Inside Memphis Business June/July 2019 by Contemporary Media

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J U N E /J U LY 2 0 1 9 | V O L U M E X I I I | N U M B E R 5

Supplement to Memphis magazine

The Future is Now as City Developments Reach New Heights.

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JUNE / JULY 2019 VOLUME XIII | NUMBER 5

COLUMNS 6

What’s developing in Memphis. ••• B Y J O N W. S PA R K S

12 S M A R T B U S I N E S S

The latest regional plan — will it catch on? ON THE COVER: Jet Pack Demonstration at the Mid-South Fairgrounds, circa 1960. COVER PHOTOGRAPH © 2019 MEMPHIS HERITAGE, INC. / MRS. DON NEWMAN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

features

FROM THE EDITOR

Development

••• B Y TO M J O N E S

14 C R E A T I V E C O M M U N I C A T I O N

Work, work, work. But don’t forget to play. ••• B Y A N D R E A W IL E Y

16 F I N A N C E & I N V E S T M E N T

Naysayers speak — but you don’t have to listen. ••• B Y D AV ID S . WA D D E L L PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

DEPARTMENTS 10 W E S A W Y O U

Carnival Memphis; Power Players. ••• B Y MIC H A E L D O N A H U E

50 F U T U R E T E C H

Your business still stuck on version 1.0? Uh-oh. ••• B Y S A M U E L X . CIC CI

54 P H O T O E S S A Y

Making healthcare for the homeless a priority. ••• B Y K A R E N P U L F E R F O C H T

61 C O M M U N I T Y P A R T N E R S H I P

Levy Dermatology and Make-A-Wish MidSouth. ••• B Y E MILY A D A M S K E P L IN G E R

62 T H E O F F I C E

Valerie Morris at Morris Marketing Group. ••• B Y S A M U E L X . CIC CI

64 F R O M T H E A R C H I V E S

The Memphis that never was. ••• B Y VA N C E L AU D E R D A L E

Memphis builds on its ambitions

Visionaries, planners, dreamers, and entrepreneurs are reshaping the City of Good Abode. •••

B Y

J O N

S PA R K S

20 Henry Turley

His revamp of Central Station is yet another bold project that’s changing the face of Downtown.

22 Beverly Robertson

The CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber has a plan to raise the stakes for economic development.

24 The Evolution of Downtown

Fifty years ago, the area was ﬂatlining. Since then, key projects have it feeling much better.

26 Downtown’s Players

Riverside Blues

When it opened in 1935, Riverside Drive was called the “most costly highway in the world.” It’s been high maintenance ever since.

Take a look at some of the risk-takers who believed in the neighborhood and gave it a chance.

28 What’s Developing

A map of million-dollar-plus projects gives a sense of the current state of building in Memphis.

30 What If?

The economy has been encouraging to developers. But if it falters — as it did 11 years ago — it could get ugly.

••• B Y MIC H A E L F IN G E R

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 9 | I N S I D E M E M P H I S B U S I N E S S . C O M |

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F R O M

T H E

E D I T O R

• • •

B Y

J O N

S PA R K S

Moving Forward

Developers are remaking the Memphis landscape — and other changes.

INSIDEMEMPHISBUSINESS.COM EDITOR

Jon W. Sparks

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Brian Groppe

MANAGING EDITOR

Frank Murtaugh

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Samuel X. Cicci

COPY EDITOR

Michael Finger

PHOTOGRAPHY ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR PRODUCTION OPERATIONS DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS INTERNS

Karen Pulfer Focht, Brandon Dill, Larry Kuzniewski Christopher Myers Margie Neal Rachel Li, Bryan Rollins Avery Budin, Angie Harri

PUBLISHED BY CONTEMPOR ARY MEDIA , INC . PUBLISHER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Kenneth Neill

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Anna Traverse

CONTROLLER

Ashley Haeger

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIGITAL SERVICES DIRECTOR CIRCULATION MANAGER SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR EMAIL MARKETING MANAGER IT DIRECTOR BILLING COORDINATOR RECEPTIONIST

Bruce VanWyngarden Jeffrey A. Goldberg Kristin Pawlowski Julie Ray Molly Willmott Britt Ervin Joseph Carey Lynn Sparagowski Kalena McKinney

Don Hutson knows a thing or two about change. The best-selling author, speaker, and expert on selling and negotiation — he’s a Memphian and member of the Society of Entrepreneurs — says the one constant we can be assured of is change. So we’re changing here at Inside Memphis Business, and it’s going to be good. Come September, IMB, a sister publication to Memphis magazine, will get a new name, a new look, an added emphasis on long-form reporting, and we’re going quarterly. What won’t change is our commitment to bringing challenging commentary and enlightening stories, along with our popular features: Power Players, CEOs of the Year and Innovators of the Year. We’ll still devote significant parts of our magazine to area developments (as in this issue), meeting places (our Venue Menu), and the business of philanthropy. We are also continuing with our weekly Tip Sheet email blast, a quick look at what’s going on in the 901 (sign up now if you haven’t already — go to insidememphisbusiness.com). In this issue, we take a look at some of the key players in the present and future of the Memphis economy. We also provide some context to remind people that the Downtown Memphis of 50 years ago

was a bleak place. But if that was the bottoming out, subsequent years saw innovators and visionaries stepping up to breathe new life into the city. Bold steps on that long road have led us here to where we have million-dollar projects all over the map. We interview Beverly Robertson, CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, who is determined to get some productive collaborations going that will bring in new businesses and retain existing enterprises. Meanwhile, we have a talk with Henry Turley who years ago saw possibilities Downtown and took a chance. He’s still at it, now involved with Archie Willis and others, in the remaking of Central Station. We also had a chat with

John Gnuschke at the University of Memphis whose work with data and numbers makes him the go-to wizard for understanding economic trends. With so many ambitious developments going on in Memphis, we asked the dread question: What if the economy doesn’t cooperate? Elsewhere, we have a story about Riverside Drive that was written by Michael Finger in 1991 for Memphis magazine, and goes to show you that since it was built, it’s been important — and vexing. A related story by Vance Lauderdale takes a look at the Memphis that never was — grand plans that came to nought. Finally, Samuel X. Cicci interviews Jordan Myers at AVI-SPL to get a heads-up on what’s coming in tech. We hope you’re prepared.

Inside Memphis Business is published six times a year by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 © 2019, telephone: 901-521-9000. For subscription information, call 901-575-9470. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, TN. Postmaster: send address changes to Inside Memphis Business, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. Opinions and perspectives expressed in the magazine are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the ownership or management.

Calling All Innovators Inside Memphis Business has been recognizing the top thinkers and doers in the city for several years. Our seventh annual IMB Innovation Awards issue is coming in September and we want your nominations for these people and organizations that are at the forefront of evolution — tinkerers, questioners, visionaries — who keep the machine of commerce oiled. Last year’s winners covered a range of areas, from medicine to music, education to civics. When you send us your best and brightest candidates, please include any pertinent biographical or business information, and why the person, business, or organization should be recognized as a leader among innovators. Email your nomination to sparks@insidememphisbusiness.com. Deadline for nominations is June 21, 2019.

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CELEBRATING

70 YEARS Since 1947

Chris Bird and his team at Dillard Door & Entrance Control continue the fine tradition of service excellence and integrity that the Mid-South has come to expect from the Dillard name...Since 1947.

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CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF

COMPLETE SECURITY SOLUTIONS

What was once a small business focused primarily on selling glass and garage doors has grown into an enterprise that now offers the most advanced security solutions available today.

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BUILDING THE BAKERY . 18 S MAIN . SERVICEMASTER ODEN MARKETING . CENTRAL STATION . SOUNDS OF MEMPHIS MURAL ON MAIN HOTEL INDIGO . BACON & BOURBON . KAREN ADAMS DESIGNS WISEACRE . UNIVERSAL LIFE . ARTSPACE LOFTS

ALL PROJECTS & ACTIVATIONS MADE POSSIBLE WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS COMMISSION

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DOWNTOWN SO LONG SUMMER . FEDEX LOGISTICS . ORION FCU ALL WORLD PROJECT MANAGEMENT . LEO EVENTS . THE COMMONWEALTH NIGHT MARKET AT RIVER GARDEN . INAUGURAL DINER EN BLANC . 11 W HULING MORE TO BE PROUD OF INSTALLATION . CANOPY HOTEL . TENNESSEE BREWERY

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W E

S A W

Y O U

Carnival Memphis Business and Industry Salute Hilton Memphis on February 20, 2019 • • •

M I C H A E L

D O N A H U E

The Mid-South’s home furnishings industry was honored at the Carnival Memphis Business & Industry Salute. Each year Carnival Memphis recognizes businesses, organizations and community leaders. Carnival king Bob Berry is founder and owner of Worlds Away hand-crafted lighting and metal furniture. John Simmons was the recipient of the Cook Halle Award for outstanding contribution to the Mid-South community. His career included upscale retail, giftware importing, merchandise designing and home goods manufacturing. Buzzy Hussey, the recipient of the King’s Award, founded Babcock Gifts in 1972. As a member of the second generation of Graham’s Lighting, Jim Graham, recipient of the President’s Award, added new retail showrooms, Fourteenth Colony Lighting and European Colony to the business. Greg Campbell and Eric New, co-owners of the Garden District floral business, received the Chairman’s Award. Proceeds from the luncheon benefited the 2019 Carnival Children’s Charities: Neighborhood Christian Centers, Palmer Home for Children, and Porter-Leath. The Business & Industry Salute Luncheon was presented by Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP.

1 Buzzy Hussy and Thomas Hussy 2 John Simmons and Bob Berry 3 Anthony Clark and Jim Graham 4 Christian and Davis Owen 5 Babbie Lovett and Sally Shy 6 Jim Johnson, Charles Chandler, A. W. Simmons 7 Eric Ballentine, Ethie Ballard-Johnson, Yvonne and David Acey 8 Howard Summers and Bo Midgett 9 Giles and Elizabeth Coors and Neal Edwards and Greg Campbell.

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Power Players Reception At Folk’s Folly on April 11, 2019

The Power Players a.k.a. “Memphis heavy hitters” were honored at a reception on April 11 at Folk’s Folly restaurant. Local leaders who make a difference in the community were featured in the April issue of Inside Memphis Business. Categories ranged from A (architecture, arts and entertainment, and auto dealers) to S (security and staffing). Grammy-winning music producer Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, who owns Royal Studios, was among the select group. “It’s a huge honor to be included in a group of people that are my mentors and people that I look up to and respect,” he says. Another influencer, Memphis & Shelby County Film Commissioner Linn Sitler, says, “To be recognized as a Power Player is such an honor. It’s so gratifying to have the work of the last decades recognized in such a prestigious way.”

1  Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell 2  Angelia Allen and Mary Sexton 3  Myra and Angelo Hamilton 4  Lakina Sidney and Charles Sims 5  Jake Farrell and Duncan Galbreath 6  James Barnes and Mike Sutherland 7  Mark Yates, Doug Tabb, Madeleine Savage-Townes and Maggie Townes 8  Joey and Carol Hagan

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SMART BUSINESS

• • •

TO M

J O N E S

Communicating and Collaborating

Area economic planners are trying — yet again — to get it right.

workforce development, and regional cooperation. ◗◗ In 2006, Memphis Tomorrow’s Fast Forward plan produced a catalog of strategies but was also about creating a better structure for attracting and creating jobs. It also issued a report card to the public, which showed jobs goals fell short. ◗◗ The 2001 “Memphis Sourcebook” was an economic development plan for the region that was driven by Shelby County Government and the Chamber with endorsements from the governors of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. It set out decidedly big picture recommendations that encouraged increased cooperation across state lines. Each of these was rolled out with a flourish but failed to achieve traction with the public in a way that a long-ranging regional vision emerged, and by the time a new plan was introduced, the previous one was not even mentioned. So, the question for the latest plan is: how will it be different? For one thing, this plan is the product of the research and consulting firm Mass Economics and its principal Teresa M. Lynch, whose website says the firm is “committed to inclusive and equitable economic growth.” That alone makes it fundamentally different and puts the spotlight squarely on the single biggest opportunity for the local economy: the

$22.3 billion GDP increase that would come from closing the racial gap in incomes. In a region where people of color are projected to be 68 percent of the population in 2050, the gap is a significant drag on the economy if not addressed.

A workforce created for the economic agenda of the 1980s must evolve into a workforce known for quality rather than for cheapness. Lynch is well acquainted with Memphis realities. She worked in 2013 with Community LIFT to identify options for modifying economic development tools and incentives to better serve the needs of Memphis neighborhoods. The next year, she was on the review team that assessed the research by Harvard University professor Toni Griffin that set the context for Memphis 3.0. She is to develop detailed plans of action for each priority, but already, additional funding has been provided to EDGE to get into business recruitment, a function previously thought to be the province of the Chamber. For some observers, this is a concern because when EDGE was created, it was to manage incentives while the Chamber managed recruitment, and in this way, checks and balances were built into the system. In large measure, Memphis Mayor

Jim Strickland has pushed the truce between the Chamber and EDGE and creation of the new entity and plan. As mayor, he has insisted on stronger data-driven systems to measure the performance of city divisions and that same emphasis is being transplanted into the latest economic development plan. At the same time, the challenge is how to imbed this into the plan in such a way that it outlives an elected official, whose attention is often short-term in nature, while it takes more than a decade for an economic development plan to succeed. All of this comes in a context in which the rich are getting richer. From 2010 to 2017, nearly half of the employment growth in the U.S. took place in 20 cities, largely the usual suspects, which means that in addition to closing the income gap here, Memphis must also close the gap that is widening between this region and these higher-performing metros. Most of all, a workforce created for the economic agenda of the 1980s must evolve into a workforce known for quality rather than for cheapness. Ultimately, that may be the single biggest determinant on whether any plan succeeds. Tom Jones leads Smart City Consulting and is the primary author of the Smart City Memphis blog, recognized by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change as “one of the most engaging” civic-minded blogs in the United States. You can reach him at tjones@smartcityconsulting.com.

