Uptown West Master Plan

Prepared for: US Army Corps of Engineers (Memphis District) :: Riverfront Development Corporation :: Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency :: Memphis Housing Authority. Prepared by: Looney Ricks Kiss, in conjunction with The Pickering Firm :: Alta Planning + Design :: Blair Parker Design :: Powers Hill Design Memphis, Tennessee :: August 27, 2012 Executive Summary

In 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Memphis District) along with the Riverfront Development Client Corporation (RDC) and Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency, commissioned a Master Plan for the western portion of the Uptown neighborhood near downtown Riverfront Development Corporation Memphis, Tennessee. Herein referred to as Uptown West (a working name for the purposes of this plan), this area represents a significant opportunity for redevelopment and reinvestment in the core of Memphis. US Army Corps of Engineers – Memphis District This report summarizes the findings of a year-long process to identify potential long-term public and private improvements for Uptown West, and how those improvements can best be arranged to promote Memphis and Shelby County Community the most active, sustainable, safe and desirable Uptown West area. The master planning process consisted Redevelopment Agency of research, public input, analysis, and design.

Memphis Housing Authority & City Prior riverfront studies and improvements have been instrumental in creating more than 12 miles of of Memphis Division of Housing and waterfront and parks, and improved access and utilization of the Mississippi River and Wolf River Harbor. Community Development Previously, the Memphis Riverfront Master Plan in 2002 called for some improvements and uses that are no longer applicable in this environment, necessitating a comprehensive study of the Uptown West area. Lauderdale Greenlaw, LLC The Uptown West Steering Committee was created to coordinate the planning project and eventually coordinate the implementation of the recommendations. See the Appendix for Steering Committee membership list. Consultants The first part of this master planning process included public input through public meetings, a design The Pickering Firm – Engineers workshop, an online survey, and stakeholder interviews. The public was asked to express their vision for Uptown West. Using the public’s input designers from Looney Ricks Kiss (LRK) developed four themed Looney Ricks Kiss – Master Planners preliminary concepts that imagined improvements to the waterfront, green network, transportation connections and private property. Alta Planning + Design – Bicycle & The second part of the master planning process included presenting these preliminary concepts in public Pedestrian Planners meetings and stakeholder meetings. Using the public input, LRK created a Master Plan which illustrated what uses and public improvements would be most appropriate in Uptown West. A detailed plan depicted Blair Parker Design – Landscape the potential long-range redevelopment of the area. Architects The last part of the master planning process included an order of magnitude cost estimate for the master Powers Hill Design – Public Engagement plan, enabling future decisions spanning the next 25 years to be made about how to best implement the plan. It is this recommended Master Plan which is herein described in detail. *All images and graphics are copyright LRK Inc., unless noted otherwise. 2 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. Table of Contents

PART I – BACKGROUND 1 Uptown West 4 1.1 History of Uptown: 1870 – 1938 6 History of Uptown: 1938 – 2000 7 1.2 Uptown West Today ...... 8 1.3 How will this Master Plan for Uptown West be used? 10 PART II – THE MASTER PLAN 2 What Could Uptown West Become? 12 2.1 What is the public looking for in Uptown West? ...... 14 2.2 How will Uptown West relate to the neighborhood? ...... 16 2.3 Overall Trail and Harborfront 18

Gayoso Bayou Sub-Area 20 r o

North Front Street Sub-Area ...... 22 r b

r e

Henry Avenue Neighborhood Sub-Area 24 a v

Washington Park Landing Sub-Area 26 i H

Harbor View Neighborhood Sub-Area ...... 28 R r

Levee Harbor Sub-Area ...... 30 v

2.4 How will access be improved? ...... 32 i R

2.5 Uptown West Land Use Plan ...... 34

p f l

2.6 What does Uptown West gain? 36 i o

2.7 What happens to industry? 38 s s

W i 2.8 How can we celebrate our heritage? ...... 39

s 2.9 Order of Magnitude Cost for public improvements ...... 40 i 2.10 Zoning and Street Frontages ...... 41

M 2.11 and Floodgate Access ...... 42

2.12 What is the next step? ...... 43

PART III – THE PROCESS 3 What went into the process? 44 3.1 What is Uptown West like today? ...... 46 3.2 Physical Conditions and Land Use ...... 48 3.3 What about the Mississippi River? 50 3.4 River & Floodwall ...... 52 3.5 Street Improvements and Trolley ...... 54 3.6 Land Use Concepts ...... 56 3.7 What does the community want? ...... 58 3.8 How was the community involved? ...... 60 3.9 What principles will guide the plan’s implementation? ...... 62 PART IV – THE APPENDICES

For Appendices A through P please refer to Appendices Index STUDY AREA

Wolf River Harbor looking north from the A.W. Willis Bridge

The Uptown neighborhood was founded as Greenlaw along the Wolf River north of present-day Downtown Memphis in the 1840s by the Greenlaw brothers in partnership with Robert Looney, John and Isaac Saffarans and E.T. Keel. Development began with stately homes, worker housing, and businesses before being annexed by Memphis in 1870. Street names honoring the founding fathers can be found in the neighborhood.

The Mississippi River flooded the Uptown area in April 1912, inundating homes and businesses with several feet of water. Record floods of 1927 and 1938 further impacted the area, however life continued with new industrial development along the Wolf River and railroad tracks being introduced north of the neighborhood in the 1940’s. By the mid-1950’s a floodwall was built along the Wolf River to protect the 1887 “Bird’s Eye View of Memphis.” 1887. Library of Congress.

N 1938 Aerial Shelby County Register of Deeds.

6 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. History of Uptown: 1938 – Present area while still allowing access to the water. The Wolf River channel was diverted to flow directly into the Mississippi River at the north end of Mud Island in 1962, creating the Wolf River Harbor.

Deterioration in housing conditions beginning in the 1940’s continued for decades. Two public housing projects were constructed in the 1950’s. By the 1990’s the area had declined to a such a point that the Uptown Community Redevelopment Plan was created to redevelop the public housing projects and introduce new in-fill housing on vacant lots as well as infrastructure improvements. Since 2000, hundreds of new homes have been built, bringing new residents and businesses to the area. The waterfront area, Uptown West, has unfortunately been left largely untouched, creating the impetus for this Master Plan to guide reinvestment in this overlooked area. 1937 “Levee Wall at Memphis.” www.commercialappeal.com.

1974 Uptown Around 1974. David Johnston, www.condrenrails.com

1962 TODAY “Wolf River Diversion.” www.commercialappeal.com.

The study area is comprised of the Uptown waterfront along the Wolf River Harbor between A.W. Willis Avenue, Second Street, and Island Drive. In this plan, this area will be called Uptown West and is home to: river-based agricultural and transportation industries such as Cargill, Westway, Lafarge and Bunge; the Coast Guard; industries, offices and businesses and the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development; several dozen residences including single family homes, apartments and condominiums, as well as the Harbor View Senior Living facility; neighborhood services and retail including First Alliance Bank, Downtown Self Storage, and churches. Infrastructure is a key component, including MATA’s Main Street Trolley Barn, the Gayoso Bayou and Marble Street pumping stations, the Canadian National Railway, and the Mississippi River floodwall.

Vacant and underutilized land and buildings exist in the area, as do streets with deteriorating pavement, broken or missing sidewalks, and inadequate lighting. The opportunity exists to build upon vacant parcels, rehabilitate and reuse existing structures, upgrade streets and infrastructure, and revitalize the area to “make whole” the neighborhood while connecting the heart of Uptown with the waterfront in a way that will make the area attractive for private investment. Long overlooked, the Uptown West area can become re-inhabited by the community as it reaches out to the waterfront once again.

