown (med center) Memphis.

[cdarr]

Okay, I know exactly where this is. I just couldn't recognize it. This building sits right on the SE corner of the Madison/240 interchange. It has been abandoned for years and was a real eyesore coming off the expressway...open doors and windows, trash everywhere. But I noticed work being done on it several weeks ago. As tacky as it may look, I'll take it in that form over it's previous bombed-out appearance.

[soverbey]

Okay, I know exactly where this is. I just couldn't recognize it. This building sits right on the SE corner of the Madison/240 interchange. It has been abandoned for years and was a real eyesore coming off the expressway...open doors and windows, trash everywhere. But I noticed work being done on it several weeks ago. As tacky as it may look, I'll take it in that form over it's previous bombed-out appearance.

yeah i do too just not used to seeing it from the front when passing it on the way home from work, is this really going to be viable at its location? i assumed it would be dormitories or apts for sco students

[hgupta]

yeah i do too just not used to seeing it from the front when passing it on the way home from work, is this really going to be viable at its location? i assumed it would be dormitories or apts for sco students

That is hideous. I agree the old building looked bombed out, but at least it looked like it belonged in midtown. That monstosity would be better suited for Winchester or Germantown parkway. I wonder if it is going to be part of a hotel chain? I know that holiday inn and other hotel chains are now actively marketing to "Gen X", but that name sounds more like a pharmaceutical.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I was looking at the Center City Commission's website and came across this strange looking building at

1177 Madison Ave---"Renovation of a 5-story building into a 32-room hotel"

Apparently, it's already under construction. I guess the pic is what the front will look like.

Jiminy Christmas, that looks like a motel the cops will be doing drug raids on within 6 months of opening.

And what's with the Santa Claus lego motif ?

[sleepy]

Well, it's on the Madison streetcar line, towards the end, near Madison and Cleveland which is near Little Saigon and near a pretty dicey area of drugs and prostitutes roaming the streets.

[tatersmith]

it looks like someone is trying to recreate a Transformer with paint. That's horrendous.

The current state of the redo has it covered in fake stucco in earthtones. Surely someone isn't going to do that to it...

[sleepy]

it looks like someone is trying to recreate a Transformer with paint. That's horrendous.

The current state of the redo has it covered in fake stucco in earthtones. Surely someone isn't going to do that to it...

You'd think Midtown would have some architectural guidelines.

[jmduke]

The newly infamous GenX Inn is not as bad as previously thought. I snapped this pic today while driving past it, and I agree with CDarr, just about anything here is better than the old bombed-out Medical Arts building this structure used to be. By the way, the blemish on the front of the building is really a star on my windshield...

[cdarr]

What the heck was wrong with the camera on that first picture? Or, did they repaint it?

I like the update picture much better!

[Psalm 91]

A lot better, yes. *whew!*

[ricky_the_great]

theres a lot of small construction equipment around the base, are they renovating?

theres a lot of small construction equipment around the base, are they renovating?

nevermind, i didnt read the first post.

[jmduke]

The Gen X Inn now has a web site: http://www.genxinnhotel.com/

Looks like a decent little place, but I get the impression from the site that the marketing people are not locals. Hope they can make it work out.

[idlewild]

yeah me too, it's a nice bldg, just don't think it's the best location for a hotel, especially a small start up

[bluff2085]

"Each of the modern guestrooms is stylishly furnished with minimalist flair." Haha. But they do have plasma screen tvs.