Shelby Farms Park is gearing up for the second annual Mempho Music Festival and another chance to showcase the country’s largest urban park to a diverse and wide-reaching audience.
Memphis’ newest music festival is expecting a crowd of 20,000 on Oct. 6 and 7, which is impressive for a park two years out from a $70 million renovation embarked upon in 2010 with a distant vision for such an event.
The master plan for the park was designed not only for people to recreate and relax, but as a place to build community, and a music festival can be a big part of that, said Jen Andrews, executive director of Shelby Farms Park. Andrews has always had a larger vision for the park as a place where the community could come together and take ownership and pride in the best that Memphis has to offer.
Enter another visionary, native Memphian Diego Winegardner, founder of Mempho Fest and CEO of Big River Presents, which is putting on the festival. Winegardner grew up in Memphis and now lives outside of New York City where his day job is in finance and investment management. A couple of years ago on a trip home to Memphis he met some old friends for a bike ride at Shelby Farms Park.
“I was completely blown away,” Winegardner said. “The sun was setting on Hyde Lake, and I had this lightning-bolt moment of how special it would be to bring a world-class music festival to this site.
I thought about Memphis’ place in the annals of American music as the birthplace of blues, soul and R&B and the hip hop scene that we have here.
“If you think about the labels … Sun, Stax, Royal…I was exposed to all of that growing up, and seeing B.B. King on Beale Street was just normal,” he said. “I didn’t appreciate it until I was gone. I started to get really nostalgic about my hometown.”
Winegardner is a music enthusiast who has been to most of the notable music festivals in the U.S. and many around the world. He had the resources and connections to realize his dream. Last year, the first Mempho Fest kicked off with great success with 10,000 in attendance for two days of concerts featuring a variety of bands from different music genres.
“I’ve always been a big fan of (Memphis) and its people and a big defender of the city and its history,” Winegardner said. “This music festival was born out of my passion for music and my passion for the city of Memphis.”
When Winegardner first met with Andrews two years ago to pitch his idea, she caught his vision right away.
He approached it cautiously and wanted to understand how to protect the park and still give people a good experience, she said. “We like working with Diego,” she said. “They care about the park, and like us, have a big, bold vision, and they hired a professional team who knew how to put on a safe and fun event.”
This year’s festival will feature two days of multi-genre music headlined by Grammy Award-winning artist and hip-hop superstar Post Malone as well as Beck, Phoenix, NAS and Janelle Monae. Local talent like Lucero and alternative Mac deMarco also will perform, and there will be a special tribute to Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios featuring the label’s past and present stars.
Sunday will feature performances by crowd favorites like George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic and Stones Throw, Chuck Laevell’s Rolling Stones’ backer band.
The festival will not only expand in attendance, but will add a larger culinary and craft beer presence in addition to on-site camping and VIP and super-VIP experiences.
“We’re trying to create more than just music on a stage,” said Winegardner, who also created a nonprofit arm called Mempho Matters that will partner with organizations that line-up with the vision of the festival, such as Oceanic Global Foundation, #BringYourSoul, Learn to Rock and the Memphis Area Women’s Council’s “Memphis Says NO MORE” campaign.
As part of Mempho’s partnership with the Oceanic Global Foundation, the festival has a 100 percent waste-free goal, which will start with its no straw policy.
“A best practice environmental policy is important to help make sure the park is as pristine when we leave as when we showed up,” said Winegardner.
The partnership promoting the Memphis Area Women’s Council’s “NO MORE” campaign is to make sure that Mempho Fest’s female attendees feel safe. Winegardner, who has a teenage daughter, knows stories about the lack of safety for females at other events, prompting him to take up the cause.
“In this day and age, you really have to take a stand and make it an institutional part of our way of doing things,” he said.
Money raised through Mempho Matters will also benefit the Memphis community through contributions to musical education in the form of free tickets for students and teachers to attend the festival as well as instruments and money for music education in local schools.
Last year, Mempho Matters gave away 2,000 tickets to students and teachers.
“We want to build bridges into the community and be as inclusive as possible,” Winegardner said. “We want to educate the children and the youth of tomorrow about the history of Memphis musically and create a sense of pride for its citizens while also attracting new people and adding another chapter to Memphis’ long, rich history.”
Andrews is optimistic about the growth of Mempho Fest this year, projecting double the attendance in its second year as well as adding 400 weekend camping permits. Those include primitive camping, RV hookups and glamping.
“The camping option is an important part of festival culture, and one of the great benefits of the park is its tremendous scale, which can accommodate that,” Andrews said.
But the plan is to grow Mempho Fest slowly, she said.
“We learned a lot the first year, and we’re applying the learning to this year’s festival,” she said. “We have a strong plan for safely managing the crowd. We want this to be a world-class festival.”
Big River Productions and Winegardner have an undisclosed agreement with Shelby Farms Park, and both entities hope to continue the relationship.
“I’m hoping that Mempho Fest will become a long-term asset for the city of Memphis,” Winegardner said.
Music remains a big driver of visitors to Memphis — 56 percent of leisure visitors come to the city for something related to music, said Kevin Kane, president and CEO of Memphis Tourism, formerly called the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’re supporters of (Mempho Fest),” he said. “We believe in it and want to see it grow. Music festivals have a big impact on the economy. The more events we have based in music the better, and we think it’s great to utilize Shelby Farms in this way.”