W o l f R i v e r H a r b o r

INDUSTRY RESIDENTIAL STREETS

North Island Drive

Front Street W o l f R i v e Main Street r H a r b o r

Second Street

Shadyac Avenue

A. W. Willis Avenue Third Street

Mill Avenue

Greenlaw Avenue

Saffarans Avenue

Looney Avenue Keel Avenue Seventh Street Pear Avenue Pear Plum Avenue

WATER COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL

When the Uptown Community Redevelopment Plan was being conceived between 2000 and 2002, the waterfront area along the Wolf River Harbor was included in the Riverfront Development Corporation’s 2002 Riverfront Master Plan. That plan, however, only broadly addressed this area and did not specifically identify potential development opportunities or improvements. With the creation of the Uptown Tax Increment Financing district (Uptown TIF) in 2001, a tool to implement public improvements in the area was established; however without a detailed plan Uptown West has been left largely untouched. Building upon the recent development of new homes, residential development and public improvements being implemented in the heart of Uptown, it is time to also attend to the neglected waterfront, the area this plan calls Uptown West.

The Uptown West Master Plan describes potential public improvements to the waterfront, streets, drainage ways, and parks that can connect the Uptown neighborhood to the Wolf River Harbor. Also, it projects how private property could be improved in order to take advantage of new access to the water and better connections to the neighborhood. When implemented over the next 25 years, people will be able to access the Wolf River Harbor waterfront, live in new or renovated buildings, reuse existing buildings for living or work, take advantage of new recreation opportunities, and enjoy the unique vistas of the Wolf River, Mud Island, and Downtown from Uptown West.

Franklin, TN Pittsburgh, PA Lorain, OH BEAUTIFY ENJOY ON THE WATER Flickr – Creative Commons: Rona Proudfoot http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en 10 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. In this manner the Master Plan illustrates how public investment can provide the framework upon which private investment can improve the neighborhood by redeveloping underutilized buildings and land. This approach has proven successful in many communities looking to revitalize neighborhoods, improving the quality of life for its residents, and to stabilize and increase the City’s tax base. As such, the purpose of the Uptown West Master Plan is to present a long-term vision of what Uptown West can become so that public investment can leverage and attract private investment. This document will therefore help guide the decision-making process for officials in public planning decisions, and directing investment in public infrastructure, as well as providing guidance to property owners and developers willing to invest in the buildings and land in the area.

The proposed land use plan is not based on current market conditions since the recommended development patterns are expected to be implemented over a 25 year period. It is anticipated that detailed market studies will be prepared prior to the implementation of each development sub-area.

Lorain, OH South Main: Memphis, TN Harbortown: Memphis, TN RESIDE REUSE VIEW EDSA

Main Street

W o l f R i v e r H

Overton Avenue Second Street a r b Shadyac Avenue o r

A. W. Willis Avenue

Third Street

Mill Avenue

Greenlaw Avenue

Fourth Street Saffarans Avenue

Looney Avenue

Keel Avenue Fifth Street

Chelsea Avenue

Reno Ave. Hickory Ave.

Caldwell Ave. Henry Avenue

Water Taxi Dock or Pier New or Improved Sidewalks & Crosswalks Trails Rail/Trolley Existing Conditions New or Improved Building Single Family Lots Parking New or Improved Park Improved Stormwater Open Space Trees Street/Streetscape Feature 2 WHAT COULD UPTOWN WEST BECOME?

W o l f R i v e r H a r b o r

Seventh Street Plum Avenue 0 200 400 600

Pear Avenue Cedar Avenue

Marble Avenue N WHAT COULD UPTOWN WEST BECOME?

Over a fourteen month long process of engaging the general public, local stakeholders, interested parties, Water public officials, and the Uptown West Steering Committee, the desires of the community for uses or improvements to the Uptown West area became clear. Provide places where people could gain access to the Wolf River Harbor for boating, recreation and We have categorized these uses and improvements into four basic divisions: views of the waterfront. Create places to overlook the water, walk along its edge, and put in and take Water out boats, kayaks or canoes. Utilize piers to board a Green water taxi system and possibly go fishing. Maintain Connections industrial and barge access to the harbor for as long Property Improvement as the industries remain. Improve water quality.

Within each of these four broad topics, the public asked for several particular activities that they would like to see in the area.

The Uptown West Master Plan illustrates what potential land uses and public improvements would result in the kind of place the public imagines Uptown West to become. While the plan shows a potential scenario of improvements, it should be noted that because of the long-term nature of the development, constantly shifting market conditions, and changing desires by the community, it is likely that the ultimate outcome shall be different in many ways from the plan. As particular pieces of the plan are implemented, it is intended that the following elements be incorporated.

Provide public access along the waterfront with a Improve access to underutilized property by Develop new housing and bring more residents to multi-purpose trail, linking the trail to the Memphis extending streets, and making connections to the area. Add mixed-use buildings to enhance retail trail system and regional greenways/bikeways the waterfront through existing gate openings in and services in the neighborhood and bring more network. Link improved parks and the waterfront the floodwall and at existing railroad crossings. activity to areas close to the waterfront and Pinch with tree-lined streets. Enhance the stormwater Extend public transit service into the area, and district. Reutilize vacant buildings and redevelop management ponds and bayou pumping facilities. incorporate bicycle/pedestrian facilities into street underutilized property. Orient new development towards the green spaces improvements. for passive security.

Currently the Uptown West area is a collection of industrial, commercial and residential properties, many of which are underutilized or vacant. The revitalization of the larger Uptown neighborhood Front Street has been progressing for ten years, however

it’s connection to the Wolf River Harbor is Main Street inadequate. Increasing opportunities to connect W the neighborhood and the water closer together o l f R i v would help improve quality of life, promote private e r H investment, and reconnect the neighborhood with a r Second Street b its history. o

Shadyac Avenue r

A. W. Willis Avenue Public input through meetings and surveys indicate Third Street

a desire for a mix of activities, development and Mill Avenue

access for a wide range of people. The Uptown Greenlaw Avenue Fourth Street West Master Plan identifies six sub-areas which Saffarans Avenue have unique challenges and potential for distinctive Looney Avenue

Keel Avenue character and uses. Acknowledging that the Master Fifth Street Plan will take considerable time to complete, the Chelsea Avenue sub-area plans may be implemented in phases while tying together these areas into a unified whole through improved access and trails. Below are

Henry Avenue Hickory Ave.

Cedar Avenue Henderson Ave. Reno Avenue examples of the potential future character of these Caldwell Avenue neighborhoods. GAYOSO BAYOU NORTH FRONT HENRY AVENUE PARK LANDING

GAYOSO BAYOU NORTH FRONT HENRY AVENUE

Gayoso Bayou North Front Street North Island Drive Henry Avenue Neighborhood Washington Park Landing W Harbor View Neighborhood o l f R i v Levee Harbor e r H a r b o r The Gayoso Bayou sub-area is comprised of the many existing buildings and uses around the existing stormwater ponds. The North Front Street sub-area is focused on the Conwood property and the adaptive reuse of buildings as well as new construction. The Henry Street Neighborhood bolsters the existing neighborhood, while the expanded Washington Park Landing connects to the Wolf River Harbor. The Harbor View

Pear Avenue Plum Avenue Neighborhood sub-area creates a new residential 0 mi 1/4 mi 1/2 mi Marble Avenue N neighborhood, while the Levee Harbor provides Seventh Street access at the north end of the Wolf River Harbor. PARK LANDING NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEE HARBOR

PARK LANDING NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEE HARBOR www.louisvilleky.gov RDC www.raftisland.org

Improvements to the Wolf River Harbor will be a be utilized, or new ones built as needed, to allow allowing easier access to underutilized property significant part of 12 miles of public access to the connections to Beale Street Landing, Mud Island and improving access for existing residents and Memphis waterfront. Tying into trails near the River Park, Bass Pro, Mud Island and Uptown businesses. North Second Street widening, planned Pyramid and on Mud Island, a new Wolf River together. These piers and other access will allow by the City of Memphis and TDOT, will create a Harborfront Trail will introduce a new multi- recreation access to the water and along its banks. new landscaped boulevard north of Henry Street, purpose trail connecting Uptown to the Harbor, An extension of the Riverfront/Main Street Trolley while tying into Second and Third Streets south of Downtown, Mud Island, and the proposed Wolf will bring regular trolley service northward into the Henry in a proposed roundabout. A harborfront River Greenway. neighborhood. “corniche” road will allow locals and visitors access along a large portion of the Wolf River Harbor. A water taxi system will be established within the Street improvements and extensions will create new Dedicated bicycle lanes will link to the growing Wolf River Harbor. Existing dock structures may and better connections within the neighborhood, network of bike lanes throughout Memphis and Shelby County.

