Pinnacle is Moving Downtown!

See the article here.

Filling In The Blanks

Will Pinnacle Airlines move their headquarters to 40 S. Main, the old NBC Bank building? Check out the article in the Commercial Appeal about local investors and their pitch to Pinnacle.

N.A. Williams has signed a lease for the long vacant ground floor space at 88 Union Center on the northwest corner of Union and Main.

Thompson & Co. is currently doing the build out of the southwest corner of Union and Main in the old Smooth Moves space and will be moving in soon.

Slovis and Associates are still negotiating with City Market Groceries & Deli to move into the northeast corner of Union and Main in the Radio Center Flats ground floor space.

We here at the Shrine Building blog would be so thrilled if any of the residents of the building would care to share some information with us. A photo or two would be great. A bit of news about the neighborhood. A review of a restaurant you've visited lately. Some positive thoughts about living or working downtown. So please share any of these things with us by emailing them to poppysit@aol.com

Bass Pro's 20 Year Lease

Bass Pro signed a 20 year lease with the City today. See the MBJ article. It will be part of a wider redevelopment plan called The Gateway, which includes the entire Pinch District. The retailer plans to be open by November 2011.

Please email any downtown information you'd like to share on the blog to poppysit@aol.com.

4th of July

While there won't be a fireworks show on the Mississippi River this year (see article: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jun/23/no-funds-for-river-fireworks/), the Red, White and Blues Celebration will take place on Beale Street on Sunday, July 4. Also, the Redbirds will have a fireworks show on July 3rd.

If anyone has more information or would like to share any downtown news or neighborhood updates, please email it to poppysit@aol.com and we will post it.

The Orpheum Summer Movie Series

The Orpheum Summer Movie series starts June 11 and runs through September 17.

Memphis Art Park Update

Visit the Memphis Art Park updated website to view the presentation and business plan of this proposal for the Front Street Promenade. It would encompass the area from the fire station at Union and Front to the Cossitt Library at Monroe and Front.

Smithsonian Article : The Soul of Memphis

Check out the article about Memphis is this month's Smithsonian magazine: The Soul of Memphis.

New Pedestrian Bridge; Christine; Cockadoos; Bobby Rush Concert; Lidia's Italy; Trolley Stop Grocery

Some fresh downtown news:


Work continues on the new pedestrian bridge linking Confederate Park with the U of M Law School.

Christine, a new women's clothing store opened by the folks at Shelton Clothiers, is open at 119 S. Main.

A new restaurant called Cockadoos will be open soon in the old Cafe 61 space at 85 S. Second. they plan on serving breakfast and lunch only.

Bobby Rush will be performing at the Center for Southern Folklore this Friday, May 7. This is a benefit concert supporting the CSF.

This week at the Memphis Farmer's Market you can meet Lidia Bastianich, and learn about her new cookbook "Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy" . 10am - 12 noon, May 8.



The Trolley Stop Market at 704 Madison is set to open mid-May. Advertised as a "truly local" grocery& restaurant. The owners are Keith & Jill Forrester of Whitton Farms.

Please email any downtown news or information you'd like to share on the blog to poppysit@aol.com

Panhandling Ordinance

Click on the link below to see the ordinance that is set to become law in two weeks:
http://files.wmctv.com/2010/panhandling.pdf

The ordinance outlaws the following activities:
Coming closer than three feet
Blocking or impeding passage
Following a person
Threatening a person with physical harm
Verbal abuse
Touching
Solicting in prohibited areas; those particular places are called out in detail in the ordinance.

Please email any neighborhood information, news, or photos you'd like to share to poppysit@aol.com.

Bass Pro: November 2011

See today's Memphis Daily News article about Bass Pro Shop's November 2011 target date for a grand opening:

http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=49276

The Festivals Are Here: Hotwings, Crawfish, Farmers, Trolley Tour, Beer, Wine, Canoes, Kayaks & Music Fest

Downtowners shouldn't be bored for the next three weekends as we are set to host some big events. Some of these were mentioned in a post earlier this month, but I have added a few to the list:

This Saturday, April 17th we have the 8th Annual Southern Hotwings Festival on S. Main and G.E. Patterson and it's also the Memphis Farmers Market opening day.

The Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival will be Sunday, April 18 at Wagner and Union.

Africa in April events kick off this Thursday, April 15th and run through Sunday, April 18th in Robert Church Park.

A note from Delphinium Boutique with some information about April's Trolley Tour: "Just a heads up...April's Trolley Night falls on the first night of Memphis in May's Music Fest. A number of stores will be open that night and continue with Trolley Night as usual. However, a nice selection will be having a "Pre-Trolley Night" event the Friday before, April 23rd. We'll have bands and great store give-a-ways! Just like a real Trolley Night. We'll send out reminders... but we hope to see you on the 23rd!"