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hen it comes to regional economic plans, maybe the fourth — not the third — time is the charm. The latest incarnation of such a plan was unveiled by the newly minted Memphis and Shelby County Regional Economic Alliance, the group that emerged from the finger-pointing between the Greater Memphis Chamber and Economic Development and Growth Engine (EDGE) last year about who was most responsible for an economy that lags behind comparable regions. The aim of the new “joint venture” among city and county governments, Downtown Memphis Commission, the Chamber, and EDGE is to increase communication and collaboration, an oft-cited objective of these kinds of plans. After all, it was the fourth announcement about a new plan since 2001, with talking points that were echoes of earlier ones. In addition, the rollout included a list of familiar priorities to be targeted in order to leapfrog Memphis over peer metros: the medical device sector; transportation, distribution, and logistics; food and agricultural technology; minority business growth; emerging technology; and music. ◗◗ Six years ago, local government, EDGE, the Chamber, the University of Memphis, and FedEx worked with the Brookings Institution to issue “A Roadmap for Transforming the Memphis Economy.” That plan focused on startups and entrepreneurship, global logistics, international trade,

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don’t hear about business executives spending hours and hours on the golf course, mid-week or on the weekend, and I certainly don’t read about anyone’s golf handicap score in Memphis business publications. Times have changed, and the ways to escape the pressures of daily life have changed as well. Business leaders are pursuing various ways to be creative on their own terms and are reaping the benefits. There are several reasons why one might explore their creativity, whether to relieve stress, take the mind off work, move away from triggers of anxiety, or to get some much needed “me-time.” Creative outlets come in many forms, but all can lead to better focus and mental clarity to become more present in all aspects of life. Several recent graduates of Leadership Memphis’ Executive Program Class of 2019 took time to share how they are prime examples of this new class of creatives. David C. Mills, director of health sciences, government relations and advocacy, University of Tennessee, finds his favorite creative outlets are writing plays, reciting poetry, and cooking, all exercises that bring him moments of pure unadulterated joy. “Exercise of the creative impulse allows us to relax, using our imagination. We connect with truth, communion, fellowship, peace, beauty, passion, fun, joy, the pure part of our heart, during the creative process. We give and receive, we share our best selves playfully. Creative work reveals the beauty of life. It is its own reward,” says Mills. Taking a moment to put brush to canvas can reveal such beauty, and you don’t need an art degree to be successful. On a Sunday during tax season Ali Sinkular, audit partner at Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck, can be found unwinding at the Ken Lecco Art Gallery in Cooper Young. “He holds the best classes with wine and pizza and he assists you so that your painting always looks good,” said Sinkular. Shawn Karol Sandy, founder

and chief revenue officer, The Selling of her pieces and found that helping someone else beautify their home Agency, has also found that it has made her more creative as a consul- was really rewarding. Mark Russell, executive editor, tant and trainer. “Painting started The Commercial Appeal, enjoys fillout as a way to tap into more of the ing his home with delicious aromas right hemisphere of my brain and from the dishes he makes out of just have fun exploring — it was the cookbooks he collects. “It calms the opposite of sales strategies and my stress levels and it requires that business development plans or sales processes.” Sandy has even included I employ some precision in how I make a dish. Of course, her sales teams and it’s a bonus when clients in art sessions to you get to enjoy the open them up to more creation.” creative thinking and Regina Ann Campagile mindsets. bell, chief program Christopher Capel, officer, Epicenter, director of collective enjoys her creations impact and continuous with her family. “I quality Improvement, love cooking for my Communities in Schools three T’s, because we of Memphis, finds a love food.” Campbell deeper connection Creative work spoils with the world around reveals the beauty unapologetically her husband, Terrance, him by drawing, and sons Torrance and painting, and writing. of life. It is its Tyler, by cooking for “I feel closer to God own reward.” them five days a week. with each stroke of “Photography allows me to the pencil, brush, and pen. I drift activate many parts of my brain into the flow of it all to unveil that are not normally called upon stories, emotions, and thoughts because my other enterprises rethat are simultaneously familiar and quire me to be focused on revenues, foreign to me.” earnings, business valuations, and Jason Gillum, president/CEO, operations.” A practicing photogMillennium Search, has a more rapher since college, Mark Yates, foreign way, to some, to tap into his chief vision officer, Black Business creativity. He prefers to pull out his Rubik’s cube when he’s faced with a Association of Memphis, specializes in corporate imaging, headshots, major business decision. It takes his portraits, weddings, and real estate mind off of the stressor and helps photography. him gain better focus and clarity. Just as these business profesRev. Sandra Summers says her sionals have found, creativity is in biggest creative outlet right now each and everyone one of us. We is drumming because it is a place where she can express her emotions just have to give ourselves the gift of time to discover what has yet to be rhythmically. Being in a helping revealed. profession, Summers appreciates having a space to get out aggression Andrea Wiley is director of account and frustration in a healthy way. management at DCA Creative Refinishing furniture is how Communications Consulting and Teresa Barnhill, integrated is an adjunct professor teaching marketing, ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s advertising at the University of Research Hospital, works with her Memphis. She was the 2015hands in a creative way. “I love 2016 president of the American breathing new life into something Advertising Federation, Memphis old,” said Barnhill. She has mostly Chapter, and can be reached at worked on her own furniture while awiley@dcamemphis.com. redecorating, but recently sold one

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2017

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FI NA NCE & I N V ESTMENT

••• BY DAVID S. WADDELL

Doubt the Doubting Thomases I

TV Shows • Columns • Radio Show • Books • Podcasts

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An economy simply equals the n 1938, in the wake of the Great size of a workforce multiplied by its Depression, economist Alvin output, or productivity. Therefore, Hansen coined the term “secular to grow an economy, the numstagnation” to describe the anemic ber of workers must increase, the recovery pace of the U.S. econoproductivity of those workers must my. He argued persuasively that increase, or both. Within the United without government intervention, States, the labor force growth rate the economy could no longer grow has stagnated. Between 1950 briskly due to falling population and 2000 our labor force grew 1.6 and innovation growth rates. While a well-respected Harvard economist and Washington influencer, Hansen was wrong, of course, as both a baby boom and innovation boom soon followed, ushering in a golden age of U.S. economic growth. In 1979, with the economy mired in stagflation, President Jimmy Carter took to the airways to scold our nation in his famous “malaise” speech for our loss of American values and work ethic. Additionally, Carter projected global oil depletion by 2011, With history as a guide, will these proposing energy rationing and conservation subsidies. doubting Thomases once again cue He was wrong, of course, as a Golden Age? oil prices fell from $120 a barrel to under $25 by 1986 and the percent annually. Between 2000 economy experienced a golden age and 2050, forecasters project our of innovation and economic growth labor force will grow 0.6 percent throughout the 1980s and 1990s. annually. If our labor growth falls In 2013, noted Harvard econoto 0.6 percent, then attaining our mist and Washington insider Larry long-run 3 percent annual economic Summers dusted off Alvin Hansen’s growth rate will require a miracle. arguments to once again assert Based upon demographics alone, that the U.S. economy had fallen the doubting Thomases may be into “secular stagnation” due to right this time … unless we can find slowing labor force trends, income transformative ways to add workers inequality, capital-light internet and productivity. businesses, high national debt According to an Oxford study burdens, commoditizing globalizareleased in 2013, almost half of the tion, etc. Complementing Summers’ jobs in America could be automated dire prognosis, Northwestern over the next few decades. There economic professor Robert Gordon are two ways of looking at this. The concurrently proposed that U.S. pessimists will consider the implicaeconomic growth may have ended tions of 50 percent unemployment. with the Great Recession, seeing The optimists will consider the imthe last 250 years of technological breakthroughs as the exception, not plications of increasing our available labor force from 160 million to 240 the rule. With history as a guide, will these million equivalent workers. Bet on the optimists. For proof, 320 million doubting Thomases once again cue industrial workers worldwide labor a Golden Age?

alongside 1.8 million robots with installations growing 14 percent annually, and yet unemployment rates among industrialized nations sit at record lows and manufacturing employment within the U.S. is actually growing for the first time in decades. Additionally, complementing our growing virtual labor force with the application of artificial intelligence technologies will dramatically increase overall worker productivity. According to a study from Accenture, worker productivity could increase 35 percent into 2035 with only moderate A.I. adoption. That supposes a 1.9 percent annualized productivity growth rate. Adding 1.9 percent productivity growth to 0.6 percent growth in our human labor force plus 0.3 percent growth in our automated labor force (assuming 5 percent penetration by 2035) yields an annualized 3 percent GDP growth for the United States. Sustaining a 3 percent growth rate with our $20 trillion economy will, indeed, feel golden! Bottom Line: Economists who doubt the growth potential of the U.S. economy fail to account for the miracles of innovation. The incorporation of robotics will increase our labor force growth rate while the infusion of artificial technologies will dramatically increase worker productivity. The original doubting Thomas, economist Thomas Malthus, predicted in 1798 that the world would overpopulate, consume all available resources and shrink into economic misery. Resist the intellectual tendency toward skepticism. After all, less than 200 years ago, we were all farmers. David S. Waddell is CEO of Waddell and Associates. He has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Week, and other local, national, and global resources. Visit waddellandassociates. com for more.

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They often underestimate the great American knack for economic innovation.

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ROADSHOW GIVES BACK As a small locally-owned business in Memphis, we feel it's really important that we stay involved in the community and support our fellow Memphians whenever and wherever we can. So we have a new strategy in place for 2019: #RoadshowGiveBack. Every month this year we will support a different local charitable organization or nonproﬁt. If you want to get involved, contact Roadshow BMW or visit our BMW dealership in Memphis to learn more about our partnership each month.

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Development Memphis builds on its ambitions Visionaries, planners, dreamers, and entrepreneurs are reshaping the City of Good Abode. • • •

The city’s Bicentennial is witnessing a proliferation of developments and setting lofty goals .

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The geniuses are all around us. When it comes to pushing or pulling Memphis into a higher level of economic development, it takes all kinds. There’s the lone changer, the kind of visionary who sees what others can’t or won’t. That person already knows what’s in the collective wisdom of the naysayers and plows right ahead with a different logic. And then there’s the wrangler who pulls together the various interests to collaborate. Not a rugged individualist but a shrewd salesperson who can talk to anyone and get them to the table. Both with their distinctive talents exist all around us and churn the waters aiming for an end result of a better Memphis. In this edition of Inside Memphis Business, we take a look at two of these influential people, developer Henry Turley and Greater Memphis Chamber president and CEO Beverly Robertson.

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Henry Turley

Development

Henry Turley

Henry Turley is puckish and claims that he never takes himself too seriously. Keep in mind that he is seriously good at knowing which way the wind is blowing and how to ride it to success, but sometimes he’ll mess with your assumptions. Like, perhaps, the notion that he’s a savvy salesman. “I don’t think I know how to sell,” Henry Turley once told an interviewer. You can be forgiven for laughing out loud. He founded Henry Turley Co. in 1977 and made urban redevelopment a remarkable pursuit. He’s the driving force 20 |

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behind Harbor Town, the South Bluffs, Uptown, and others. Of course, making those happen meant he had to, well, sell his partners on his ideas, Jack Belz, Archie Willis, and Billy Orgel among them. And investors. And the public. Except that he’s not a salesman. “I think it’s just dogging it,” he says. “Dogged determination.” To further understand this non-salesman, consider his take on enterprise in this city that he has done much to reshape. He was asked about the idea of developers working in concert to, shall we say, maximize efficiencies. “This is Memphis, we don’t do coordination,” Turley says. “We’re independent and outlaws. Right? We don’t do that. The Memphis way is discrete and atomistic. You’ve got freedom to do what you want to do.” What Turley wanted to do in the 1980s at Harbor Town was rescue some riverfront property from becoming a highway, a proposal that had been considered in one form or another for years (See Vance Lauderdale’s story on Page 64). He also wanted a development that tucked cars in the back, let front porches be a connection to the rest of the neighborhood, and spread trees and walkways and nice shops in easy walking/biking distance. To hear him tell it, he had no idea what he was doing was new urbanism, but he ended up showing the world how it was done. “There was no name at the time, but it was developed in Memphis,” he says. “I’ll never forget, I went to some bullshit conference, and a guy laid out this thing that was essentially what we now call new urbanism. And I went up to him at the end of the presentation, and

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said, ‘You know, I built one of these in Memphis. He said, ‘You couldn’t have built it, it’s just a concept.’ And I said, ‘Well, rock-and-roll was a concept too.’” That, he says, is his answer to whether developers should coordinate projects. “We don’t do that. We’re not supposed to. Look at Sam Phillips as the guy who really epitomizes the way Memphis works.” REIMAGINING CENTRAL STATION

One of Turley’s current projects is one he’s proud of and loves to talk about: the $55 million Central Station project. The railroad station once was where people arrived and departed Memphis in large numbers. But in the 1960s air travel began to prevail and passenger trains became less relevant. One survived, the City of New Orleans, which pauses in Memphis coming and going on its New Orleans-Chicago route. But the station and the surrounding neighborhood along South Main Street made for an unimpressive sight. Still, as South Main began to find new life, so too did the 17-acre Central Station property. The building’s upper floors became apartments and the main concourse was turned into a venue for special events. The Amtrak station was tidied up and a police substation located nearby. A farmers market went up west of the tracks and the old, distinctive Power House was used as an art gallery. Welcome as the improvements were, they were not, in truth, a great fit. The train station and the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) presence as core transit entities were awkwardly connected. There

were apartments but not a hotel. MATA was also handling the leasing of Hudson Hall, the event venue — not really part of its mission of movement. Turley and project partner Willis knew the Central Station neighborhood’s potential had not been reached. “Archie and I had talked about it for 15 years,” Turley says. “We really tried years ago to say to the leadership of MATA this could be better.” But its leadership was in transition and the initial deal was not the best possible. New leadership came along, however, and was responsive. “We said we had the potential here of doing a real transportation center. At least the best we have in Memphis. I mean, we can extend the trolley tracks, which we are doing. We can put that bike rental stand right there, and where they can ride across the bridge. We can stack up scooters. You’ve got buses and I mentioned trolleys. You got a damned train! We can have as good a transportation center as we can. And with that communal activity, we can join above South End with Willis’ South City. And have a real integrating place from Arcade through Central Station.” Turley and Willis saw how much more it could be beyond a transportation center. “If you were coming from Chicago headed to New Orleans, and you arrived in Memphis, would you want to arrive at an apartment building?” Turley says. It doesn’t really serve the travelers or the apartment dwellers. And then there’s that wedding/ event venue. “MATA, do you really want to be in the party business? You are having to pay people to run that party room in the party function.”