•••••••••••• ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••••

Multi-Purpose Trail

Cross Harbor Section Diagram ALTA

Nature Trail: Nyack, NY Multi-Purpose Trail: Nyack, NY Flickr – Creative Commons: Joe Shlabotnik. www.lowermerion.org ALTA http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ 18 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. •••••••••••• ••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••••

N Please refer to full version of plan found in the Appendix ALTA

The Gayoso Bayou sub-area extends from A.W. Public improvements envisioned include: Guard facility, starting underneath the Willis Willis Avenue to Saffarans Avenue, and is • Landscaping, expanded sidewalks, and basin Bridge to Willis Avenue and Front Street to dominated by several large stormwater ponds improvements to the Gayoso Bayou ponds Saffarans leading to the Gayoso Bayou pumping station, • Streetscape improvements along existing streets • Connection to trail west of Bass Pro MATA’s Trolley Barn, and a number of existing • Auction Park and Colonial Park landscaping buildings. This sub-area is likely to see interest in • A new interpretive space at the Coast Guard Potential private investments include: redevelopment and new construction with the entrance on Willis Avenue • Mixed-use redevelopment of several properties opening of the Bass Pro Shop in the Pyramid, • Public access to a boat dock along the City’s along Front Street however such potential is limited given the current trash interceptor behind the pumping station • Mixed-use building facing Auction Park uses and available property. • Harborfront Trail routed around the Coast

Looney Avenue

MAIN STREET

Saffarans Avenue

Greenlaw Avenue

Gayoso Bayou Improvements: Section Diagram

Mill Avenue Blair Parker

Section

A. W. Willis AvenueSecond Street

Third Street

Shadyac Avenue

Front Street

Main Street N Proposed Third Street Improvements Front Street ALTA TODAY 20 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. Proposed Front Street Improvements FUTURE ALTA © 2012 LRK Inc. :: Uptown West 21 North Front Street Sub-Area

Between Saffarans Avenue and Henry Avenue, The Luhr Brothers property, west of the floodwall Street to Front Street Front Street is a wide truck-oriented street serving and railroad tracks, could become a new harbor- • Extension of the Riverfront Trolley northward several small industries. Conwood, a tobacco oriented development accessible through the along railroad siding track products manufacturer, is vacating a number of existing floodwall gates/railroad crossings at buildings including a six-story warehouse. This Saffarans Ave. and near Henry Ave. Potential private investments include: presents the opportunity to adaptively reuse these • Adaptive reuse of Conwood and other property buildings for mixed-use, office, commercial or Public improvements envisioned include: • New mixed-use and residential development residential. As other buildings and property become • Harborfront Trail running along the water along Front, Main and Second Streets available they too can become part of a mixed urban • Streetscape improvements, including Front • Development of waterfront property for neighborhood similar to South Main Street. Street multifamily residential • Extension of Chelsea Avenue from Second • Harborfront (corniche) street and open space

Henry Avenue

Section Chelsea Avenue Harborfront Section Diagram ALTA

Keel Avenue

Looney Avenue

Front Street

Main Street Saffarans Avenue

Second Street

Third Street

Near Henry Avenue is a small enclave of single- Public improvements envisioned include: Hickory Avenue, and Third Street family homes served by narrow roads without • Harborfront Trail system • Trolley line extension sidewalks. Large swaths of under utilized and • Harborfront (corniche) road • Water taxi and dock vacant property (mostly railroad owned) are ripe • Second Street Boulevard improvements, for infill housing and development. Improvements including roundabout Potential private investments include: to Second Street should tie into Third Street and • Realignment of Main Street at Henry Avenue • Infill housing on vacant lots Henry Avenue at a roundabout gateway feature. • Henry Avenue linear park • High density residential along Front Street and From here a visual connection to the waterfront is possible along linear open spaces terminating in a • Grade-separated park crossing of railroad & the waterfront south of Henry Avenue grade separated crossing of the railroad tracks and floodwall • Moderate density residential north of Hickory floodwall. A floodwall opening allows access to • Extensions of Front Street, Waterworks Avenue, Avenue waterfront development and dock.

Grade Separated Park Crossing of Railroad & Floodwall Section Diagram

Hickory Avenue ALTA

Second Street Section Henry Avenue

Roundabout

Front Street

Main Street N Example of Corniche Road: Island Drive Intersection of Henry Avenue & Second Street www.tindonkey.com TODAY 24 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. Proposed Roundabout at Henry Avenue & Second Street FUTURE © 2012 LRK Inc. :: Uptown West 25 Washington Park Landing Sub-Area

Washington Park is a significant, although under (skating, BMX, climbing, zip line, kayak, canoe, • Acquisition of vacant parcels adjacent to Park utilized, asset in the Uptown neighborhood. etc.). • Mid-block pedestrian crossing of Second Street Located just east of the study area along Second • Second Street Boulevard improvements project Street, the park is in need of improvements. The Public improvements envisioned include: • Connect Chelsea Ave. bicycle greenway to largest potential improvement, however, is to • Extend Riverfront Trolley along railroad siding Washington Park along Marble Avenue connect the park westward with the Wolf River track and loop back to Main Street line Harbor. If, at some point in the future, the Port of • Water taxi station and dock Potential private investments include: Memphis grain elevator (currently leased to Bunge) • Harborfront Trail • Conversion of Port of Memphis facility to an is no longer used for grain transport, the facility • Washington Park improvements including indoor/outdoor extreme sports park and grounds could be leased to a private entity water feature/splash park, walking paths, • Improved horse carriage stables/paddock and converted to an active recreation destination community garden, and parking area • Private sponsorship of park improvements

Second Street

Marble Avenue North Memphis Pumping Station Greenline Entry Point

Pedestrian Plaza/ Overlook Multi Purpose Trail at Washington Park Landing Section Diagram Marble Avenue

Parking

Multi-Use Trail Splash Park Open Space

Trolley Station

Pier Overlook Outdoor Fitness Water Taxi Pier Skate Park Station Children’s Playground

Community Children’s Garden Wolf River Harbor Wolf Playground Bunge Center Open Space

Parking Kayak & Canoe Rentals Trolley Parking Station Cedar Avenue N Proposed Washington Park Landing Proposed Washington Park Landing Blair Parker Design ALTA

One of the largest short-term opportunities for Public improvements envisioned include: Potential private investments include: development is the former Anderson Tulley • Harborfront (corniche) road along waterfront • Moderate density residential development of property along Second Street. This large parcel is • Harborfront Trail and overlooks former Anderson Tulley property currently vacant, largely flat, and saw only minor • Water taxi station and docks • Open green spaces oriented towards the Wolf impact from the flood of 2011. If combined with • Trailhead access and parking area at Plum River Harbor two industrial properties to the north (Westway Avenue and Cargill), this area could become a waterfront • Second Street Boulevard improvements residential/mixed-use area.

