Yeah, that's it. I'll try to get down there and take some update photos this afternoon or tomorrow. I mainly wish there was a little more retail and dining space there to activate the streets a little more, but that will eventually come when residents begin to move in.

Some of that could happen if there was a legit need for added "extra people". A lot of times various companies won't enter into a market unless the metro is a certain size or there's a certain amount of hotel room nights that are sold. The main problem that the city has right now is finding a reason for added developments as well as something to bring more visitors to Memphis, and I think that a new convention center is the main way and probably the only way to do that.

With the construction of a new convention center, Memphis can attract new and possibly larger conventions as well as new development. People in Memphis seem to want to knock on Nashville, but they provide a perfect example of how a new convention center can do wonders for development in the core.

i have to scratch my head (and other parts, if i were to be crude), w/ this almost daily discussion of the mud island complex, the harbor, how to get from one side to the other, the amphitheater and the use, along w/ other issues.
why is it that a major city the size of memphis cannot seem to get a consensus on the use of mud island and the amphitheater. to me, it would work out fine if those in charge of booking would simply offer the venue for concerts to an audience of people who wish to be entertained. the event could be booked for one night, 2 nights, or how ever long tickets are sold. the same is true for the mud island attraction. if they want it to be opened for only half the year, so be it; however, a smart pr person could search out the appropriate acts for the entire year. these people are here---even living in the city. there may not be a need to spend money for a national search, but there may be a need to do so. these are challenges that should be addressed, solved, and the result should be a success. i just don't understand why these things are not solved, so the city could reap the benefits from the success of the problems.

i look at so many cities and their riverfronts, and they have interesting and beautiful lighting, buildings, water-features, and other things. they have skyscrapers, suspended decks, nice boat docks that are befitting of all the money spent on the riverfront, thus far. yet, cobblestones are still a 7 year hot topic. personally, aluminum and creosote materials "doth not a nice boat ramp and marina make!" this is something that really shows up. of course, it is always nice and proper to wear good matching socks, a nice undershirt, and clean underwear, preferably w/out holes, as you finish up putting on your armani, but if you have to make a choice regarding the suit and a sock that has a small hole, choose the suit, and pick the clean uderwear---or just don't wear any, although my brother and i made our mother so mad, when we attended a relative's funeral in our suits, and our father ended up telling mother that the two eldest boys failed to wear underwear. the point, the marinas and docks are big issues, seen by all, and they need to be dealt w/ accordingly.

UPDATE ON TENNESEE BREWERY

I now have personal contact information of the owner and in talks with them about the ideas we have for the museum and wanting to save the building. Also, we have an attorney I am meeting with next week or the week after that is going to assist with the 501 C3 Status for free...he is very much behind this project. We also have a lot of major contracting companies in the city that said they want to be part of this as well. I have contacted the City Museum in St. Louis to speak with their directors to gather information about how they came about their funds/how they run it/keep it going, etc.

Guys, I think we can pull this off, but we will need SUPPORT and DEDICATION. I also am working with other local organizations that are behind the cause. We are just now lighting the fuse.... but soon, the rocket will take off. This weekend I will be visiting the Brewery to gather photos. Next weekend, we are goint to St. Louis to gather photos and ideas to put sketches together of some concepts for the building. Once we have 501 C3, we will present sketches, mission statement, and plans for fund raising to local goverment, contracting companies, and potentional donors.

I'll keep you updated!

-Jerred Price

THANK YOU!!!! Keep it up and best of luck! Anything we can do to help, let us know!

That's great!

You are right that you need support and dedication...but it sounds like you are off to a good start. It is a fantastic building and very much worthy of preservation. Make sure you keep the media on top of it, too. The more people that know about it (and it's potential doom), the more support you will gather.

