Explore the controversy of the new mixed-use property development proposal in the Pinch District

Various local outlets are abuzz with news on the latest development proposal for downtown Memphis' Pinch District. Once a bustling entertainment center, the Pinch District started drying up when the Pyramid was closed following the opening of the FedEx Forum in 2004, which moved all major sporting events and shows closer to Beale Street. Since the Pyramid was repurposed as a Bass Pro Shops megastore in 2015, the Pinch District has been slowly coming back to life. Today, the area is being considered an investment hotspot. One of the newest proposals, though, is getting some serious criticism from residents.

What's the plan?

According to the Memphis Business Journal, a minority-led investment group, Blues Note LLC, has $50 million-dollar plans for the property at 463 N. Front St. Their proposal is to build a mixed-use space, which they'll name the Blue Note Hotel. While the property will have 100 guest rooms, it will be much more than a typical hotel. Corey Davis with the MBJ explains:

"The Blues Note Hotel, aimed at being an independently owned and operated entertainment and destination property, proposes an array of amenities, including:

• 100 guest rooms
• 40 condos with floor-to-ceiling glass and patios
• Retail and office space
• Steakhouse restaurant
• Coffee shop
• Lobby bar and live music stage
• Conference and meeting space, with a ballroom
• Custom soundproof music studio
• Spa and salon
• Workout facility
• Rooftop guitar shape hotel pool with stage and lounge
• Private condo pool with lounge
• Custom trolley station
• Parking garage with valet"

Frankly, all of these things sound amazing. The Pinch District needs new life, and this proposal offers a lot of opportunities for the area, including jobs, residences, and tourist revenue. Putting something like this up in that area makes sense because, in theory, it will stimulate the surrounding businesses by bringing in more traffic. The location is within walking distance of the Pyramid, which is its own tourist destination, as well as the heart of the area. The Pinch District is like another little downtown north of Memphis' bigger downtown, cut off by the I-40 overpasses, so something like this can help the Pinch become more self-sufficient.

So what's the problem?

Despite the fact there's not even a timeline established for this project and Blue Note LLC is still in planning talks with the city, residents are already complaining. Even though this property hopes to employ about 100 people and promises to offer higher-than-average wages, locals can't seem to move past the development's aesthetic.

Blues Note Hotel RenderingPhoto courtesy of KLR Architects (2021)

From the outside looking in, this might seem like a silly thing to get hung up on. When you look at this design out of context from the surrounding area, it looks just fine. It's modern, funky, and innovative. The Blue Note LLC wants to make The Blue Note Hotel a national chain, and this design could serve well in various cities around the nation with little reconfiguring needed.

But for Memphians who remember the area, love what it represents, and who are invested in preserving the unique cultural spice that is "Memphis," this design isn't cutting it. Across neighborhood forums like Nextdoor, the design is being called "garbage" and "contrived," and some people say that just "slapping some guitars on it doesn't cut it when you have an area with culture as rich as Memphis."

Is there a happy medium?

As a longtime resident of Memphis, I remember the Pinch District when it was alive and thriving. On the one hand, it can be argued that anything to revitalize that area should be welcomed, as there is much to gain from redeveloping this part of town on many levels. I'm especially excited to see that it's being taken on by a minority-owned property group, as the city lacks that kind of large investment involvement.

On the other hand, though, it's easy to see where locals want to maintain Memphis' cultural authenticity by fighting against designs that don't seem to "fit in" to the proposed spaces alongside the city's history and the current establishments nearby. If the goal is to bring tourists and new residents to the area while remaining welcoming to future development opportunities, a compromise will have to be made.

At the end of the day, Memphians are proud of their roots and will look to protect the city's beauty, history, and culture, and developers would do well to be mindful of this.

Follow me to see more articles like this.

...

Follow

This is original content from NewsBreak’s Creator Program. Join today to publish and share your own content.