Seventh Street

Section

r o Harbor View Neighborhood Section Diagram b

r Second Street ALTA a

v i

At the north end of the Wolf River Harbor, near utilize easements on each property, connecting to Public improvements envisioned include: North Island Drive, is one of the most recent new the proposed Wolf River Greenway on the north • Harborfront Trail and overlooks investments in the area, Harbor View Nursing & side of Island Drive. This area could serve as a • Water taxi station and dock Rehabilitation Center. The property owner also trailhead location connecting both the Harborfront • Boat launch ramp controls the Anderson-Tulley property detailed Trail and the Wolf River Greenway. • Second Street Boulevard improvements on the previous page. During its construction an easement was provided for a public trail. Located Public access to the water can be gained on public Potential private investments include: to the south near Plum Avenue is a proposed property north of Harbor View at Second Street • Houseboat marina, including boat storage 17-bed hospital facility that would complement and Island Drive. Here facilities supporting a • Small-scale retail buildings at North Island Harbor View by providing a continuum of care. marina with a small number of houseboats could be Drive and Second Street The proposed Wolf River Harborfront Trail would located, as well as one or two small retail buildings. • Senior residential and health facility

Section North Island Drive

North Island Drive Section Diagram ALTA

Second Street

N Houseboats: Seattle, WA Existing Levee Harbor Panoramio: Patoka www.panoramio.com TODAY 30 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. Proposed Levee Harbor showing Houseboat Marina & Nature Trail FUTURE ALTA © 2012 LRK Inc. :: Uptown West 31 2.4 How will access be improved?

A frequent request from the public and stakeholders during the planning process was for public access to the waterfront by means of a recreation trail, called the Wolf River Harborfront Trail, situated along the waterfront and connecting back to the core Uptown neighborhood via sidewalks and trails. This Trail should provide a key missing link in the recreation system as it connects the Downtown area, Wolf River Greenway, Greenbelt Park on Mud Island and WALK DRIVE the proposed Chelsea Avenue Greenline, a rails- www.lowermerion.org Fuss & O’Neill: G.Wade Walker to-trails conversion terminating at Washington Park at Marble Avenue. Connecting these pieces of the bicycle and pedestrian network would be the multi-purpose Harborfront Trail, dedicated bicycle lanes incorporated into the Second Street Boulevard project, and additional shared on-road facilities within the Uptown and Mud Island neighborhoods.

Increasing access to property and the waterfront TROLLEY RIDE was also one of the most frequent requests heard Charlotte Department of Transportation during the planning process. With three vehicular access points through the floodwall and across the railroad track, access to the waterfront is limited. •••••••••• ••••••••••••• • • • • • ••••• •••• • • • • • • • • • These crossings should be upgraded to permit ••• • • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • public access. Streets such as Looney Avenue and • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Chelsea Avenue currently terminate at Main Street or Second Street and should be extended to Front Street. Large tracts of formerly industrial property have few connections to the street network. This will require street extensions or new internal street networks to make this property suitable PADDLE BOAT for redevelopment. Likewise, residential portions ALTA Flickr – Creative Commons: Hywell Martinez http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

32 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. of Front Street and Main Street between Henry A water taxi system, recommended as part of MATA’s Main Street and Riverfront Trolley lines Avenue and Hickory Avenue require upgrading as the Mud Island River Park Land Use Study, is currently terminate just north of A.W. Willis they lack curb, gutter and sidewalks. As streets are planned to begin operating from Beale Street Avenue at the Trolley Barn. The Riverfront line extended or improved, sidewalks and pedestrian Landing serving the River Park. Utilizing existing could be extended if the CN Railroad siding were facilities should be included so as to create an piers, the water taxi system could extend into the acquired; with greater effort the Main Street line interconnected pedestrian network. Streetscape upper reaches of the Wolf River Harbor. Likewise, could continue north until it reached the Riverfront enhancements for all streets should include lighting, recreation access to the water is possible at these terminus at the proposed Washington Park Landing landscaping, sidewalks, ADA accessible ramps, and locations, permitting access for kayaks and canoes. extreme sports park. signage. Where land uses dictate a need for parking, on-street parking should be incorporated so as to create “complete streets.”

•••••••••• ••••••••••••• • • • • • ••••• •••• • • • • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • • ••• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Water Taxi

Dock or Pier Front Street New or Improved Street/ Streetscape

Sidewalks & Crosswalks Main Street

Trails

W o l Rail/ Trolley f R i v e r H Existing Conditions a r b o r New or Improved Overton Avenue Second Street Building

Shadyac Avenue Single Family Lots A. W. Willis Avenue

Third Street Parking

Mill Avenue

New or Improved Greenlaw Avenue Park Fourth Street Improved Saffarans Avenue

Stormwater Feature Looney Avenue

Open Space Keel Avenue Fifth Street

Chelsea Avenue Trees

0 200 400 600

Henry Avenue Hickory Avenue Henderson Ave.

Reno Avenue

Caldwell Avenue

BIKE PLAY ACCESS DINE WALK LIVE PLAY

© 2012 LRK Inc. Photo Credits, L to R: runmem.wordpress.com; LRK; Flickr – Creative Commons: Rona Proudfoot http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0; LRK; LRK; LRK; www.lushbling.com; Shop? Rick Bostick Nvision, Inc.; www.eyecatchsigns.com; Panoramio: Michel Rapelli www.panoramio.com; www.visualphotos.com; Flickr – Creative Commons: OCVA http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en North Island Drive

W o l f R i v e r H a r b o r

Plum Avenue

Seventh Street Pear Avenue

Cedar Avenue

Caldwell Avenue Marble Avenue

PLAY SHOP LOUNGE LEARN LIVE BE ACTIVE PADDLE

Throughout the planning process, the public was The present-day challenges the public asked to be • Provide a mixture of uses, particularly new retail asked what they would like to see improved in the addressed in the Master Plan include: shops, restaurants, a variety of places to live Uptown West area. This Master Plan is based upon • Overcome limited public access to the • Create a vibrant atmosphere and more activity desires to transform the neighborhood into one waterfront • Provide recreational opportunities, such as that is more active, accessible, usable, diverse, and • Reuse existing underutilized or vacant property walking, bicycling, canoeing, kayaking, skating, provides an enhanced level of quality of life for area and buildings riding horses, etc. residents while maintaining or increasing real estate • Continue the integrity and character of the • Incorporate landscaping and native plants value. neighborhood by making new development fit • Extend mass transit into the area into the Uptown neighborhood • Provide opportunities for family activities • Preserve and celebrate historic assets • Encourage more revenue to be generated

Front Street

North Island Drive

Main Street W o l f W R i o l v e f R r i v H e r a H r b a o r b r o Second Street r

A. W. Willis Avenue Third Street

Mill Avenue

Greenlaw Avenue

Fourth Street Saffarans Avenue

Looney Avenue

Keel Avenue Fifth Street

Chelsea Ave.

Plum Avenue

Hickory Avenue

Pear Avenue Henderson Ave. Seventh Street Henry Avenue

Cedar Avenue

Reno Avenue

Caldwell Avenue Marble Avenue

TODAY 36 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. The Master Plan based upon a set of Guiding and improved streets, sidewalks, and bicycle will allow Uptown West to become an integral part Principles (found in section 3.9) which reflect the connections. Washington Park is expanded, and a of Uptown. values and desires of the stakeholders and public. By series of open green spaces (public or private) create incorporating the following elements, the Master an interconnected network. Public investment in infrastructure and public Plan follows those Guiding Principles. spaces will help stimulate private investment by By phasing public improvements and encouraging making Uptown West a desirable place to live, work Public access to the waterfront is provided along private investment to transform individual and play. Private investment will increase real estate a public easement, Harborfront Trail, a Water properties when the time is right, the “working values and thereby generate tax revenues. Taxi system and its piers and docs, and by making waterfront” businesses may continue as long as safe public crossings of the railroad tracks at the economically feasible. When redevelopment does floodwall openings. The Wolf River Harbor is occur, a wide range of uses and activities including connected to the neighborhood by several new retail, commercial, residential and institutional uses

Front Street

North Island Drive

Main Street W o l f R i v e r H a r b o Second Street r

A. W. Willis Avenue Third Street

Mill Avenue

Greenlaw Avenue

Fourth Street Saffarans Avenue

Looney Avenue

Keel Avenue Fifth Street

Chelsea Ave.

