Saving the Union Avenue Methodist Church

Memphis Heritage is holding a meeting tomorrow, Thursday, May 27th, at 6 p.m. at their headquarters at 2282 Madison, to discuss the possible sale and demolition of the Union Avenue Methodist Church by pharmacy chain CVS. The church, built in 1923 and listed on the National Register, anchors the southwest corner of Cooper and Union, diagonally across from Playhouse on the Square's beautiful new theater.

Random notes:

• There's precedent for CVS to preserve a historic building due to public outcry -- the Scherer Building in Chicago. In fact, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has a complete initiative dedicated to the issue of chain drug stores destroying historic buildings.
  


• If you don't think the church is that great, worth preserving, then advocate for a quality new urban design that complements Playhouse, rather than ignores it. CVS also has precedents for that.
  Just saying "tear it down!" is to cede to the default -- anturban blight. Progress in Memphis' built environment is to be fought for, never assumed.
  


• We need to stop bashing Germantown Parkway to make points about Union Avenue. Let's stick closer to home and talk about the Medical Center from I-240 west to Dunlap. Devastated by hordes of parking lots built as enticement to commuters who didn't want to be there, and eventually weren't, the result is arguably the worst commercial strip in all of Memphis
  


• Crappy development threatens Playhouse on the Square's investment of money and vision in that spot of Memphis. Especially a crappy development in the literal center of their vision.
  
  See: A 270 degree panorama I took from the front steps of Playhouse on the Square.
  
  The threat to this vision should be enough to stop a bad outcome, except it's not.


• Preservationists and urbanists could combine forces with CVS to cajole or force Ike's/Walgreen's to sell CVS the soon to be vacant Ike's store on the southeast corner.
  


• Join the cause via the Save Union Avenue Methodist Church Facebook page.

Progress: Cumberland Presbyterian Building

Memphis Heritage sent the following this afternoon.

Although nothing is completely resolved, we wanted to update you on the status of the Cumberland Building and our discussions with Chick-fil-A. On Wednesday May 7 several local architects, on behalf of MHI, toured the Cumberland property to see what possibilities existed for the adaptive reuse of the building as a CFA restaurant. The next day these same architects met with Chick-fil-A's architect, construction specialist and VP's of Real Estate and Construction who flew in from Atlanta to review the findings.

It was a productive meeting. While both groups agreed that using the entire building is virtually impossible for CFA's needs, Chick-fil-A has agreed to review the plans that were discussed on May 8 and get back with MHI within the next several weeks regarding the possibility of some sort of compromise. After meeting with the representatives for CFA face to face we were impressed with their sincere concern for the Mid Town community and their willingness to have an open discussion. They went the extra mile to meet with us and we both agreed that if we had met sooner things would have gone more smoothly in regards to our concerns about their plans.

Because we feel CFA is working with us to come to an acceptable compromise we would like to ask you to call their offices or email and thank them for coming to the table.

Bubba.Cathy@chick-fil-A.com
Dan.Cathy@chick-fil-A.com
Erwin.Reid@chick-fil-A.com
Perry.Ragsdale@chick-fil-A.com

CFA Phone: 1-404-765-8000

We thank all of you for your help in emailing and calling the CFA corporate office. It made the difference. Without your support there would not have been a meeting!

Thank You!

June Waddell West
901.272.2727
Memphis Heritage, Inc.
2282 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
www.memphisheritage.org
info@memphisheritage.org

Thanks everyone for help making this good news!

CORRECTION: Demolition Permit Not Requested for Cumberland Presbyterian

UPDATE 4/25/08: The latest word I've gotten from Memphis Heritage is that a demolition permit has not been requested and/or issued. It appears to have been some other kind of permit, possibly a construction permit. While demolition seems to be very much in play here, the information I originally posted was incorrect. My apologies.

UPDATE: A request for permit was made. It's not clear at this point who made the request. It may not have been Chick-Fil-A.

Just received this from Memphis Heritage:

We have learned just now that Chick-fil-A made application to the City Codes Department for a demolition permit. The Landmarks Commission received a call from Codes to confirm that there was no special designation that would prevent them from demolishing the Historic Cumberland Presbyterian building at Union and Rembert St. in Midtown. This is really unthinkable that they will take this action without having an open discussion with the members of Memphis Heritage.

We are asking everyone to call the corporate offices of Chick-fil-A in Atlanta TODAY and again over the next several day (1-404-765-8000). I am afraid the toll free number might just let you leave a recording but you can try it (1-866-232-2040) and ask to speak to Truett, Dan or Bubba Cathy. Or if you want to get to their Marketing VP ask for Steve Robinson.

Please voice your tremendous disappointment that the Corporate leadership of CFA will not even meet to discuss other possibilities for the site. To our knowledge, no one from their corporate design team even came to Memphis to see about the possible adaptive reuse for this architectural landmark.

Call now!

Memphis Heritage Meeting for Cumberland Presbyterian Building

Correction: this is a strategy meeting, not a rally.

We have once again requested a face-to-face meeting with Chick-fil-a to discuss alternatives to their plans to demolish this great building. mhi has received an email from their corporate offices that they will not discuss alternatives with us.

There will be a rally at

Howard Hall, Memphis Heritage's Headquarters
2282 Madison
Thursday, April 10th @ 5:30pm

to discuss and strategize what else we can do to stop the demolition.

Thanks again and keep up the good work!!

June W. West
Executive Director, Memphis Heritage

Sorry for the late notice.

More (and Less) on Cumberland Presbyterian

First the bad news. Someone has removed the cornerstone of the building.

Then:



Now:


Is Jesus in a landfill?

Now the good news. A member sent this to Memphis Heritage:

Today I received a phone call from Perry Ragsdale, VP of real estate development/design for Chick-Fil-A. He told me that he was just brought in on the concern of the Cumberland Religious Building on Union Avenue and was given two letters, one of which was mine. He asked me to give him a description of the building and it's surroundings. Which I did to the best of my limited ability. Combining ideas from both my letter and Donna Palmer's, I suggested that if they could,, why not place the restaurant inside the front part of the building, not only providing Midtown with a Chick-fil-a but keeping something beautiful, elegant, and historic intact for all that visit midtown Memphis to enjoy for years and years to come.

I also told him Midtowners love old beautiful buildings,, and that this would be a big hit for them if they used part of it as a restaurant. I also told him that I found it most ironic that a business that closes on Sunday to let associates reflect in whatever religious way they choose, might demolish a building that was built to serve our lord. He told me that they were very interested in doing the "Right" thing, and that he is planning on being here next week to look at the situation first hand. He told me that they have experience putting restaurants in old buildings and that the idea was not completely off the table.

If you would like to voice your support for Chick-Fil-A in Midtown and opposition to the Cumberland Presbyterian demolition, Memphis Heritage asks that you contact

by email:
perry.ragsdale@chick-fil-a.com
dan.cathy@chick-fil-a.com
bubba.cathy@chick-fil-a.com

by mail:
Chick-Fil-A Corporate Office
Attention: Dan Cathy, Donald Cathy & Perry Ragsdale
CC: Truett Cathy, Founder
5200 Buffington Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30349

Help Save the Cumberland Presbyterian Building

Memphis Heritage is asking that you voice your opposition to the threatened demolition of the Cumberland Presbyterian Building,

1. by email:
   marianne.creamer@chick-fil-a.com
   


2. by letter:
   Chick-fil-A, Inc.
   c/o Donald M. Cathy, Vice President
   5200 Buffington Road
   Atlanta, GA 30349-2998
   (and cc: Truett Cathy, Founder and Chairman)
   
   
3. or by phone:
   
   1- 404-765-8000 (ask for Donald Cathy), or
   1-886-232-2040 (customer feed back line)

Memphis Heritage supports Chick-Fil-A coming to Midtown. They only oppose demolition of fine buildings to accomplish it.

Side Note: Memphis Heritage's annual membership meeting is tonight. If you'd like to help with their preservation advocacy and education efforts, you should attend.

A Union of Chick-Fil-A and Cumberland Presbyterian

How can Chick-Fil-A open a restaurant on Union without demolishing the Cumberland Presbyterian building?

Build Next to Cumberland Presbyterian.

The old Catherine's shop to the east of Cumberland is part of the deal, as I understand it. There is nothing on that lot but a small commercial building and parking lot. Going straight back from that lot, away from Union, is a parking lot that (I believe) is part of the Cumberland Presbyterian property.


Chick-Fil-A could build on the Catherine's lot and Cumberland Presbyterian parking lot.

They would have lots of parking in the rear (or front if they wanted to move the building further back).


Most, most, most importantly*, they would still have lots of room for drive-thru traffic on the lot.


With exits to both Rembert (around the still standing Cumberland Presbyterian) and Union.


You don't have to look any further down Union than Taco Bell

or even closer, Starbucks,

for examples of thin lot, successful restaurant.

What about the Cumberland Presbyterian? It can't stay empty. Chick-Fil-A would still buy it, because they would need the exit to Rembert. But they could let needy church congregations use it for their ministries and possibly church services. It was, after all, built for that.



I've laid out the models here and you can play with them in Google Earth. Note that I modeled and scaled the Chick-Fil-A after the restaurant at 4916 Poplar (which I have included in the Google Earth file).

* Why most importantly? Because in my many years of living in Midtown, I've never seen a fast food restaurant on Union with a full parking lot (e.g., the Taco Bell parking lot above). Jammed drive-thru, but not parking lot. Starbucks is an exception only if you consider it a fast food experience.

Demolition of Cumberland Presbyterian Planned

I recently got word from Memphis Heritage that Chik-Fil-A plans to demolish the Cumberland Presbyterian building on Union and replace it with one of its restaurants.

Judging by the standard Chik-Fil-A restaurants along strip corridors,

it would be a major architectural step down from the present building.


They would probably have to grade the site, destroying the hillock that the present building sits on.


It would be right in front of a crosswalk for schoolchildren attending Idlewild Elementary.




People speeding in and out of the drive-thru, cellphones in one hand, tasty chicken biscuits in the other, will be zipping through that crosswalk. (disclosure: I have relatives who attend Idlewild. They don't use that crosswalk but I know many kids and families that do).

The site has a couple of neighboring high-quality buildings that have been constructed or renovated in the past year.


One of them, the Memphis Area Teachers Credit Union,

was built on the site of a recently demolished Midtown bungalow. However, its own visual personality is at least the equal of the departed. Will the Chik-Fil-A restaurant do the same? Will it honor the investments its neighbors have made by, at the very least, not subtracting value?

I want to make it clear that I have no problem with Chik-Fil-A as a business. Judging by the comments I got in my earlier post, their food creates loyal customers.

Bring good food to a good building, the Cumberland Presbyterian building.

Details very soon on how we might make this happen.

Early Warning on Union

A recent Memphis Daily News article states

Chick-Fil-A Inc. has filed a building permit application for a new restaurant at 61 S. Rembert St. in Midtown, according to The Daily News Online.

The $1 million permit was filed with the city-county Department of Construction Code Enforcement last week. The South Rembert address is just north of Union Avenue east of South McLean Boulevard and west of East Parkway.

Problem is, I can't find that address, as the postman delivers. The last address on the west (odd) side of the street is 45 S. Rembert. The next structure going south is WMC headquarters.

However, just across Rembert from the missing 61 S. Rembert is the Cumberland Presbyterian Center/Bookstore, which has been up for sale for the last year.

Could Chik-Fil-A be sharpening their axe for the building that housed the bookstore? The brief Daily News article adds,

The restaurant chain is scheduled to open a Chick-Fil-A on Union Avenue in August, according to a Chick-Fil-A representative. No street number was on file, she added.

Note: I don't care if Chick-Fil-A comes to Midtown, but anything that does come should, at the absolute least, make it not worse. Better would be better. We have fast-food -- we are civilized like that -- so that won't make us better. But we don't have much beauty of on our major commercial corridor. The bookstore adds a simple but nice beauty. I have yet to see a Chick-Fil-A that adds beauty. Now if they build in an already butt-uglified spot -- Union still has aplenty -- then we're not worse.

Lest you think I'm just oppositional, and would rather have a building sit empty forever, then let me propose an alternative use, one well-suited to the bookstore's present configuration -- the Midtown library. When the new Central Library went in, replacing the library at Peabody and McLean, the City discussed a branch library to take its place. We never got it. This could be our chance.

We'll see.

There's a Hole in the Heart of the Arts

Here is the Heart of the Arts.

And here is the Hole in the Heart of the Arts.


Yes, I'm talking about my old arch-nemesis -- the Overton Square big-ass parking lot.

It's an asphalt tarmac big enough (and perhaps decreated) for a Wal-Mart, as artless as Midtown gets. It mocks the idea of a pedestrian arts district. It and its smaller brethren across Madison have made Overton Square into a convenience store.

It destroys the energy, leaks the life, out of the Heart of the Arts.

If HotA is to be more than marketing website, if it's to be a real Arts district based on pedestrian proximity to its great organizations, then that Hole must be torn up.

HotA has a great concept with its plans/hopes/dreams for a mini-greenway between Overton Park and Overton Square. And a special connection needs a special space as destination.

Dig up that asphalt and smush it into public art.

Fill the Hole.


Update: bad form -- didn't mention my source for this info. It was the recent edition of the Cooper Young Lamplighter. I just discovered it was online so you can read the article about the Heart of the Arts launch there. That's where I saw mention of the greenway.