2. Five Below Store Coming to Bartlett Towne Center - Thursday, September 13, 2018

A store that’s hot in the market for selling “hot,’’ trendy products for $5 or less to teens and tweens is coming to Bartlett.

Five Below has signed a lease for 8,680 square feet in Bartlett Towne Center at the southeast corner of Stage and Bartlett Boulevard, according to the Memphis office of The Shopping Center Group.

3. EDGE Calls Special Meeting for Southbrook Mall Money - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

The use of county funds to help revitalize the blighted Southbrook Mall property will bring members of the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) together Thursday, Sept. 6, for a special called meeting.

4. Fogelman Completes $67 Million in Acquisitions - Saturday, August 18, 2018

In a joint venture partnership with Dallas-based Thackeray Partners, Memphis-based Fogelman Properties completed $67 million in acquisitions this month with the purchase of Legends at Charleston Park (in Charleston, South Carolina) and Westridge (in Jacksonville, Florida).

5. Why Local One Commerce Square Owners Are Selling to Out-of-State Investors - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

After successfully renovating the 29-story iBank Tower in Downtown Memphis, the work is done for a group of prominent Memphis investors as they prepare to sell the office building to a new owner with deeper pockets.

6. Fogelman Completes $67M in Acquisitions - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

In a joint venture partnership with Dallas-based Thackeray Partners, Memphis-based Fogelman Properties completed $67 million in acquisitions this month with the purchase of Legends at Charleston Park (in Charleston, South Carolina) and Westridge (in Jacksonville, Florida).

7. Commercial Appeal, Amazon Eying New Locations - Monday, August 6, 2018

262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105

Permit Amount: $412 million

Project Cost: $330 million

8. Vacancy at Okhissa Lake: Group Hopes to Buy Land From Feds - Monday, July 30, 2018

BUDE, Miss. (AP) — He put in around noon on a Friday.

Nearby, the women sprayed sunscreen and hung floaties on the children, and the boys threw rocks into the duckweed. Onboard, they had grocery bags, a propane grill and not one fishing pole.

9. City Council Delays Sale Of Lamar Fire Station - Saturday, July 28, 2018

The Memphis City Council delayed a vote Tuesday, July 24, on the sale of a city fire station at the intersection of Lamar Avenue, Kimball and Pendleton for $307,000 to a developer who wants to build a convenience store-gas station at the site.

10. City Council Holds Off on Sale of Lamar Fire Station - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Memphis City Council delayed a vote Tuesday, July 24, on the sale of a city fire station at the intersection of Lamar Avenue, Kimball and Pendleton for $307,000 to a developer who wants to build a convenience store-gas station at the site.

11. De-Annexation Plan Encounters Council Resistance - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The Strickland administration’s proposal to de-annex two more parts of the city – Southwind-Windyke and Rocky Point – got bad reviews Tuesday, July 24, in city council committee sessions on their way to the first of three council votes in August.

12. Council Gets First Look at Sanitation Overhaul - Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Memphis City Council members offer their first thoughts Tuesday, July 23, on the reconfiguration of city sanitation services outlined last week by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.

13. Heat Wave - Saturday, July 14, 2018

After what was a banner year in many ways for Memphis commercial real estate in 2017, projections for this year were bullish. But at the halfway point of 2018, have expectations in the area risen with the temperatures or have they begun to dry out under the sweltering summer heat? 

14. 100 North Main - Saturday, June 2, 2018

The city’s tallest building, the 37-story 100 North Main Building – may or may not become the city’s second convention center hotel. But the skyscraper that has been vacant for four years and counting is the centerpiece of a 3-acre planned commercial complex anchored by a 600-room hotel, no matter where it winds up in the footprint. The complex, as much as the hotel, promises to change more than the city’s convention business.

15. Merging Past, Present - Wednesday, May 30, 2018

The Medical Arts Building at the corner of Madison Avenue and Fourth Street in Downtown Memphis, much like its hometown, has seen its share of ups and downs for nearly a century.

But as the city continues to reinvent itself, Walk-Off Properties, the building’s current owner, is also in the process of reimaging the iconic property.

16. Blockchain Tech ‘is the Shiny New Penny’ - Monday, May 28, 2018

During the General Assembly session that just ended legislators debated a number of hot-button issues: guns, abortion, Confederate statues and medical marijuana.

