Perhaps it was the idea that somehow Memphis got the short end of the stick on Beale Street. But in the past few years our city has decided that it is a property developer. Think The Pyramid and The Fairgrounds.
Memphis city government is about to develop a third high profile project. The Union Avenue police precinct is in development. With this project Midtown Memphis has an opportunity to add retail and housing that we are so often told is difficult to bring together due to space constraints.
In 2008 Florida based WSG Development planned on bringing retail (remember the Midtown Target store rumors) and housing to 26 acres at Poplar and Watkins. Arguably the site of the old Union Avenue police station is higher profile and more desirable than the WSG proposal. Of course, the improved economic outlook is what is making the Union Avenue site look so promising.
We have an opportunity to provide Midtown with a quality development that is bold and forward thinking. Bold is waiting for the right retailers to commit. We know that Memphis and specifically Midtown Memphis would sell its first born to have a Trader Joes. The success of the store in Nashville should bode well for Memphis. While it’s nice to have Fresh Market looking for space in Midtown it would be a shame to settle on something that is both not unique to the Memphis market and price wise out of reach to many Midtowners. Yes, Trader Joes is not just a better fit for Midtown brand wise but pricewise also.
Another bold component of the project could be adding artist/entrepreneurial studio rentals to the project. Yes, South Main is about to get live/work spaces but look at the concept called ActivSpace. It rents out small spaces to not only to artists but also to small business, hobbyists really anyone looking to rent an affordable small space. Either as a creative space or a place to run a small business. Adding a concept like ActivSpace would also help foster small business creation. Because of it’s affordability it would also help foster needed minority business creation. The best way to understand their concept is to check out their link below.
Lets make sure we add high-density housing to the project. Union Avenue is already home to some mid-rise apartment developments. Lets hope that the city is looking at adding market and affordable rate or student housing to the mix.
Lastly, please not only make this a centerpiece of how the Midtown Overlay can work but also lets have unique urban design. Urban Outfitters chose Midtown because of its reputation for being young, hip, urbane and open to new ideas. Please honor that in your design and tenant choice. The suburban horror that is the CVS on Union Avenue should not be repeated. For example, Archimania is celebrated with many architecture awards for their creativity and modern designs. Please give them a call. Surly they can partner with a minority architect to deliver a uniquely Midtown project.
Agreed. Did you see the article in WSJ last week (link below) about Whole Foods opening in downtown Detroit? The city is bestowing some very favorable incentives. This has angered some in the community because WF is perceived as too expensive etc. But, Trader Joe’s could avoid some of that blowback I think if Memphis were to offer a “package”.
Mr. Lipscomb, please, reach out to Trader Joe’s immediately. We can all still happily make the drive to Fresh Market.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203961204577269723768076382.html
Space is only a concern if you don’t want to built up. Last I checked, there aren’t many tall buildings in Midtown, or really anywhere in the greater Memphis area. Allowing more tall buildings would increase supply and thus drive prices down. And if prices dropped it could be a good incentive for more businesses to come to the area.
Trader Joes will do quite well in Midtown. The quirkiness of the area and the store makes it a perfect fit. Great ideas Mark about start-up space for small businesses. I hope your ideas are considered and executed on.
Read this midtown!
OK I have to agree if you want to look like a real city build like one! Look at these apartments in New Orleans ….brand new ….but somehow I bet it won’t look cool. It will look like a strip mall. No houses. No cool artist spaces.
http://www.930poydras.com/
The main reason we don’t build tall is, we’re in an earthquake zone. And we’re building on sand/gravel, not bedrock.
Please don’t fall into the ‘artists will solve your problems’ theory. We are going to make art wherever we are. Nobody will buy it.. there’s the problem. At least, not enough to be meaningful. I’ve seen friends try to have artists’ co-op spaces, always fail.. young artists are not reliable rent payers.
This is still a car city, and every apartment needs 1.5 parking spaces. You can’t dictate utopia.
Let’s hope that the brilliant “developers” don’t saddle Midtown with a Family Dollar.
Yes to Trader Joe’s, no to ‘the Robert’ acting as developer. The Fairgrounds has shown their piecemeal approach–‘let’s put in a tailgate park and then figure out what else to do later.’
City of Memphis has no real choice but piecemeal approach – and no other developer would have any different options. Before there is large-scale development of the Fairgrounds, the Department of Justice ADA complaint has to be resolved because the stadium is the “qualified public facility” under state law that allows for the collection of the state sales tax to pay for the entire development. The stadium issue has to be decided before the city vision for the Fairgrounds can be executed.
Earth Fare is a chain of healthy supermarkets much like Whole Foods. It is based in Asheville, NC and is rapidly expanding across the South. They would be a great addition to Midtown.
http://www.earthfare.com/
if Memphis were such a great, hot market for upscale and decent food, why would an already great supermarket chain such as PUBLIX turn up their collective noses at the so-called ‘potential’ ??
and don’t give me that “warehousing” argument either, I know Publix execs out of Lakeland FL, and these people aren’t stupid
face it, hell, there is no DEMAND (sustained) for even fresh fish in Memphis !!
and the potential employees that would be hired in the Memphis market, would sully the good name of Publix’s concept of great customer service ! the labor pool found in Memphis would severely DAMAGE its great reputation that it has built throughout Florida, and even in Atlanta suburbs, and recently in Nashville !!
Trader Joes and Earth Fare would both be wonderful additions to Midtown. Another Fresh Market or another Whole Foods would also be welcome. Unless things change none of these stores will enter the Midtown market.
An employee of Fresh Market recently told me that they had considered Midtown but Kroger’s stood in the way. Some months before that a City of Memphis employee told me Kroger’s intent is to buy the Union precinct land once the police move out and build a new, probably suburban styled, store. Kroger and certain people at City Hall have evidently been talking about this possibility for sometime.
Where does this leave the Midtown area? Many neighbors will continue driving west to Miss Cordelia’s or east to Fresh Market and Whole Foods.
If the City of Memphis wants to do something for its people, why not negotiate with Kroger to build a store or two in South Memphis, Little Chicago, Orange Mound or other neighborhoods where its stores would truly benefit communities.