Plum Avenue

Hickory Avenue

Pear Avenue Henderson Ave. Seventh Street Henry Avenue

Cedar Avenue

Reno Avenue

Caldwell Avenue Marble Avenue

For decades the Uptown West area has been a The preferred Master Plan depicts a future that so that the elements of the Master Plan can be working waterfront and this heritage should remain would accommodate industrial redevelopment implemented. so long as the industries and commercial operations on a parcel-by-parcel basis. If no redevelopment find it a competitive and desirable place to do occurs, the Incremental Plan shows how many of It is anticipated that environmental issues exist in business. The Master Plan, however, takes into the Master Plan elements could still be achieved the area; when considering redevelopment, it is account what might happen if the industries move resulting in a working waterfront for as long as the recommended that the site design, architectural out of the area – as several already have. industries remain, while the public gains most of design, or proposed land uses consider ways to the aspects for which they’ve expressed desire. mitigate or avoid any potential environmental issues From meetings with property owners and if they are identified. The actual redevelopment businesses, it was clear that several businesses are When industrial property becomes available for of these existing commercial and industrial sites considering consolidating operations at facilities redevelopment, it is recommended that the City will be subject to the feasibility of remediating outside Uptown or are concerned that infrequent facilitate the acquisition of strategic parcels by environmentally constrained conditions on these dredging of the Harbor will hamper operations. private, non-profit or public entities as appropriate properties where they exist.

Front Street

North Island Drive

Main Street W o l f R i v e r H a Second Street r b o r

A. W. Willis Avenue Third Street

Mill Avenue

Greenlaw Avenue

Fourth Street Saffarans Avenue

Looney Avenue

Keel Avenue Fifth Street

Chelsea Ave.

Plum Avenue

Hickory Avenue

Pear Avenue Henderson Ave. Seventh Street Henry Avenue

Cedar Avenue

Reno Avenue

Caldwell Avenue Marble Avenue

The Uptown West area offers opportunities for the Auction Square Barge Launch public to discover the features and local history As part of the city’s four original public squares, Once home to the construction of river barges, which tell a unique story of the neighborhood. an improved park space serves as a gateway to the a location north of the Marble Bayou pumping Opportunities to tell the story of Uptown West neighborhood that tells the story of the founding of station could be home to a decked barge moored include: the City. along the water to describe the history of shipping, river industry and commerce. Coast Guard Interpretive Area MATA Trolley Barn A park-like place for displaying former marine Being able to view the behind-the-scenes activity at Flood Control Structures buoys and artifacts where the public can learn about the MATA Trolley Barn would allow the public to At each floodwall opening, and along the Gayoso the role the Coast Guard serves maintaining the learn about operating Memphis’ signature transit and Marble Bayou drainage ponds, the public could inland waterways from the adjacent base. system. see and learn about the City’s flood control system.

Buoys along the Corniche Road

Station Square: Pittsburgh Proposed reuse of existing industrial features at Washington Park Landing www.siahq.org ALTA

The economic impact and benefits of revitalization in the Uptown West area will be realized over a long-term period of time. As has been shown time and again, public improvements often are required to spur private investment in a location where revitalization is not occurring on its own. Uptown West is one such area where public improvements such as streetscape improvements, environmental cleanup, investment in parks and opens spaces, and transportation improvements will in many cases precede the private development of mixed-use buildings, commercial and retail space, and multiple and single family residential development.

An order of magnitude cost estimate for the public improvements depicted in the Master Plan is shown to be approximately $72.8 million over a period of 25 years, with a resulting potential private investment of approximately $175 million - $268 million. While the order of magnitude cost estimate allows for variations due to unknown conditions and uncertainty in design elements, this is a reasonable estimate of probable cost according to today’s known conditions and present day construction prices. Actual costs of proposed improvements will not be known until specific improvement projects are designed and bid. For planning purposes, this estimate is only a starting point. Also, the value of private investment is only a preliminary prediction based upon the Master Plan and is not based upon an in-depth economic analysis or prediction of future market demand. A more detailed listing of public improvements is included in the Appendix. This estimate does not include rehabilitation or improvement of existing utilities.

Order of Magnitude Cost Estimate of Public Improvements Harborfront Trail and bank stabilization (incl. retaining walls) $18,700,000 Trailheads $300,000 Harborfront Road (Corniche Road) $2,300,000 Streetscape Improvements (incl. bike/ped. facilities) $2,500,000 New Streets, Street Extensions $5,600,000 Expanded Washington Park and improvements $9,400,000 Other parks and open spaces $7,800,000 Gayoso Bayou basin improvements $2,000,000 Trolley line extension (Riverfront Line and Main Street Line) $21,400,000 Boat launch, Water taxi piers and docks $2,800,000 Total $72,800,000

Since it is anticipated that a number of industrial and commercial uses will remain in Uptown West for the ©2012 LRK Inc. All Rights Reserved. long term, it is recommended that rezoning in the area be implemented on a staged priority basis. IH to MU

The following is the proposed process for rezoning: North Island Drive

Pear Avenue The first priority would be to rezone property that is currently DEVELOPED in a manner that is North Island Drive Plum Avenue CONSISTENT with the recommendations of the ultimate long-term vision of the Uptown West Plan. Pear Avenue

These parcels would be rezoned either Mixed Use (MU) or High density Residential (HDR). (See Seventh StreetPlum Avenue “Zoning” map on this page).

Seventh Street The second priority would be to rezone VACANT land that is currently UNDEVELOPED as either MU or HDR depending on the recommendation of the Zoning map. (In the case of the vacant lots in IH to HDR the historic single family neighborhood north of Henry Avenue, these lots should be rezoned Moderate

Density Residential (MDR).) Marble Avenue IH to MU

Marble Avenue IH to MDR

The third priority would be to rezone property that is currently DEVELOPED in a manner that is NOT e r IH v Cedar Avenue to

CONSISTENT with the ultimate long-term vision of the Uptown West Plan, as either MU or HDR i MU

v r Cedar Avenue o R b i r a based on the recommendations of the Plan. r

R H o Caldwell Ave. b r i r EMP to e a Caldwell Ave. v H IH to HDR MDR Reno Ave. i

i p r R e Reno Ave. f v i p l Tim Henderson Avenue p R o EMP RU-1 CMU-3 to MU Initiated by Memphis City Council, these actions should be subject to the concurrence of the property f to Tim Henderson Avenue p to i W l o HDR MDR

i W

s Henry Avenue owners. If property owners do not wish to be included in the rezoning application(s), they could opt out of s s Henry Avenue

i the application(s). In order to facilitate this process, all property owners subject to the proposed rezoning i s Bickford Avenue s MDR MDR Bickford Avenue

s to to s MU HDR Thomas Street application(s), would be contacted by certified mail by the Uptown Partnership advising them about the Thomas Street i i

ChelseaChelsea Avenue Avenue M M proposed rezoning action in the Uptown West area and the recommended new zoning category (HDR, IH to MU

MU or MDR) for their parcels. The owners would have approximately 60 days to request that their parcels Keel KeelAvenue Avenue

Looney Avenue be excluded from the application(s). Parcels will not be included in the rezoning application if the property Looney Avenue HDR to Saffarans Avenue owner requests that they be excluded, except under extenuating circumstances. Following the sixty (60) MU Saffarans Avenue Greenlaw Avenue Greenlaw Avenue day notice period, the final rezoning application(s) would be prepared and submitted by the Uptown IH to Mill Avenue LI Partnership to the Office of Planning and Development for processing through the Land Use Control Mill Avenue Second Street Willis Avenue

Third Street Fifth Street

Second Street Board and City Council. All fees and other costs associated with the rezoning process would be funded by Willis Avenue Moderate Density Residential District Shadyac AvenueThird Street Fifth Street Moderate Density Residential District CRA Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. High Density Residential District Shadyac Avenue Overton Avenue Front Street

High DensityMixed Residential Use District District Main Street Overton Avenue Front Street (Coast Guard) Mixed Use DistrictUptown Light Industrial District Main Street N 0200’ 400’ 800’ Uptown Light Industrial District 0200’ 400’ 800’

May 31, 2012 31, May Uptown Partnership/ U.S. Army Corp of Engineers/ Riverfront Development Corporation • Memphis, Tennessee 01.11056.00 4 Uptown West – Rezoning Uptown Partnership/ U.S. Army Corp of Engineers/ Riverfront Development Corporation • Memphis, Tennessee 01.11056.00 2.11 Railroad & Floodgate Access

Second Street Two major barriers stand in the way of connecting the Uptown neighborhood with the Wolf River Harbor – the Canadian National railroad tracks and the Floodwall protecting the City. Investigation and research have determined that it is possible to upgrade three existing private railroad crossings to public crossings, Floodwall utilize existing floodwall openings, and create new grade-separated crossings where none exist without interfering with the floodwall or railroad.