But tucked among the headline-grabbers was a brief bill, less than 300 words long, that attracted no controversy whatsoever.

17. Gibson Building Owners to Partner with Orgel Family - Monday, April 30, 2018

The new owners of the Gibson Guitar Factory building in Downtown Memphis have partnered with a prominent local family to bring the prime parcel of land back to life. 

On Monday, April 30, New York-based real estate investment firm Somera Road Inc., which purchased the 150,000-plus-square-foot building and showroom located at 145 Lt. George W. Lee Ave. for $14.4 million in January, announced it would be partnering with Billy and Benjamin Orgel’s Orgel Family LP to redevelop the guitar factory.

18. Rebranded Shoemaker Insurance Expands - Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Shoemaker Financial president and CEO Jim Shoemaker isn’t sure there is ever a perfect time for expansion and rebranding, but with the economy strong and his company well positioned for a transition of leadership, he could not hold off growing Shoemaker’s insurance line any longer.

19. Capital Financial Group Completes Move to Tower - Saturday, March 17, 2018

Capital Financial Group has moved into the 23rd floor at Clark Tower, where it is now operating from its Memphis headquarters in 14,486 square feet.

Jerry Corless, president of Capital Financial Group, said recent improvements to the high-rise were critical factors in making the move, first reported by The Daily News last year.

20. Capital Financial Group Completes Move to Tower - Thursday, March 15, 2018

Capital Financial Group has moved into the 23rd floor at Clark Tower, where it is now operating from its Memphis headquarters in 14,486 square feet.

Jerry Corless, president of Capital Financial Group, said recent improvements to the high-rise were critical factors in making the move, first reported by The Daily News last year.

21. Trust Funds 101 - Friday, March 2, 2018

Ray’s Take: Most people have heard the expression, “He/she is a trust fund baby.” But what does that mean exactly?

Most people do not understand the basics of a trust and think they are only applicable to children or heirs of high-wealth individuals and businesses. While many times this is true, there are certain situations when a trust might serve as an integral part of your overall planning.

22. Ford Outlines Budget Process As Memphis’ New CFO - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Shirley Ford has been named chief financial officer for the city of Memphis. Ford, who was selected to be CFO by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and confirmed by the City Council, has served as the city’s comptroller since 2014. She has more than 30 years of financial, accounting and managerial experience. In addition, she is a certified public accountant and a certified municipal finance officer as designated by the state comptroller.

23. Democrats Look to Cooperate on Key Issues - Thursday, December 28, 2017

With the state’s budget projected to be tight and lawmakers lining up to run for re-election in 2018, the coming legislative session isn’t expected to yield many surprises.

But the 110th General Assembly still has a long row to hoe as the session starts Jan. 9 with new legislative offices and committee rooms in the renovated Cordell Hull Building in downtown Nashville.

24. Possible Trader Joe’s Update, New $35M Airport Facility - Monday, December 18, 2017

In this week’s Real Estate Recap, a new development in the saga of Germantown’s Trader Joe’s, Memphis International Airport begins work on a new $35 million facility, and Central BBQ announces a new a location...

25. Lenox Park Buildings Sell for $5.3 Million - Monday, November 27, 2017

This week's Real Estate Recap features the sale of two Class A office buildings totaling more than 200,000 square feet; a residential development being planned near a proposed new elementary school in Germantown; and more.

26. Iconic E. Memphis Office Building Sells for $19.7M - Monday, November 6, 2017

Nashville-based Magnolia Capital Investments has purchased the Trustmark Centre located at 5350 Poplar Ave. from Israeli investors, Faropoint Ventures. Faropoint intends to reinvest proceeds from the sale to buy other Memphis properties.

27. Trustmark Centre Sells for Nearly $20M - Thursday, November 2, 2017

An iconic East Memphis office building has switched hands for $19.7 million.

Nashville-based Magnolia Capital Investments has purchased the Trustmark Centre located at 5350 Poplar Ave. from Israeli investment group Faropoint Investments.

28. Trustmark Centre Sells for Nearly $20M - Wednesday, November 1, 2017

An iconic East Memphis office building has switched hands for $19.7 million.

In the deal, Nashville-based Magnolia Capital Investments purchased the Trustmark Centre located at 5350 Poplar Ave. from Israeli investors, Farpoint Investments.

29. Construction Continues On Hickman Building - Saturday, October 28, 2017

Walk Off Properties, the new owners of the historic Hickman Building at 240 Madison Ave. in Downtown Memphis, are continuing their renovation of the property.

30. Construction Continues On Hickman Building - Thursday, October 26, 2017

Walk Off Properties, the new owners of the historic Hickman Building at 240 Madison Ave. in Downtown Memphis, are continuing their renovation of the property.