MATA agreed — they wanted to move people, not entertain them. “I said well, let’s get you out of that business,” Turley says. “Let’s get a hotel here. They want customers. I’m talking about a cool hotel. I want a place so fine, if you bought a ticket from Chicago to New Orleans, you’d tear it up and you would stay here.” A deal was struck for the Central Station Hotel – Curio Collection by Hilton to be managed by the Kemmons Wilson Companies. It will have 133 rooms, a ballroom, a 3,500-square-foot restaurant, and around 6,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. As for the apartments, they needed to go and be replaced with a better setup. Turley’s company is creating 200 apartment units. Rethinking the farmers market and repurposing the empty Power House went hand in hand. Turley says, “The farmer’s market operates from 6:30 to 1 on Saturday during the season. Hmmmm. Who could use that space better without displacing the farmers?” He pretty well knew the answer to that one and says he asked Jimmy Tashie of Malco Theaters, “when do you run your Saturday matinees? He says about 1 p.m. I said, you got the right number. You want the Power House property? And the parking lot? And he said yeah.” And that’s how they co-exist. For the hotel, Turley called McLean T. Wilson at Kemmons Wilson Companies. “I needed a hotel, so who do you call?” he says. “It’s like saying, if you need a rock-and-roll record you got to call Sam Phillips. So, McLean called back and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll do that.’ We got the Turleys, the Willises, the Wilsons, and Malco’s Lightmans. That’s not bad. So you know, you got to

count on the homeboys to do your damned town. I mean to do it with some heart and soul.” The upshot is that Turley wants Central Station to be central again. “We want it to be central to transportation. We want it to be central to the neighborhood. We want a place where people come together, particularly those within South City and those who are in South End. And it’s about as simple as that, except all the 10,000 details.”

“We want Central Station to be central to transportation. We want it to be central to the neighborhood. We want a place where people come together.” WHO TO WATCH

Turley knows what’s going on and who’s making a mark. “I’m thrilled with what Billy Orgel is doing around the brewery,” he says, referring to the Tennessee Brewery project. “It’s hard as the dickens and I think it’s exceedingly well run. It’s successful and it certainly embellishes the neighborhood we started, with the South Bluffs and the Orgel Properties. He’s doing a good job.” He also speaks approvingly of the Carlisle’s One Beale concept and is energized by the FedEx Logistics move Downtown. contin u ed on page 56

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Beverly Robertson

Development

Beverly Robertson

Beverly Robertson came to the Greater Memphis Chamber under the most tragic circumstances. Last October, she was asked to take the reins of the organization on an interim basis after Phil Trenary, the previous leader, was shot and killed on a Downtown street. She came in to a shattered Chamber that was still grieving and yet having to continue its work. Robertson talked to everyone on the staff and assured them that the mission was still on. In April, the Chamber named her permanent CEO. 22 |

Robertson is a native Memphian. She worked for 19 years at Holiday Inn Worldwide. Later, she was asked to be the National Civil Rights Museum’s interim executive director and, ultimately, spent 17 years in the position. During her tenure there, she raised more than $43 million. Her existence now is focused on economic development in Memphis and she is pursuing it with the singular determination that she brought to the NCRM. To get as close as possible to making the most of her goal, she is practicing the fine art of collaboration. She wants partnering and unity of purpose in the big picture. Her thoughts come out rapidly. “What I’m really happy about is that the regional alliance was established between city government, county government, the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE), and the Chamber, so it’s a partnership.” Crucial to that is having clearly stated roles and responsibilities. The Chamber, for example, is responsible for working with site planners and other businesses to identify companies interested in coming to Memphis and helping existing businesses expand their marketplace. “EDGE is actually the group that provides the incentives and the tax abatements based on specific and direct conversations with those businesses that are interested in coming,” she says. “And that is a huge, wonderful step forward. It used to be that everyone was pretty much siloed in their own specific areas, and talked occasionally, but now we will be talking three, four, five times a year, or more, and we’ll be talking about the development and execution

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of the strategy that has been established for us to be the attractors, and them to be those who close the deal by adding the incentives, and tax abatement.” Robertson likes to say it’s about singing off the same hymn sheet since the goals are all the same. To hear her talk, she is a formidable choir director. And one of her favorite hymns is about workforce development. “We all want to attract businesses that will help to boost employment in the marketplace,” she says, “and we actually need jobs that are from all sectors of the industry, because we have people out in the marketplace that we’re trying to embrace, and get back engaged in the marketplace. They’ll need to get some training, and for that we are creating a workforce summit in October that will allow us to be able to engage those who have been disengaged in the marketplace either because they are youth, ex-offenders, veterans, or they just don’t have the proper technical training and expertise to be able to understand what they don’t know.” Then the idea is to connect them to training programs so they can get into existing job openings. “If we can do this in a major way, then what we will help to do is reduce crime, and reduce poverty, and give people hope and employment,” she says. There has long been an acknowledgement of having job vacancies without sufficient qualified candidates. Robertson says, “I think the problem isn’t that there hasn’t been interest and will. We’ve now got a concrete strategy, and you have to build a strategy that allows you to coalesce the right partnerships. You’ve got to bring

the people who are responsible for executing training together. You’ve got to bring the people who are responsible for opportunity youth together. You’ve got to bring the people that are responsible, or that do programming for ex-cons, and those who did programming for veterans together to (1) identify the gaps, (2) build plans and determine how they can scale those plans, and (3) have metrics that are associated with their performance, and (4) you’ve got to inspect what you expect. If you don’t do those things, you can’t move the needle.” Robertson says the Chamber will be doing some things differently in coming years. “You’ll be seeing some of those and hearing about some of those because I think they’re essential to meeting the demands of the businesses that are in the marketplace,” she says. “I just read a story in the Wall Street Journal that said that the unemployment rate in America is 5.3 percent, the lowest it’s been in 50 years, and it further went on to state that businesses across this country are having difficulty engaging those people who have been on the sidelines. We have a strategy for that. We know what we need to do to engage them, and you know, we’re going to involve some unconventional players as a part of our partnerships.” Robertson puts a premium on getting brainpower together to focus on issues and to work toward a common purpose, even where there is reluctance. “People will work together if they have a reason to,” she says, “because a lot of times organizations don’t work together because they don’t want to give away any of their trade secrets, and they don’t

want individuals to necessarily discover who their funders are. Well, I don’t want them to worry about funding with this summit. This is just the beginning of this whole workforce issue. This is an ongoing thing that we’re going to do; we’re not going to lose interest or focus.” Crucial to her vision is accountability. “If the Chamber raises the money, then we expect performance against metrics, and we will evaluate, and make people accountable,” she says. “If they’re not, there have to be consequences for that. So, that’s sort of a different kind of language; that’s a different type of strategy that I don’t think the Chamber has had in the past. They certainly have had the will, and they’ve certainly done some things, but we’re talking about a comprehensive strategy that coalesces the players in all these respective spaces.” Robertson says the approach should make participation and results more effective. “We are not service providers, we are the conveners. Assuming that we raise the amount of money we know we can raise, then if you’re going to scale up, and you’re going to meet the expectations, and the metrics that you define, then we can fund your next phase.” She is optimistic about her goals and that is, in part, because the situation in Memphis allows so many doors to be open, in particular the younger people in the workforce. “We are attracting the creative class of young people who really provide the energy, and the impetus to move the city in ways that the city has not been moved before,” she says. “They have a totally different perspective of business and entrepreneurship, and they are individuals who

have grown up using technology efficiently and effectively. Technology is changing the world and they’re on the leading edge of that, and I think it is important for us to embrace them, engage them, and understand how they like to operate. I mean, if you just look at the way that we as baby boomers bank traditionally, millennials don’t bank that way, they don’t even go

“We are attracting the creative class of young people who really provide the energy, and the impetus to move the city in ways that the city has not been moved before.” into banks anymore. They bank on their phone, they pay their bills on their phone, you know, they look for the best interest rates. So, it’s not as much of a loyalty associated with decisions like that, but you have got to provide excellent service. You’ve gotta give them the best bang for their buck. So, they think differently, and I think having that kind of energy in the city makes Memphis prime for being the next ‘It’ city in Tennessee.” Robertson cites the list of usual cultural amenities that Memphis has, but she particularly points to something the city has that not every municipality can claim: the four R’s. “What we have as assets contin u ed on page 58

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The Evolution of Downtown

Development presented its programming as we know it, honoring Japan that time. But it had begun forming in the early Seventies when the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce developed plans for a promotional festival that would encompass the Cotton Carnival, the Danny Thomas Golf Classic, the annual visit by the Metropolitan Opera, and others. It coordinated the grand opening festivities of the Cook Convention Center in 1974 and the city’s Bicentennial celebration in 1976. By 1977, it was ready for prime time. 1979: Henry Turley brings the Shrine Beale Street

Let’s just pick a year. Like 1970. It was nearly the worst of times for Memphis, but it was finally an opportunity to work on a comeback. Memphis magazine writer Michael Finger took a look at the state of the city as the decade sullenly got under way: “In 1970, downtown Memphis was essentially dead, its stores and hotels shuttered following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. just two years earlier. Beale Street was a ghost town, its once-vibrant rows of cafés and nightspots reduced to seedy pawnshops. The main shopping centers were Poplar Plaza and Laurelwood, but places like Sears and Lowenstein’s were pretty dull compared to the galleries and shops of Overton Square. And except for Ellis Auditorium and, on occasion, the Overton Park Shell, Memphis had no decent venue for touring musicians.” So Overton Square was eclipsing the Memphis downtown area that, 150 years earlier, was a place with investment potential envisioned by John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson. The Seventies were good for lively Overton Square, but for Downtown’s resuscitation, it was slow going. But life by the Mississippi River did come back thanks to some visionaries who made commitments to see it through. Here’s a timeline of some of the key moments in Downtown’s resurrection.

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1973: The Beale Street Development

Corporation is formed. The once-vital street was on life-support, with many historic buildings razed by urban renewal. The nonproﬁt aimed to get entrepreneurs to bring it back as an entertainment district. In 1978, the city OK’d restoration grants to BSDC to make it happen.

Building back to life. The derelict ofﬁce building represented a typical situation in Downtown. Turley saw an opportunity, although he was advised to stay away from Downtown, and he decided to make the Shrine Building an example. It worked. The apartments that went into it lured residents who formed a community, and investors did well. The success set the stage for going after South Main.

1975: The Peabody is purchased. The Belz family committed to a $25 million renovation. Before that, “The South’s Grand Hotel” was threatened with demolition as it declined and went through ownership changes. 1977: Memphis In May International Festival. It was the ﬁrst event where MIM

The Peabody’s Chez Pillippe

1981: The Peabody reopens. The ducks were back, waddling along the red carpet to the lobby fountain and bringing in guests. The rejuvenation sparked the ﬁrst wave of a downtown revolution of commercial redevelopment as well as once-unimaginable residential development.

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1982: The Beale Street Development

Corporation signs a lease with the city. Performa, a management company led by John Elkington, was part of the deal. Although there was no shortage of controversy through the years, Beale Street developed into a top Memphis tourist attraction.

and he guided it through decades of successful performing seasons as well as signiﬁcant improvements, expansions, and restorations.

restaurants, a bowling alley, an archery range, and an outdoor observation deck.

1982: Mud Island River Park opens.

Even if not a complete success, it remains an effort to keep Downtown alive. It opened with an amphitheater, monorail, a river model, museum, playground, and two full-service restaurants. But access wasn’t easy and attendance suffered. It survives, though, and continued development in the area sustains hope for the park’s future.

AutoZone Park Harbor Town construction

1987: Henry Turley begins Harbor

Town. The developer saw what few others did, which was to build homes on Mud Island. There were doubters, but he says, “I just decided to build a place that I thought people would like.” He joined with Jack Belz and Meredith McCullar, formed Island Properties Associates, and purchased the 130-acre Harbor Town site for $2.25 million. Later would come the South Bluffs on the other end of Downtown, and the housing revolution was well in play.

2000: AutoZone Park opens. It was a risk to build a ball park downtown, or so everyone thought — except Allie Prescott, who was instrumental in bringing the $80.5 million minor-league baseball stadium to life. When it was done and proving to be a success, people quit scratching their heads.

1977: The Orpheum. The Memphis Development Foundation bought the theater building, restored its former name of Orpheum, and started booking Broadway productions and concerts. In 1980, MDF brought in Pat Halloran as president and CEO,

FedExForum

2004: FedExForum opens. Memphis

The Pyramid

The Orpheum

1991: The Pyramid opens. Although the 20,142-seat arena scarcely lived up to its hype, The Pyramid continues to make its mark. It hosted basketball games and concerts before going dormant in 2004. But Bass Pro Shops chose it as a megastore that offers shopping, a hotel,

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had to have a professional sports team, preferably basketball, and it wasn’t going to happen without a ﬁrst-class facility. A collaborative effort among investors, sports devotees, and local government made the $250 million project happen and since then, the NBA’s Grizzlies has made its home there along with University of Memphis Tiger basketball. Filling out the schedule are concerts, family friendly shows, and public events.

A Carraige ride through Court Square with Hebe Fountain.

