Bass Pro/Pyramid Plan

Critics call it the world’s largest bait and ammo shop. Supporters see it as tourism attraction, downtown asset, and economic generator all rolled into one.

Presented to the City Council and County Commission on Aug. 25, the project report says,

this project isn’t just about Bass Pro Shops. It’s about a new vision for the future of Memphis as landmark project after landmark project gets underway with completion in the next three to five years. In this way, The Pyramid project is a harbinger of equally great things to come.

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Sustainable Saturday

The focus nationwide is on sustainability, and Sat. Sept. 27, Memphis will be showing off a new pocket park and the proposed rail/trail greenline.

GreenForAll Event-Tour the Greater Memphis Greenline
There will be two “show & tell” chances to see the proposed rail/trail greenline project and to discuss the plans and benefits a greenway can mean in jobs, business and recreational opportunities.
When and where:
* 11:30 am where the trail intersects with Shelby Farms Park. ( Meet in the parking lot where Mullins Station crosses the railroad tracks (slightly west of Farm Road))
* 1 pm High Point Terrace neighborhood. (Meet at High Point Pizza (477 High Point Terrace at Philwood near Summer).
For more information, call Steven Sondheim at 761-1793.

Be at the Triangle or Be Square
Midtown is celebrating our city’s newest revitalized park, the Belvedere Triangle at Madison and S. Belvedere (across from Zinnie’s). There will be music, food, beverages, and family activities at the Belvedere Block Park Sat. Sept. 27 10 am – 6 pm.

Cooper Young "takes back the street"

Project for Public Spaces (PPS) tells communities, "take back the streets" -- get rid of cars for a day or a weekend, let restaurants and shops spill outside, and let people use and enjoy the street for special festivals.

That's exactly what Cooper Young is doing this Saturday (9/13) for the annual Cooper Young Festival.

FfOR will be on Cooper in booth 169, so be sure to stop by for a visit. For more info. on the festival, click here.

To read the PPS report on the Memphis riverfront, click here.

NY Times article on restored Bryant Park gives some ideas for future of Memphis Promenade

Sunday, Aug. 18, the Commercial Appeal looked at the Downtown Promenade – the public parkland up on the riverfront’s high bluff between Union and the monorail station -- and called for doing something great.
Here’s a travel article from Sunday’s New York Times , "Splendor on the Grass (and Near It)," that has lots of good ideas about what we could do.Read more »

Intriguing Piece of History

Gates of Memphis has made a fascinating riverfront discovery. We've spent a lot of time on the riverfront, but never spotted this. Click here to learn more, and bookmark the blog to visit often.

Out of Hiding

Historic Cossitt Library
1st Public Library in Memphis, dedicated 1893
Red sandstone Romanesque style with rounded wings, turrets, and gables
Monroe between Riverside Drive and Front Street
North side of The Customs House, now University of Memphis Law School

Recently, Memphis City Council cleared the way to unveil a remaining section of this historic landmark, a vintage architectural treasure on our riverfront, by
clearing overgrowth and debris from its Monroe and Riverside boundaries. One downtowner of several years said, “What an exciting building! I didn’t even realize it was there.” We’re off to a great start! Can FfOR members tell us more about this fabulous landmark? Any favorite stories about it? E-mail info@friendsforourriverfront.org

Architecture Month - National Trust for Historic Preservation veep to speak in Memphis

September is Architecture Month in Memphis, and one of this year’s highlights is a lecture by David Brown, executive vice-president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Read more »

Mississippi River Fugues

The relationship between the Mississippi River and the history and culture of our area are inextricably linked and the subject of a new multimedia sculpture, Mississippi River Fugues, by artist Margaret Cogswell. The work, which will be on display at the University of Memphis Art Museum from Sept. 6 – Nov. 1, uses sculpture, film, and audio to explore and record people at work on the river, on the land, and telling their stories. The exhibit opens with a free public reception Friday, September 5, from 5 to 7:30.