MEMPHIS | Development News

[VSRJ]

^ 2015. This tweet seems to contain the most recent official word: https://twitter.com/bass_pro_shops/s...53283438817280

[James Owen]

Well, they sure are taking their time getting the entire store finished up. How many times has the official opening date been pushed back?

[Trevor Birchett]

So much for an opening in time for Christmas 2014....or Christmas 2013...or Christmas 2012.

[DoomJ]

Boom.

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...6&t=1414163444

Hard Rock CEO in talks to build 200-room hotel in Memphis

Dodds said it would be premature for him to talk about the timing of when the hotel would be built or how much it would cost. But he said city incentives, outside of infrastructure improvements in the surrounding area, aren't under consideration or a condition to complete the deal.
The main goal now, Dodds told me, is to "secure investors."

[Wayward Memphian]

Originally Posted by Trevor Birchett

So much for an opening in time for Christmas 2014....or Christmas 2013...or Christmas 2012.

It's under construction and it will get done when its done and it will be very nice. I've said this before, the man takes his time but it will be very nice when done based on everything I've seen from him in Springfield/Branson. Top of the Rock finally opened and MY GOD! Playing it next week.

[Wayward Memphian]

On a Hard Rock related note. The only open for 1 year Hard Rock Theme Park in Myrtle Beach is nearly disassembled and most is going to Vietnam. It was a horrible location and the recession didn't give it a chance. It didn't have any Hard Rock companions like a casino or hotel branded the same. The rides were cool. A Led Zeppelin coaster with sync'd audio soundtrack in the seats was one ride. Cant help but think a better location would have worked. Memphis/Tunica would have been better as part of hotel or casino resort but should have been part of the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal's complex in Orlando.

[MEMFLY]

Originally Posted by DoomJ

Boom.

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...6&t=1414163444

Hard Rock CEO in talks to build 200-room hotel in Memphis

WOOOO

[James Owen]

Originally Posted by DoomJ

Boom.

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...6&t=1414163444

Hard Rock CEO in talks to build 200-room hotel in Memphis

That's the best news I've heard today. Hopefully, it'll all come to fruition down the road, even if it's just in the discussion stages right now.

[VSRJ]

Originally Posted by James Owen

That's the best news I've heard today. Hopefully, it'll all come to fruition down the road, even if it's just in the discussion stages right now.

But it will probably open before Bass Pro does!

[arkitekte]

Awesome news regarding the Hard Rock Hotel. I'm looking forward to more news and eventually the renderings.


Has work started flowing smoothly again at the Chisca? What about the approved apartments in the UofM area?

[DoomJ]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

Awesome news regarding the Hard Rock Hotel. I'm looking forward to more news and eventually the renderings.


Has work started flowing smoothly again at the Chisca? What about the approved apartments in the UofM area?

The last couple times I've been by the Chisca it appears in full swing. The second set of Rael Apartments near the U of M is working on it's second floor last I saw. Haven't seen anything at Mynders/Brister yet but its pretty out-of-my-way. I'll know when the dirt moves on Highland Row as I have some good friends on Ellsworth right across from the land.

Also, South Junction is growing on me. It seems to do well enough addressing the streets, I'm just worried what it will look like as it ages.

Are there any rumors out there for all that MATA-land next to Central Station? I seem to remember them seeking ideas or proposals.

[arkitekte]

Originally Posted by DoomJ

The last couple times I've been by the Chisca it appears in full swing. The second set of Rael Apartments near the U of M is working on it's second floor last I saw. Haven't seen anything at Mynders/Brister yet but its pretty out-of-my-way. I'll know when the dirt moves on Highland Row as I have some good friends on Ellsworth right across from the land.

Also, South Junction is growing on me. It seems to do well enough addressing the streets, I'm just worried what it will look like as it ages.

Are there any rumors out there for all that MATA-land next to Central Station? I seem to remember them seeking ideas or proposals.

Good to hear. Regarding the Highland Row development, I kinda wish they'd put Highland on a street diet or at least add bike lanes and street parking, however with as heavy as traffic is usually there, the lack of alternate routes, and the train tracks a block away that might not be the best for traffic, however it would be great for pedestrian traffic and igniting the strip even more. A west side only dip in for parking similar to whats south of Midland might work or a shift of lanes and the removal of the turn lane (I think there's a turn lane between Central and Midland. I honestly can't remember and I lived on Reese between Midland and Central for close to 6 years. smh).