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Downtown’s Players

Development Fifty years ago, Downtown was on life support. The road to recovery was never a sure thing, but it took some devoted Memphians in the early 1970s to put their efforts into remaking the heart of the city. Their foresight and commitment made a difference. Here’s a list of some of the key players who, through the decades, have been turning things around in the city. LYMAN ALDRICH

persevered. In the 1970s, the former First Tennessee Bank vice president and real estate investor joined the Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and set on a course to turn the modest series of events known as Memphis in May into an international festival that would bring the community together. It got going in 1977, although it didn’t seem like an auspicious time — the Main Street Mall had just opened, but pedestrians wandered past empty buildings. The Peabody, the Orpheum, AutoZone Park, Beale Street, FedExForum, and the Cannon Center either were dormant or didn’t exist. But the local Japanese business community was delighted to have Japan as the honored country, and that year saw the ﬁrst Beale Street Music Festival and the Sunset Symphony. And it was done with private money. The next year, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest debuted with 18 people at their cookers on a vacant lot near the Orpheum. It’s been going strong ever since. DEANIE PARKER

won a contest with Stax Records in 1962, and she devoted herself to the male-dominated music business as a singer, composer, liner notes writer, deejay, photographer, and publicist. Stax Records closed in 1976, but it was a force in the community and she was dedicated to

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keeping the community vital. She went back to college earning master and doctorate degrees, and would ﬁnd herself in other inﬂuential positions, including marketing director for Memphis in May and vice president of communications and marketing for The Med. She later became executive director for Soulsville, USA, and has been instrumental in preserving the best of the city. THOMAS BOGGS

was what made Huey’s Huey’s, but his interests went far beyond establishing a chain of great burger joints. He was in the 1960s rock group The Box Tops and then went into food service where his gifts as a manager were well realized. He was a champion of civic causes and served as Memphis Restaurant Association president, a board member and former president of the Memphis Zoological Society, advisory board member of the Memphis Food Bank, chairman and board member of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, and chairman and board member of Memphis in May. HENRY TURLEY is

one of those rare contributors who have changed the entire Memphis landscape. It seems logical now, but Turley was among the few to understand that some of the best real estate is next to water. Against the advice of many —

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because he saw it and they didn’t — he acquired and built Harbor Town and the South Bluffs, and lo and behold, the people came. Next up would be housing and more developments along South Main. His vision remains undimmed. J.R. “PITT” HYDE

is all about entrepreneurship. He grew up watching his grandfather and father turn Malone & Hyde into one of the country’s largest food wholesalers. Pioneering and taking risks was as natural as could be to him. His achievements? Founder of autoparts giant AutoZone, chair of biopharmaceutical startup GTx Inc., co-founder of the private equity ﬁrm MB Ventures, the impetus (along with his wife, Barbara) behind the Hyde Family Foundation, and booster of several other highly placed and deep-pocketed endeavors rooted in Memphis — most notably the National Civil Rights Museum and Ballet Memphis. His gifts and inﬂuence continue to make things happen. JOHN ELKINGTON’s impact on the

life of Beale Street has been powerful, controversial, and indisputable. As the developer and manager of modern Beale Street, Elkington transformed it into Memphis’ premier entertainment district and one of the top tourist destinations anywhere. If the journey hasn’t always been smooth, the district has been protected and successful in no small part to him. PRESTON LAMM,

another longtime player in the success of Beale Street, is CEO of River City Management, which includes Rum Boogie

Cafe, King’s Palace Cafe, Pig on Beale, Mesquite Chop House (Southaven, Memphis, Germantown, and Oxford), and Spindini. He’s a former board member of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, Memphis Music Commission, and DeSoto Arts Council. He won the Memphis Restaurant Association’s Pioneer Award in 2004 for redeveloping restaurant business on Beale Street. JACK BELZ’s vision was crucial to Memphis’ downtown renaissance. Head of the city’s most prominent commercial real-estate family, he acquired an abandoned hotel no one else wanted in 1975. Tens of millions of investment dollars later, The Peabody was reborn in 1981 to become Memphis’ signature landmark, the societal heart of our city, and the very ﬁrst building block of the redevelopment that followed. That and other projects have materially changed the face of Memphis. ARCHIE WILLIS’

late father was a community visionary, and today it’s like father, like son. The son is transforming South City – the area around what used to be Foote Homes — with a vision to the past and the future. Willis grew up in the segregated, but livable mixed-income neighborhood. But public housing happened decades ago, people moved away, and the neighborhood changed into a sea of poverty. Now he’s in the process of turning South City back into an attractive neighborhood. Willis launched his company, Community Capital, in 1999 and recently rebranded it as ComCap Partners. He’s already built and rebuilt plenty of Memphis through his company, helping The Works CDC build the Alpha Renaissance Apartments in South Memphis and teaming up with Memphis

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developers Henry Turley and Belz Enterprises to rebuild Uptown. He’s also teamed with Turley to transform Central Station.

Bread building, a move designed to take advantage of the area between the Medical District and Downtown. BILLY ORGEL, a

JENNIFER OSWALT was

named president of the Downtown Memphis Commission in November 2017 where she’s always watching the big picture, coordinating among agencies and developers to boost the Downtown district. She’d already been with DMC as CFO and is well versed on what’s going on. “We’ve been really focused on residential and growing the number of people living downtown because we feel like that will drive other investment in retail, grocery, and so forth,” she says. Employees — especially younger ones and empty-nesters — want to live and work nearby, “so that’s been our strategy and we continue to focus on that.” Filling Downtown’s hotel needs, especially to meet the requirements of a top convention city, is also high on the list. GARY PROSTERMAN is president and

CEO of Development Service Group, which is transforming the Edge district. The Bakery Apartments & Edge Redevelopment, a $73 million project of six parcels in the Edge District, includes the old Wonder Bread Factory at 400 Monroe and the former Memphis Cycle Supply at 421 Monroe. It includes 286 apartment units on the site of the Wonder Bread Factory, and more than 155,000 square feet of retail, ofﬁce, and mixed-use space spread throughout the development. A key tenant will be Orion Federal Credit Union, which will relocate the company’s headquarters into the former Wonder

cell phone tower developer, purchased the long-abandoned Tennessee Brewery building in 2014 for $825,000. Prior to the purchase, the building seemed destined for the wrecking ball. Orgel said that a Brewery Untapped event in 2014 opened his eyes to the possibilities with the building. The four-story tower that once housed the Tennessee Brewery will be converted into apartments. Next to that, a six-story building called The Wash House will hold more units. Across Tennessee Street, a 339-space parking garage has been built. The entire project will also include 4,000 square feet of retail space. RICHARD W SMITH, president

and CEO of FedEx Logistics and chairman of the board of the Greater Memphis Chamber, has been moving and shaking. His interest in bringing a substantial presence of FedEx to Downtown resulted in his decision to move the FedEx subsidiary’s headquarters to the recently vacated Gibson Guitar building near FedExForum. The move brings new and existing jobs Downtown and spurred plans by developers to build The Clipper, an eight-story ofﬁce and hotel building adjacent to the Gibson Guitar factory building.

Memphis Tourism (formerly the Convention & Visitors Bureau), Kane can cite dollar ﬁgures, rankings, crowd ﬂow, ticket buyers, and economic impact to get people to come here. He’s also president and CEO of the Memphis Management Group, which manages the Memphis Cook Convention Center and the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. Kane is on the boards of Destinations International (executive committee), U.S. Travel Association, International Tennis Hall of Fame (executive committee), Metropolitan Memphis Hotel Lodging Association, Christian Brothers High School Board of Trustees, Tennessee Health Science Center, and the Greater Memphis Chamber Chairman’s Circle. KEVIN ADAMS of

Big River Partners LLC is thinking big with his Union Row project. Adams started the CBRE ofﬁce more than 32 years ago and was CEO and chairman, taking the business from four employees 120 employees. With Big River, the $950 million development will take over a blighted area along Union Avenue between Downtown and the medical district and will fundamentally change how we’ve looked at Downtown for the last 50 years. Plans are for a grocery, a park, a 200-room boutique hotel, ofﬁce space, and about 700 residential units. Later phases of the development would add onto those numbers of retail and residential. KRISTI AND DEAN JERNIGAN, along with ALLIE PRESCOTT,

KEVIN KANE,

the city’s biggest cheerleader, is on a perpetual mission to sell Memphis. As president and CEO of

wanted to build a ball park downtown. Kristi and Dean masterminded the plan to secure the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A afﬁliate Redbirds with Kristi pushing for

PHOTO CREDITS: BILLY ORGILL BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT; KEVIN ADAMS BY LARRY KUZNIEWSKI; RICHARD SMITH BY JACKSON BAKER

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a Downtown location. Prescott, meanwhile, was tasked with the sales job. The sportsman/salesman/lawyer/executive/civic champion wasn’t listening to those who said no way, take it out east — and there were a lot of them. He had to sway politicians, corporate sponsors, potential suite holders, season ticket buyers, and public opinion. He steadily won them over, including getting AutoZone on board. The facility, after a few shaky years, is now robust and home to not only the minor

“The $950 million Union Row development will take over a blighted area along Union Avenue and fundamentally change how we’ve looked at Downtown for the last 50 years.” league team, but Memphis 901 FC. And it has made Downtown Memphis a place that people enjoy coming to in the evening. The Grizzlies Pursuit Team’s collective effort to get an NBA team was an all-star effort. J. R. “PITT” HYDE led the group that included CHARLES EWING, FRED JONES, BARBARA HYDE, GAYLE ROSE, ANDY CATES, and STALEY CATES. FedEx was crucial as well, with the efforts of ALAN GRAF (FedEx CFO), MIKE GLENN (VP marketing), and NANCY ALTENBURG (sports marketing manager). Their efforts brought the Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis and got them a shiny new home at FedExForum, boosting the downtown scene.

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 9 | I N S I D E M E M P H I S B U S I N E S S . C O M |

5/10/19 10:32 AM

What’s Developing

Development Projects of $1 million or more planned and underway

40 24

Source: Downtown Memphis Commission 1 100 NORTH MAIN BUILDING

2 3

5 6

Status: Pending. A plan to turn it into a convention center hotel lost steam when the City of Memphis signed a Letter of Intent with Loew’s to build a hotel nearby on Civic Center Plaza. Possible alternatives: residential and retail, or continued blight. 1619 MONROE Ten-townhome development. Under construction. $2,253,411 18 SOUTH MAIN Mixed-use development with ground floor and basement commercial space, office space in the floors above. Planning. $4,696,029 189 BARKSDALE Renovation of historic Mounted Police Station with seven residential units and 3,000 square feet of office space. Planning. $2,431,191 27 WEST CAROLINA Renovation and new construction for 79 apartment units. Planning. $10,441,227 529 SOUTH FRONT STREET A new 3-story building with ground-floor restaurant space, and 4 apartments on the upper floors. Planning. $1,636,350 80 VIRGINIA The renovation of a 3-story industrial building into a 24-unit residential building with 1,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. Planning. $3,847,082 ALOFT HOTEL Redevelopment of the Tenoke Building at 161 Jefferson and 191 Jefferson into a boutique hotel with 155 rooms, banquet facilities, and a pool. Planning. $18,000,000 ARCHIMANIA HEADQUARTERS Architectural firm renovating 663 Cooper Street with additional office space for another tenant, and 6 studio apartment units wrapped around the back of the building. Under construction. $2,870,420 ARRIVE HOTEL A 62-room boutique hotel with restaurant and retail space. Adaptive reuse of former Memphis College of Art building at 477 S. Main. Planning. $14,206,000 BAKERY APARTMENTS & EDGE REDEVELOPMENT Redevelopment of six parcels in the Edge district, including the historic Wonder Bread Factory at 400 Monroe, and former Memphis Cycle Supply at 421 Monroe. Includes 286 apartment units on the site of the Wonder Bread Factory, and over 155,000 sf of retail, office, and mixed-use space spread throughout the development. Orion FCU relocating its HQ. Under construction. $73,000,000. CANOPY HOTEL A 170-room boutique hotel at the former Benchmark hotel site, 164 Union Avenue, with ground-floor restaurant and bar. Planning. $42,972,661 28 |

15 14 1 8

38 39

42 11

30 36

2 22

25 41

16 29 28 10 43 6

31 33

5 7 37

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PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

5/10/19 10:32 AM

13 CENTRAL STATION PROJECT

17 18 19

20 26 35

17 21

22 9

MAP BASE COURTESY GOOGLE DATA

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Redevelopment of historic Central Station and surrounding area that includes boutique hotel, commercial space, renovation of Power House into Malco Theatre, new apartment units, reconfiguration of existing farmers market. Under construction. $55,000,000. COOK CONVENTION CENTER UPGRADE Updating and expansion at 255 North Main Street. Planning. $55,000,000 CROWNE PLAZA RENOVATION Renovation of all 230 rooms, remodel of restaurant. 300 North Second Street. Under construction. $7,000,000 FEDEX LOGISTICS HQ Renovation of the old Gibson Guitar Factory & Museum at 145 George W. Lee Avenue to house more than 600 workers, and will feature ground-level retail. Planning. $62,522,503 FLATS AT OVERTON SQUARE A new 16-unit, 3-story apartment complex. Planning. $1,912,826 FORUM FLATS Affordable apartment development of 205 units. Under construction. $16,000,000 GRIND CITY BREWING A new craft brewery in Uptown in a renovated warehouse at 83 Waterworks Avenue. The brewery will feature a taproom. Planning. $11,300,000 HOTEL INDIGO The redevelopment of the former downtown Econo Lodge at 22 North B.B. King into a boutique hotel with 118 guest rooms and a ground floor restaurant. Under construction. $5,000,000 INDIGO AG HQ Agricultural technology company HQ will house 275 workers by the end of 2019, and reach 700 employees by the end of 2021. 175 Toyota Plaza. Planning. $3,900,000 KAREN ADAMS DESIGN A new office and manufacturing facility at 647 Madison Avenue. Planning. $1,502,800 LE BONHEUR CARDIOVASCULAR INTENSIVE CARE UNIT EXPANSION Addition of 34 to 36 cardiovascular intensive care unit beds with a two-story expansion at 865 Poplar Avenue. Planning. $55,000,000 MALONE PARK COMMONS Property redevelopment at 97 Saffarans Avenue with a 25-unit rental housing community. Planning. $2,159,763 MEDICAL ARTS BUILDING Adaptive reuse of the historic Medical Arts Building as a mixed-use development with offices, apartments, and retail space. 240 Madison Avenue. Under construction. $16,340,000 METHODIST UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL EXPANSION The project at 176 Bellevue includes a 440,000-square-foot addition. Planning. $275,000,000 MOXY HOTEL A renovation of the existing Sleep Inn on Court Square at 40 North Main. Under construction. $3,000,000

28 MUSEUM LOFTS 29

37 38 39

A new 4-story apartment building with 68 units. Planning. 138 Huling. $9,270,000 ODEN HQ Adaptive reuse to turn the historic Capitol Pictures building into a HQ for Memphis marketing firm. Planning. $3,096,607 ONE BEALE Two towers at 245 Wagner Place with 280 apartments and 255 hotel rooms and a parking garage with 640 parking spaces. Planning. $160,673,788 PATTERSON FLATS Four three-story apartment buildings with 177 one- and two-bedroom units at 270 E G.E. Patterson Avenue. Under construction. $14,000,000 POPLAR ART LOFTS A new six-story apartment development with ground-floor retail at 1935 Poplar Avenue. Planning. $16,065,000 SOUTH CITY Redevelopment of Foote Homes, the city’s last public housing project, into a complex of 712 mixed-income apartments at 521 Vance Park Place. Planning. $250,000,000 ST. JUDE EXPANSION Part of St. Jude’s six-year strategic plan begun in 2015. 350 Danny Thomas Place. Under construction. $1,500,000,000 THE CITIZEN Mixed-use development with 175 apartment units and ground-floor retail. 1835 Union Avenue. Under construction. $33,583,182 THE CLIPPER A new-construction office building with 200,000 square feet of office space and 50,000 square feet of ground floor retail. Planning. $250,000,000 THE MARINE HOSPITAL RESIDENCE Renovation and conversion to 71 apartments at 360 Metal Museum Drive. Planning. $18,736,056 THE RAVINE PARK A new linear urban park built on a former rail spur in the Edge. Planning. $5,730,000 UNION ROW Ambitious plan to replaced blighted area with a grocer, park, boutique hotel, office space, and more than 700 residential units along Union Avenue. Planning. $950,000,000 UPTOWN FLATS Affordable multi-family residential in a mix of one- and two-bedroom units at 649 North Main Street. Under construction. $13,000,000 UTHSC HISTORIC QUADRANGLE Renovation of buildings in the Historic Quadrangle at 875 Monroe Avenue. Planning. $70,000,000 UTHSC WOMEN’S AND INFANTS’ PAVILION Facility at 842 Jefferson Avenue. Planning. $180,000,000 WISEACRE BREWING A new 40,000-square-foot brewery that will be the company’s new primary production facility. 381 Abel Street. Planning. $9,849,998

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 9 | I N S I D E M E M P H I S B U S I N E S S . C O M |

5/10/19 10:32 AM

What If?

