Saw this on the Memphis Business Journal website. Looks like the plans for One Beale are back on the table. This is really good news for the downtown area.

Link

One Beale, the Horizon project, renovating 100 N Main into hotel/condos, and finally opening Bass Pro's Pyramid store...time to finish these projects.

Then...Sears Crosstown!

There is a lot of demolition going on downtown and in the medical district. I have never seen so much at one time. I take that as a great sign. Hopefully new construction will be coming.

(06-03-2014 04:41 AM)Latilleon Wrote:  There is a lot of demolition going on downtown and in the medical district. I have never seen so much at one time. I take that as a great sign. Hopefully new construction will be coming.

There was an article about the med district a week or so ago; UTHSC is demolishing a couple of dorms. The changes hopefully will lead to something with an identity that enhances innovation in the medical fields. I think a basic requirement that is achievable there is a free wireless network, then build venues that invite intellectual and creative collisions and collaboration around that.

I'm glad to see the demolishing. Preservation isn't sacred and inviolable. Preserve a select, special group. Demo the rest and rebuild rapidly.

Glad to see this return, although I'm a bit concerned by the article referring to "significantly different." Hope that's in a good way. Maybe even a design change to look like a larger Trinity. Then I wake up.

(06-02-2014 07:57 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  One Beale, the Horizon project, renovating 100 N Main into hotel/condos, and finally opening Bass Pro's Pyramid store...time to finish these projects.

Then...Sears Crosstown!

Isn't Sears further ahead of 100 North Main? Also, don't forget the Chisca reno.

(06-03-2014 12:04 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-02-2014 07:57 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  One Beale, the Horizon project, renovating 100 N Main into hotel/condos, and finally opening Bass Pro's Pyramid store...time to finish these projects.

Then...Sears Crosstown!

Isn't Sears further ahead of 100 North Main? Also, don't forget the Chisca reno.

I think Crosstown actually has funding in place, and renters already signing leases...so they must be pretty far along.

(06-03-2014 12:03 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 04:41 AM)Latilleon Wrote:  There is a lot of demolition going on downtown and in the medical district. I have never seen so much at one time. I take that as a great sign. Hopefully new construction will be coming.

There was an article about the med district a week or so ago; UTHSC is demolishing a couple of dorms. The changes hopefully will lead to something with an identity that enhances innovation in the medical fields. I think a basic requirement that is achievable there is a free wireless network, then build venues that invite intellectual and creative collisions and collaboration around that.

I'm glad to see the demolishing. Preservation isn't sacred and inviolable. Preserve a select, special group. Demo the rest and rebuild rapidly.

Glad to see this return, although I'm a bit concerned by the article referring to "significantly different." Hope that's in a good way. Maybe even a design change to look like a larger Trinity. Then I wake up.

is there an overlay type of plan for the medical district?

(06-04-2014 10:00 AM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 12:03 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 04:41 AM)Latilleon Wrote:  There is a lot of demolition going on downtown and in the medical district. I have never seen so much at one time. I take that as a great sign. Hopefully new construction will be coming.

There was an article about the med district a week or so ago; UTHSC is demolishing a couple of dorms. The changes hopefully will lead to something with an identity that enhances innovation in the medical fields. I think a basic requirement that is achievable there is a free wireless network, then build venues that invite intellectual and creative collisions and collaboration around that.

I'm glad to see the demolishing. Preservation isn't sacred and inviolable. Preserve a select, special group. Demo the rest and rebuild rapidly.

Glad to see this return, although I'm a bit concerned by the article referring to "significantly different." Hope that's in a good way. Maybe even a design change to look like a larger Trinity. Then I wake up.

is there an overlay type of plan for the medical district?

Someone can/should correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think so yet. I think there was a presentation hosted by a national design organization (maybe ULI?) a few months ago that I tracked on twitter; I think it was more of a brainstorming session. I don't know if there is any consensus yet about what should occur. Could be another opportunity for Untapped and other citizen-driven events to drive the conversation.

