Developers Seek Permit for The Annex Lofts

Developers are preparing to move forward with The Annex Lofts project Downtown.

Vince Smith Jr., who is teaming up with Robert Mallory, applied for a $1.6 million building permit through the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to begin converting the 38,776-square-foot space at 345 S. Front St. into 23 apartments. The Annex Lofts will also include an interior courtyard and basement parking.

Poe Engineering is the engineer for The Annex Lofts, and the Renaissance Group is serving as the architect.

The adjacent Printer’s Alley Lofts at 347 S. Front consists of 30 apartments, nine townhouses and some commercial space.

Smith, Mallory and developer John Dicken Jr. are also planning a $17.8 million mixed-use development nearby. For more information on that project, read today’s Inked column on page 1.

Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports
– Daily News staff

Methodist Germantown Names ER Medical Director

Dr. Cassandra Howard has been named the medical director for the emergency department at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital.

Howard graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed her residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Howard is a member of the United States Air Force Flight Surgeons, National Guard Association of the United States and State of Tennessee, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, American College of Physicians, American Society of Internal Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a 2014 graduate of the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Physician Leadership Academy.

Howard is an Air Force flight surgeon. She holds the rank of colonel and is currently the commander of the 164th Medical Group, Tennessee Air National Guard, Memphis IAP.

– Don Wade

CTI Flight School Wins FAA Approval

The Federal Aviation Administration has granted approval for CTI Professional Flight Training’s Millington satellite location to offer a structured Part 141 flight training syllabus to its students.

CTI Professional Flight Training has been training professional pilots at its Fort Lauderdale, Fla., location for more than 25 years and recently expanded its operation to a base at Millington Regional Jetport.

“The Millington location offers many opportunities for flight training that are not available at most schools, including near 24-hour controlled tower operations, a variety of approaches, and most importantly, room to grow into a full campus-style training experience,” said Alan Mullen, president and CEO of CTI Professional Flight Training, in a statement.

CTI Professional Flight Training has already begun accepting delivery on 20 new fully equipped training aircraft and has broken ground on a complete renovation of one of the airport’s existing historic hangars. Upcoming plans also include onsite dorms, dining and recreation facilities.

For more information, visit ctipft.com.

– Amos Maki

Perry Takes On New Role With Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies have added Elliot Perry to its Basketball Operations department as director of player support, the team announced.

Now entering his 10th season with the organization, Perry’s responsibilities in this role will include working with Grizzlies players on facets of life outside of basketball and preparing them, personally and professionally, for long-term success on and off the court. Among other duties, Perry also will act as an adviser with respect to efforts in the community and Grizzlies Foundation.

A member of the Grizzlies ownership group since 2005, Perry will also step into a new role as chairman of the board for the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation after previously holding the title of vice chairman. In addition, he will continue in a limited capacity as an analyst for the team’s radio broadcast, a position he has held for the last seven seasons.

A Memphis native, Perry played for seven different teams over a 10-year NBA career (1991-1992, 1994-2002), including a two-game stint with the Grizzlies in his final season in the league.

The Treadwell High School graduate started every game of his four-year collegiate career (1987-1991) with the Memphis State Tigers, leading the program to two NCAA Tournament appearances and a second-round berth in 1987.

– Don Wade

Baptist Cuts Salaries of Top-Tier Execs

A week ago, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. eliminated 112 jobs in a cost-saving move. Now, top-tier executives are incurring wage freezes and pay cuts of 20 percent or more.

“It was another thing we needed to do to reduce expenses system-wide,” Baptist spokesperson Ayoka Pond said.

The latest measure impacts the system’s 14 CEOs and employees at the vice president’s level and above, Pond said. Asked if there was any timetable for how long the salary reductions would remain in place, Pond said, “At this point, no.”

Baptist employs 15,000 people in the Mid-South. When Baptist eliminated the 112 positions, officials noted the “changing health care environment.” Pond said the latest move, affecting executives, was a signal to all employees that everyone is in this new challenging climate together.

“Absolutely,” Pond said. “That played a factor in it.”

– Don Wade

Days Creek Flood Work Permit Still Pending

A state permit for the city of Memphis to widen and deepen Days Creek in Whitehaven is still pending with officials at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

And the state officials have a lot of questions about the work the city wants to do in the wake of Sept. 11 flooding in the area near the Mississippi state line, said city Public Works Director Dwan Gilliom.

“I’m just not optimistic at the end of the day,” Gilliom told Memphis City Council members earlier this week.

The effort to get permission to make the changes has also involved state legislators who represent the flooded areas.

State officials weigh the impact on the environment in allowing such changes as well as the potential flooding impact on other areas. And the city would still have to get permission from landowners since there is no public easement.

“If we relieve flooding in one (area) … we may move that water downstream somewhere else,” said city engineer John Cameron.

Among the long-term solutions being explored is a water detention area to hold flood waters until they subside.

The flooding in Whitehaven was the result of a sudden torrent that dumped 7 to 9 inches of rain on parts of the city and in the area. Residents in the affected Whitehaven subdivisions said they have been flooded before repeatedly.

– Bill Dries

Grizzlies to Hold D-League Open Tryouts Saturday

The Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA Development League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, will hold open tryouts for the 2014-2015 season on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hyde Gym on the Memphis University School campus, 6191 Park Ave. Doors will open for registration at 9 a.m.

Players who participate in the open tryouts will be observed and evaluated by members of the Memphis Grizzlies and Iowa Energy basketball operations staffs. All applicants must be eligible to play in the NBA D-League. The fee to participate is $200 upon completion of required paperwork. Registration forms are available online at grizzlies.com.

– Don Wade

BankTennessee Opens Lebanon Location

BankTennessee is hosting a grand opening celebration Saturday, Oct. 11, at its new location in Lebanon, Tenn.

The event will include a pancake breakfast in celebration of Collierville-based BankTennessee’s new 7,200-square-foot Middle Tennessee headquarters.

BankTennessee chairman Joel Porter said it’s important for the bank to have a “strong presence in the community” and continue its banking philosophy with a highly visible and accessible new site like the Lebanon location.

– Andy Meek