31. Fogelman Properties Adds Day As Senior VP of Investments - Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Matthew Day has joined Fogelman Properties as senior vice president of investments. Day comes to the Memphis-based multifamily real estate services company with 15 years of investment experience and will spearhead its investment platform across the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest regions.

32. Outdoors Retailer REI Plans First Memphis Store - Tuesday, October 10, 2017

In this week's Real Estate Recap, outdoors retailer REI eyes Ridgeway Trace for its first local store, Hilton Worldwide prepares to upgrade its Memphis campus, and several proposed Midtown projects seek financial incentives.

33. Outdoors Retailer REI Planning First Memphis Store - Monday, October 9, 2017

5895 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38119

Permit Amount: $900,000

Owner: Weingarten Realty

Tenant: REI

Details: Seattle, Washington-based sporting and camping goods retailer REI has filed a $900,000 building permit application for tenant improvement in the former Sports Authority building at 5895 Poplar Ave. in the Ridgeway Trace shopping center.

34. CBRE Chosen To Lease Southwind Office Center - Friday, October 6, 2017

Group RMC Corp., the new owners of Southwind Office Center, have tapped CBRE’s Ron Kastner and Patrick Reilly to handle leasing services for the recently acquired asset.

35. CBRE to Handle Leasing for Southwind Office Center - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Group RMC Corp., the new owners of Southwind Office Center, have tapped CBRE’s Ron Kastner and Patrick Reilly to handle leasing services for the recently acquired asset.

36. IDI Planning Huge Facility Near Airport - Friday, September 29, 2017

Atlanta-based developer IDI Gazeley appears to be planning a large-scale commercial warehouse less than two miles from the Memphis International Airport.

Located at 3292 Holmes Road, near the intersection of Holmes and Tchulahoma roads, IDI has already began moving dirt on the 139-acre site to prepare for a new commercial warehouse facility. The property is currently being marketed by Scott Pahlow with the commercial real estate advisory firm Newmark Knight Frank.

37. Remaking Crosstown - Saturday, August 19, 2017

As he was leading tours through Crosstown Concourse this month, Todd Richardson took a small group to a set of windows for a balcony view of an addition being constructed on the north side of the property.

38. Bartlett Shopping Center Sells for Nearly $30M - Wednesday, July 19, 2017

An Atlanta-based real estate investment firm has made its first purchase in the Memphis market with the acquisition of a 198,103-square-foot shopping center in the heart of Bartlett.

The Bartlett Towne Centre, located at 6005 Stage Road, was acquired by Branch Properties LLC from Houston-based real estate investment trust Weingarten Realty for $28.8 million.

39. New York Firm Pays $23M for 3 Germantown Hotels - Thursday, May 4, 2017

7750 Wolf River Blvd., 9314 Poplar Pike and 9320 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN 38138 | Sale Amount: $23 million

Sale Date: April 28, 2017

40. $12 Million Permit Filed For Hickman Building - Thursday, March 2, 2017

240 Madison Ave.
Memphis, TN 38103

Permit Amount: $12 million

Project Cost: $16 million

Application Date: February 2016

41. $12 Million Permit Filed for Hickman Building - Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Montgomery Martin Contractors has filed a $12 million building permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to renovate the historic Hickman Building into a mixed-use development that will include the new headquarters of Memphis-based investment firm, SouthernSun Asset Management.

42. $12M Building Permit Pulled for Hickman Building - Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Montgomery Martin Contractors has filed a $12 million building permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to renovate the historic Hickman Building into a mixed-use development that will include the new headquarters of Memphis-based investment firm, SouthernSun Asset Management.

43. SouthernSun Converting Historic Downtown Building to New HQ - Saturday, February 25, 2017

SouthernSun Asset Management is preparing to convert part of a historic but long-vacant Downtown building into its new headquarters.

The $16 million project seeks to turn the nine-story Hickman Building, 240 Madison Ave., into a mixed-use project that houses the Memphis-based investment firm's headquarters as well as 40 apartments, 5,000 square feet of street-level retail and a connected parking structure.

44. SouthernSun Converting Historic Downtown Building to New HQ - Saturday, February 25, 2017

SouthernSun Asset Management is preparing to convert a historic but long-vacant Downtown building into its new headquarters.

The Memphis-based investment management firm plans to invest around $16 million to turn the nine-story Hickman Building, 240 Madison Ave., into a mixed-use project that houses its headquarters as well as 40 apartments, 5,000 square feet of street-level retail and a connected parking structure.

45. SouthernSun Converting Historic Downtown Building to New HQ - Saturday, February 25, 2017

SouthernSun Asset Management is preparing to convert a historic but long-vacant Downtown building into its new headquarters.