The 2010 Memphis Brewfest will be Saturday, April 24th from 4pm - 8pm in the plaza area of Autozone Park at Third and Union.

The Beale Street Wine Race is Sunday, April 25th.

Outdoors Inc. 29th Annual Canoe and Kayak Race is Saturday, May 1st. Starts at the boat ramp at north end of Greenbelt Park and ends at Jefferson Davis Park. Party afterwards in the park.

And, of course, Memphis in May Music Fest is April 30, May 1 and May 2.

If you have more information on any of the above events, or on some downtown events that are not listed, please email poppysit@aol.com and we will post it.

Fall in Love With Memphis Again

Check out the Spirit of Memphis website: http://spiritofmemphis.org/

It is sponsoring and promoting a three-day event described as a : "Pep Rally for the City of Memphis that will turn the tide of the self-esteem of our citizens. The Pep Rally events and movements will help citizens become ambassadors and fall in love with their City again."

City-wide events focus on favorite food, favorite music and what you love about Memphis.

April 8, 9, & 10

If you have any downtown news, photos or information you'd like to share on the blog, please email it to poppysit@aol.com.

The Four Lonely Corners of Main and Union

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/exothermic/1957546735/in/set-72157603219695494/

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

Click this link:http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=49070

to see the Memphis Daily News article about developers working on two of the four vacant ground floor spaces on the corners of Main and Union. The pending development of the vacant old Smooth Moves building (on the SW corner) and the new grocery that is going in the Radio Center Flats ground floor commercial space (on the NE corner) are featured in the article.

Urban Gardening

If you're like me and the Shrine Building is your home 365 days a year you may envy those who are able to do some gardening when spring arrives. Fret not! I ran across a New York Times slideshow about apartment gardens featuring some exotic sounding indoor plants like Zanzibar Gem, Zebra Aloe and Fang:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/03/28/nyregion/20100328-plants-slideshow_index.html

If a few of us got together we might even look into a little rooftop container gardening. Here is a segment from CBS news on the subject:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5127954n

And a little more information...

Top Ten Low to No Maintenance Rooftop Plants

If you are capable of some maintenance (mostly watering) then these are the some of most ornamental and productive plants for rooftops.

•Regent Serviceberry (Amelanchier 'Regent')
• Ring of Fire Mini-rose (Rosa 'Ring of Fire')
• Basket-of-Gold (Aurinia saxatile)
• Asiatic Lily (Lilium cultivars)
• Columbine (Aqulegia cutlivars)
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
• Goblin Flower (Gaillardia 'Frenzy')
• Ornamental Peppers (Capsicum annuum cultivars)
• Moss Rose (Portulaca grandiflora)
• Rain Lily (Zephyranthes species and cultivars)

Ten Steps to a Happy Rooftop Container Garden

• Check with developer, condo board, superintendent, and/or inspector to find out if the roof is solid enough to support a garden
• Choose a spot with good light and, if possible, some protection from the worst wind exposure. Remember containers should be placed on decking, never directly on the roofing.
• Select lightweight, ornamental containers (like Southern Patio fiberglass pots) at least 12” in diameter
• Pick tough plants suitable for your area. The Top 10 Container Plants list is a good place to start.
• Add Better-Than-Rocks or other bottom filler for drainage and root growth
• Use a potting mix or make your own with 2 parts compost, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part sand
• Plant or sow seeds in pots
• Water regularly
• Keep the rooftop drain free of debris and dirt, so that water always drains easily

Rooftop Gardening Do's and Dont's

DO
• Select beautiful, productive, tough plants
• Buy ornamental containers like Southern Patio composite pots
• Water often, unless all your plants are low maintenance/drought tolerant
• Fertilizer regularly for annuals and veggies. Follow directions
• Use lightweight, well drained potting mix with a filler on the bottom, like Better-Than-Rocks
• Place in location where the wind will not cause severe damage

DON'T
• Don't choose plants solely based on looks
• Don't buy ugly or unattractive containers
• Don't use garden soil. It is not suitable for containers.
• Don't over fertilize it is bad for the plants and the environment
• Don't place in a wind tunnel or other severely exposed location
• Don't place containers directly on the roofing, instead sit containers on some form of decking.

Happy Planting!

Please email any interesting downtown news, photos or general neighborhood information you'd like to share to poppysit@aol.com and we will post it here.

Spring is Here!

April brings warmer weather and the season of downtown festivals begins:

The 18th Annual Rajun Cajun Crawfish festival is Sunday, April 18th at Wagner and Union. Visit http://www.porter-leath.org/ for the event details.

The 24th Annual Africa in April festival runs April 15 - April 18. This year's honored country is Nigeria. Go to www.africainapril.org to find out more.