I don't know if there's an overlay of already-announced/approved/in-progress projects, but I think that'd be a good idea, from Marshall to Crosstown.

One thing, more for Midtown, that this discussion raises for me, is I think Union Ave is tragically neglected as a signature thoroughfare for the city. It should be a showcase. It should be THE showcase after Riverside Drive. This would require some sort of guidelines. It's not, just a haphazard string of strip-mall retail (retail should be part of the signature of Union) interrupted too rarely by architectural treasures and few parks or at least greenspace, and no landscaped median.

Looks like Sears Crosstown will be getting a 115 million (at least) dollar renovation...

http://m.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/20...tml?r=full

(06-04-2014 01:46 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 10:00 AM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 12:03 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 04:41 AM)Latilleon Wrote:  There is a lot of demolition going on downtown and in the medical district. I have never seen so much at one time. I take that as a great sign. Hopefully new construction will be coming.

There was an article about the med district a week or so ago; UTHSC is demolishing a couple of dorms. The changes hopefully will lead to something with an identity that enhances innovation in the medical fields. I think a basic requirement that is achievable there is a free wireless network, then build venues that invite intellectual and creative collisions and collaboration around that.

I'm glad to see the demolishing. Preservation isn't sacred and inviolable. Preserve a select, special group. Demo the rest and rebuild rapidly.

Glad to see this return, although I'm a bit concerned by the article referring to "significantly different." Hope that's in a good way. Maybe even a design change to look like a larger Trinity. Then I wake up.

is there an overlay type of plan for the medical district?

Someone can/should correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think so yet. I think there was a presentation hosted by a national design organization (maybe ULI?) a few months ago that I tracked on twitter; I think it was more of a brainstorming session. I don't know if there is any consensus yet about what should occur. Could be another opportunity for Untapped and other citizen-driven events to drive the conversation.

I don't know if there's an overlay of already-announced/approved/in-progress projects, but I think that'd be a good idea, from Marshall to Crosstown.

One thing, more for Midtown, that this discussion raises for me, is I think Union Ave is tragically neglected as a signature thoroughfare for the city. It should be a showcase. It should be THE showcase after Riverside Drive. This would require some sort of guidelines. It's not, just a haphazard string of strip-mall retail (retail should be part of the signature of Union) interrupted too rarely by architectural treasures and few parks or at least greenspace, and no landscaped median.

I couldn't agree more. Union is an eyesore and it's a shame the city has let it get that way.

I go up and down Union and see a new Kroger/Fresh Market about to open.

I know the MPD wants to close and demo the Union station... But I bet they want top dollar for that land.

(06-04-2014 04:42 PM)tiger2000 Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 01:46 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 10:00 AM)tigergreen Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 12:03 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-03-2014 04:41 AM)Latilleon Wrote:  There is a lot of demolition going on downtown and in the medical district. I have never seen so much at one time. I take that as a great sign. Hopefully new construction will be coming.

There was an article about the med district a week or so ago; UTHSC is demolishing a couple of dorms. The changes hopefully will lead to something with an identity that enhances innovation in the medical fields. I think a basic requirement that is achievable there is a free wireless network, then build venues that invite intellectual and creative collisions and collaboration around that.

I'm glad to see the demolishing. Preservation isn't sacred and inviolable. Preserve a select, special group. Demo the rest and rebuild rapidly.

Glad to see this return, although I'm a bit concerned by the article referring to "significantly different." Hope that's in a good way. Maybe even a design change to look like a larger Trinity. Then I wake up.

is there an overlay type of plan for the medical district?

Someone can/should correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think so yet. I think there was a presentation hosted by a national design organization (maybe ULI?) a few months ago that I tracked on twitter; I think it was more of a brainstorming session. I don't know if there is any consensus yet about what should occur. Could be another opportunity for Untapped and other citizen-driven events to drive the conversation.