The Memphis-based investment management firm plans to invest around $16 million to turn the nine-story Hickman Building, 240 Madison Ave., into a mixed-use project that houses its headquarters as well as 40 apartments, 5,000 square feet of street-level retail and a connected parking structure.

46. SouthernSun Converting Historic Downtown Building to New HQ - Saturday, February 25, 2017

SouthernSun Asset Management is preparing to convert a historic but long-vacant Downtown building into its new headquarters.

The Memphis-based investment management firm plans to invest around $16 million to turn the nine-story Hickman Building, 240 Madison Ave., into a mixed-use project that houses its headquarters as well as 40 apartments, 5,000 square feet of street-level retail and a connected parking structure.

47. SouthernSun Converting Historic Downtown Building to New HQ - Saturday, February 25, 2017

SouthernSun Asset Management is preparing to convert a historic but long-vacant Downtown building into its new headquarters.

The Memphis-based investment management firm plans to invest around $16 million to turn the nine-story Hickman Building, 240 Madison Ave., into a mixed-use project that houses its headquarters as well as 40 apartments, 5,000 square feet of street-level retail and a connected parking structure.

48. Cities, Developers Reaping Rewards of Mixed-Use Shift - Saturday, February 25, 2017

Commercial real estate is shifting to mixed-use developments designed to create a sense of place for homeowners longing for the community of days gone by, and the trend is profiting many parties as commercial developers see stronger returns and cities undergo revitalization in their core.

49. MEI Survey: Strong Memphis Economy Ahead in ’17 - Tuesday, January 24, 2017

The Memphis-area economy across several key sectors – construction, real estate, retail spending, and others – is continuing to improve.

That’s according to the “Beige Book,” the Federal Reserve’s latest survey of economic conditions in the region that includes Memphis , which was released in recent days. It’s a report that each of the regional Fed districts publishes as a survey of their respective territories.

50. Nordstrom Rack Files $1.5M Permit for Memphis Store - Thursday, January 5, 2017

4572 Poplar Ave.

Memphis, TN 38117

Permit Amount: $1.5 million

Project Cost: $25.2 million

Application Date: December 2016

51. Germantown Park Offices Sell for Nearly $48 Million - Saturday, December 31, 2016

A large office park near the intersection of Germantown Parkway and Walnut Grove Road in Cordova has been sold for nearly $50 million.

New York-based DRA Advisors LLC, acting as DRA CRT Germantown Center LP, sold six parcels to Real Capital Solutions, acting as EAT-1615 LLC, for $47.8 million.

52. Germantown Park Offices Sell for Nearly $48 Million - Friday, December 30, 2016

A large office park near the intersection of Germantown Parkway and Walnut Grove Road in Cordova has been sold for nearly $48 million.

New York-based DRA Advisors LLC, acting as DRA CRT Germantown Center LP, sold six parcels to Real Capital Solutions, acting as EAT-1615 LLC, for $47.8 million.

53. Hickory Hill Apartments Sell for $28 Million - Saturday, December 24, 2016

A California-based real estate investment and advisory firm has purchased the 630-unit Trails at Mt. Moriah apartment complex for $28 million, or $44,444 per unit.

MDO Trails LLC, an affiliate of Newport Beach, California-based CORE Realty Holdings Management Inc., purchased the Class B multifamily property from NNN Mt. Moriah Apartments LLC and 39 related entities in a Dec. 13 warranty deed.

54. Hickory Hill Apartments Sell for $28 Million - Tuesday, December 20, 2016

A California-based real estate investment and advisory firm has purchased the 630-unit Trails at Mt. Moriah apartment complex for $28 million, or $44,444 per unit.

MDO Trails LLC, an affiliate of Newport Beach, California-based CORE Realty Holdings Management Inc., purchased the Class B multifamily property from NNN Mt. Moriah Apartments LLC and 39 related entities in a Dec. 13 warranty deed.

55. Trustmark Centre Building Sells for $14.5 Million - Saturday, October 22, 2016

An office building at 5350 Poplar Ave. in the prime East Memphis office submarket has been sold.

The Trustmark Centre building, located between Valleybrook and West Suggs Drive, was purchased by Tennessee and New York investment companies doing business as 5350 Poplar Office Center LLC for $14.47 million.

56. Trustmark Centre Building Sells for $14.5 Million - Friday, October 21, 2016

An office building at 5350 Poplar Ave. in the prime East Memphis office submarket has been sold.

The Trustmark Centre building, located between Valleybrook and West Suggs Drive, was purchased by Tennessee and New York investment companies doing business as 5350 Poplar Office Center LLC for $14.47 million.

57. Trustmark Centre Building Sells for $14.5 Million - Thursday, October 20, 2016

An office building at 5350 Poplar Ave. in the prime East Memphis office submarket has been sold.