The 8th Annual Southern Hotwing Festival on South Main is Saturday, April 17. See details at the festival website www.southernhotwingfestival.com

Also, the Memphis Farmers Market opens Saturday, April 17! Visit their website at http://www.memphisfarmersmarket.com/ for all the details.

Of course Memphis in May is on the horizon, visit them at http://www.memphisinmay.org/. Tunisia is this year's honored country.

And lastly, the most unusual event, the Zombie Walk, is scheduled for May 28th:

Please email poppysit@aol.com with any other event information or general downtown information and we will get it posted.

South Pacific, Trolley Tour and Victorian Village

A few upcoming downtown events this week from www.downtownmemphis.com:
Click on each image to enlarge:






I encourage all Shrine building residents to submit any downtown news, information, photos, etc. you would like to share to poppysit@aol.com to be posted on our blog.

Miserable in Memphis?

A message from the Mayor's Special Assistant for Research and Innovation:

A few weeks ago, Forbes Magazine ranked Memphis the 3rd-most-miserable city in the country. Memphis Mayor AC Wharton has mailed this open letter to Mr. Steve Forbes pointing out why Memphis is instead a city of joy, innovation and resilience. As Special Assistant to Mayor Wharton for Research and Innovation and as a Leadership Academy Fellow, I invite you tell Forbes what you think makes Memphis great, not miserable. Rather than cut and paste Mayor Wharton’s letter, BE UNIQUE and BE PERSONAL, sharing your one-of-a-kind Memphis interests and experiences.

* Email your letter to Steve Forbes Sforbes@forbes.com
* Mail your letter to Forbes Magazine, 60 5th Ave., New York, NY 10011

An Open Letter to Steve Forbes
2010 March 1
by Mayor Wharton

Dear Mr. Forbes,

Last Tuesday, I had the privilege of welcoming home a team of physicians, surgeons, and specialists from Memphis’ Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center who traveled to Haiti to attend to the youngest victims of the devastating earthquake. These are exceptionally brilliant and compassionate lifesavers and caregivers, some of the finest in the world. They selflessly gave up weeks of their own lives, careers, and time with their families to minister to the needs of impoverished strangers on the other side of the planet.

When I stepped out of Le Bonheur, I looked up at their new hospital, currently under construction and slated to open this summer. This $340-million, 610,000-square-foot facility will double their current space for care, research, and teaching. Across the street, FedEx is sponsoring the constructing of a home to provide housing for families of long-term patients.

FedEx House will sit at the corner of a larger mixed-income, mixed-housing development called Legends Park. It’s one of several Hope VI developments that have flourished in Memphis over the past couple of decades. This past summer, HUD Deputy Secretary Ronald Sims called Memphis “one of the bright shining examples in the United States today,” of inner-city revitalization and blight removal.

Down the street from Le Bonheur and Legends Park I could see St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, which provides lifesaving care to children from around the world, regardless of their ability to pay. Around the corner, the new UT Baptist Research Park is under construction, which will make Memphis a global leader in bioscience. Methodist University Hospital, where Apple CEO Steve Jobs came to get a new liver last summer, is a short distance away.

The following night, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated Toronto in a thrilling overtime battle. The Grizz are doing better now than they have in years, and might even secure a post-season berth. Two nights later at FedEx Forum, near historic Beale Street, our beloved University of Memphis Tigers utterly dominated the visiting Southern Methodist University Mustangs. The coach of the Tigers is a young man named Josh Pastner, who may be the least miserable person alive.

This past Saturday, I saw a ballet at the Jeniam Center, our new, $15 million performing arts complex in the heart of our midtown arts district. This facility, modeled after Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theatre, was financed completely by private gifts and contributions.

In a few weeks, we’re going to break ground on the Salvation Army Kroc Center, a 100,000 square foot worship, arts, education, and recreation center a few blocks away. We’re one of only 25 cities in the United States that will build a Kroc Center, which required our community to raise $25 million in private funds. Memphis is routinely cited as one of the most charitable cities in the United States.

My point is not about a hospital or a housing complex. It’s not about a basketball team or a ballet. It’s about our people. As their mayor, I simply cannot allow to pass without comment some of the things you have published about our city.

Your magazine mentioned “unemployment, taxes (both sales and income), commute times, violent crime and how its pro sports teams have fared… weather and Superfund pollution sites… [and] corruption based on convictions of public officials,” as the factors for inclusion on your recent list of America’s most miserable cities.

By your own criteria, there are far more cities on your list that have far higher unemployment and far longer commute times than Memphis. Most of them lack professional sports altogether. Violent crime in Memphis is declining steadily. There is a new era of transparency and ethical behavior in City Hall, due to a couple of executive orders that I drafted and signed when I took office last October. The sun shines here 230 days a year.