Development The assumption is the economy will stay strong. Is that safe?

John Gnuschke

There are an increasing number of developments going on around town, particularly in Midtown. All the entrepreneurs are banking on their projects will succeed not only because they’ve got a winning idea but because the economy will be there for them. Unless it’s not. Remember the Great Recession, the one that makes risk takers shudder when they hear someone mention the year 2008? According to some surveys, Memphis remains one of the more economically distressed cities in the country. Still, there’s a spate of building going on and some notable companies are coming to town. There’s a lot of promise and people are banking on good times continuing. But what if? Economies stumble for a variety of reasons and you can find plenty of experts saying warning signs are all around. Maybe another recession, maybe a natural 30 |

disaster, maybe a war, maybe … well, pessimists can fill you in. John Gnuschke is director of the Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research and the Center for Manpower Studies, and professor of Economics at the University of Memphis. He says that looking at the history of developments Downtown, “the state of the economy and the nature of the project are both determinants of the outcomes we can expect.” He considers the planned move by FedEx Logistics to occupy the old Gibson Guitar Factory and the multi-billion-dollar strategic expansion plan by St. Jude Children’s Hospital as fairly well protected

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against an economic downtown. Housing construction is more subject to the fiscal winds. “It is evident that the interest in moving downtown by FedEx Logistics is not the same as a proposed riverfront development that is sensitive to the business cycle or the availability of financing,” he says. “Each effort like a St. Jude project is solid and will happen, but other more speculative projects like housing frequently fail the test of the economy.” Developers know the economy is subject to fluctuation depending on the moment and they look at its overall direction. “The bigger the investment and the bigger the commitment,” Gnuschke says, “the more long-term that time horizon is. A downturn any time in the next year or two probably is not going to have a major impact on most of the downtown redevelopment. Clearly the FedEx commitment to downtown was very important and that’s a stable organization that’s in it for the long run. But we have seen hotels come and go and announcements be made and never completed, so hotels are a little bit more complex. But we are in desperate need of a major, major convention center hotel. We can’t possibly expand the convention or visitors business in Memphis unless we have a high quality hotel that comes on the market in the next few years. Nashville did it downtown, and their downtown is booming. We’ve got to take some of the lessons from them and apply them locally and maybe our success will follow.” Gnuschke says that economic fluctuations are not about Memphis. “What it really says is something about the overall economy,” he says. “When

the economy is strong, all of the venture capital is going to be out there trying to fund the projects. A lot of these projects depend upon that.” Developer Henry Turley has been through it all. “We are expecting to suffer, you know,” he says. “We developers live something of a biblical career of feast and famine.

“The bigger the investment and the bigger the commitment, the more long-term that time horizon is.” And we try to stay prepared.” Turley vividly remembers when the Great Recession messed with everybody’s plans. He had a handshake agreement with a bank for a 95 percent loan on a development. “And then the world went south, I mean it went south big time,” he says. “So bad that we all took a hit. I remember when the bank called me and said, ‘I’m sorry we can’t re-market your bond issue. So, we have to take it ourselves and if you look at the default provision your interest will triple,’ and so on and so forth. I wasn’t defaulting, it was my lender, the whole market.” So he’s a veteran of what he calls the “terrible stuff.” “What we’ve got to do is keep the liquidity we’ve got, and we tried to do that,” he says. “We tried not to over-leverage. We’ve got to keep our friendship with our richer partners alive and well. Just handle stuff right, and manage it right and improve it every day.” PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY JOHN GNUSCHKE

5/10/19 10:32 AM

The 2019

Now Accepting Nominations

usiness is pushed forward by change and evolution, and it is those in the forefront of that evolution â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the tinkerers, the questioners, the visionaries â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who keep the machine of commerce oiled. But who are these people? We want to know. Send us your best and brightest nominations for our seventh

annual Innovation Awards issue coming in September. Please include any pertinent biographical or business information, and why the person, business, or organization should be recognized as a leader among innovators.

Email your nomination to sparks@insidememphisbusiness.com. Deadline for nominations is June 21, 2019.

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5/10/19 3:09 PM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

ANIMAL CARE

WALNUT GROVE ANIMAL CLINIC >>> With every patient and client, we are guided by our core values: Integrity, Excellence, and Compassion. Our professional staff is highly trained and well educated. All employees participate in regular training and development

programs. Walnut Grove Animal Clinic is a fullservice, state-of-the-art, small animal hospital located in the center of Memphis at the corner of Walnut Grove Avenue and Tillman. New clients are always welcome.

2959 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis, TN 38111 | 901.323.1177 | MyMemphisVet.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:31 AM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

LAKESIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM >>> Bottom row: Hal Brunt, Lindsey Hightower, Alex Brasher, Gail Outland, Lenora Coleman, and Joy Golden Top row: Cathy Houpt, Lori Deason, Rita Dailey, Tommy Joyner, Theresa Jarvis, John Fisher, Teresa Scott, Robert Edwards, and Kevin Parker For 50 years, Lakeside has had one seniors who struggle with behavioral mission: to provide specialized behavioral health issues, addictive diseases or cohealth care and addiction treatment in occurring diagnoses. In addition to a welcome environment for people in providing targeted treatment for our search of healing. Our 37-acre campus patients, Lakeside is committed to helping near Memphis, Tennessee, was designed our community better understand and to make recovery an accessible, effective recognize the complexities associated with reality for everyone â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from children to behavioral health and addiction. 2911 Brunswick Road, Memphis, TN 38133 | 901.377.4700 | LakesideBHS.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:28 AM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

BRANDING

TACTICAL MAGIC >>> Trace Hallowell has been an inﬂuential force in Memphis advertising for more than 30 years. Both strategist and creative leader, he is best known for developing high-impact brand identities and campaigns. His work has garnered national and international creative awards, and is featured in books, magazines, and college textbooks as examples of branding excellence. Trace founded Tactical Magic in 2001. The ﬁrm’s diverse clientele includes CGHP, Malasri Engineering, The Mighty Olive, Soundways, Sowell Realtors, Sterling National Bank, Trousseau, and Uniform Masters. 1460 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 901.722.3001 TacticalMagic.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:29 AM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

BUSINESS BANKING TRIUMPH BANK >>>

Triumph is proud to serve as your local bank in and anywhere or offering our business customers the greater Memphis area, deeply invested in a diverse menu of cash management services serving our community and helping businesses from which to choose that help protect their and individuals grow, which in turn helps our companies’ assets and improve their bottom line economy grow. Our team strives to make by enabling them to better manage their cash banking easy for our customers, whether it’s ﬂow and cash position. It gives you more control by offering the latest in online and mobile and conﬁdence that when we say you matter, platforms so our customers can bank anytime you really matter. Let’s talk growth. 5699 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38119 | 901.333.8800 | TriumphBank.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:33 AM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

COMMUNITY BANKING INDEPENDENT BANK >>>

Strong. Safe. Customer Focused. Local. Since our founding in 1998, Independent Bank has been committed to supporting our customers and communities by helping you achieve your dreams and ﬁnancial success. We are a full-service bank with personal and business loans, a variety of deposit and cash management options, mortgage loans and wealth management. We offer innovative solutions, effective products and heroic service. We invite you to experience the i-bank difference — it’s a better way of banking. Proud to be the face of community banking. 5050 Poplar • 844.5051 | 1711 Union • 844.2050 | 450 Perkins • 842.2620 6209 Poplar • 842.2600 | 5995 Stage • 842.1210 | 2116 W. Poplar • 842.1170 | 40 S. Main • 312.8900 3295 Poplar • 844.2075 | 7635 Poplar • 842.1190 i-bankonline.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:34 AM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

EMPLOYMENT LAW

THE CRONE LAW FIRM >>> Attorney Alan Crone, Founder

The Crone Law Firm provides tireless, compassionate, and effective counsel for clients facing employment law disputes — any legal situation that impacts our clients' ability to make money, including: • Workplace Harassment and Discrimination • Executive and Employment Contracts • Buy/Sell, Buyout, Nondisclosure and NonCompete Agreements • Compensation Disputes

• Commercial and Business Disputes • Business Partner and Shareholder Disputes • Accident and Injury Cases “We focus on creating solutions that work, so that our clients can work. We aim to restore control and predictability in the lives of employees, executives and entrepreneurs while providing proactive counsel to help avoid costly lawsuits and disputes.” — Alan G. Crone, Firm Founder

88 Union Avenue, 14th Floor, Memphis, TN 38103 | 901.737.7740 | CroneLawFirmPLC.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:36 AM

THE FACE OF

GAMING

SOUTHLAND CASINO RACING >>> David Wolf, President and General Manager David Wolf is the face of gaming at Southland Casino Racing, the area’s fastest growing gaming destination. As president and general manager, Wolf leads the property that has been a major racing venue for more than 50 years and boasts more than 2,000 slot machines and 40 live table games, as well as a multipurpose event center and several restaurants. Wolf is currently overseeing a $250 million renovation of the property and the expansion of Southland’s gaming offerings to include 2,400 slot machines, as many as 60 live table games and a new sportsbook. The massive 113,000-square-foot casino complex will also feature a new variety of dining options. The signature component of the expansion is the 20-story, 300-room hotel tower. On-site parking will be enhanced via a new covered parking garage with an additional 1,250 spaces. Wolf is excited about the future of Southland: “We’ve developed a loyal customer base and can’t wait to see more people discover Southland in the coming years and make it an overnight and weekend tourism destination.” Must be 21+. Play responsibly; for help quitting call 800.522.4700.

1550 North Ingram Blvd. West Memphis, AR 72301 870.735.3670 southlandcasino.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION

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2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

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5/10/19 3:10 PM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

GIRLS EDUCATION HUTCHISON SCHOOL >>>

Hutchison empowers every girl to ďŹ nd her unique place in the world. Here she can discover, create, and lead in a nurturing environment, surrounded by a group of strong young women. A Hutchison girl experiments with

new ideas, asks lots of questions, and won't back down from a challenge. If she can imagine it, she can do it. Her voice matters. Her ideas are valued. That's the strength of a Hutchison education.

1740 Ridgeway Road, Memphis, TN 38119 | 901.762.6672 | HutchisonSchool.org SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:40 AM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

GANT SYSTEMS >>> Nick Gant, President & Founder

Our team loves to Design, Build, Deploy, and Manage business technology. • For small-sized businesses: We are your IT Department • For medium-sized businesses: We assist your IT Department • For all-sized businesses: We help you leverage the Cloud MEMPHIS: 901.881.5087 | NASHVILLE: 615.647.9145 | GantSystems.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:43 AM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

PET RESORT

WALNUT GROVE PET RESORT >>> At Walnut Grove Pet Resort we provide a full-service hotel, spa, and daycare for your favorite companions. Drive by and check out our brand new facility at the corner of Walnut Grove and Tillman. We believe that our experienced staff of Veterinarians make our pet resort the right choice for all of your family's boarding, grooming and daycare needs! 2959 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis, TN 38111 | 901.323.1177 | MyMemphisVet.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/14/19 1:40 PM

2019

FACES OF THE

MID-SOUTH

THE FACE OF

PIZZA

BROADWAY PIZZA >>> Legendary Broadway Pizza, one of Memphis’ favorite family-owned-andoperated restaurants, was opened by Lana Jeanette Cox in 1977 at 2581 Broad. Third-generation family members now offer Broadway East at 629 S. Mendenhall. Elder family members raised in extreme poverty

ﬁnd it important that faithful friends “get their money’s worth and don't leave hungry.” Not just a pizzeria, Broadway offers salads, whole wings, ﬁsh, spaghetti, chicken parmesan, burgers; homestyle plate-lunch specials. Cakes made in-house daily. Call-in orders welcomed.

2581 Broad Ave., Memphis, TN 38112 | 901.454.7930 629 S. Mendenhall, Memphis, TN 38117 | 901.207.1546 BroadwayPizzaMemphis.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

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5/9/19 10:28 AM

VE R SIDE I R •• • • •

•

Bluesc The latest RENOVATION of Riverside Drive has stirred up yet another CONTROVERSY for this WATERFRONT ROADWAY.But that’s NOTHING NEW. by michael finger

t h i s s t ory or igi na l ly a ppe a r e d i n t h e f e brua ry 19 91 i s su e of 44 |

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MEMPHIS

m aga z i n e .

