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!

Unbuilt Projects: Memphis without Echo Chambers

For its recent Architecture Design Awards, the Memphis AIA used a panel of Toronto architects as judges. As the Commercial Appeal reported, it did it "to better ensure an unbiased selection of winners."

Openness to non-local ideas and criticism is important everywhere, and in all endeavors. Openness is particularly important for Memphis, where dysfunctional idea networks (aka, echo chambers, daisy chains, dreamcatchers, kereitsu) have often given local currency to universally bad ideas.

A bad idea like, say, the Regional Chamber's plans to replace the C&I Bank Building with a surface parking lot.

While all six designs stood out among the others, the Adaptive Re-Use of C & I Bank Building at 200 Madison caught the eye of the jurors right away. The redesign by Archimania received an Award of Merit.

Much controversy has surrounded the building known for its sloped glass roof and large atrium foyer in recent months. Bought by the Memphis Regional Chamber, the building was later deemed financially unfeasible for the chamber to move into, and discussions of replacing the building with a parking lot have buzzed through the city.

"Our primary interest was in the purpose of the design to find an appropriate way to rehabilitate the building," said Barry Sampson, principal of Baird Sampson Neuert Architects and assistant dean of facilities and design at the University of Toronto. "We felt it should remain in the city, and we would like to see ongoing efforts to retain this building."

Toronto architects shouldn't have to tell Memphis to save it, but thankfully they did.

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.

Family Art Tomorrow Night

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.

Café Eclectic Opens, Starbucks Closes

Okay, Memphis java chain store lovers, Starbuck's will be closed tonight. Use the opportunity to acquaint yourself with Memphis' newest coffee house, Café Eclectic, which opened yesterday.

The entrance.

McLean-side table, looking over the playing fields of Snowden School.


The coffee bar.

A great place.

Or you can check out one of Memphis' other locally-owned coffee houses. Two of my favorites, by my proximity and their imagination, are Otherlands and Java Cabana.

Support the businesses and creativity of local entrepeneurs.

Update: per Fearlessvk's question, Café Eclectic's hours are presently 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. They plan to be open later in the near future.

Zoo Leaders Escape and Maul Nature

The only thing I can add to Naomi Van Tol's eloquent Letter to the Editor, which denounces the Memphis Zoo's hypocrisy of promoting nature while destroying it mere yards away, are the pictures below.

From above before...

And after...




Nothing left alive within the fences.


Saruman and the Orcs and other great defilers from history and fiction would be very proud of the Zoo!

Meanwhile mere yards away, sage words for zoo visitors.

and...


and...

But don't look backwards from the Amphitheatre...


Cause you might see once living parts of earth...

dismembered and left for dead by stewards of nature.

Why?

Maybe Chief Seattle can tell us.

Here he is guarding the Sacred Cave of the Donors.


Just read below his lines.

Family Art Night at Peabody Elementary

I wanted to touch base with you about Peabody's Family Art Night. Again, the date is set for March 11, 2008 @ 6:00pm. The event will be held at Peabody Elementary which is located at 2086 Young Ave. in the Cooper-Young community.

Family Art Night was started last year, as a vision by me to promote Arts in the schools. As you may know, when budget cuts come along, the Arts are oftentimes the first to go. Also, some people view the Arts as simply a creative past-time and do not understand the value it has in impacting a student's learning. My aim was to show that despite these woes, discipline-based art education was still attainable in the classroom. I worked to show teachers how to integrate art into the regular curriculum. Also, I strived to show parents the importance of art when it comes their child's education, and I wanted everyone to walk away with an awareness and appreciation of the Arts.

Furthermore, Family Art Night consists of stationed-based activities for the students; a Meet-and-Greet with local artists and art organizations; and special performances. All in all, it is a night where the Arts come alive!

Many people, both students and parents, commented on how they thoroughly enjoyed the event and looked forward to it again.

This year, the theme for the event will be "Passport to the Arts", which coincides with Peabody's International Studies Program and we have added a "traveling artists" component whereas artists will create artwork and the New Ballet Ensemble School dancers will show various ballet techniques.

Artfully yours,
Regina Boyd
"Every child is an artist..." -Pablo Picasso

I met Regina and heard about this great event at the CODA Conference last fall.

After the Fair, Will There Be a Fairview?

It was supposed to be settled -- the City Schools System was going to renovate and keep using Fairview Junior High. However, every time I read about the Fairgrounds Redevelopment project, everybody's still talking about this beautiful gem.

Still talking about == Fate undecided.

On tonight's Mayor's Citizen Line show on WYPL, Mayor Herenton even mentioned that he would be announcing plans for Liberty Bowl and Fairview at tuesday's Rotary Luncheon.

My gut feeling is that it's still safe, but we will see.

Anyone who would harm such a beautiful building is not a builder, but a destroyer of cities.

Memphis Warehouse Revival Version 2.0 Tonight!

Tonight is the Memphis Warehouse Revival v2.0. This will be a huge event. We are expecting somewhere in the range of 300-500 attendees. We've put up floor-to-ceiling heat-trapping construction sheeting, built a 30-ft entrance tunnel, and a 16-ft bar. Our friend and new affiliate Michael Andrews has aided us in constructing 2 wood-burning stoves, so the party should be warm no matter how cold it gets outside. As always, we'll have a bonfire going in the courtyard, $5 & a signed waiver gets you in the door, and $5 more gets you a bottomless keg cup. We also will have a limited number of special edition Rozelle Artists Guild t-shirts available for $10 each, screen printed by Michael, in S, M, L, & XL.

A map.

More Blight Near Highland

The Helmsman reported a few days ago that the University of Memphis had begun demolition on the Prescott Memorial Baptist Church on Mynders.

So what looked like this for 75 years


now looks like this.


The University and its partners have been in the news a lot lately talking about how they can improve the surrounding areas and make a better, more attractive community.

So what are their plans for the space? The Helmsman says

The University has not decided what will be built where Prescott Memorial Baptist Church once stood.

Maybe a parking lot, maybe an educational building, almost certainly a construction staging area.

Either way, what had been a simple and charming part of their local built environment for 75 years has been destroyed without a plan.

Speculative demolition.

This is not New Urbanism. This is not Sustainable.

This is Same Old Shit Suburbanism. This is Waste.

For 3, 5, 10 years, maybe forever, the community will have to look at an empty space, probably with cars or construction equipment on it.

This is Blight. Same Old Blight.

Clarifications: The demolished church above is not part of the Poag & McEwen development on Highland. Prescott (demolished) is here; the Highland Street Church of Christ (Poag & McEwen's recent purchase) is here. The latter will be demolished eventually too, but with a plan at the ready. In fact, the P&M development will infill several lots that once had mansions on them -- themselves speculatively demolished by someone (not P&M) sometime in the last 20 years.

Also, the construction staging is for University of Memphis construction, presumably the dorms being built across Patterson, not the Poag & McEwen development.