The Trustmark Centre building, located between Valleybrook and West Suggs Drive, was purchased by Tennessee and New York investment companies doing business as 5350 Poplar Office Center LLC for $14.47 million.

58. Skilled Nursing Facility In Bartlett Sells for $13 Million - Thursday, October 6, 2016

1150 Dovecrest Road

Bartlett, TN 38134

Sale Amount: $13 million

Sale Date: Sept. 30, 2016

59. OB-GYN Shweta Patel Joins Adams Patterson Gynecology - Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Dr. Shweta Patel has joined Adams Patterson Gynecology & Obstetrics as a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist. Patel, who’s a lieutenant commander of the Medical Corps of the United States Navy, comes to Adams Patterson after serving as a naval medical officer and sexual assault response liaison at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

60. Nordstrom Rack-Anchored Center Gets $15.5M Construction - Thursday, June 2, 2016

4572 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38117

Permit Amount: $10.5 million

Project Cost: $15.5 million

Completion: Fall 2017

61. Collierville Shopping Center Sells for $3.5 Million - Saturday, May 28, 2016

2140-2150 Poplar Avenue Holdings LLC, a company of Maryland-based CW Capital Asset Management LLC, sold a Collierville shopping center in a May 20 warranty deed to PHC Country Club Collections LLC for $3.5 million.

62. Collierville Shopping Center Sold For $3.5 Million - Friday, May 27, 2016

2140-2150 Poplar Avenue Holdings LLC, a company of Maryland-based CW Capital Asset Management LLC, sold a Collierville shopping center in a May 20 warranty deed to PHC Country Club Collections LLC for $3.5 million.

63. Finding a Compromise on the Greensward Issue - Wednesday, April 20, 2016

The current debate over the Memphis Zoo’s use of the Greensward for overflow parking is more complex than most realize. Opponents of this usage try to paint a very compelling picture of the Zoo as a massive, profit-driven enterprise which came into Overton Park like an invasive species and has recklessly expanded, gobbling up park land and taking it away from the citizens.

64. Lawsuit Seeks to Void City Decision on Greensward - Tuesday, April 5, 2016

A lawsuit filed in Shelby County Chancery Court Tuesday, April 5, seeks to void the March 1 Memphis City Council vote that gave the Memphis Zoo undisputed control of most of the Overton Park Greensward.

65. Holiday Inn Express Ready To Rise Near Graceland - Tuesday, December 15, 2015

3411 Elvis Presley Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38116

Loan Amount: $4.8 million

66. Competition for Jones Lang Lasalle in Tennessee - Thursday, December 3, 2015

Amid debate about privatization within state government, legislators are glad to see Tennessee seeking competition in its building leasing program.

“To me, when you’ve got competition, you’ve got people who may do something for next to nothing just to get their foot in the door,” says state Rep. Mike Sparks, who raised questions about the state’s leasing program and contract with Jones Lang Lasalle, which started charging commissions when it got involved in 2012.

67. Tennessee’s Landlords Find Hidden Costs of Privatization - Thursday, November 12, 2015

Murfreesboro businessman Tom Hyde felt the sting of Tennessee’s privatization practices two years ago when a representative of Jones Lang Lasalle notified him he would have to pay the company a commission as part of his next lease agreement.

68. New Owner to Revive Long-Vacant Downtown Block - Tuesday, November 3, 2015

A group of private investors – led by Memphis businessman Michael Cook – is looking to turn a blighted Downtown block into a mixed-use development with covered parking.

Walk-Off Properties LLC bought the nine-story Hickman Building and its accompanying two-story parking garage on Sept. 30 for $1 million. The building, at 240 Madison Ave., sits across from the Fogelman Downtown YMCA.

69. Multifamily Investments Hold Steady in 2015 - Saturday, October 31, 2015

The numbers continue at a relatively steady pace, but signals are there that the multifamily market in Shelby County is on its way to pre-recession levels.

Year to date, there have been 105 multifamily sales in Shelby County, according to Chandler Reports, chandlerreports.com. That’s less than the 115 sales through Oct. 21, 2014, but well above the 87 sales over the same period in 2013.

70. Single-Family Home Rentals Strong in Memphis - Friday, September 4, 2015

When New York-based Cerberus Capital Management closed Aug. 31 on its $440 million acquisition of 4,200 rental homes in five states – including 1,032 in Shelby County – it demonstrated a trend in local real estate.

71. Is State’s Role to Provide a Service or Turn a Profit? - Thursday, September 3, 2015

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam appears to be on the brink of privatizing state government. But he won’t be able to do it without a battle, especially from university unions and Democratic lawmakers.

72. Memphis College of Art Set to Exit Downtown Memphis - Wednesday, August 26, 2015

The Memphis College of Art appears set to move its graduate programs away from Downtown and back to its Overton Park campus.

