East Memphis

[bluff2085]

Especially between Highland and White Station, I think some 10-20 story apartment towers like the ones around UofM would really add to the urban environment already emerging in East Memphis, sort of like what you already see in some of St. Louis' inner suburbs.

Another thought I had was what if they demolished EastGate for something a little more up to date. Bisect the property with a North/South road connecting Park and a future service road just south of Shnucks and Home Depot. Line Park and the North-South bisector with street level retail/commercial space, and fill in the rest with mid-rise apartments, or even high rise towers mixing office/residential. That is a huge piece of valuable land that imo is very under utilized. Ridgeway Trace redevelopment is not the example I have in mind, rather smaller retailers along with some more social venues and high density apartment towers targeting young professionals.

Also, developments like this could really direct attention towards the city's light rail goals in the Poplar corridor.

[Rardy]

Another thought I had was what if they demolished EastGate for something a little more up to date. Bisect the property with a North/South road connecting Park and a future service road just south of Shnucks and Home Depot. Line Park and the North-South bisector with street level retail/commercial space, and fill in the rest with mid-rise apartments, or even high rise towers mixing office/residential. That is a huge piece of valuable land that imo is very under utilized. Ridgeway Trace redevelopment is not the example I have in mind, rather smaller retailers along with some more social venues and high density apartment towers targeting young professionals.

[Rardy]

Anybody know what's going on in front of Oak Court Mall on Poplar across from Christ Methodist? It appears they're making an outparcel out of the parking lot...

[cdarr]

Anybody know what's going on in front of Oak Court Mall on Poplar across from Christ Methodist? It appears they're making an outparcel out of the parking lot...

[bluff2085]

.....anybody know what's gonna happen to that old McDonald's next to Corky's once they finish up with the new one?

[James Owen]

.....anybody know what's gonna happen to that old McDonald's next to Corky's once they finish up with the new one?

[Rardy]

Most likely, it'll get torn down, and a new development would occupy the space if anything else, unless they decide to use the land to create more parking space for Corky's.

[Clobber]

I don't think East Memphians are at all opposed to high-rise construction. The Grandview was proposed and approved (albeit yet to turn dirt), and there are several high-rises out there other than Clark Tower and White Station Tower. The good thing about E. Memphis is that Clark Tower predates most residents, so it's just a fact for many of the residents that E. Memphis has/will have a skyline.

Of course, you'll run into opposition if you try to build a 900' footer next to Sea Isle Elementary.

[Rardy]

The East Memphis office market is extremely healthy according to this article in the MBJ.

The year also notched another stellar showing in the office sector, bolstered by the traditionally hot East Memphis submarket.

"Commercial office market in the East Memphis area is very healthy," Jensen said. "It's probably one of the stronger markets in the Southeast right now in terms of rental rates and occupancy levels. When I'm talking to my peers around the Southeast and I tell them our rates and occupancy level, they're astonished, frankly."

Office sales continued its upward spiral, swelling to $271.9 million in the year ending July 2007, up from $240.3 million in the year ended July 2006 and $129.1 million in 2005.

[Fellowmann20]

I couldn't find a thread about it, but I do remember talking about the Grandview on here. Anyway, I went to a restaurant in the Ridgeway Loop the other day and I saw a tower right to the east of the loop being constructed. It had a crane that you could see from across the Poplar/I-240 exit. It looked like it was right where the Grandview is supposed to be so I'm thinking that was it. Did anybody else but me see it?.......Hope I'm not going crazy.

[G-townTN]

^

The project that you saw was part of boyle's ridgeway center office park. They have a couple of buildings either planned or under construction right now and I do believe Suntrust is leasing 50,000 sf in one of them. I did manage to drive by the grandview site and there is an advertisement on the property, but no construction yet.

I talked to a family friend in memphis over the weekend and she told me that the developers of the retail development at poplar and I-240 are trying to lure a Cheesecake Factory to the site. I am not sure they will come though because of all the cheesecake factories I have seen they have never been in the same shopping center as a target and best buy.

[Rardy]

The Grandview is supposed to be a couple of blocks further east - closer to International Paper than 240.

[northernbizzkit1]

^

The project that you saw was part of boyle's ridgeway center office park. They have a couple of buildings either planned or under construction right now and I do believe Suntrust is leasing 50,000 sf in one of them. I did manage to drive by the grandview site and there is an advertisement on the property, but no construction yet.

