IN THE NEWS
 AT MEMPHIS HERITAGE

Endangered Buildings to Find New Life

Recently in the news are several historical buildings who are slated for restoration and adaptive reuse -- once again contributing to the city's economic prosperity.  The old Tennessee Brewery (circa 1890) will be resurrected as "Artbrew", a multi-use arts facility.  Uptown Square, which transforms the former Lauderdale Courts public housing project to a viable downtown apartment community.   The Lawrence Building (1894) at 60-62  S. Main will be converted to high-end condominiums.  The historic Kress Building (1927) at 9 N. Main will find new life as part of the Springhill Suites.  Flanking Court Square, the original Lowensteins Department Store (later the Rhodes Jennings), Court Annex and Lincoln American Tower buildings are well on their way to new roles as apartments, offices, and retail space to be known as Court Square Center.  The W.T.Grant Building at 113 S. Main on the northwest corner of  Main and Gayoso will be converted to loft apartments with commercial space on the ground floor.

Historic Tennessee Brewing Company To Serve Up ArtBrew
Compiled by Snowy Katz

When past and present meet for a revival of one of the richest historic landmarks in Memphis, the community can expect something special. While the smell of hops and yeast no longer emanate from the Tennessee Brewery Company (circa 1890) on Tennessee Street, plans for the imposing and majestic building to serve up Artbrew are in the planning. The past will give way to the future when the remaining buildings of the Tennessee Brewing Company are considered for the home to the ArtBrew initiative.

ArtBrew's mission is to develop and foster a sustainable community of creators, with the historic Tennessee Brewing Company serving as an anchor for this project. The ArtBrew initiative includes affordable live/work space, art education and outreach (artreach) programs for the region, performance and exhibition space, and “arts-friendly” commercial spaces.

ArtBrew is a diverse group of young Memphis innovators who are committed to establishing a creative nucleus for the arts and a manifold resource for the community. Their vision centers around the development of a sustainable nonprofit multidisciplinary arts facility that will fuse together creators from various backgrounds and trades to generate cultural, educational, and economic prosperity.

According to ArtBrew’s marketing material, the mission of Artspace is to create and manage space where artists can live, work, exhibit, perform, and conduct business. We pursue this mission through development projects, asset management activities, consulting services, and community-building activities that serve artists and arts organizations from a variety of economic circumstances. By creating this space, Artspace supports the continued professional growth of artists and enhances the cultural and economic vitality of the surrounding community.

Each year, Artspace Projects receive nearly one hundred proposals from cities and small towns throughout the nation. Of these, only about five are chosen to become full-scale Artspace developments. Typically the bulk of the funding for Artspace projects comes from federal resources, leaving only a small percentage to be gathered from the local community. Artspace takes pride in the fact that they have never had to return to a community for additional funds once an Artspace project is completed and is fully operational.

Artspace's experience in facilitating space development for artists has led them to the following conclusions:

•  Aesthetically pleasing spaces create a safe working environment that helps artists grow  professionally and achieve financial stability.
•  Artists' live/work projects help increase pedestrian traffic in urban areas, providing streetscapes with a renewed and lively character. This development in turn helps generate other cultural activity and creates a general increase in visitors to  the area.

Every Artspace project to date has transformed an unused or underutilized historic building into a fully functioning facility. While historic preservation is not our primary mission, we regard it as a highly beneficial by-product of what we do, one that allows communities to preserve their architectural heritage rather than to bulldoze it in the name of progress.

The community will be enriched by the efforts of Artbrew to merge the creative energy of the future with the history of the past while advancing the goal of historic preservation.

For further inquiries please contact ArtBrew via email at: artbrewmemphis@yahoo.com.

Uptown Square to Lease Soon

Thanks to early efforts of Memphis Heritage, Elvis Fans and the Memphis Landmarks Commission, the former Lauderdale Courts public housing project will be transformed to a viable Downtown apartment community called Uptown Square. The former teenage home of Elvis was slated for demolition, but because of people like you this historic landmark has been saved. 

Designed by the top Memphis architects of the day, Uptown Square is being renovated in three phases.  All phases are scheduled for completion in 2004, with the first phase ready in January.

One to three bedroom floor plans will be available in a variety of flats, lofts, studios and townhouse designs. Majestic oak and magnolia trees still grace the site. Appliances in every unit and a pool and fitness center bring Uptown Square into the new millennium for savvy downtown dwellers.  Careful work and renovation design by Looney Ricks Kiss to the original communal plans assures the continuance of character.

Over $35 million dollars for renovation were directed toward this portion of the Uptown Memphis development plan. Already listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Uptown Square promises to be an ideal place to live downtown.


Lawrence Building

Built in 1898, the Lawrence building at 60 and 62 S. Main Street will be converted to about 40 condo units ranging from roughly 900 to 1,200 square feet; some will have a river view.  Underground parking will be available. Professionals working out of a "home-office" may opt for the ground floor units which will be designed to accommodate these workers. 



The Kress Building

Closed since 1994, this building is easily recognizable by its colorful and decorative terra-cotta facade.  Kress opened the first in what was to become a nationwide chain of five-and-dime stores in Memphis in 1896 and moved to the Main Street location in 1927.   Conscious of the historical significance of the building, the new owners plan to restore the structure in accordance within historical guidelines as they adapt it for reuse as a suite hotel, Spring Hill Suites by Marriott. 





The Lowensteins Department Store-Rhodes Jennings/Lincoln American/Court Annex
On the National Register of Historic Places, the Lowensteins Department Store, later occupied by Rhodes Jennings, the Court Annex Building, and the Lincoln American Tower are being restored by a Prague-based organization (CGI) teamed with local partners.  After an extensive evaluation, the Center City Development Corporation approved CGI's plan for transforming the buildings into a residential complex complete with basement level parking, ground level retail and office space, and loft-style residences.

Stabilization of the buildings, which suffer from serious structural deterioration, collapsed roofs, and water damage, is in process. While the design calls for the existing structures to serve as the framework for new internal structures, the unique and historical building facades will be preserved.  More details
Tennessee Brewery, Lawrence Building, Kress Building, and
Lincoln American Tower/Court Annex/Rhodes-Jennings Complex
Photos by Fred Asbury