Overton Square Plans

Memphis Heritage held a meeting recently for the public to see and discuss the plans for the proposed development of Overton Square. I didn't attend the meeting, but I read the article with great interest. Nearly everyone quoted in it opposes the plan, which calls for tearing down the existing buildings. The meeting attendees protest that this will destroy the character of Overton Square, which is precisely what makes it a special place to begin with. Personally, I'm torn. I agree with the meeting attendee who said, "The reason people work in Midtown and live in Midtown and like to visit Midtown is the character." This is true: I'm a long-term midtown resident (in fact I rarely leave midtown at all if I can help it), and a big part of the draw is the "character" - the history, the architecture, the quirky differences in style and ornamentation that make up so many of our buildings here. And I LOVE some of those old buildings in Overton Square. But... but... so many of them are vacant, and have been for years. And years. And years. Many of them are literally rotting away. It would be wonderful to preserve them, but, despite the protests over tearing them down, I don't see anyone stepping forward with a plan and the money to save them.

I took a look at the drawing for the current proposed plan for the area, and not only is it "not that bad", it's downright appealing. Of course, much depends on the proposed building materials, which I admittedly know nothing about. If these new buildings are going to look like any new construction project in, say, Cordova *gag*, then yes, let's oppose it til the cows come home. But if they'll be thoughtfully, interesting-ly constructed out of brick and other quality materials, and in a style that matches the character of the neighborhood, then, it seems like this could be an improvement over a vacant parking lot and a strip of mostly-abandoned buildings.

As I said, I'm torn. I'd love to see something creatively and constructively done with the existing buildings, but it seems like we've all been waiting a looooooooooong time now in the hopes that someone will come along and make that happen. I don't know what the best answer is at this point. But so far, "wait and see" has just been resulting in untenanted, ever-further-decaying buildings.

UPDATE: I just found this (granted, older) article that does give a little more info about the proposed grocery store: according to Charles Pickard of Memphis Regional Design Center, the facade in the rendering looks like brick and a synthetic material "common in suburban shopping centers." He hopes the grocery design will still be improved. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Also, let's hope and pray the developers respect midtown residents' loudly-voiced request for an upscale grocery (such as Fresh Market or Trader Joe's), rather than a low-end store.

UPDATED AGAIN: This October 29th article makes the whole project sound very positive, and seems to indicate that the developers have taken community requests very seriously. I like the greenspaces they've added; I like the on-street parking that's shown now on Cooper as well as Madison. I like that a lot of the parking for the grocery is now planned below-ground. I LIKE what I'm seeing so far. Now, as long as that grocery is attractive and suitably upscale...