ABOVE: A vintage postcard shows Riverside Drive shortly after it opened, before any landscaping helped beautify “the most costly highway in the world.” RIGHT: A newspaper promotion noted the transformation from dump to drive was “like magic.” IMAGES COURTESY BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

ccording to legend, native Americans of the Chickasaw tribe lined the old Indian trail now called Riverside Drive to catch their first, anxious glimpses of Hernando DeSoto as the explorer’s boats drifted down the Mississippi River. Almost four centuries later, wealthy Memphians parked their buggies and carriages along Riverside Drive to watch the fierce Civil War battle between the Union and Confederate gunboats taking place at the city’s doorstep. And in the twentieth century, Charles Lindbergh used Riverside Drive as an impromptu landing strip for his famous plane, The Spirit of St. Louis, while visiting Memphis as part of a coast-to-coast promotion for his solo flight across the Atlantic. Actually, none of that happened. I just made it up. But you probably believed it, because Riverside Drive seems to have been such a permanent fixture on our waterfront. In fact, it’s a relatively recent addition to our city. And ever since the roadway opened in 1935, Riverside Drive has surely caused more problems than any other street in Memphis, including, most recently, the

5/10/19 1:16 PM

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 9 | I N S I D E M E M P H I S B U S I N E S S . C O M |

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hen our city’s founders drew up the initial plans for Memphis in the early 1800s, they included a public promenade that would stretch along the bluffs, intended to be an open area for walking and leisure. Today’s Front Street, as the name implies, was laid out as the closest street to the waterfront. Over the years, however, that early promenade gradually disappeared, with acres of land eventually covered by the old Custom House (later the post office and now the University of Memphis law school), the Cossitt Library, and other buildings along the river. What was worse, a growing number of businesses backed up to the river and used the banks as a dumping ground for their refuse. By the turn of the last century, the city even began operating a public dump along the bluffs. In the early 1900s, riverboat pilots on the Mississippi knew they were drawing near Memphis by the smell. As boats drifted closer, passengers had a memorable first impression of Memphis — buildings and houses that seemed to be perched on top of a huge landfill, a mountain of cans, paper, household waste, and rusting junk that sloped from the river banks up to the edge of the bluffs. The piles of garbage stretched along the waterfront from the cobblestoned public landing at the foot of Beale Street all the way to the base of the Frisco Bridge downstream. The area became not only unsightly, but unsafe. Years of neglect had made the riverbanks susceptible to erosion and minor cave-ins, and over the years small pieces of the bluffs had crumbled and broken off. In 1922, the earth dropped out from under a Frisco Railroad locomotive pulling several cars along the bluffs near what is now South Bluffs. The engine overturned and tumbled into the river, pulling large strips 46 |

of track with it. Fortunately, the train’s crew jumped out in time and no one was injured. Four years later, a more dramatic event took place. On July 25, 1926, workers at the Tennessee Brewery near Butler discovered deep, yawning fissures in the bluffs behind their building, running parallel to the river. Engineers called to the scene were alarmed to find that the ground there had sunk almost a foot. Others reported ominous rumbling noises coming from deep underground. Businesses in the area rushed to empty their warehouses and save their property. There was no time. Suddenly, a chunk of the bluffs almost three blocks long plunged 50 feet into the river, taking with it houses, railroad tracks, and the entire West Kentucky Coal Company. After the dust settled, those brave enough to peer over the brink saw crumpled buildings, twisted railroad tracks, and crushed molasses tank cars in a jumbled mass at the very edge of the river below. Some buildings had remained level as they dropped, and a shovel left propped against a house stayed that way all the way down. “God has just done set His foot right down on this here earth,” an old woman who lived nearby told the newspapers. “Yes, He’s just stepped on it.” Portions of the bluff continued to cave in throughout the day, and the area had to be roped off to control the thousands of spectators who wanted to see the spectacle and stand as close to the edge as they dared. It took weeks to clear away the wreckage, and damage was finally estimated at more than $400,000. Most of the businesses destroyed in the slide chose to rebuild in other locations, and insurance companies reportedly refused to cover property along the bluffs. Clearly, something had to be done. What is not so clear is who can take credit for what turned out to be the solution — Riverside Drive.

he story goes like this: Memphis Mayor Watkins Overton and political boss E.H. Crump were standing in Confederate Park one evening in the 1920s, surveying the Memphis waterfront, when both were almost overcome with the noxious fumes drifting from the dump. Years later in a newspaper interview, Overton recalled, “A wall of smoke and evil-smelling fumes from the almost

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

civic flap brought on by the decision to close the drive for a complete renovation. Businesses protested that they weren’t given enough warning, and some citizens worried that the refurbishing of the drive would damage the river bluffs it borders. But this isn’t the first time the drive has been the center of a problem; indeed, Riverside Drive has always been controversial. But then, what do you expect from a road that was built on piles of garbage? The construction of Riverside Drive required working with private land owners, railroads, city and federal government, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineeers.

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continuously burning trash piles made the riverfront desolate by day and the harbor of bad odors at night.” He and Crump discussed how to improve the situation. “Out of this conversation came the plan to make the Memphis riverfront something of which the city could be proud,” Overton told the newspaper at the time. So Mayor Overton always claimed Riverside Drive was his idea. Others give credit to a man from St. Louis, Harland Bartholomew. In the 1920s, Bartholomew — a St. Louis city planner — was brought to Memphis to prepare a master plan for our city (see “From the Archives” on page 64). Among other problems, he took a dim view of Memphis’ waterfront, noting “its disorder and general shabbiness.” One of his recommendations was for a parkway system that would encircle the city. Such a loop would have required the addition of some form of riverfront boulevard to tie in with the existing North and South Parkways. The master plan he furnished included a rendering of the proposed new waterfront, which showed a huge, classically styled promenade along the riverfront adorned with row upon row of Roman arches. Perhaps credit for the version of Riverside Drive that was eventually constructed should instead go to one Kenneth Markwell, the harbor engineer who, around the same time, allegedly came up with the notion of placing a roadway at the foot of the bluffs instead of on top, as other plans had suggested. Regardless of who conceived them, the plans for Riverside Drive that were eventually adopted provided a solution to two separate problems: how to reinforce the bluffs at Memphis, and how to introduce a major new north-south traffic artery into Downtown Construction began in 1930, after an enormous battle and plenty of red tape. After all, this project linked private land owners, the city government, the federal government, the Illinois Central and Frisco railroads, and even the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (who were responsible for maintaining the river channel). Not surprisingly, each of those groups expected some of the others to pay for the work. Mayor Overton eventually persuaded the federal government to pay for the stabilization of the river bluffs, which was the first requirement. Starting in 1930, the Corps of Engineers wove willow limbs into a huge mat some 3,000 feet long by 300 feet wide, at the time the largest in

the world. This was sunk in the river On March 28, 1935, Riverside Drive officially opened when Nancy Lee along the banks from Calhoun (now Overton, the 9-year-old daughJ.O. Patterson) to Talbot to keep the ter of Mayor Watkins Overton current from undercutting the bluffs. (standing third from left), snipped a An inspection two years later showed white ribbon stretching across the brand-new roadway. Old Man River had still managed to tear holes in the mat, so it was covered with a thick layer of concrete, which was extended another 50 feet up the banks. While they were laying this mat, the construction crew discovered the old locomotive that had tumbled into the river in 1922. It was impossible to raise it, so they covered it with the mat. It’s still there today. At the same time, the Memphis Harbor Commission began the task of grading the slopes, creating a berm or shelf some 60 feet wide that would hold the roadway. Much of the dirt used in filling the highway base came from the excavation for the then-new Sterick Building under construction. Gaps along the riverbank were filled in to form Jefferson Davis (now Mississippi River) Park and Astor (now Tom Lee) Park. The grading work, which required moving more than a billion pounds of dirt and placing some 110,000 square yards of sod, was completed in 1931, and the bluffs were allowed to settle for a year before beginning road construction. The wait turned out to be a good idea. Because of settling, the final roadway had to be redesigned four times before actual construction began, and the edge of the present road was actually planned as the center. The shifting river bluff was a harbinger of problems to come. Road construction, paving, curbs, railings, and streetlights were completed by the city engineering department, with funding provided by the federal government’s Public Works Administration. Total construction costs eventually exceeded $1 million, a tremendous expenditure in those days, which prompted local newspapers to brag about the new road as “the most costly highway in the world.”

iverside Drive finally opened with great fanfare on March 28, 1935. Thousands of Memphians jammed the bluffs to watch the opening ceremonies, staged at the foot of Monroe. Color guards from the American Legion and the R.O.T.C. Corps stood at attention while John B. Edgar, chairman of the HarJ U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 9 | I N S I D E M E M P H I S B U S I N E S S . C O M |

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Ashburn Park developed over several years into a dangerously steep 15-foot drop. Landfill wasn’t the only culprit. Tests indicated that water in the subsoil was also causing the slipping. In the 1950s perforated drains were installed to collect water in the subsoil, and these reduced the settling over the years but did not eliminate it. There were other problems with the road as well. The curve at Tom Lee Park caused a high number of accidents over the years, as did the open drainage ditch on the east side of the roadway. In 1970, this curve was straightened slightly and a 10-foot emergency lane added to the roadway in that area.

ll these minor repairs over the years were merely Band-aid solutions; it became clear that something major had to be done. The problem? No one wanted to commit to a major repair project, because the future of Riverside Drive itself — that “beautiful scenic highway” — was uncertain. As early as 1958, plans emerged to turn the road into a high-speed traffic artery reaching into downtown Memphis. Other proposals came out over the years that would have changed the original look of Riverside Drive — and required a total rebuilding of the highway. Meanwhile, the condition of the roadway steadily worsened. Finally, in 1990, the city decided to repair the roadbed — in its present form — once and for all. “The vertical alignment of the road has changed drastically,” says City Engineer James Collins, supervisor of the renovation project, which will cost a total of $2 million. “What we are doing right now is bringing the elevation of the road back to a point very close to the original elevation, so some of the big dips and humps will be taken out. We’re also going in there and digging out some of the trash and garbage that’s down in the roadway, to keep that settlement from happening.” In addition to construction on the roadbed itself, the city plans to fill in the low-lying, sandy beach on the west side of the drive off John B. Edgar Point. “There are two phases to that project, and the first is what you [can see] now,” says Collins, who explains that the beach, which comprises 20 acres and lies to the south of Tom Lee Park, was needed as additional weight to reinforce the foot of the bluff. For the next phase, Collins says, “we’ll add another 20 feet of topsoil and sodding, dress it up and turn it into a park area, with walkways. There will probably be some parking, but just exactly where, we don’t know. We don’t want it to turn it into a sea of asphalt. We want it to be a subtle feature.” In recent years, Collins’ office has maintained maps that show why repairing Riverside Drive and its surrounding area is so vital: The accident rate along the drive is unusually high. The maps show each traffic incident that occurs along the drive, including times of day, street conditions, and

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

bor Commission, described the construction feats demanded by the new road. Major W.H. Hoge of the Corps of Engineers expressed his belief that “Memphis now has the most beautiful waterfront on the river.” Mayor Overton took the platform and declared, “Memphis is so situated geographically that if we remain alert we can develop ... transportation systems to the commercial and industrial benefit of our people, and from these benefits we will have more payrolls, more jobs, and more wealth.” It seems that “America’s Distribution Center” isn’t such a new idea, after all. The mayor “accepted” the new road on behalf of the city and said, “We have not only completed a beautiful scenic highway, but we have protected millions of dollars’ worth of property, eradicated a menace to health, and erased Memphis’ poorest advertisement, a dump and garbage heap in its front yard.” When the speeches finally ended, Nancy Lee Overton, the 9-year-old daughter of the mayor, snipped a white ribbon to open the new road. Flanked by locomotives rolling on tracks on the bluffs above, a parade of more than 300 cars slowly moved south down Riverside Drive. They were escorted by towboats and pleasure craft in the river, an airplane and seaplane buzzing overhead, and even a Greyhound bus — all part of a public-relations stunt to link the new drive with the other major avenues of transportation. The convoy rolled as far south as Georgia Avenue, then turned around and headed back north to end the opening ceremonies. The next day, hundreds of other Memphians turned out to drive along the new 8,800-foot-long roadway. From their cars, they could see a wide, flat boulevard that stretched almost straight across the treeless riverfront. That view was soon to change. As soon as Riverside Drive opened, the Men’s Garden Club of Memphis planted 100 ginkgo trees and 50 flowering crabapple trees along the roadway. A few years later, the Memphis Park Commission added a border of magnolias, some of which still remain, crape myrtles, and rose bushes. After World War II, the Memphis City Beautiful Commission started the Dogwood Trail along Riverside, with trees planted as memorials. Besides the dogwoods, another distinctive feature of Riverside Drive first made its appearance about this time — its undulating “roller coaster” ride. Because the section south of Beale had been laid mostly on landfill, it was especially prone to shifting and sinking. Once, a chunk near present-day John B. Edgar Point dropped eight inches in one night, and other portions of the roadway began drifting several inches towards the river. What was originally a gentle slope at the curve at The grand-opening ceremonies included a parade of 300 cars, a Greyhound bus, a string of locomotives, towboats in the river, and even airplanes buzzing overhead to represent all forms of transportation that would benefit the city.