I talked to a family friend in memphis over the weekend and she told me that the developers of the retail development at poplar and I-240 are trying to lure a Cheesecake Factory to the site. I am not sure they will come though because of all the cheesecake factories I have seen they have never been in the same shopping center as a target and best buy.

[Rardy]

I'm kinda curious about this, too. I've heard Cheesecake Factory as a possible tenant to the development, but the only place I've ever seen one in a mid-range shopping development is up here in Boston near Woburn.

[G-townTN]

Targets are great stores. I completely agree with the study that showed the type of shopper that will shop at a Target. This is one of the reasons they are so picky when they search for a new store location. The main hesitation I have is Best Buy. It is a great store, they have oodles of electronic equipment, but I am not sure that the same type of person that shops at target always shops at Best Buy. Meaning, a target shopper might go to a little more upscale electronic store to buy their new surround sound system. I could be completely wrong about all this though because you often see best buys and targets in the same shopping centers.

Still I stand by my point that a target and cheese cake factory can survive together, but I wonder about a best buy and cheese cake factory.

[tennreb]

Targets are great stores. I completely agree with the study that showed the type of shopper that will shop at a Target. This is one of the reasons they are so picky when they search for a new store location. The main hesitation I have is Best Buy. It is a great store, they have oodles of electronic equipment, but I am not sure that the same type of person that shops at target always shops at Best Buy. Meaning, a target shopper might go to a little more upscale electronic store to buy their new surround sound system. I could be completely wrong about all this though because you often see best buys and targets in the same shopping centers.

Still I stand by my point that a target and cheese cake factory can survive together, but I wonder about a best buy and cheese cake factory.

[G-townTN]

^

You may be correct but the case still stands that cheescake factory requires a city to have a higher overall standard of living before they build than houston's does.

[jmduke]

...but the case still stands that Cheescake Factory requires a city to have a higher overall standard of living before they build than houston's does.

[Rardy]

Personally, I think Memphis has been able to support a CF for quite some time now. I think they've always been scared off because Memphis tends to be, thankfully, a local restaurant city. We've got some very established names that are home grown.

I'd be quite content if CF never made it to the Memphis market.

That said, Ridgeway Trace still seems ideally suited for them IMO.

[DoctorGonzo]

I'd be quite content if CF never made it to the Memphis market.

[northernbizzkit1]

Personally, I think Memphis has been able to support a CF for quite some time now. I think they've always been scared off because Memphis tends to be, thankfully, a local restaurant city. We've got some very established names that are home grown.

I'd be quite content if CF never made it to the Memphis market.

That said, Ridgeway Trace still seems ideally suited for them IMO.

[G-townTN]

It isn't neccessarily the fact that cheesecake factory is going to "liven up the culinary landscape," but rather show that our city can support these kind of things. In my opinion companies and folks from around the country that are thinking about moving to memphis want to see these name brands. They want to have the comfort of knowing that memphis must not be too bad because it has restaurants\stores brands x,y,z.

I think this is a poor excuse for not wanting to have a place like CF because we have home grown restaurants. If you only want home grown restaurants don't go to chilis, houston's, j alexanders, daily grille or basically everywhere else in the city.

I don't believe it is solely about getting CF to come here but using them to bring in other stores and restaurants that might be a little iffy about coming to our market.

Please excuse me if I am looking at what might benefit my city in the future and not being content with what I have right now.

[sleepy]

I think what really benefits cities--now or in the future--are locally grown institutions which reflect a distinctive local culture. I'm not sure that what people want is the homogenized sort of outlet which can be found anywhere. I think people want a sense of place and distinctiveness.

But, there's nothing wrong with CF, just that it doesn't add anything to Memphis imho.

[Rural King]

I don't really get the prestige of a "Cheesecake Factory" for a large city...now for someplace like Jackson restuarant big or prestigous chains coming to town is still a big deal....but Memphis and other cities already have so much to offer that the lack of one particular chain or another in my mind does not say all that much about the city's status really. Maybe thats just me.

[tennreb]

^

You may be correct but the case still stands that cheescake factory requires a city to have a higher overall standard of living before they build than houston's does.