The college’s graduate art education and master’s programs are currently housed in the Nesin Graduate School at 477 S. Main St. College president Ron Jones said that as a result of a “large-scale institutional review” over the past year that included the graduate programs, the college became convinced the graduate student experience would “vastly improve” by shifting things back to the main campus.

73. Ballet Memphis Closes On French Quarter Suites Purchase - Tuesday, August 18, 2015

2144 Madison Ave.
Memphis, TN 38104

Sale Amount: $4.2 million

Sale Date: Aug. 6, 2015

74. Onyx Equities Expands Operations to Memphis - Saturday, August 15, 2015

A New Jersey-based real estate investment, management and development firm has added a Memphis office to accommodate its growing management portfolio of real estate owned (REO) and receivership properties.

75. Memphis Search Marketing Firm Nabs Spot on Inc. 500 - Saturday, August 15, 2015

Search marketing firm HigherVisibility LLC was the highest-ranked Memphis company on the annual Inc. 5000 list, which ranks the nation’s fastest growing companies.

76. Loeb Properties Buys Shops of Chickasaw Gardens - Saturday, August 15, 2015

Loeb Properties has purchased the three commercial real estate parcels that compose the Shops of Chickasaw Gardens along Poplar Avenue for $3 million.

Memphis-based Loeb, working as Loeb Bros. Realty LP, bought the property from 3181 Poplar Avenue Holdings LLC, an affiliate of CWCapital Asset Management LLC, according to an Aug. 5 special warranty deed.

77. Onyx Equities Expands Operations to Memphis - Thursday, August 13, 2015

A New Jersey-based real estate investment, management and development firm has added a Memphis office to accommodate its growing management portfolio of real estate owned (REO) and receivership properties.

78. Memphis Firm HigherVisibility Nabs Spot on Inc. 5000 - Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Search marketing firm HigherVisibility LLC was the highest-ranked Memphis company on the annual Inc. 5000 list, which ranks the nation’s fastest growing companies.

79. Loeb Properties Buys Shops of Chickasaw Gardens - Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Loeb Properties has purchased the three commercial real estate parcels that compose the Shops of Chickasaw Gardens along Poplar Avenue for $3 million.

Memphis-based Loeb, working as Loeb Bros. Realty LP, bought the property from 3181 Poplar Avenue Holdings LLC, an affiliate of CWCapital Asset Management LLC, according to an Aug. 5 special warranty deed.

80. Vertical Living in Crosstown - Tuesday, July 14, 2015

The 1.1 million-square-foot Sears & Roebuck regional distribution center, which has laid abandoned in the Crosstown neighborhood for more than 10 years, is getting a new lease on life as the highly-anticipated Crosstown Concourse project.

81. Simmons Joins Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors - Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Mary Leesa Simmons has joined Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors as vice president – senior asset manager. In her new role, Simmons provides all aspects of property management duties for the firm’s clients.
This includes financial administration, budgeting, reporting, lease administration, contract administration, tenant, client and vendor administration, capital improvements and property inspections.

82. Sutton Joins Dixon Hughes Goodman - Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Giles Sutton recently joined Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP as a partner in the firm’s tax practice, where he will focus on issues pertaining to state and local tax.
Sutton, an established attorney and certified public accountant, brings more than 25 years of business tax experience, with a focus on state and local tax issues within the food and beverage, health care, transportation and energy industries.

83. Commercial Advisors Asset Services Sees Strong Growth - Saturday, February 28, 2015

Kemp Conrad joined the asset services team at Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors in 2007 after CB Richard Ellis acquired his former employer, Trammel Crow Co.

84. Comfy Camping - Friday, February 20, 2015

The way Andy Cates explains it, camping out hasn’t changed a lot in about half a century.

And while “roughing it” appeals to many of those in search of outdoors experiences, for others – sometimes in the same family – it doesn’t or it isn’t possible.

85. Crosstown Crossroads - Saturday, February 14, 2015

Richard Spore and his colleague at the Memphis office of the Bass Berry & Sims law firm have worked on several ambitious, game-changing projects like the transformation of Overton Square and Bass Pro Shops’ redevelopment of The Pyramid.

86. Crosstown Developers File $80.5 Million Loan - Saturday, January 10, 2015

The Crosstown development team has secured an $80.5 million loan on the property.

Crosstown Building Owner LLC filed the loan with SunTrust Bank, according to a Dec. 30 deed of trust. McLean Wilson, the Crosstown development team’s co-leader, signed the trust deed.

87. Tanger Outlets Confirms Southaven Involvement - Friday, January 9, 2015

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. has confirmed what The Daily News first reported in December: It will play a key role in the development of a massive outlet mall in Southaven.