Memphis is not a miserable city, not by any definition, not by any metric.

Memphis is a city of joy. You can hear it coming up from our high school gymnasiums and football fields every Friday evening. You can hear it rocking on Beale Street late every Saturday night. You can hear it in our churches every Sunday morning.

Memphis is a city of innovation. The accomplishments of our past are outshone only by the brilliance of what’s happening right now in our arts and business sectors. I’m sure at some point in your life you’ve enjoyed the music of Otis Redding or Al Green or B.B. King or Johnny Cash. Those artists and countless other achieved lasting, worldwide fame after getting started in Memphis. Brands like FedEx and AutoZone were born here and keep their world headquarters here; companies like International Paper and ServiceMaster have both relocated here in the past five years.

Memphis is a city of resilience. Floods, fire, pestilence, and poverty may have tested us, but they have never broken us. We are a city built on a bluff, positioned to withstand storms that other cities cannot. If the rates of unemployment, high school drop outs, and crime are to be our new battlegrounds, then we will join those fights, and we will prevail. For all of the problems you might show me, I can point to a legion of government agencies, non-profit organizations, churches, volunteer groups, and grassroots activists working together as one Memphis to find the solutions.

Maybe it’s something in our water. Maybe it’s something in our soil. I think it’s something in our souls that makes us Memphians. We know who we are – and miserable is not part of the definition.

We know too that our city’s song is not complete. It is being written every day, and it is sung by a chorus of hopeful, energetic voices that will resonate for generations.

Memphis is actually not my hometown. I was born and raised in a small town, about 240 miles east of Memphis. My wife and I made a deliberate choice to put our roots down here, make our careers here, and raise our children here about 40 years ago. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Memphis, but please accept this letter as my formal invitation to come visit us at your earliest convenience.

You’ll have the time of your life, I promise you.

Best wishes,

A C Wharton, Jr.

"Little" Cafe Eclectic in Harbor Town

Just a quick note to let you know that a little Cafe Eclectic is now open in Harbor Town! This one is the "little" one because their original and much larger store is in midtown at McLean and Faxon. They serve Illy coffee, a wide variety of teas, sandwiches and fresh baked goods including pastries, cupcakes, doughnuts and breads.

Downtown Tidbits and the River City Brewers Festival

Spindini at 383 South Main is now serving Sunday Brunch. They have a buffet table that offers Potato and Lobster Hash, Roasted Garlic Egg Strata and Creamy Polenta with Smoked Mozzarella as well as a la carte selections.

Delphinium Boutique at 107 G.E. Patterson now carries fresh cut flowers. Very handy, especially during the Farmers Market off season. Be aware that they only sell them by the stem, there are no vases and they do not offer delivery. Though the shop owner wraps them up nicely in butcher paper and raffia straw.

This month's South Main Trolley Tour is tonight.

Showcasing more than 75 different craft beers, the upcoming River City Brewers Festival is touting itself as THE premier celebration of craft beer. Admission includes samples from the best local, regional, national, and import breweries in the world. You can even taste beer that's not typically available in the Memphis Market. All in a souvenir mug sponsored by River City Brewers Festival.

Brew Fest Details
Date: Saturday March 13, 2010
Time: SESSION A: 12N – 4PM, SESSION B: 6PM – 10PM
Location: Handy Park Beale Street
Benefiting St. Jude Children's Hospital

If you have any downtown/neighborhood information or news to share, email it to poppysit@aol.com and we will post.

City Market on the Horizon; Petition to Eradicate Panhandling

According to an article in the Memphis Daily News, a small grocery is coming to our neighborhood! City Market Grocery & Deli is negotiating a lease for the 2,880 square foot ground floor commercial space in Radio Center Flats at Union and Main. The store design goes before the CCC review board in April. Read the article here:
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=47948

Downtown needs your support of two ordinances that will go a long way in preventing aggressive panhandling and drunken, disorderly street behavior. The ordinances will:
Ban the sale of single beers within the Downtown Core.
Restrict panhandling to selected designated sites.

How Can You Support These Ordinances? Contact your city council representative. City council members listen to their constituents. Send a letter, an email or call your city council member to voice your support of these ordinance. Click here to contact your representative!

Attend upcoming council meetings. The ordinances will be introduced to city council committee on Tuesday, February 23. It is anticipated that the ordinances will then go before full council for three readings. The final meeting on March 30 is the most important meeting for your attendance. Meeting times will be posted on the Center City Commission website when available.

Please visit the Center City Commission website at http://www.downtownmemphis.com/legislation.asp to read about the ordinances and sign the petition if you support of these measures.

If you have any downtown or neighborhood information or news you'd like to share, please email it to poppysit@aol.com and we will post it here.