I haven't heard anything on the MATA owned property. I'd imagine that they'd for sure be entertaining ideas for development, especially with what's taking place in the area right now.

[Wayward Memphian]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

Good to hear. Regarding the Highland Row development, I kinda wish they'd put Highland on a street diet or at least add bike lanes and street parking, however with as heavy as traffic is usually there, the lack of alternate routes, and the train tracks a block away that might not be the best for traffic, however it would be great for pedestrian traffic and igniting the strip even more. A west side only dip in for parking similar to whats south of Midland might work or a shift of lanes and the removal of the turn lane (I think there's a turn lane between Central and Midland. I honestly can't remember and I lived on Reese between Midland and Central for close to 6 years. smh).

I haven't heard anything on the MATA owned property. I'd imagine that they'd for sure be entertaining ideas for development, especially with what's taking place in the area right now.

That California outfit building near the UofM has started it's project up here in Fayetteville as well. but it's just earthwork at the time.

[memphisborn]

Clarksdale Ms has been added to the list of potential cities for this amazing museum, also It will be home to National blues Center and National gospel HOF I can see this on being built on the west end of Beale st. near the river what a great addition this would be to our city we should be emailing our elected officials letting them know how important this is. Can you imagine this in conjunction with Beale St. landing and Hard Rock Hotel. Memphis should do all it can to land this they want to make a site decision by Nov.
http://www.therepublic.com/view/stor...eum-Clarksdale

[DoomJ]

Originally Posted by arkitekte

Good to hear. Regarding the Highland Row development, I kinda wish they'd put Highland on a street diet or at least add bike lanes and street parking, however with as heavy as traffic is usually there, the lack of alternate routes, and the train tracks a block away that might not be the best for traffic, however it would be great for pedestrian traffic and igniting the strip even more. A west side only dip in for parking similar to whats south of Midland might work or a shift of lanes and the removal of the turn lane (I think there's a turn lane between Central and Midland. I honestly can't remember and I lived on Reese between Midland and Central for close to 6 years. smh).

I haven't heard anything on the MATA owned property. I'd imagine that they'd for sure be entertaining ideas for development, especially with what's taking place in the area right now.

The plans are to Bike Lane Highland between Summer and Walnut Grove and Prescott between Sharpe and Radford. The gap between the two of course is Highland from Poplar Plaza through the UDistrict to the curve south of Park. Most of the road diet/bike/pedestrian enhancement projects are being done on the cheap where road width already allows or where traffic doesn't justify the number of lanes- but I imagine there's a long term goal for a more involved project on that part of Highland- I know through some friends that the University wants it, for safety reasons. I imagine it will take a substantial state or federal investment, and will probably involve moving curbs, drainage, and utilities.

[memphisborn]

Originally Posted by memphisborn

Clarksdale Ms has been added to the list of potential cities for this amazing museum, also It will be home to National blues Center and National gospel HOF I can see this on being built on the west end of Beale st. near the river what a great addition this would be to our city we should be emailing our elected officials letting them know how important this is. Can you imagine this in conjunction with Beale St. landing and Hard Rock Hotel. Memphis should do all it can to land this they want to make a site decision by Nov.
http://www.therepublic.com/view/stor...eum-Clarksdale

The foot traffic coming from the American Queen @ beale st landing would love to see this once they step foot on Beale. I can see this built near One Beale. R & B HOF should be a center piece for the west end Kevin Kane has to be drooling over the possibility of this addition to the tourism mix

[Dr Nevergold]

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...-16-story.html

Since the Horizon Tower is back on track, and the steal of a deal the Thrash family purchased this for to redevelop it, any one know of any insider deals so someone could buy up a condo for cheap during the development process? I'd be interested.

[arkitekte]

Originally Posted by memphisborn

The foot traffic coming from the American Queen @ beale st landing would love to see this once they step foot on Beale. I can see this built near One Beale. R & B HOF should be a center piece for the west end Kevin Kane has to be drooling over the possibility of this addition to the tourism mix

It sure would be beneficial for whoever Downtown Memphis Commission gets to occupy the restaurant space at BSL to have the added pedestrian presence. As of right now there's quite the disconnect between BSL and the rest of downtown. Time will tell though.