88. The Preserve at Southwind Sells for $28 Million - Tuesday, January 6, 2015

7991 Capilano Drive
Memphis, TN 38125
Sale Amount: $28 million

Sale Date: Dec. 22, 2014
Buyer: Southwind Apartments LP
Seller: G&I VII Preserve at Southwind Apartments LP
Loan Amount: $18 million
Loan Date: Dec. 18, 2014
Maturity Date: Oct. 31, 2020
Lender: Jackson National Life Insurance Co.
Details: A team that includes Memphis-based Foegelman Venture Partners has sold The Preserve at Southwind apartment community for $28 million.

89. Crosstown Developers File $80.5 Million Loan - Monday, January 5, 2015

The Crosstown development team has secured an $80.5 million loan on the property.

Crosstown Building Owner LLC filed the loan with SunTrust Bank, according to a Dec. 30 deed of trust. McLean Wilson, the Crosstown development team’s co-leader, signed the trust deed.

90. Crosstown Developers File $80.5 Million Loan - Thursday, January 1, 2015

The Crosstown development team has secured an $80.5 million loan on the property.

Crosstown Building Owner LLC filed the loan with SunTrust Bank, according to a Dec. 30 deed of trust. McLean Wilson, the Crosstown development team’s co-leader, signed the trust deed.

91. Bass Pro Shops Preparing to Build Bowling Alley - Tuesday, December 2, 2014

1 A.W. Willis Ave.
Memphis, TN 38103
Permit Amount: $600,000

Application Date: November 2014
Completion: May 2015
Owner: Bass Pro Shops
Tenant: Bass Pro Shops
Architect: OT Marshall Architects
Details: Bass Pro Shops is preparing to install a bowling alley inside The Pyramid.

92. East Memphis Hotel Sells for $12.9 Million - Saturday, November 29, 2014

An East Memphis hotel near Saint Francis Hospital has sold for $12.9 million.

BRE Amerisuites Properties LLC sold the Hyatt Place hotel at 1220 Primacy Parkway to SREF3 AH Chicago LLC, according to a Nov. 19 warranty deed.

93. East Memphis Hotel Sells for $12.9 Million - Tuesday, November 25, 2014

An East Memphis hotel near Saint Francis Hospital has sold for $12.9 million.

BRE Amerisuites Properties LLC sold the Hyatt Place hotel at 1220 Primacy Parkway to SREF3 AH Chicago LLC, according to a Nov. 19 warranty deed.

94. Loeb Buys Office Complex in Heart of East Memphis - Monday, November 17, 2014

Loeb Properties has acquired an office complex in the heart of East Memphis, the company’s first major acquisition since it bought Overton Square in July 2012.

Memphis-based Loeb Properties purchased Executive Square, a 40-suite professional office complex at Poplar Avenue and Yates Road in East Memphis, from F. William Hackmeyer for $3.85 million.

95. CCRFC Considers Conservation Bonds for Crosstown - Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Sears Crosstown redevelopment project could get an infusion of funds for energy conservation efforts.

The Center City Revenue Finance Corp., the financial arm of the Downtown Memphis Commission, is considering issuing $14.5 million in Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds for the $180 million Crosstown project for energy conservation efforts.

96. Council Votes Down Elvis Presley Boulevard Car Lot - Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Memphis City Council voted down Tuesday, Nov. 4, the move of a used car lot on land owned by Graceland to a lot further north on Elvis Presley Boulevard near the new 450-room resort style hotel Elvis Presley Enterprises is building.

97. Local Golf Courses Change Hands, Undergo Improvements - Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Mirimichi is a Native American word that means “place of happy retreat.”

Now that global entertainment icon Justin Timberlake and his family have sold their happy local retreat, Mirimichi Golf Course, to a local group for $500,000, the new owners have an opportunity to increase the number of holes and tournaments played at the course, which underwent a massive $16 million renovation.

98. CWCapital Sheds Willow Lake Buildings - Tuesday, October 28, 2014

3900, 4100 Willow Lake Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38118
Sale Amount: $1.9 million

99. Willow Lake Building Sold for $1.9 million - Thursday, October 23, 2014

Another building inside Willow Lake Business Park and Corporate Park in Hickory Hill has been sold for $1.9 million.

Willow Lake Business Park LLC acquired 3592 Willow Lake Blvd. from 198-6 Memphis Industrial Portfolio Holdings LLC, which is affiliated with Bethesda, Md.-based special servicer CWCapital Asset Management, according to an Oct. 13 warranty deed.

100. Two Willow Lake Buildings Sold for $1.9 Million - Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Two buildings inside Willow Lake Business Park and Corporate Park in Hickory Hill have been sold for $1.9 million.

Eagle Capital LLC acquired 3900 Willow Lake Blvd. and 4100 Willow Lake Blvd. from 198-6 Memphis Industrial Portfolio Holdings LLC, which is affiliated with Bethesda, Md.-based special servicer CWCapital Asset Management LLC, according to an Oct. 13 warranty deed.