A Little Context for the Crosstown Development

Here's a a Google Maps version of the Crosstown development (aka "Midtown Memphis") overlays, as seen in the Memphis Flyer.

Practically everything I've heard and seen about the development looks, sounds positive. I wonder about the northern approach, the Poplar/Watkins gateway, however. It appears to be a entire block of street exposed parking. They've talked about rooftop parking, so hopefully that's what going on here. A building flush with the sidewalk at that corner would

1. provide an architectural advertisement for their work, on one of Memphis' busiest thoroughfares. We zoom past parking lots all the time. A building on that corner would be a unique herald of the changes inside. An exciting invitation inside for both cars coming up and down Poplar, and walkers coming from Vollintine and Evergreen. Parking lots do not invite.


2. help restore physical, visual and even social continuity between Evergreen and the development in the Washington Bottoms.


3. increase not only the area's walkability, but also its walk-to-ability and walk-from-ability.

What's To Like About the Crosstown Development?

1. Multi-Use with residential: "'the design intent is to provide a pedestrian friendly center that permits apartments/condominiums and office above retail shops and on mass transit lines.'" Seeding the market and place with residents and a 24 hour life will increase the chances for real success.
   


2. An Urban design: "parking on top of retail or office buildings and buildings that are built very close to the street. The plan also features parking buildings and on-street parking, which minimizes the need to build large surface parking lots, the bane of urban planners everywhere." And bloggers here.
   


3. An Attack on Real Blight: Tax Increment Financing finds a worthy target.


4. A Crossroads Location: In between Evergreen to the North and East, Central Gardens to the South and the diverse Medical Center neighborhoods to the west.


5. The Possibility: a chance to visually, physically, socially connect a long fractured part of the city.

As laid out in the Memphis Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

Update: in this Goner thread, the site is called the Washington Bottoms. Also in that thread, elle says " i hate the term "lifestyle center". it makes me wanna throw up in my mouth a little." I concur, then throw up. "Lifestyle center" sounds like a re-branded nursing home.

Where's the Crosstown Sign?

As My Midtown Memphis has reported, the old Crosstown Theatre, long the Assembly Hall for the Jehovah's Witnesses, is undergoing renovations.

They removed the giant Crosstown sign as part of the renovations and I figure they're not going to put it back up. It was probably an economic decision that kept it up there all this time (the Malco chain moved out and the Jehovah's Witnesses moved in sometime in the middle to late 1970s).

But now that's it's off the building, where is it? Does anyone know?

It could be retrieved and installed in a gateway location, a monument announcing the neighborhood and it's revival. Perhaps at Cleveland and Poplar, or near the theatre at Cleveland and Overton Park.

I hope it's not on top a scrap heap heading for Japan.

Good developments in Crosstown

Doing my usual wandering about and decided to take these pictures of some good things happening in Crosstown. First there's the preparation that's being done for a new development (here's a Memphis Business Journal article and editorial on the development from a year ago). This is on the site of the old Colonial Bakery at Cleveland and Larkin.

It's on the west side of Cleveland. The west side! Excellent.

I can't find any images of the proposed houses but the MBJ article included the following:

Architect Jeff Blackledge, owner of Blackledge Architecture, says the homes will follow the bungalow style of many Midtown homes, with porches and large windows. Likewise, the two-story townhomes will mirror Midtown apartment blocks seen along Madison and Poplar, with brick facades and porticos. The homes will have subtle design features such as light fixtures, tilework and crown molding reminiscent of the 1920s and 1930s.

If they're of quality design, they will strengthen the neighborhood.

The other development was a medical building on Monroe between Watkins and Raine Place.

This building replaced an abandoned nursing home from the 60's that had become a self-styled rest home for vagrants.

Although it's recessed from the sidewalk, I believe there are 4 pretty positive aspects to it:

1. it looks good;
2. the wrought iron fence makes up for the building's setback by creating an architectural space at the sidewalk (as well as providing security from the previous occupants);
3. although there is a driveway at the front of the building, there is no parking directly in front.
4. They kept the mature trees on the sidewalk in front.

One more thing. Both of these are within 3 blocks of the site that Target may be building on Watkins and Poplar. They're proof that Crosstown is far from dead, and very worthy of good architecture.