Midtown Memphis Development Corporation(MMDC)

strengthening Midtown's “sense of place” and improving the livability of its great neighborhoods

www.midtownmemphis.org

MMDC Committee Members• Executive Committee -

Sam Goff, Micah Bradford, Pam Branham, Mike Ryan, & Andy Kitsinger

• Marketing & Community Relations Committee - Trace Hallowell, Maggie Louie, Pam Branham, and June West 

• Planning and Development - Andy Kitsinger, Karen Lebovitz, Les Binkley, Biggs Powell, Barbara Keathley, Gregory Love, Benjamin Meeks, Sam Goff, Susan Rush, Tracy Sigmon, and Emily Trenholm

 

• Midtown Business Enterprise Association - J. De Dehart, Mike Ryan, and Karen Lebovitz

• Heart of the Arts - • Jackie Nichols, Kim Williams, (See entire list of Institutions)

Committee Initiatives• Marketing & Community Relations

• Planning & Development

• Midtown Business Enterprise Association

• Heart of the Arts

• Organization & Membership

Midtown Memphis Development Corporation(MMDC)

Committee Initiatives

• Marketing & Community Relations– District Branding– Marketing Plan– Website Management– Neighborhood Involvement– Outdoor Animation

• Planning & Development– Redevelopment Plan - Overlay Zoning– Public Realm, Infrastructure & Streetscape

Improvements– Traffic & Circulation – Property Redevelopment– Strategic Plan– District Signage

Committee Initiatives

Committee Initiatives

• Midtown Business Enterprise Association– Joint Marketing & Promotion– Create a more consumer friendly neighborhood– Midtown Business Owner Networking– Common Business Strategies

Committee Initiatives

• Heart of the Arts– District Branding– Joint Marketing– Website Coordination– MAD Dash Shuttle

• Organization & Membership– Organization & Management– Membership– Legal & Regulatory

• Budget & Finance– Fundraising & Capital Campaign– Accounting

Committee Initiatives

Stakeholder Area Planning Area

MMDC Target Area

Capacity Assessment Tool (CAT)is a capacity building tool of the Community Development Council of

Greater Memphis!

CAT is a standardized evaluation instrument designed to assess a community development corporation’s (CDC) level of capability for supporting operations and programming typical to these types of organizations.

The assessment covers five content areas: core competencies, organizational development, business and finance, housing development, community outreach and economic development.

The assessment is designed to be a tool to help community organizations assess and grow their capacity to be more effective toward their mission.

The Memphis Midtown Development Corporation was selected for this program and is current working on completing the Capacity Assessment.

Midtown CorridorsOverlay Zoning

an initiative of the Midtown Development Corporation’s Planning & Development Committee

Purpose• to support Midtown’s strong existing neighborhoods

and new investment efforts of the various institutional uses located within the district

• restrict uses deemed incompatible with the existing land uses in the area

• to encourage a more urban, pedestrian-friendly, walkable character in the future

• change the existing zoning that is incompatible with the existing development patterns

Background

• Heart of the Arts Plan, 2005

• Memphis & Shelby County - Unified Development Code, 2009

• Midtown Redevelopment Plan

Heart of the Arts Plan, 2005Heart of the Arts Plan, 2005

The Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code“Promote reinvestment and revitalization of the urban core while providing for orderly development in the suburban and exurban areas of the County.”

What is in This New Development CodeSome of the New (old) Ideas Include:

• Allow & promote urban infill development

• Greater opportunities for mixed use

• Pedestrian focused streetscapes

• “Form Based” tool kit

• Block regulations to encourage connectivity

• Expanded use of accessory dwelling units

• Neighborhood Conservation District

• Encourage a diverse range of housing types

• More flexible parking requirements

• Greater emphasis on public realm

• Innovative subdivision types encourage sustainable growth

• Replace suburban standards with urban development

standards

Courtesy Benjamin Lee, FAIA

AIA Center for Communities by Design

Courtesy Benjamin Lee, FAIA

AIA Center for Communities by Design

Courtesy Benjamin Lee, FAIA

AIA Center for Communities by Design

Courtesy Benjamin Lee, FAIA

AIA Center for Communities by Design

• Creates a “Form-Based” tool kit with the establishment of frontage standards

• Address additions and new buildings on non-conforming sites

Article 3 – Building Envelope Standards

Article 4 – General Development Standards• Streetscape Standards

ensure the coherence of the street-space. They define the development parameters for the area of land between buildings and the street, and includes on-site and off-site requirements. They encourage and facilitate pedestrian activity.

Benefits for Midtown Memphis

• Promotes revitalization and reinvestment within the inner city neighborhood centers.

• Provides a form-based regulatory tool-kit to protect existing investment from incompatible building forms while promoting a pedestrian friendly environment.

• Includes streetscape standards which are complementary of the streetscapes desirable for Midtown.

• Encourages the creation of Overlay Districts, such as the Midtown Overlay District to preserve, protect, and promote, the character of the existing Midtown Neighborhoods.

Midtown Redevelopment Plan

Need:

The creation of a redevelopment plan for

re-developing and revitalizing Midtown

Memphis’ existing neighborhood centers

Change the existing zoning that is incompatible with

the existing development patterns

• Changes in the Zoning District Mapping

• Creation of Midtown Corridor Frontage Mapping

Midtown Redevelopment Plan

Midtown Redevelopment AreaMidtown Redevelopment Area

Midtown Corridors – Overlay ZoningMidtown Corridors – Overlay Zoning

Poplar Ave.

Union Ave.

Overton ParkCrosstown

I-240

Evergreen

Central

Gardens

E. Parkway

Cooper-Young

Annesdale

East End

Neighborhood Associations

AnnesdaleAnnesdale CrosstownCrosstown East ParkwayEast Parkway East EndEast End EvergreenEvergreen

Annesdale-SnowdenAnnesdale-Snowden Central GardensCentral Gardens IdlewildIdlewild Tucker-JeffersonTucker-Jefferson Cooper-YoungCooper-Young

Healthy Neighborhood Centers

Characteristics include:Characteristics include:

A compact and dense, a walkable, livable community that A compact and dense, a walkable, livable community that creates socialization, are pedestrian and transit oriented, a creates socialization, are pedestrian and transit oriented, a variety of housing types and prices, with activity on nights variety of housing types and prices, with activity on nights and weekends. and weekends.

Squares and public spaces, active streets and build to Squares and public spaces, active streets and build to setbacks to provide a street wall, all working to create a setbacks to provide a street wall, all working to create a unique sense of place.unique sense of place.

Midtown Redevelopment PlanMidtown Redevelopment Plan Mixed-Use Neighborhood CentersMixed-Use Neighborhood Centers

Midtown Redevelopment PlanMidtown Redevelopment Plan Preliminary Frontage Map Preliminary Frontage Map

Public Realm

• Landscaping• Lighting• Sidewalks• Underground utilities• Parks & Open Spaces• Signage

InfrastructureInfrastructure

Next Steps:

• Secure additional resources for the plan development

• Obtain public and stakeholder input to further develop the Midtown Redevelopment plan.

• Propose and publically vet a Rezoning Plan & Frontage Maps

• Prepare Feasibility Analysis of a Tax Increment Financing District

• Begin the Memphis City and Shelby County Approval Process