Corniche Road Railroad Crossings The Canadian National Railway operates a mainline track which runs from Central Station northward along Riverside Drive and through the study area towards Newbern, Tenn. No heavy rail customers are Railroad Crossing: Corniche Road served in the study area and CN avoids routing through the area. AMTRAK leases the track to operate two passenger trains per day between Chicago and New Orleans. As such, the mainline track will likely

Floodwall remain open for occasional use. A siding track parallel to the mainline track is used by MATA for the Riverside Trolley south of A.W. Willis Avenue. If this siding north of A.W. Willis Avenue is acquired from CN, it could be converted into an extension of the Trolley line.

Three crossings of the rail exist in the area – at Saffarans Avenue, near Henry Avenue, and at the Marble

Henry Avenue Bayou Pumping Station. Potential at-grade vehicle and pedestrian access to the waterfront is limited to these crossings, which would require upgrading to gates and flashing lights per TDOT requirements. A Front Street new at-grade pedestrian crossing is shown where the Chelsea Greenline connects to the Harborfront Trail near Washington Park Landing. New grade-separated bridge crossings and tunnels can avoid interference; two bridge crossings are shown (Conwood Bldg. and Henry Street park). Agreement from CN and TDOT Railroad Crossing: Henry Avenue will be required to upgrade crossings for public use. Consultants conducted a Railroad study describing these and other aspects of working alongside the railroad; a copy of the report is included in the Appendix. Floodwall Floodwall Without question the integrity of the floodwall must be maintained in order to continue protecting property and people in the neighborhood. Any access through the floodwall should be through existing

Saffarans Avenue openings (such as the railroad crossings above), or by means of elevated bridge crossings which do not

Front Street impact the structural integrity of the wall. The floodwall is owned and maintained by the City of Memphis. Any modifications to, or construction in proximity of the floodwall, shall be reviewed by the City of Memphis. After the City of Memphis approves the work, a 408 permit through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is required. A full description of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 408 Permit Process is Railroad Crossing: Saffarans Avenue detailed in the Appendix.

The Master Plan is the first step towards creating an improved Uptown West, The Uptown West Master Plan will be finalized in September, 2012 and delivered to the partners who funded the project: U.S. Army CompleteMasterPlan Corps of Engineers (USACE); Riverfront Development Corporation (RDC); and the Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

Completion of the Master planning process includes a review of Master Plan documents by the USACE to ensure that the plan is consistent with policy and guidance relative to the Planning Assistance to States Presentation&Adoption (PAS) program and meets the objectives stated in the scope of work. The next step is for the Memphis and byCommunity Shelby County Redevelopment Agency to review and adopt the Uptown West Master Plan as a follow-up RedevelopmentAgency document required by the Community Redevelopment Plan for the Uptown Area. The Uptown West Master Plan was anticipated in the Community Redevelopment Plan for the Uptown Area, and will allow the CRA to use the document with the list of possible redevelopment activities, which can be evaluated and funded from the Uptown Redevelopment Trust Fund. Once the plan is approved, specific projects PresentationtoCityof will be presented by the Uptown Partnership, (Memphis Housing Authority and Lauderdale Greenlaw Memphis,ShelbyCounty LLC) to the CRA for TIF funding. In addition, other public, non-profit and private funding will be sought for the implementation of priority projects.

The Master Plan anticipates that improvements will be made over a long period of time; in some cases it may be 25 years or more before certain projects are implemented, depending on public funding and the market for private development. The Master Plan is intended to be a guiding document, giving decision- InitiateProjectPlanning makers, developers and citizens a clear road map for what the community values, and which projects would accomplish the community’s desires over the long time it will take to implement the plan. Uptown West will be improved over time, project by project, phase by phase, constantly evolving and building one successful project upon the successes of the previous ones. While a full transformation of the Uptown West area will take a number of years/decades, many milestones will be accomplished in smaller steps along the SecureProjectFunding Projects way. Additional 3 ProjectImplementation

To create the Uptown West Master Plan, we began by looking at the area as it is today. Uptown West is located at the western side of the Uptown neighborhood north of downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The study area is between the Wolf River Harbor and Main Street/Second Street, from A.W. Willis Avenue to North Mud Island Drive. This area includes industrial, commercial, residential and institutional uses, the Canadian National Railroad, Main Street Trolley, Gayoso and Marble Bayous, and as well as vacant buildings and property. It is protected by a wall and levees from flooding by the Mississippi River and Wolf River.

Landmarks include: the U.S. Coast Guard Station – Memphis; MATA Trolley Barn; Gayoso Bayou Pumping Station; Lafarge cement elevator; Port of Memphis Grain Elevator (leased by Bunge); Cargill; Harbor View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; Westway chemicals; AquaServe; former Conwood Industries; Tri- State Plywood and Veneer; and The Carriage Company.

U.S. Coast Front Street Guard Station

North Island Drive

Main Street W Gayoso Bayou o l Pumping Station f R i v MATA e r Trolley H Barn a r b Second Street o Pallet Service Conwood Building r Company AquaServe (Former Location)

A. W. Willis Avenue Lafarge Third Street Harbor View Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Mill Avenue Marble Bayou Greenlaw Avenue Tri-State Plywood & Veneer Pumping Station Fourth Street Port of Memphis Saffarans Avenue Westway Grain Elevator Chemicals Cargill Looney Avenue (Bunge)

Keel Avenue Fifth Street The Carriage

Chelsea Ave. Company Washington Park

Plum Avenue

Hickory Avenue

Pear Avenue Henderson Ave. Seventh Street Henry Avenue

Cedar Avenue

Reno Avenue

Caldwell Avenue Marble Avenue N

At the outset of the planning process, thoughtful analysis of the existing physical conditions was G e r b e r conducted. The maps herein represent several of those highlighted views which informed the Master Plan.

A full set of analysis and base maps are included in the Appendix. H a r b o r v i e w

Pear Avenue

C i t y o f Land Ownership CCFC M e m p h i s G e r b e r One of the most informative maps prepared was that depicting the pattern of land ownership in the study area. It is notable that the entire eastern side of the Wolf River Harbor in the study area is controlled by R i v e r p o r t C a r g i l l Homeowners Seventh Street only nine entities. The U.S. Coast Guard, Luhr Brothers, Lafarge, Southern Shredded Steel, the City A s s o c .

of Memphis/Memphis Port Commission, Harbor View, Cargill, and the Canadian National railroad. H a r b o r v i e w This taught us that a relatively small number of owners can make a significant portion of the Master Plan

possible. H a r b o r v i e w B e l z

M e m p h i s L a n d Buildings Development

C i t y o f A map showing building locations and coverage illustrate that a clear pattern of urban blocks and buildings M e m p h i s Marble Avenue existed adjacent to the study area towards the south, in the center of the Uptown neighborhood. Several RDC C i t y o f M e m p h i s C i t y o f large industrial/commercial buildings dominate the remainder of the area, however the lack of buildings B u n g e M e m p h i s A l a n indicate the focus of the plan would be where new development would complement reuse of existing H i g d o n T r i S t a t e r A l a n Cedar Avenue I . C . G . V e n e e r buildings. o RR H i g d o n Waterworks b Avenue r M i s s o u r i C i t y o f a P o r t l a n d M e m p h i s Caldwell Ave. C e m e n t H Topography Reno Ave. r Hickory Avenue

e Southern Shredded Steel Tim Henderson Avenue The form of the land plays an important part of the Master Plan in terms of where development is A l a n v H i g d o n i

