At a time when cities were making investments to improve their downtowns, City of Memphis put our downtown up for adoption.
More accurately, City Hall left downtown like a waif in a basket on the doorstep of the Center City Commission.
There was no note and no money. There was only the directive for the city-county agency to assume the responsibility for the future of 80 blocks that are common ground for every citizen of the region.
Unfunded Mandate
It was a stunning act of civic neglect, especially considering that in the 8-10 years since that mandate, Memphis Mayor Willie W. Herenton hardly let a day go by that he didn’t hold up the “downtown renaissance” as the proudest achievement of his 17 years in office. There were times that his descriptions were flourished to such a point that it was hard to imagine that he ever walked in downtown Memphis.
Over the past six years, as he boasted about his legacy for downtown, sidewalks were crumbling, streetscapes were haphazard, urban design was sloppy, maintenance was nonexistent, alleys were deteriorating and vibrancy was as scarce as a retail store on Main Street. And yet, the $1 billion city government dumped responsibilities for downtown on an agency whose annual budget is about 0.6% – six-tenths of one percent – of one of its parent governments.
Faced with such a daunting challenge, Center City Commission has been able to fund about $6 million in capital improvements in an 80-block area by leveraging the extension of tax freezes, an option that has been all but taken away by Shelby County Board of Commissioners and as a result, it offers little potential as a source for more bonds for improvements.
City Beautiful
That only leaves $113.4 million in improvements that were needed years ago – in demolition of deteriorated sidewalks and alleys; construction of new curbs, gutters, sidewalks and ADA compliant access ramps at street corners; and new lighting, street trees, trees grates, trash cans and benches. Utility upgrades are also needed (and we can only hope that someday city government does understand that its large “gray tombstones” of utility boxes scattered all over downtown are constant reminders of its civic disregard for aesthetics).
The lack of improvements to the downtown infrastructure stands in stark contrast to the big project mentality perpetuated by city government. While we have been strong advocates for Autozone Park, FedExForum and Beale Street Landing, it is disingenuous for City Hall to act as if isolated spots of excellence are the same as making sure that the entire fabric of downtown is of the highest possible quality.
The reality is that several billion dollars of development have been set on top of a collapsing foundation. It’s absurd to think that infrastructure investments that benefit the entire city should be borne by a small downtown agency whose funding comes largely from a special tax on downtown businesses.
Frayed Welcome Mat
And yet, this is precisely what the city’s decision to abandon downtown’s infrastructure suggested. At the precise time that city elected officials were delivering uplifting rhetoric about the importance of downtown to the overall economic health of the region, to attracting and retaining talent and to its role as “welcome mat” to Memphis, it was engaged in a financial sleight of hand that largely set downtown adrift.
To top it off, city government subsequently abandoned its responsibility for landscaping and maintenance downtown, shoving that to the Center City Commission, which also pays about $200,000 a year to beef up security because Memphis Police Department won’t do it.
It’s a strange testament to chasm between the rhetoric about downtown and the reality of downtown.
These days, few people remember the time when both Memphis and Shelby County Governments provided yearly operational funding for Center City Commission and backed it up with yearly CIP funds.
Getting The Policy Right
It was sound public policy then. It would be sound public policy now, so hopefully, the new Wharton Administration will reevaluate the failed Herenton policies on downtown and develop a serious plan of action to fix the many things that are broken in the public realm.
It’s time for a new look at funding for downtown improvements and to develop a comprehensive plan to bring the area up to a presentable level of infrastructure, particularly streetscape and ending the discordant signage and lack of standards that characterize it.
These problems are main reasons why vibrancy in downtown Memphis is as much a distant dream as an Ikea on South Main. It’s why we favored limited vehicular traffic back on Main Street. Clearly, what we’re doing now isn’t working, and doing the same thing and expecting different results is delusional.
Serious Advocacy
Unfortunately, an 18-member task force didn’t end up recommending an experiment in cars on the mall, but it did make recommendations that were equally important to Main Street, notably turning the trolley from a postcard photo for tourists into a reliable, serious mode of transportation; better maintenance of the mall and more serious anti-neglect enforcement.
There was the regular filler “feel good” material, like “advocating for Main Street” and “collaborative marketing and promotion among downtown businesses.” And yet, it’s hard to escape the idea that what downtown needs right now is a Greek chorus and an army of activists demanding change in policies and attitude when it comes to its needs.
In this regard, there are some neighborhoods in Memphis that have shown how to get public sector action and it’s time for an effective downtown coalition that can exercise the clout and mobilize the political influence to get City Hall attention to the needs of downtown and the results of more than a decade of neglect.
Hit Teams
More the point, our city does not have a commitment to quality public realm. And it shows. Here’s the thing: if asked to show someone Memphis’ model public realm, we ought to be able to take them downtown. But at this point, we have merely hints of what could be. If nothing else, public realm is the perfect first priority for all of us who work and live downtown to write our elected officials about.
