Commercial Appeal Building Sells for $2.8 Million

The Commercial Appeal building, 495 Union Ave., has been sold to a New York investment company for $2.8 million.

Memphis Publishing Co. sold the nearly 300,000-square-foot building to Twenty Lakes Holdings, doing business as 495 Union Avenue LLC, according to a warranty deed filed with the Shelby County Register of Deeds’ office Monday, April 23.

The same New York firm, doing business as 597 Beale Street LLC, bought the 5-acre parking lot behind the paper’s building for $1 million in a deed filed April 16.

The Commercial Appeal’s parent company, Gannett Co. Inc., put the newspaper’s building on the market last year as part of a series of cost-cutting moves that also included relocating its mailroom operations to Nashville and its digital printing operations to Jackson, Tennessee, resulting in the loss of 55 jobs.

Twenty Lakes’ portfolio includes more than 180 properties encompassing 2.3 million square feet in 29 different states and specializes in acquiring underperforming and underutilized locations from legacy newspapers, according to its website.

Twenty Lakes recently acquired several other properties from Gannett, including the buildings housing the Courier & Press in Evansville, Indiana; the Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; the Now Media Group in Waukesha, Wisconsin; and the Ventura County Star in Camarillo, California.

– Patrick Lantrip

AABE Awards Scholarships to Minority Students

Three minority high school students are set to receive funding for college from the Tennessee Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy. The local chapter awarded $7,500 in scholarships Friday, April 20, at a reception at Southwest Tennessee Community College’s Whitehaven Center.

William Pierce III, Shannon Sharp and Jonathan Thomas will receive the scholarships, valued at $3,000, $2,500 and $2,000 respectively.

AABE is a professional association composed of African-Americans in the energy industry.

The organization provides a pathway for energy professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and students to learn more about the energy industry through education, mentoring, community service and business networking.

Through its scholarship program, AABE seeks to help increase the number of minorities in energy-related fields.

The organization hosts year-round fundraisers to benefit minority high school seniors who plan to major in a STEM field – science, technology, engineering or math – to prepare for a career in the energy sector.

– Daily News staff

Orpheum Sets Date for High School Musical Theatre Awards

The ninth annual High School Musical Theatre Awards are set for May 24 at The Orpheum Theatre.

The annual awards are for students and supporters from 29 participating schools across the Mid-South. The awards are also part of the larger Jimmy Awards program, which is among 40 programs across the country.

The awards at the Orpheum are sponsored by Sedgwick, Memphis Audio and Dean HD.

– Bill Dries

Memphis in May Reveals 901Fest Lineup

Memphis in May International Festival has the lineup for the third annual 901Fest, including musical headliners Southern Avenue, hip hop duo 8Ball and MJG, and the Mighty Souls Brass Band.

901Fest, to be held Saturday, May 26, in Tom Lee Park, is the finale to the monthlong Memphis in May festival.

Along with multiple stages of local music, the family-friendly celebration of all things Memphis includes local artists selling unique arts and handcrafts, food from local vendors, a creative arts tent with multiple stations to create Memphis-inspired art, an airshow over the Mississippi River and a fireworks finale set to Memphis music.

Other Memphis artists set to perform include soul artist Nick Black; hip hop artist Marco Pavé; iHeartMemphis; soul artist Ashton Riker; rapper Frayser Boy; the dance stylings of Memphis Jookin’; indie rockers Avon Dale; DJ Scotty B; the gritty Southern rock of The Fast Mothers; teen rockers Under the Radar; The Grizzline; students from the School of Rock; a spoken word performance by Sebastian Cameron; the rock and jazz of Briarcrest Soundscape; and others.

New this year is the 901Fest Cornhole Tournament, giving 25 two-person teams the chance to compete in a double-elimination tournament.

Gates open at 3 p.m., with the airshow starting at 6 p.m. and the fireworks finale at 9:30 p.m.

Tickets are $9 in advance at ticketfly.com or $10 at the gate, with all activities included in the price. Children 6 and younger get in free.

Blankets and lawn chairs are permitted, but outside food, beverages and coolers are not.

For more information, visit memphisinmay.org.

– Daily News staff

O’Charley’s Announces Effort for St. Jude

O’Charley’s has announced a partnership with the St. Jude Memphis to Mobile Run.

Each year, the 399-mile relay event invites the community to run from Memphis to Downtown Mobile in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s research and treatments for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Starting April 23, guests will be invited to contribute to the cause at all Memphis-area O’Charley’s restaurants.

As part of a “Give $5 Get $5” promotion underway through May 27, local diners will be able donate five dollars on their checks and receive a five-dollar voucher to be used during their next O’Charley’s visit.

O’Charley’s has a history of supporting local neighborhoods and encouraging community involvement thanks to initiatives like the restaurant chain’s Hometown Hero program and annual partnership with the Folded Flag Foundation, which honor U.S. military veterans and their families.

– Andy Meek