U n i o n R w y. possible, in particular as it relates to the 100-year flood plain elevation. Having witnessed a flood of this R P e a r l m a n Henry Avenue Henry Avenue f & C o . I . C . G . magnitude in May 2011, it became clear that significant portions of the unprotected property west of the l RR B e l z

Harbortown o C o m m . Bickford Avenue floodwall were not inundated or impacted by only a few feet of water. This indicates that with either minor A s s o c . W

Greenmark LLC Thomas Street

earthwork or raised foundations, development outside the floodwall is possible in a manner similar to how L u h r B r o . Chelsea Avenue Mud Island has been developed. Main Street

Conwood Co. MLB- CCFC U p t o w n Keel Avenue

Land Use Looney Avenue

I s l a n d C i t y o f P r o p e r t i e s Color coding major land uses produces a visible pattern of different types of land use, but also where M e m p h i s Saffarans Avenue property or buildings are currently not being used (uncolored). Clearly, industrial uses predominate the Front Street C o a s t Greenlaw Avenue G u a r d C i t y o f northern portion of the waterfront, however uses transition to commercial, residential or a mixture towards M e m p h i s Mill Avenue the core of the Uptown neighborhood. For a major transformation of the area to occur, the transition from N Auction Avenue Second Street Sycamore industrial to other uses should be anticipated over time and planned for accordingly. Barbara Thornburg Fifth Street Trust Third Street

0200’ 400’ 800’ July 20, 2011 13 Property Ownership Uptown Partnership/ U.S. Army Corp of Engineers/ Riverfront Development Corporation • Memphis, Tennessee 01.11056.00 r r r o o o b b b r r r a a a

H H H

r r r

e e e

v v v i i i

R R R

f f f

l l l

o o o

W W W

High

Over the course of each year the Mississippi River typically has a rise and fall of nearly 50 feet. The defined stages of the river are as follows:

Name: Stage: Elevation: Stage Zero 0 183.91’ Flood Stage 34 217.91’ 100 Year Flood Stage 48 231.91’

The highest crest of the river was recorded in February of 1937, at Stage 48.7. Most recently, the river crested at 48.03 in May of 2011. The lowest recorded level of the river occurred in July of 1988, with the River Stages: January 2011 to June 2012 water level reaching Stage -10.7. US Army Corps of Engineers – Memphis District www.rivergages.com

STAGE -4 STAGE -4 STAGE -4

STAGE 37 STAGE 37 STAGE 37

50 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. The image on the right illustrates the existing topography in and around the study area. Blue areas represent the Wolf River Harbor when water is at Stage 28, while areas in light blue represent land that is below the 100 Year Flood Stage (Stage 48). The remaining shades of green represent the height of the existing topography above the 100-year flood level.

High water is dramatically visible when it approaches flood Stage 34 – a level reached typically for several days or weeks each year or two. Annual dry periods see the river as low as Stage 0 or below, exposing mud banks. About four months of the year the water level is at or above Stage 20 (including times of flood), and about four months of the year the water level is at or below Stage 11. The water level is constantly fluctuating; however, if one looks at it over the course of the year it averages about Stage 16 or below.

High

Harborfront Section Diagram illustrating relationship to river stages. Low N WATER LEVELS TOPOGRAPHY ALTA

The rise and fall of the Mississippi River has a large impact on the water level of the Wolf River Harbor and therefore the land nearby. The Mississippi River Commission established the baseline Memphis river gauge, Stage 0, as elevation 183.91 feet above Mean Gulf Level in 1929. Annual fluctuations of nearly 50 feet are common; during the course of this study the second-highest water level recorded was observed on May 10, 2011 at Stage 48.03 (elevation 231.94 ft.). Just five months later the 2011 low of Stage -2.31 (elevation 181.6 ft.) was observed. Record floods of 1912, 1927 and 1937 heavily impacted Uptown and Downtown Memphis causing extreme damage and impacting lives and property.

The construction of the floodwall was completed over a 20-year period from 1938 to 1958, creating 7,500 feet of concrete I-wall to protect people and property. The exposed height of the wall ranges from just a few feet to the north of the study area, to 14 feet near the Coast Guard facility. The City of Memphis Public Works maintains the floodwall and requires clear area 15 feet on either side of the wall. When required, wooden or concrete stop logs, braces and sandbags are installed to close the 15 openings in the flood wall.

The extent of inundation during the flood of 2011 shows that considerable land was under water, however significant land area outside the floodwall remained dry. To utilize the waterfront area, the finished floor elevation of buildings should be one to two feet above the 100-year flood elevation, which corresponds to approximately elevation 234 ft. So long as the clear floodway is not impacted, raised foundations or fill may be used to create buildable “high ground” upon which buildings may be built.

Use of the bank for public trail access depends on whether the rising river will regularly impact the facility at the elevation at which it is located. By studying the daily river stages for the past 10 years, it was found that a trail located at stage 16 would be underwater over 70% of Winter and Spring, whereas at Stage 32 would be impacted only 15 days year-round, with an average trail closure of two weeks each Spring plus a handful of days the rest of the year. As such, the Master Plan calls for a lower trail at Stage 24 that can be inundated several times a year, and a higher trail at Stage 36 that is less 1912 Flood: Second Street & Mill Avenue Floodwall N impacted. J.C. Coovert FLOODWALL 52 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. Lafarge Dock at 37’ River Stage River Stages: January 2011 to June 2012 Floodwall and Railroad US Army Corps of Engineers – Memphis District www.rivergages.com

Graphs illustrating average duration of time river meets or exceeds noted stages. Open Floodgate at Henry Avenue

Floodwall: Construction Document Elevation Closed Floodgate at Henry Avenue U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

Numerous improvements to existing streets, as well as newly developed streets, are included in the Master Plan. The design of these streets should adhere to the UDC requirements for street width, on-street parking, landscaping and sidewalks. Any new, extended or improved street must be approved by the City Engineering Department; the conceptual sections shown here were reviewed by the City Engineer. These street sections depict the range of street types and designs that are contemplated in the Master Plan area.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is proposing a substantial improvement to Second Street through the study area. Following consultation with the City Engineer, the Uptown West plan proposes that improvements to Second and Third Streets be modified to include landscaping, lighting and bicycle facilities south of Henry Avenue. At Henry Avenue a roundabout is shown to connect Second and Third Streets together. North of Henry Avenue a four-lane boulevard with landscaped median is proposed with dedicated bicycle lanes, landscaping, and a multi-purpose trail on the west side.

Blair Parker Design

Street Sections depicting character, qualities & amenities of neighborhood streets. Please refer to full versions found in the Appendix. Blair Parker Design SECOND STREET 54 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. TDOT Comments heard from the beginning of the planning process highlighted the desire of residents to gain easier access to public transit in the area. The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) operates no bus service (closest is Danny Thomas Blvd.) however it does operate two trolley lines which terminate at the southern portion of the study area. The Trolley Barn – a trolley maintenance and storage facility – is located along Main Street.

The Riverfront trolley line currently utilizes a former railroad siding track adjacent to the CN mainline in Downtown Memphis. This siding extends northward to the Port of Memphis grain elevator. This siding could be acquired and made suitable for use at relatively low cost to allow the Riverfront line to extend north to near Second Street. The Main Street line could also be extended along the center of Main Street and/or Front Street, although costs of installation may be higher than the Riverfront option.

Proposed connection: existing rail line & Main Street Trolley Section Diagram: Relationship of Rail, Trolley & Flood Wall.