To this end, we have a proposal. We think that the Center City Commission should invite teams – architects, residents, urbanists, young professionals and others – that would survey downtown and send in recommendations to Center City Commission.
After all, we walk the streets. We know downtown block by block. We know every special spot and every ugly wart. We know every unsightly sign put up by MATA, we know every landscaping mistake and we know every place trash accumulates.
Why not appoint us as special hit squads that’ll issues reports on the state of downtown and recommendations for improving things? We would demand downtown improvements, a design ethos and for regular reports that could be shared with elected officials on what has to be done for the city’s core to be healthier and more competitive.
I don’t think you need to be invited by anyone in order to make recommendations. In fact, I would argue that waiting to be invited is a symptom of the apathy that has placed Downtown Memphis (and, to be honest, much of the rest of Memphis) in the position in which it now finds itself. At some point, concerned citizens should organize themselves — political structures be damned — and plow forward. Make them hear you.
I’m with anonymous. The time is right to push ahead–we have a fresh mayor and the 2011 Municipal election will be a forum of new ideas.
Just did my first Hit Squad assignment. Found over 70 signs that are ripe for removal or at least repositioning.
This morning, I happened to be in Old Germantown and did an informal survey on Germantown Road between Poplar and Polar Pike.
Distance: >0.5 miles
Public right-of-way signs other than street and 35 mph speed limit signs: 0 (zero)
Downtown this afternoon on Front Street between Adams and Peabody Place.
Distance <0.5 miles
Public signs in the right-of-way other than street & speed: 73
How is it that in the community that is known for its fierce regulation, they do not need one sign telling people how to turn or not to park or where to stand? How is it that in the only place most every tourist sees, the visual clutter is so intense that you probably ignore any signage that might actually say something important?
Anybody have a ladder and a screwdriver?
I never was in favor for Cars on Main St. I know it was only for a certain time frame, but I thought it wasn’t necessary. That’s just me though. I always thought the city should get off of the “Mall” concept for Main St., and encourage more cafes and restaurants to open shop there.
I like the title, and if we had a set, we would sue, instead of blow hot air. Memphis could be the balloon capitol of earth. Laugh if you want, but, you know, you make up your mind to do things and you follow through and you could end up with something good that lasts. So far, Memphis has blown a lot of hot air, but, we never make it into the balloon.
Alright, so, survey the damages, come up with a number and sue Willie Herenton for what he has caused, then, sue him for inciting racial hatred every election. Once you have exercised your muscle for doing actual justice” and finishing something, you can move on to improving the city. NOT before doing the right thing and doing it the right way at least once.
Why?
Because we need to feel what it’s like to do the right thing. We need to know what it’s like not to be slimeballs with no backbone. We talk a big game, some even come out of their houses and shoot guns warning the neighbors not to screw around, as if that really did anything, but, state what an idiot that person was. Why not hold up a sign that says “I invoke violence” for your kids to see, why not teach them that it’s right?
Because it’s wrong, and it’s one of the reasons talent doesn’t hang here long. Too easy to invoke violence in Memphis, too many do it, too many would.
Promise doesn’t mean anything and is only worth a nickel if you add a nickel to one. “Memphis has promise!” we all say, but, so what? It’s never realized, because we always always always opt for the shortcut, the easy way, keep it in the group, “Memphis First” yet we seem to be dead last every time.
Just sue the chump and get it over with.
You nailed it on this one, the people here are DEAD. They don’t do anything but roll over and get hit again, you’d think they had 6 cheeks or more they way they keep turning the other cheek, especially when it’s very inappropriate.
If Memphians were looking for someone to tell them that “enough really is enough” and “it’s time to do something about our crooked leaders” consider it done.
Enough id enough, it really is time to yank the clowns out of office,
yeah,
and as I say that, Ophelia returns for one more “Memphis crook family dynasty” to bury it’s head in like a tick.
Bizarrely,
It’s like there’s a lot of lead or something in the water here and people just can’t think at all. It really is like that here.
There are some good people here, there is a real mayor in office now, there is hope and promise and good people to work for and with. just don’t squander it this time because no more forgiveness resides for Memphis in the nation’s capitol.
You suggest it as a an intellectual and moral exercise, but I think one could actually sue over the state of downtown’s infrastructure even though the city may not be held accountable. The repair and maintenance of sidewalks is a serious issue in many cities. Homeowners in some of the more urban centers in New Jersey rush home at the end of a snowy day to shovel their walks because if someone is injured when slipping on an icy patch and can show that the homeowner did nothing in the way of snow removal- the homeowner is held liable. The same can and has been applied to buckled and cracked sidewalks. Sometimes nothing gets someone’s attention faster than the word lawsuit.