I don't know if there's an overlay of already-announced/approved/in-progress projects, but I think that'd be a good idea, from Marshall to Crosstown.

One thing, more for Midtown, that this discussion raises for me, is I think Union Ave is tragically neglected as a signature thoroughfare for the city. It should be a showcase. It should be THE showcase after Riverside Drive. This would require some sort of guidelines. It's not, just a haphazard string of strip-mall retail (retail should be part of the signature of Union) interrupted too rarely by architectural treasures and few parks or at least greenspace, and no landscaped median.

I couldn't agree more. Union is an eyesore and it's a shame the city has let it get that way.

Nothing about Union from Danny Thomas to Parkway makes any sense at all.

Totally agree the Union should be a showcase...there is a midtown overlay for new structures (building to the street, etc.) but the problem is with older existing businesses & buildings. There's not a whole lot that can be done with those until businesses choose to renovate, or get sold & new owners come in.

Union currently reminds me a lot of West End in Nashville. Some brand new things, some super old and run-down, making it look like a random hodgepodge.

(06-04-2014 05:42 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  Totally agree the Union should be a showcase...there is a midtown overlay for new structures (building to the street, etc.) but the problem is with older existing businesses & buildings. There's not a whole lot that can be done with those until businesses choose to renovate, or get sold & new owners come in.

Union currently reminds me a lot of West End in Nashville. Some brand new things, some super old and run-down, making it look like a random hodgepodge.

Glad to hear about that overlay. I understand grandfathering in, that stuff has to happen. It's a positive education for me to learn that there is somewhere that Midtown is attempting to head to, even if slowly.

I was really excited to hear the news that One Beale was alive again.

The Memphis skyline is long overdue for a new addition. The proposals in the past seemed to be just what the downtown skyline needed.

I will be anxious to see new renderings for the project. I am a little worried with the news "significantly different" from past proposals. I really hope that doesn't mean a loss of height for the building. The real estate of this property, at least from a visual perspective, is too perfect for a new highrise to be relegated to a more modest midrise or multiple midrises. There are plenty of these projects going on currently in the area, and there are a lot more appropriate areas for such development.

(06-04-2014 05:55 PM)kabluey Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 05:42 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  Totally agree the Union should be a showcase...there is a midtown overlay for new structures (building to the street, etc.) but the problem is with older existing businesses & buildings. There's not a whole lot that can be done with those until businesses choose to renovate, or get sold & new owners come in.

Union currently reminds me a lot of West End in Nashville. Some brand new things, some super old and run-down, making it look like a random hodgepodge.

Glad to hear about that overlay. I understand grandfathering in, that stuff has to happen. It's a positive education for me to learn that there is somewhere that Midtown is attempting to head to, even if slowly.

Along with the fact that they were tearing down a beautiful old church at Cooper & Union, that's what a lot of the CVS argument was about. CVS was supposed to build to the street, and have their parking lot in back, and they somehow wormed their way out of that.

Thankfully the Overton Square rebirth gives the overlay a big boost for future development to follow the guidelines. The updated Kroger on Union will give more of an appearance of that as well, offering a walkway/patio area on the front, instead of the 5-6 tiny parking spots they had.

For what it's worth, the U of M neighborhood has an overlay now as well....the neighborhood just went around & around with McDonald's about their plans to build a new store, and finally McDonald's backed out when they couldn't get their way. The neighbors I spoke with were glad to see that space wouldn't go to another fast food chain, anyway.

Remember when they built the first 1 Beale and then tore it down?

I also agree about Union Ave., as it could and should be so much more...

Having said that, the other plans mentioned along with Highland Row & Shelby Farms Expansion are really making the upcoming years exciting for our area.

*Crosstown
*Chisca
*One Beale
*Bass Pro / Pinch Dist.
*Medical District
*Shelby Farms - Patriot Lake / Greenline
*Overton Square
*Harahan Bridge Project
*& More...

Union Avenue. Or as I call it the body shops best friend.

Union Avenue is the union between north and south Memphis.