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RENDERING COURTESY SCAPE AND STUDIO GANG

other factors. In 1988, the section of Riverside Drive between Georgia and Beale showed 64 accidents, two of which resulted in fatalities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is unusual for a stretch of open roadway,â&#x20AC;? says Collins. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Accidents are usually concentrated around intersections. And the majority of accidents occurred during rainy or wet conditions, which indicates there is a problem with the roadway itself.â&#x20AC;? So most of the improvements in the road will be safety-related, Collins says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will not be adding additional lanes to the road,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still going to be four lanes, but we will make those lanes a little wider. That should make people feel more comfortable and should reduce the number of sideswipe accidents weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen in the past.â&#x20AC;? The city also plans to eliminate what Collins calls one of the biggest safety problems â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the open drainage ditch on the east side of the roadway. Collins decided that these changes could only be made if the road were completely closed, an unusual decision that caught some businesses on Riverside Drive by surprise. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t given any advance notice at all,â&#x20AC;? says Jo Ellen Hoy, treasurer of Memphis Imports at 648 Riverside Drive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We heard about it on the radio the night before.â&#x20AC;? The effects of the roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closing have been devastating for her business. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have our building up for sale,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s run all our customers off.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;In this case, the project had already received so much publicity in the media, we felt information was getting out, so we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make any extra effort,â&#x20AC;? Collins responds, adding that the city usually doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t close a street entirely when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being repaired, but in this case felt it had no choice. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For Memphis Imports, we did put up a lot of additional signs and even printed up maps they could give to their customers.â&#x20AC;? That didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help, Hoy complains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They put a sign in our driveway,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you can find our driveway, you sure donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need the signs. And they sent us one little map that we could copy ourselves and send out to customers.â&#x20AC;? Actually, signs pointing the way to Memphis Imports have been installed on Riverside Drive, Carolina, and Kansas. Another company located on Riverside has also suffered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our business dropped 80 percent in the first month of construction,â&#x20AC;? says Allen Barton, owner of Bartonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Texaco at 694 Riverside Drive, at Carolina. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s come back up a bit, maybe 20 percent, but now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just doing 60 percent of normal.â&#x20AC;? Barton explains that the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s detour signs are part of his problem. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those signs are killing me,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I wanted them to do was put up signs that said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Detour at Crump. Riverside open until Carolina.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Right now they just say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Detour at Crump,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; so no one knows they can still drive this far down.â&#x20AC;? Other changes in the roadway have caused additional controversy, this time involving the bluff at the foot of Beale Street. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Beale, we need to have a left-turn lane for southbound Riverside traffic to turn

into Beale, and an exclusive right-turn New plans for Tom Lee Park, which has always been a major part of the lane [along Riverside],â&#x20AC;? says Collins. Riverside Drive renovations over â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because of the close proximity [of the the years, are designed to make the roadway] to the cobblestones, the only riverfront more accessible. choice we had was to cut into the bluff a little bit. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be building a retaining wall that will have the same finish as the wall at Confederate Park. The wall at its tallest will be six feet, so it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a massive wall.â&#x20AC;? Any cut into the bluff and retaining wall is too much, argues Reb Haizlip, a principal in the architectural firm Williamson & Haizlip, Inc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am troubled by what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done down there,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mayor Hackett told the DNA [Downtown Neighborhood Association] there would be no substantial cuts, no retaining wall. Now all you have to do is go down there and look. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve put a gaping wound down there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve violated the spirit of the agreement,â&#x20AC;? Haizlip says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A retaining wall is the worst urban violation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offensive and impersonal.â&#x20AC;? Haizlip also contends that improving Riverside Drive with turn lanes and wide shoulders will make it easier for traffic to avoid Downtown completely. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From an urban planning point of view theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making a mistake. Traffic is good for a city; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good for merchants and retailers,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since Riverside Drive has been closed, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really activated Front Street, since all the cars now have to go through there. But theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re turning Riverside Drive into an automobile conduit that will drain traffic from Downtown when it opens.â&#x20AC;? One group thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apparently not concerned with a closed Riverside Drive is the organization that runs the Great American Pyramid (now Bass Pro Shops). â&#x20AC;&#x153;We really havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put a lot of thought into it, so it hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t affected our plans,â&#x20AC;? says Mitzi Swentzell, executive vice president of marketing for The Pyramid Companies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still setting the date for our grand opening, and I think the dates for Riverside Drive are uncertain, too.â&#x20AC;? In fact, Swentzell sees an advantage in all the construction. New ramps are being built on the north end of Riverside Drive to connect it with Interstate 40. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When [they are] finished, the ramps will help,â&#x20AC;? she says. Riverside Drive is scheduled to reopen in the late summer of 1991, according to Collins. In the meantime, the construction has almost obliterated all traces of the former roadway. At Tom Lee Park, the asphalt has been completely pulled up, its original route revealed by a ragged path scraped through the gravel and dirt. Further south, truck and bulldozer tracks criss-cross the area, which is littered with stacks of concrete pipe, piles of gravel, and sheets of black plastic. Sometime soon, the new roadbed will begin to take shape, beginning a new era for this controversial waterfront roadway. J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 9 | I N S I D E M E M P H I S B U S I N E S S . C O M |

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T E C H

T R E N D S

What’s Next?

The technology of tomorrow is already here. • • •

B Y

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C I C C I

In late April, Crosstown Concourse and AVI-SPL played host to “Moving Memphis Forward with Technology,” a panel discussion featuring CIOs and tech executives from businesses including FedEx, IMC Companies, and Sedgwick. Jordan Myers, regional general manager of AVI-SPL’s Memphis branch, spoke with Inside Memphis Business about current and future technology trends in Shelby County, how companies are attracting younger workers, and what Memphis is doing to be recognized as a technology hub. Inside Memphis Business: Can you give me an overview of what your company does in the Memphis area? Jordan Myers: We’re an audio-visual integrator, so that means we design, install, and support audio-visual solutions in conference rooms, classrooms, auditoriums, hospitals, you name it. So, everything from televisions, microphones, cameras, to allow people to connect. IMB: How has your day-to-day changed since Interactive Solutions merged with AVI-SPL? JM: It’s still the same work that we have always been doing, it’s just with a new name and a new logo. Obviously, going from working for a small mom-and-pop shop, around nearly $20 million with about 50 employees, to being part of a billion-dollar company with 2,400 employees definitely has changed the size and scope of the organization we’re a part of and the team we have behind us. IMB: Is your company using technology or any other strategies to attract younger millennial workers? JM: Yes, absolutely. I was part of the focus for doing that. We have been focused on the AV side of things and do a lot of work with businesses across the city of Memphis and the Tennessee region. A lot of what we do is helping them have technology solutions that enable them to do their business, so we see a lot of the trends that are being implemented in different digital workplaces. We allowed some of the technical folks that we know in technical leadership roles to share what they’re seeing in the marketplace. A lot of that is built around tools that help them do their job to things that they can use to attract young talent. IMB: Can you give a few examples of what you or other companies are doing? JM: There’s a big push for open concept offices. A lot of people have mixed feelings about working in a space where you don’t have your traditional walls or cubicles. This layout can provide a lot of opportunities for collaboration, but also a lot of challenges. We’re seeing a lot of huddle spaces, which are smaller rooms, and are maybe called a phone room or something like that. They have 50 |

a single display in there, a small TV, and something for two to three people to be able to have a quick call, and it encourages people to still connect. But at the same time it doesn’t take as much floor space as a large conference room or boardroom would. We also are seeing a lot of the same thing like the open concept or an open office called hot-desking, where instead of assigning a desk or a cube to someone, you show up for the day and you grab a desk. You basically check out a desk and you can be assigned one through an automated system. If someone is looking for you they can go to a directory and actually find where you are located in the office. Obviously, we’re seeing a lot of companies video-conferSuccessful encing more. It’s something businesses want that they normally used for executives and for board technologies members. Now, it’s becomthat enable their ing a natural part of daily communications for groups. team to be more Everyone is connecting for efficient. video or audio. They’re doing it from wherever they may be, so obviously that helps with recruiting. You’re not down to the same barriers of having someone in a certain city or a certain location to do their job. They can be located anywhere, in any time zone, wherever that might be. I think, certainly, the big emphasis was not just having technology just for technology’s sake. Successful businesses want and really emphasize the need for technologies that enable them to better do their jobs and have their team be more efficient. You need to be tech forward and have those tools and resources internally to attain and attract that kind of talent. IMB: Does your branch of AVI-SPL have many employees working from home or remotely? JM: A lot of our folks will do a mixture of working from the office and working from home. We have folks either

at our Memphis office as well as in Nashville, and folks that remotely work in East Tennessee. We try to make that part of the offerings we have and a part of our brand, that we certainly offer that flexibility for folks if and when they need to work remotely. We obviously have the tools and technology to set it up for countless other entities to do that, so, it’s not an uncommon thing. I actually just got off a call a few minutes ago between our office, our accounting team in Tampa, and one of our operations managers. It was a very important call, but he happened to have a vacation already scheduled. So, he just called in from the beach from his phone over video. It was HD, the whole time he was reviewing Excel documents, but thankfully it was a quick call. We were appreciative that he was willing to carve out some time on his vacation. It doesn’t hinder him from taking his vacation. It doesn’t require him to come back early from that and at the same time we’re able to keep work moving forward. IMB: Since AVI-SPL installs forms of communication for other businesses, what is your approach to cyber-security both within your company and other businesses? JM: Obviously, in the broader IT strategy that a lot of the companies are approaching, security is the first question that comes up, whether it’s data infrastructure, to confluence infrastructure, to their software development as well. So even for the equipment we provide on the audio-visual side of it, it used to be something that was separate from the network side. It was viewed separately from all the other technical aspects because it didn’t really tie in. Well, nowadays, the work that we do and the technology we provide ties into a lot of the same networks as the corporate networks. So, we have to take the same care when it comes to security as any other computer or device you’re bringing onto the computer network. You have to be aware of the vulnerabilities that are out there. It’s not just a video conferencing unit or a wireless sharing unit; it’s also a network enabled device that can get out to the internet and can connect to your device as well. It’s something that AVI-SPL takes very seriously. I know with our customers, it comes up pretty frequently about making sure the audio and video communications going from outside their offices are encrypted and don’t have any security vulnerabilities. We do a lot of work, not only in corporate, but also in healthcare. With healthcare technology we have to be extremely careful with the licenses we put on our network. There’s a lot of scrutiny that it goes through just like any other system. It’s definitely the forethought of every IT leader’s strategy when it came to a project they were pursuing.

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IMB: You have to always be paying attention to what the next evolution will be in the technology world. Are there any things you’re looking at to embrace going forward? How do you stay ahead of the curve? JM: I know something that comes up to us a lot is some of these NextGen technologies like AI, blockchain, and things like that. We are seeing more and more customers looking for options when it comes to asset tracking of devices. So, they not only want to have the ability to walk in a conference room and be able to start something with one button, they also want the rooms to be aware when someone is in the room, whether it’s through occupancy sensors that track movement to Bluetooth that can recognize their phone and then start the meeting based on the fact that it knows “Jordan Myers” has entered the room and he has a call scheduled at two o’clock. I’m going to call into the address he has in his Outlook and start the meeting for him in this room. A lot of our video conferencing tools have the ability to transcribe. So, if you’re having a meeting the system itself can create a transcript of the conversations that were had. We’re continuing to see more folks that are using that. The blockchain thing is coming up as we’re certainly looking at different payment methods and things like that for how our technologies will be consumed. A lot more people are doing things on a monthly basis paying for it, so as they do that more and more they’re looking for more secure ways to do it. That’s the high-level things that we’re seeing more of. IMB: You see companies like Indigo Ag coming to town. Do you think Memphis is an appealing place for tech companies, or is at least moving in the right direction to become a technology hub? JM: There are a lot of resources and people here trying to encourage the development of both technology and technical talent. Things like Tech901 and other programming boot camps are really valuable. I know we actually recruited a couple of employees from Tech901. Our “Moving Memphis Forward” event had three panelists, and one of them was CIO of Sedgwick, which was a large project we recently completed at their headquarters. It’s the old Thomas & Betts Building in East Memphis; It’s 11,000 employees, four ﬂoors, 150 different spaces of technology throughout the building. It was a pretty massive project. One of our main audio programmers on that was actually a young woman we recruited out of Tech901. Prior to that, she was a music major as an undergrad. She had worked for a marketing company for a while before deciding to take some programming classes. We actually recruited her from out of a Tech901 class. One of the things that we liked was, not only did she have the coding experience, but she had a music background as well. To be an audio engineer you have to have a great ear. That’s something that you can’t teach to someone. For us, it was a really great combination. Again, it’s the way that people are developing and ﬁnding talent here.

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P H O T O

E S S A Y

Health Care for Homeless Baptist Operation Outreach Clinic

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Baptist Operation Outreach Clinic is helping address a need. The homeless often go to the emergency room for routine treatment, which is costly in time, money, and resources. The clinic, which opened this spring at 1325 Jefferson Avenue inside Catholic Charities of West Tennessee, complements Baptist Operation Outreach’s mobile clinic for the homeless. The homeless can come here for physicals, prescriptions, primary care and more. Baptist Memorial Health Care and Christ Community Health Services started Baptist Operation Outreach services in 2004. Baptist and CCHS are the largest providers of health care for the homeless in the Memphis area, and in 2018 the mobile clinic had 3,000 patient encounters.

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Development

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H EN RY T U R L E Y contin u ed from page 21 And he mentions Phil Woodard, who is currently developing the 30-unit Frontline Townhomes going up at Front and Nettleton. “He’s real energetic, a good guy, who really did South Main,” Turley says. “We started South Main — was it 1984 maybe? — but we didn’t really get anything done. And then along comes this guy and starts doing these old two-story buildings down there that I wouldn’t fool with, and he really puts the shops and the restaurants and whatnot. Ephraim Urevbu comes in and puts his art studio, his gallery, his restaurant, and those two guys made South Main. They were the seeds of change.”

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Turley has this thing for purple martins. He is something of a birder, yes, but in the larger view, he finds a way to combine that interest with his mission to get people to come and live Downtown. Back before Downtown became a hotspot, some of the early adapters were thinking about it. But they weren’t necessarily sold on it. “They would come up with millions of excuses,” Turley says, “but one of them was mosquitoes around the river. So I hired a house full of purple martins to eat the mosquitoes. I thought how you’d do it that was really environmental. I mean do you call the county mayor and say, will you spray more pesticide on my clients? That’s the traditional response. No, we hired those purple martins. And that’s what they do for a living. Eat mosquitoes. If it seems kind of nutty, well so what? It certainly has gotten a lot of use — you see them.”

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Orion welcomes Frank Stallworth as EVP of Commercial Real Estate.

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Development B E V E R LY RO B E R T S O N contin u ed from page 23 for business is road, river, rail, and runway. All of that comes together beautifully in Memphis, Tennessee. We’re not only a good city, but a great city, and what I think needs to happen is Memphians need to change their narrative. Those who talk about what Memphis looked like 20 years ago need to open their eyes, and see the reality of where we are now, and what we’re doing now, and the kind of energy and dynamism that is in play now in Memphis, Tennessee.” And with all that happening, what is Robertson’s vision of the next few years? “I already have developed a plan for the Chamber to be not only the thought leader of the Southeast, but one of the strongest Chambers in the nation,” she says, “and that’s based on some of the plans that we’re

“I would say that Memphis will become the number-one city in the next five, six years in the state of Tennessee, and that’s because we are beginning to With ten locations across the Memphis area, Healthcare Realty is the go-to source for on Baptist Memorial Hospital campuses. A variety of locations and levels of build-out provide move-in ready suites, time-share space and the ability to build to suit. It’s your move.