Keep fighting the good fight. I hope you all are successful.:tup:

+1

Not sure if anyone had posted this or not, but as I was Downtown today, I noticed that almost of the parking lots and garages that were operated by the Downtown Parking Authority are now operated by Parkway Corp. There's some pretty spiffy new signage that has gone up on the garages and in the lots...the lots have all gotten new pay stations as well.

http://www.parkwaycorp.com/index.php?id=170

Sounds like some interesting developments coming out of 100 N. Main today:

Behemoth building 'too big to succeed,' too important to fail
The Commercial Appeal
January 12, 2014

http://media.commercialappeal.com/me...61158_t607.JPG

Aerial Innovations update of the Hattiloo at Overton Square.
From archimania's Facebook page.

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...69442052_n.jpg

Main Street to Main Street Multi-Modal Connector Project
main2main.com

http://main2main.com/construction-updates

main2main.com
http://media.virbcdn.com/cdn_images/...henry-keel.jpg

More good changes for Beale...

Memphis official confirms Hard Rock Cafe is moving its location
WMC-TV
January 15, 2014

I see the historical tie to Elvis and the Lansky's and this seems like a better fit. I wonder if the surface parking area will be used for an addition considering the manifest destiny of Beale expanding west.

This move is interesting. For one thing, the location is much closer to the once proposed Beale One tower that is now canceled. Could that be the future site of a much needed Hard Rock Hotel? Or, for more room, that large open space parking area on S. Main and Beale St. It's practically the same size of lot as the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego sits on in downtown. And it would be a stone throw away from the new location of the Hard Rock Cafe.

Demolition begins on Walter Simmons housing project
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/b...s-Memphis.html

Hopefully there will also be the creation of various jobs along with the redevelopment. In any case, this is a win.

Morris: High Bids Lead to Harahan Redesign
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news...ahan-redesign/


That's good, this doesn't need to be half-assed.

The article is a good read and has some other information about the health of Beale. Y'all should read it.

Good News it's a Indoor Soccer Complex planned for Shelby County
 

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...anned-for.html

http://bizj.us/u4z07/i/1
By: Wesscorp

By Rob Robertson of the Biz Journals

is the statement about the one beale project confirmed by carlisle? is so, this is another big blow to the various projects that come and go coming to no fruition. the same is true about the peabody suites, the intentions concerning the addition to the former marriott at the convention center, the sign at auction and 2nd, across from the pyramid does not say what the location will become; however, i noticed some city plans which had it pegged as a parking garage. is there a decision on the occupancy of the hill building? any information current on the proposed location of the new fbi building? robert lipscomb comes out about twice a year, makes a statement or to, and returns to wherever he shelters. as usual, the statements are always limited, secret, he is not allowed to say more, if anything, etc. what about the indigo? the hilton? i think the failure of government agencies to give information on what is happening in the city is one of the reason there is so much indifference to what the city does. i hate to sound so negative, but i could make a good case, as many could, to support the gist of this article. now, it sounds as if it is going to be a let down on the main to broad.

I haven't heard them say that the project is cancelled, but other than the website coming back online months back, there hasn't been any mention of any progress toward its development. I would assume that its cancelled.

Is there a need for higher end apartments downtown? Yes. Is there a need for high end condos downtown? Probably not. That's mainly why this project is having issues. I thought that the hotel portion could be developed, but I guess there's not that much of a demand for hotel rooms downtown, and I doubt that Carlisle would want to only develop a hotel at that site without the ability to develop condos and apartments in the same tower.

It seems other developers would have to consider publicly known projects waiting in the wings. With the sale of the Peabody Orlando resort & convention center (around half-billion dollars?), it seems like Belz Enterprises has the capital to move on Peabody Suites which they last budgeted at $75 million. Of course it'll be majority hotel rooms, but I'm interested to see what they do with aspects like ground level retail, meeting space, exterior overhaul (hotel room windows), maybe add some additional floors, etc. Belz has the opportunity to reactivate that half block in a big way.

All that leads me to think if Belz can build a world-class resort & CONVENTION CENTER in Orlando, why don't they make good on the city's desire to have a new convention center coupled with a Peabody Suites tower? The city could still move forward with exterior & interior upgrades to the Cook CC. I think that would be a good strategy to grow convention business downtown. Somebody at Belz Enterprises give me a call and lets talk about it. :cool: