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Your ideas to improve Memphis


AmandaHugginkiss

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Thanks for the very interesting responses bluff. I agree 100% with a lot of your explanations of these problems, and I think these explanations also cast into relief how much Memphis has a vicious circle problem. All these issues are self-reinforcing - to the extent that the city's economic base is primarily blue-collar, it breeds a kind of non-intellectual cutlure, which in turn drives away intellectuals or fails to attract intellectuals here, which in turn contributes further to the problem.

And, as for walking and crime - hoo boy, I could go on about this all night. I haven't been in Memphis long enough to judge whether the "crime problem" is blown out of proportion. I know there is a very real problem here with crime, but of course it can still be exaggerated. What really frustrates me about anti-crime hysteria is that it becomes such a self-fulfilling prophecy. If people stay off the streets because of the fear of crime, then the streets remain empty and abandoned, which in turn is a breeding ground for crime. I've always felt safest out and about in cities with bustling pedestrian lives. Even in some of the supposedly "bad" parts of SF - like the Tenderloin - although you definitely had a sketchy element out on the streets, I just *never* had any real fear of violent crime because there were so many people on the streets. Yeah, there were hookers and there were people doped up out of their mind wandering around like zombies and it wasn't necessarily the most pleasant atmosphere at 2:30 in the morning while waiting for a bus, but it was a very different kind of unpleasantness from the experience of a totally abandoned street at 2:30 a.m., where you can have legitimate reason to be afraid. So as much as I sympathize with peoples' concerns about crime, I do worry that we are actually contributing to the problem by staying inside or staying in our cars.

S

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The crime problem is very severe and it's not blown out of proportion. Sometimes people's responses are, however. I work in the medical center. Employees are regularly mugged and often attacked. Crime is so bad that Le Bonheur has posted security guards on the sidewalks surrounding the building after two male doctors were robbed in broad daylight on consecutive days and there was a murder on Poplar in front of the MMHI. UTHSC students have been attacked inside the library (which is only accessible by taking an elevator). It's not an "if" but "when" your car will get broken into. The police are incompetent. Crackheads regularly sleep in Forrest park, but they are never cleared out. You risk your life if you enter it. Although it is in the center of campus, students never use it except for certain functions, never only a daily basis. I suspect a revolving-door justice system is the main culprity. Most of these criminals have been in jail several times.

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The crime problem is very severe and it's not blown out of proportion. Sometimes people's responses are, however. I work in the medical center. Employees are regularly mugged and often attacked. Crime is so bad that Le Bonheur has posted security guards on the sidewalks surrounding the building after two male doctors were robbed in broad daylight on consecutive days and there was a murder on Poplar in front of the MMHI. UTHSC students have been attacked inside the library (which is only accessible by taking an elevator). It's not an "if" but "when" your car will get broken into. The police are incompetent. Crackheads regularly sleep in Forrest park, but they are never cleared out. You risk your life if you enter it. Although it is in the center of campus, students never use it except for certain functions, never only a daily basis. I suspect a revolving-door justice system is the main culprity. Most of these criminals have been in jail several times.

uh, sigh, nevermind . . .

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I graduated from UTHSC and students never really use the park (except to walk through it) because its a terrible park. the sidewalks are uneven and i don't think there are any benches. Besides, it's a medical school whose classes are 3 hours long and most students commute. it's a wonder if you see anybody walking or standing around at any given time there.

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I graduated from UTHSC and students never really use the park (except to walk through it) because its a terrible park. the sidewalks are uneven and i don't think there are any benches. Besides, it's a medical school whose classes are 3 hours long and most students commute. it's a wonder if you see anybody walking or standing around at any given time there.

The park is a huge missed opportunity. The sidewalks are horrible. However, students do have some time between classes and could study there when classes are over. People study on the balcony overlooking the park, but never in the park. The school could take it over, but they seem to have less money than the city and don't seem to care at all about the campus.

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The park is a huge missed opportunity. The sidewalks are horrible. However, students do have some time between classes and could study there when classes are over. People study on the balcony overlooking the park, but never in the park. The school could take it over, but they seem to have less money than the city and don't seem to care at all about the campus.

Is it an issue of neglect by the UT regents in Knoxville? Or by UTHSC here?

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Is it an issue of neglect by the UT regents in Knoxville? Or by UTHSC here?

Forrest Park is fine. There are benches -- even a gazebo. The sidewalks are no worse than any of the other sidewalks in the Medical Center area. The park is a favored hangout for panhandlers and the homeless, but it's a lot better than Court Square, which, I think we all can agree, is a success. Certainly the park could be better, but let's not exaggerate here.

I work for UTHSC and really think the crime anecdotes are overstated.

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Plus urban parks are notoriously sketchy in general when they aren't hyper-successful - even the nice ones are usually to be avoided after the sun goes down. For obvious reasons a park attracts the homeless, the down-and-out, and the wasted. I can think of a dozen parks in Berkeley, Oakland, and SF that had similar problems, and I'm pretty sure all cities have comparably neglected and dangerous parks. When I was walking home at night in Berkeley past People's Park, I would cross the street so that I wouldn't even have to walk on the sidewalk along the side of the park, let alone cut through the park. But I didn't take that to indicate that Berkeley was becoming crime-infested and unsafe - I just took it as a very common problem with urban parks.

Of course, Memphis DOES have a serious crime problem - I couldn't possibly deny that - I just don't know if a park full of homeless panhandlers is really a unique problem to Memphis.

S

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This is a great thread.

According to Wharton real estate professors Peter Linneman and Albert Saiz in their study on Predicting Population Growth in the U.S. As the authors see a new United States taking shape, many variables come into play. As many cities try to attract firms relocation, the kind of amenities that a city or region has to offer emerge as key ingredients in the high-growth formula. "Growth today," Saiz notes, "is based on:

the quality of life,

the prevailing trends,

the availability of parks and recreation,

the character and variety of the architecture,

the climate,

the taxes ... and, above all,

the quality of education available in any given location

Of all the demographic, economic, political, geological and weather-related growth indicators, the authors single out education as the most compelling and permanent factor.

How's Memphis' schools and universities doing? ARe the talents retained locally? How's their quality been trending?

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This is a great thread.

According to Wharton real estate professors Peter Linneman and Albert Saiz in their study on Predicting Population Growth in the U.S. As the authors see a new United States taking shape, many variables come into play. As many cities try to attract firms relocation, the kind of amenities that a city or region has to offer emerge as key ingredients in the high-growth formula. "Growth today," Saiz notes, "is based on:

the quality of life,

the prevailing trends,

the availability of parks and recreation,

the character and variety of the architecture,

the climate,

the taxes ... and, above all,

the quality of education available in any given location

Of all the demographic, economic, political, geological and weather-related growth indicators, the authors single out education as the most compelling and permanent factor.

How's Memphis' schools and universities doing? ARe the talents retained locally? How's their quality been trending?

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There's a new study coming out commissioned by PIPE (Partners in Public Education). Surveys of Shelby County residents on what they think of local schools.

I think public schools here get a bad rap by locals, but if you compare us to New Orleans, Detroit, St. Louis...places like that, we're right about average. It doesn't work to compare Memphis City Schools to Shelby County Schools.

Local universities are about average too, I think, for cities our size.

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When one evaluates universities, one needs to look at both number and quality.

Numerically, we have U of M, Rhodes, CBU, UT-Mem, Lemoyne-Owen, Chrichton, SW Tenn CC, Southern College of Optometry, Memphis College of Art, maybe others (Baptist Hospital school of nursing?). Extended metro includes Ole Miss, Arkansas State (Jonesboro), Chrichton's main campus in Jackson, TN, and the community colleges in east Arkansas and northern MIssissippi. Are there other HBCU's in the extended metro?

The primary reputable schools are Rhodes, UTM, and CBU, as well as Chrichton. I don't know how to evaluate SCO, MCA, schools like that that are more focused. I expect more from the state schools; I don't know if the state gives U of M the funding and treatment it deserves. Regardless, I think there should be some visible improvements in the coming decade, particularly with the move of the law school. Hopefully, that's just the beginning. I'm clueless as to the progress and aspirations of Ole Miss, perhaps one of the Mississippi posters could provide insight as to whether the folks there aspire to compete with the Carolinas, Michigans, and Texases of the world, which would help the region in general (both Memphis and the state of MS).

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Crichton's main campus is in Memphis on Highland. Union University is in Jackson, along with 3 others (I forget all their names!). Don't forget Freed-Hardeman, Dyersburg State, UT-Martin, Blue Mountain, and Harding Graduate School. That's within an 80-mile radius, and I know I forgot some...

U of M is a good school on par with Univ. of Houston and Univ. of New Orleans. The funding debate for it won't be solved anytime soon!

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Rardy, as for the question regarding the progress and aspirations of Ole Miss to compete with other schools, they are making great strides and are already competing from an educational standpoint. Ole Miss is in the top 10 in Rhodes Scholar production, top 30 in endowment per student, top 100 research extensive institutions, and top 3 honors colleges. The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson performed the first successful heart and lung transplants.

Perception is what hurts Ole Miss the most. Because it is in Mississippi, it couldn't possibly be a good school.

As for improving Memphis, the city needs to get a handle on the corruption and arrogance of the local government first and foremost. Once this happens , crime reduction needs to be placed at the top of the list followed by education.

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Rardy, as for the question regarding the progress and aspirations of Ole Miss to compete with other schools, they are making great strides and are already competing from an educational standpoint. Ole Miss is in the top 10 in Rhodes Scholar production, top 30 in endowment per student, top 100 research extensive institutions, and top 3 honors colleges. The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson performed the first successful heart and lung transplants.

Perception is what hurts Ole Miss the most. Because it is in Mississippi, it couldn't possibly be a good school.

As for improving Memphis, the city needs to get a handle on the corruption and arrogance of the local government first and foremost. Once this happens , crime reduction needs to be placed at the top of the list followed by education.

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Good points Clobber, and I may have my concerns in the wrong order but here is my reasoning:

1. Corruption and arrogance of local government - Until local government actually makes decisions based on the well being of the city, crime prevention and education will remain lacking. Memphis leaders have manipulated decisions that affect the city for so long that they feel untouchable and have become arrogant. These people need to be held accountable for their actions.

2. Crime - While it is true that an educated populace usually makes for a safer city, the educational system in Memphis is in serious disrepair. This will take many years to correct and in the meantime crime will only get worse. More officers are needed on the streets as Memphis already has a shortage of police officers.

3. Education - Once government is held accountable and the police force is more visible in the city, education should be the main concern.

This is all debatable but the main negative perception of Memphis is that of a dangerous, crime infested city with poor leadership. Over the last 6 months I have heard more about the crime rate, Harold Ford, and Willie Herenton than any other aspect of the city. If people feel they are in danger just by being in the city, you lose valuable tourism and tax dollars, and eventually people start moving out. Outside of working in Memphis, I almost never come to the city, based mainly on the crime rate.

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