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capitalize on the things that are of value to Tennessee.” putting in place and executing right now. Certainly I see the Chamber focusing on strengthening our relationships and the work of engagement with our Chamber members, our Chairman’s Circle, and the other membership levels at the Chamber, the ambassadors, and the governors. And we are strengthening those relationships, getting them much more engaged in the work of the Chamber, taking them to Nashville, and promoting a healthy business environment. “We are putting them on task forces, and on committees that allow us to have deeper dives into subjects that are really important to the Chamber, whether it’s economic development, or public policy, or workforce development, or even other areas involving and associated with education, because there are lots of things that we need to be doing as it relates to that kind of space. We have something to say when we work with the Downtown Commission on public safety, making sure businesses take necessary precautions, and identify

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the gaps that may exist so that we can also understand, and deal with that as well.” With that plan, she sees a vibrant future for the city. “I would say that Memphis will become the number-one city in the next five, six years in the state of Tennessee, and that’s because we are beginning to capitalize on the things that are of value to Tennessee,” she says. “We don’t have to apologize to anyone, because we have a strong minority population, African American population, or growing other minorities in the country. In fact, this is the trend for the United States. If you look 20 or 30 years down the road, according to Pew Research, we are going to be a country of minorities. There will be no majority population. So, Memphis is already on that path, and as it relates to that, the Chamber is going to bring thought leaders into Memphis, both national and global thought leaders, because I don’t want the business community to be surprised by the trends that they will see. I don’t want us to be behind the eight ball as Detroit was in the automotive industry. I want us to know right now what is coming from a business standpoint, so that if businesses need to adjust their business model, they can begin to think about that now. If you’re going to be serving a population that is significantly different from who you serve today, you need to know that right now. “If technology and digitalization is going to change the way you operate, you need to know it right now, and you need to look at your business model, and see if you need to adjust your business model in some ways that will allow you to be able to capture incremental market areas, individuals, consumers, or businesses with whom you do business with.” And the role of public relations is one that Robertson sees as necessary and dynamic. “We’re going to take the Chamber to the streets in Memphis,” she says, “because there are too many people that don’t know the value of the Chamber, and what the Chamber does. That’s important because when we start talking about incentives, and tax abatements for business, people think that the city and county have a pot of money that they’re holding back to give to the Chamber to give to business to allow them to come, and they feel that that money could be redeployed. That’s not what this is about. That’s not what abatements and incentives are designed to do, and I think that people lose sight of the fact that we have neighbors to the west and to the south

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Development

B E V E R LY RO B E R T S O N contin u ed from page 59 who have infrastructure, facilities, and are giving away everything to attract business to their marketplaces. So, we’ve got to remain competitive, and individuals who are our elected officials, and consumers who are in the marketplace who are citizens ought to know, and be aware of that. So, when we take it to the streets, we’re going to take reps from city government, county government, because there are grant programs that can help boost economic development in neighborhoods that neighborhoods don’t know. Why? We haven’t told them.” Again, Robertson is reaching out to bring in people and organizations to make breakthroughs. “Having the City of Memphis at the table can promote economic development at the grassroots level,” she says, “because there’s one thing for sure, if we are driving economic development Downtown and in Midtown, a lot of times people at the grassroots level can’t feel that, don’t know that, don’t see that, don’t receive the residual benefit of that. They’ve got to feel it too, and in order for them to feel it, and to really understand it at a different level, we’ve got to be talking to them.” There are further areas that Robertson sees as requiring the Chamber’s attention even as it reaches out to the broader community and works to develop new revenue streams to enable the goals. Those include increased attention to small and Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprise businesses. Meanwhile, she talks up some recent corporate moves that she says are bringing benefits to various areas in the city, including Mimeo (on-demand digital printing) relocating its headquarters from New York to Memphis near Parkway Village, Indigo AG (agriculture tech) relocating its headquarters for North American commercial operations to Downtown, FedEx Logistics also moving Downtown, and JNJ Express (transportation) putting its headquarters in the old Mall of Memphis complex. “Memphis is really moving,” she says, “and evidence of that can be seen with all of the development that is Downtown that now is beginning to move out into some of the other pockets where there is land available that needs to be redeveloped. I’m pleased with what I have seen so far, and to see the presence of a number of developers from Nashville who are now developing in Memphis. It speaks volumes for how they feel about Memphis as a strong marketplace.” 60 |

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C O M M U N I T Y

P A R T N E R S H I P

Community Partnerships

Levy Dermatology PC teams with Make-A-Wish Mid-South. • • •

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CycleGiving event, as well as the proceeds from the sales of any of our products that day, went directly to Make-A-Wish MidSouth. We are now expecting this to become an annual collaboration between Levy Dermatology and Make-A-Wish Mid-South as we support the ongoing legacy of Evie Harrison.”

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the CycleGiving event, as well as the proceeds from the sales of any of our products that day, went directly to Make-A-Wish Mid-South. Will Coleman leads the crowd of cyclists with Dr. Levy (hand up) cheering on the event.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTEN JONES

The collaboration between Levy Dermatology and Make-A-Wish Mid-South started last fall thanks to Jonathan Harrison and his family. “My wife, Alicia, and I had twins, but one of our daughters, Evie, died from meningitis in 2010 when she was only 20 months old,” says Harrison. “We were devastated by our loss, and wanted to give Evie a legacy by helping other families with critically ill children.” The family asked that memorial gifts be directed to Make-A-Wish Mid-South. Harrison says, “We were drawn to Make-A-Wish for a multitude of reasons, one being an opportunity to give parents of a critically ill child a chance to grant their child a special wish and have that be a special moment with them. With every wish granted we remember the happiness that Evie brought into our lives. It is a constant reminder that loving and helping one another is really what matters.” Through his job as a pharmaceutical representative, Harrison had developed a relationship with

Hayley Arthur from Cycle Bar connected with Levy Dermatology about hosting a fundraiser ride. Through the CycleGiving program, CycleBar partners with local organizations and charities to help raise donations. Cycle Bar instructor Will Coleman, a former Memphis Tiger basketball player, ran the event for about 40 participants who turned out. Shira and Alan Levy of Levy Der“Will brought energy and enmatology. “We had known Jonathusiasm to the fundraisthan going back to when er, with hip hop music my husband was a resand tons of encourident,” says Shira, agement for the who is the group’s participants,” chief operating says Shira. “Jonofficer. “When athan was also Jonathan told very inspiring as us that he was he spoke about thinking about how M a ke -Adoing something MarySusan Asters, Wish had become for Make-A-Wish, Make-A-Wish a big part of his life. we thought it would Will led us on a 45-minbe fun to have Cycle Bar ute ride, then we held an open set up bicycles at our East Memhouse at our office. One hundred phis office for a memorial fundpercent of the proceeds from the raiser for Evie.”

MarySusan Asters, development officer at Make-A-Wish Mid-South, says, “Our Mid-South chapter started in 1986. We provide life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. In the case of the Harrison family, they helped fundraise not for a specific child, but for the overall organization. In fact, we are funded almost exclusively by individual and corporate donations and all of the money raised in our area stays here in the Memphis community. “Seeing the impact that MakeA-Wish has on other families can be very inspirational, and we are grateful for families like the Harrisons who are really passionate about Make-A-Wish. To date, the Harrison family has raised more than $37,000 through the support of friends and family in honor of Evie.” More than 600 volunteers in the MidSouth help grant wishes, with room for more to join the Make-A-Wish community. For more information, visit midsouth.wish.org or call (901) 680-9474.

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The Office Valerie Morris President and CEO, Morris Marketing Group

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If you draw jobs out of a hat, Valerie Morris has probably done all of them. Before starting her own firm five years ago, she worked as a financial analyst, trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and locked down the position of vice president of communications and marketing for Caesar’s Entertainment. While those careers might seem to be polar opposites, they’ve each

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contributed in their own way to the creation of Morris Marketing Group (MMG). “You have to have the business background to be able to run a restaurant,” says Morris, “and then the marketing and PR industry is also part of the hospitality industry, because they’re all sales. Which piece will resonate with each different advocacy group? They all go together, and I could not do one without the other now.” As president and CEO of MMG, Morris took the firm

M A D I S O N

Y E N

Downtown to 456 Tennessee Street. An old hay storage building from 1912, the structure still holds one of the original steam pipes in the lobby. Beyond the entrance is a gallery’s worth of paintings, photographs, and posters, all featuring local artists like Ron Olson, Ken Lecco, Allison Loyer, Michael Mannis, and David Lynch. “My mainstay is that any of the offices that our employees are in,” says Morris, “they can put any kind of art they would like, but I would prefer it to be local. That’s something I really believe in.” Beyond the professional works, a few of the paintings were done by the staff as team-building exercises. Meanwhile, a plethora of Addy and Vox awards, among others, speaks to the studio’s drive and excellence.

MMG shares the building with S2N Design and an independent photography studio. With all the tenants pursuing creative endeavors, Morris wanted that kind of energy in the office space. “The whole building is a creative space, so I thought our offices should reflect that and look fun.” In the back, a large event space allows MMG to host parties for clients or happy-hour excursions for professional colleagues. When Morris built her team, she sought individuals with strong work ethics who could cover multiple facets of the business. While someone might specialize in graphic design, they also had a knack for writing, could utilize social media, and comprehend all the various digital platforms a client might need. “I like being the concierge

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boutique agency that does really good work,” says Morris, “where we become a part of our client’s team and a part of the family.” Rather than making cold calls, Morris and her group created an innovative approach to speaking with potential new clients. The “Foot in the Door” campaign involves Morris picking up a high-heeled shoe from Goodwill, decorating it with a theme (sometimes tailored to the potential client), and including candy and a sales kit in one handy gift basket. The shoes are decorated differently for every visit, which reflects MMG’s diverse client base. A row of shelves along the office’s back wall contains merchandise from many of the agency’s clients, ranging from Melissa Cookston, “the winningest woman in barbecue,”

to Medtronic. “We like having lots of different types of clients,” says Morris. “We’re not just hospitality, not just financial, not just healthcare. It’s great for my team, as they get to have fun thinking about different ideas all the time rather than just focusing on one industry.” Inside Morris’ personal office are decorations that speak to her ideals as a professional. Behind her desk is a vibrant portrait of Downtown Memphis, which she had commissioned by Michael Mannis in 2014 when she started the business. Celebrity portraits of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Elvis provide inspiration. “These are all my icons, they have a reason for who they are,” says Morris.

“In some way, shape, or form, they were catalysts and made a difference in their careers and to other people.” Morris’ own professional growth can be traced visually through a collection of Barbie dolls she keeps in her office. “They’re a representation of me through all my different careers, whether I was a chef, a business person, or even my time participating in pageants,” says Morris. For an explanation as to the bicycle Barbie, one need only look at the framed Marathon de Paris medal hanging by Morris’ desk, from just one of many races in which she’s participated. As for the Wonder Woman figure gifted to her by employees? A fitting mantle

for someone who’s worn so many professional hats, runs marathons, finds ample time for charity work, and sustains a continued desire for her clients’ success. As the final piece of the puzzle, Morris keeps a day-to-day unicorn calendar at her desk. The page from January 1st, which she keeps up on the wall, reads: “The smallest goal and the biggest dream can be achieved with planning and hard work.” Why unicorns? “They’re mythical creatures that are always happy and really thinking about how they can be the best they can be for everyone else. I try to approach my job every day with a positive attitude and [by asking myself] how can I make someone’s life better and do the best that I can.” For all the clients that MMG has worked with over five years, Morris might just be their unicorn.

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The Memphis That Never Was Several bold developments in the past never saw the light of day.

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Dreamscapes: The 1924 riverfront plan (far left), the 1955 riverfront plan (above), and the Desoto Memorial Tower (left).

Visitors must surely think that developers in Memphis never turn down even the craziest ideas. Years ago, somebody said, “What this town needs is a giant pyramid.” And yep, we built one — complete with observation deck, hotel, cypress swamp, and bowling alley — exactly like the pyramids of Egypt. More recently, someone said (and I’m paraphrasing), “It’s great that cars and trains can cross the Mississippi, but life is not complete unless we can do that on an electric scooter.” And so the Big River Crossing allows anyone to walk, bike, and scoot across the river. So, we wondered, have there ever been any projects that were considered too far-fetched? Well, here are a few that never left the drawing board.

THE 1924 RIVERFRONT PLAN

In the 1920s, the City Planning Commission asked Harland Bartholomew and Associates of St. Louis, a nationally recognized urban planning firm, to redesign the whole city. It’s true. Everything was scrutinized and “improved,” from the height of buildings to the width of streets and the locations of schools and parks. Bartholomew focused special attention on the riverfront “from the standpoint of its disorder and general shabbiness.” The firm noted, “Today the riverfront is not merely unattractive, but represents a flagrantly unprofitable use of the property.” 64 |

The plan shown above was their solution: a series of graceful arches forming a promenade that would stretch for blocks along the river, acres of public parking along the riverside, and a handsome bridge linking Downtown to Mud Island. The island itself would be converted into a spacious public park, with a tree-lined wraparound pier, baseball diamond, tennis courts, and “a formal treatment at its southern extremity.” Rather conspicuously missing from this bold scheme — especially since it’s at the heart of discussions today — is anything resembling Tom Lee Park. Bartholomew & Associates admitted this was “a bold scheme” and noted, “As public funds become available, the various improvements can be accomplished.” That was wishful thinking. Memphis never built a single thing you see here.

THE 1955 RIVERFRONT PLAN

So the St. Louis firm tried again in 1955. This time, they envisioned a complete reconstruction of Mud Island, which would include a north-south expressway with

divert the river channel at a point near Poplar, and to fill the old channel, thus creating a very large area to be used for the purposes shown on this plan.” Harland Bartholomew surely hated us. We just wouldn’t listen. Despite two major attempts, we ignored their best efforts to transform Downtown into a city that George Jetson would have loved.

THE DESOTO MEMORIAL TOWER

a pair of “cloverleaf” interchanges. This would be in addition to a boat harbor, a riverside sports stadium, parking for 5,000 cars, and even a “heliport landing field and terminal.” You know, for all those personal helicopters that Popular Science promised us in the 1950s. If it’s hard to picture this concept, that’s because the project would have required considerable work. Bartholomew explained, “It is proposed to

In 1960, city planners — from Memphis this time — unveiled plans for a “new center for cultural life, as well as for government activities.” In addition to new civic buildings (among them, City Hall and headquarters for the fire and police departments), this scheme included a 300-foot-tall Desoto Memorial Tower at Washington and Front. Even though the renderings showed a narrow shaft (left), this structure would somehow include a restaurant and a “display pavilion,” which would offer stunning views of the new “Riverside Expressway.” A January 3, 1960, newspaper article proclaimed that “building this center is one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken in Memphis” but cautioned “it will require years to complete.” Longer than that, actually. We did build a brand-new City Hall, designed by noted architect A.L. Aydelott, but the soaring Memorial Tower never got past the planning stages.

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