Originally Posted by Dr Nevergold

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...-16-story.html

Since the Horizon Tower is back on track, and the steal of a deal the Thrash family purchased this for to redevelop it, any one know of any insider deals so someone could buy up a condo for cheap during the development process? I'd be interested.

That's a tricky question. They're going to have to deal with the stigma that the tower sat unfinished and vacant for 7 or how ever many years (even though that shouldn't be much if any issue with the quality of the interiors, structurally/functionality speaking) so they might have decent prices, however at the same time they can say that they're the only people offering high rise views of downtown, South Bluffs, and the Mississippi River right now and charge higher prices.

I'm sure their prices will adjust to their demand within a year or so.

[arkitekte]

Another 'Big Four' accounting firm is leaving Downtown Memphis
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...s-leaving.html

KPMG LLP will this December become the third of the nation's "Big Four" accounting firms to leave Downtown Memphis.

The Netherlands-based global audit, tax and advisory firm plans to announce Nov. 1 that it has leased 7,000 square feet in Triad Centre III at 6070 Poplar Ave. in East Memphis, cutting its local square footage in half, according to multiple sources who asked not to be named before KPMG's statement.

Beginning in early December, the firm will move its roughly 60 local employees into the seven-floor building from the 21-floor Raymond James Tower at 50 N. Front St. in Downtown Memphis. Parkway Properties owns Raymond James Tower, which recently renewed a lease with its namesake.

KPMG: Decision to leave Downtown Memphis was 'client-centric'
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...as-client.html

For Greg Barnes, managing partner of KPMG LLP's local office, the decision to move the local office of the "Big Four" accounting firm to East Memphis from Downtown came down to the clients.
Following my report Monday that KPMG has leased 7,000 square feet in the Triad Centre III office building on Poplar, Barnes told me he's a fan of Downtown, where KPMG has operated for the past 30 years. But, he added, if you drop a map on KPMG's client base, the center will land in East Memphis.

"It's a very client-centric decision," he said of the move. "At the end of the day, we made a decision to be closer to our clients."

Barnes said the move — into what his office calls the "Workplace of the Future" — also fits in with KPMG's environmentally friendly initiatives and will reduce the firm's square footage to allow for more "hoteling," an industry trend of having shared office spaces as more accountants work remotely.

"We're very excited about it," he said of the move. "It gives us the opportunity to move into a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified space."

While moving 60 employees might not sound like a lot and more than likely won't have a major impact on downtown, the reasons for why they left are issues that the City needs to address. 60 employees here, 100 there, eventually there will be a noticeable difference in occupied space in downtown's towers. I don't know if KPMG's managing partner is blowing smoke about being environmentally friendly, but newer office space that offers incentives similar or better to what is offered out east needs to be a main priority with downtown right after (or perhaps before) new convention space.

[entcolin]

Bass Pro will channel Grand Canyon Skywalk at top of Pyramid (Video)


http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/n...lk-at-top.html

Oct 30, 2014, 9:59am CDT
Ryan Poe
Staff writer-
Memphis Business Journal

Bass Pro Shops plans to enclose the top of the Pyramid in glass and will build a glass walkway around the top similar to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, according to the latest project status update.
The retailer plans to put a restaurant and aquarium inside the glass, and two cantilevered glass balconies outside, with "spectacular panoramic views" of Downtown and the Mississippi River, the Sept. 24 report said.
The $190 million project, which will include 22,000 square feet of retail space and a 101-room hotel, is on time and on budget, the report said.
Here's what else is happening to the building now, according to the report:
Attractions to the apex are under construction
Full-service hotel now includes spa and fitness facility, and construction is under way
Installation of sculptural trees measuring up to 100 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter are underway
Elevator tower connecting the retail floor to the rooftop facilities has been constructed
Swamp installation including the alligator pit is 75 percent complete
Finishes for retail store and Ducks Unlimited National Waterfowling Heritage Center have started
State's I‐40 seismic work is scheduled to end in October, making way for construction of Bass Pro Boulevard
WIN facilitating hiring for Bass Pro Shops
Since beginning the project, Bass Pro has added several other new features, including a Ducks Unlimited National Waterfowl Heritage Center and an additional water feature that brings up the total number of gallons in the Pyramid up to 600,000. And after receiving public input, Bass Pro has opted to put only one sign on the Pyramid, on the building's south side facing Interstate 40.