Saffarans Avenue

Saffarans Avenue proposed railroad crossing improvements. Existing Rail Lines RAILS © 2012 LRK Inc. :: Uptown West 55 Floodwall Waterfront Trail 3.6 Land Use Concepts Water Taxi New or Improved Road Water Taxi & Public Access Dock Midway through the planning process, the concepts for the Master Plan began to formulate around Parks or Open Space Houseboat Village/ four central themes: Waterfront, Green Network, Transportation and Connections and Property Marina Study Area Improvements. These concepts were preliminary but integrated the following approaches:

Waterfront Transportation and Connections Gain public access to the Wolf River Harbor and Create a network of diverse transportation options utilize it as an urban waterway and recreation space. that connect the neighborhood in many ways • Utilize existing piers for a water taxi service • Connect the Harborfront Trail with nearby • Find one or two locations for a marina, perhaps greenways and trails even houseboats • Provide multiple access points to a water taxi • Create a waterfront trail system with many system serving the entire Harbor trailheads • Improve existing streets and extend new streets • Where feasible, be able to drive along a where needed to promote development riverfront street (corniche road) to see the water • Install bicycle facilities (dedicated or shared • Look for opportunities to go through or over lanes) and tie them to adjacent neighborhoods the floodwall • Expand the Trolley system to serve the • Tell the history by using industrial artifacts, neighborhood tours, and historic markers at special places Property Improvements Green Network Promote the improvement of private property with Beautify the neighborhood by creating a appropriate land uses which make the area vibrant, interconnected network of green spaces stable and desirable • Improve streets with landscaping • Adaptively reuse existing industrial or • Create an a continuous ribbon of green along commercial buildings for new purposes the waters edge • Focus more intensity of uses closer to the • Improve the Gayoso and Marble Bayou Harbor and towards the Pinch/Pyramid stormwater ponds and make them park-like • Permit mixed uses such as residential, retail and features commercial • Intersperse small park spaces throughout the • Transition from higher density activity to lower neighborhood density uses as you proceed north N • Create park-like vistas from within the • Create an opportunity to live on the water Waterfront Access & Improvements neighborhood to the water • Preserve civic and cultural institutions • Expand Washington Park and connect it to the WATERFRONT water 56 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. Floodwall Floodwall Potential Adaptive Streetscape Greenway Reuse Improvements Water Taxi Potential Redevelopment Area New or Improved New or Improved Road Road Houseboat Village/ Marina Parks or Open Space Bike Lanes Civic & Bike Friendly Parks or Open Space Institutional Streets Study Area Existing Trolley North Island Drive Line Potential Trolley Pear Avenue Line Extension Study Area Plum Avenue

Seventh Street

Marble Avenue

Cedar Avenue

Henderson Avenue

Henry Avenue

Bickford Avenue

Chelsea Avenue

Keel Avenue

Looney Avenue

Front Street

Main Street Saffarans Avenue

Second Street

Third Street Greenlaw Avenue

Mill Avenue A. W. Willis Avenue N N N Parks and Streetscape Improvements Transportation Improvements Potential Improvement and Investment Areas GREEN CONNECTIONS IMPROVEMENT

Cities around the world treat their waterfronts and Common elements in these images helped guide the Waterfront riverfronts differently from one another. In a way Land Use Plan towards elements the public favored, • Don’t use rip rap and limit the amount of to determine what the public envisions for Uptown including: concrete West, four (4) groups of six (6) images showing • Vibrancy • Hard-edge treatment is best in the southern end aspects of different waterfront cities were presented • A mix of activities, including shopping, dining, • Direct access to the waterfront is good to gauge community preference for the character and walking • Need benches or resting places off the main trail of the four themes – Waterfront, Green Network, • Abundance of people • The rivers edge should be a public place Transportation and Connections, and Property • Proximity to the water • Privately owned areas for “house-boat living” is Improvements. Of the images presented, the six okay below were most favored by respondents. Feedback was heard regarding each theme:

WATERFRONT WATERFRONT GREEN Flickr – Creative Commons: Rona Proudfoot Flickr – Creative Commons: OCVA http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ 58 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. Green Network Transportation and Connections Property Improvements • Provide a pedestrian crossing across Second • Connect to the bus system and Megabus • Make family friendly Street at Washington Park • Pavement dominated streetscapes are bad; • Provide redevelopment incentives for owners of • Connect to Chelsea Greenline natural feel is better vacant property • Washington Park needs improvement • Bike lanes are good • Improve housing conditions • Provide a waterfront trail around the harbor • Trolley is underused already • Promote neighborhood retail and services • Clean up brownfields and hold property owners • Keep houseboats at McKellar Lake • Make development feel like it belongs in accountable for the cleanliness of their property Uptown • Remove barriers between people and the river • Would love to see the American Snuff (Conwood) building reused

CONNECTIONS CONNECTIONS IMPROVEMENTS Kelly M. Nagle shedigsapony.wordpress.com

Over the course of the year-long planning process Steering Committee what was good and bad about the area, and share the consultant team and Uptown West Steering Comprised of 18 community stakeholders from the their thoughts of what Uptown West could become. Committee engaged the public, stakeholders, and public and private sector, the Uptown West Steering property owners in several ways to gather input Committee (membership listed in Appendix) On November 22, 2011 a second meeting was into the planning process. Three public meetings, directed the planning process and provided input held to present preliminary concepts around four an on-line survey, a two-day design workshop, site regarding every element of the plan. themes to 78 members of the public. Guests were visits (Coast Guard, Lafarge, etc.) and numerous given a brief 10-minute presentation then provided stakeholder interviews enabled the team to gather Public Meetings comments (written and with dots/votes) about plan a broad range of ideas for improving the Uptown Three public meetings were held at the BRIDGES concepts, character images, and guiding principles. West area. Center in Uptown. On June 30, 2011, 58 attendees An overview of the project was provided to those learned about the project and brainstorm ideas of who were new to the process (Uptown West 101).

WORKSHOP PUBLIC MEETING SITE VISITS

60 Uptown West :: © 2012 LRK Inc. The third public meeting was held on April 10, Design Workshop On-line Survey and Website 2012 to review a draft version of the complete plan. A two-day workshop was held at Harbor Landing An on-line survey was conducted to gauge input A brief presentation was made to 45 people which at Mud Island River Park with design team about the types of activities the public would was then followed by one-on-one discussion to members, the public, and stakeholders. Over 1 engage in as part of the Uptown West area. 34 gather comments and feedback about the physical people attended focus group meetings. responses were gathered over the three-week period plan broken into four distinct areas. following the first public meeting. A website Site Visits & Stakeholder Interviews (uptownmemphiswest.com) was created and Public Notice Design team members regularly visited the study regularly updated with announcements, copies of Announcements of the second and third meetings area, but also made visits to the Coast Guard all presentations, copies of all input received, and were made in the Commercial Appeal, Tri-State facility, Lafarge, and other properties. Individual provided links to e-mail feedback and questions to Defender, and Daily News. Mailed notices were meetings with Public Works, Harbor View, MATA, the team. sent to over 300 property owners including those Cargill, and many others. within 500 feet of the study area. E-mail was sent to over 100 community groups and individuals.

SURVEY FEEDBACK

The following Guiding Principles were developed and adopted by the Uptown West Steering Committee in order to clarify the disparate desires of the public, stakeholders, and the requirements of the marketplace in order to support a lively, attractive, safe and sustainable Uptown West. By following these principles, the recommended land use plan should accomplish as many of the public’s desires as possible.

PUBLIC ACCESS CONNECT RDC

Encourage public access to the Wolf River Connect the Uptown neighborhood and harbor and along the Wolf River shoreline. region to the Wolf River harbor. • Acquire by dedication or by purchase, if • Extend streets to the waterfront where feasible required, and easement at the appropriate and appropriate. elevation along the “shoreline” of the Wolf • Provide walking, biking, driving and boating River harbor. connections. • Develop a Wolf River multi-use trail in the • Investigate, in conjuncture with MATA, the easement. extension of trolley and bus service into the • Link the Wolf River multi-use trail with the area. Memphis waterfront trail network. • Encourage the orientation of development • Link the Wolf River multi-use trail with the towards streets, parks and the waterfront. regional greenways/bikeways network. • Encourage private entities, such as marina • Provide boarding stations for the water taxi operators, to develop houseboat village(s) in the system. Wolf River harbor. • Promote recreation and other public amenities including horseback riding. • Encourage year-round activity.

Improve and extend an interconnected Continue a working environment as long Make the neighborhood complete. network of streets, public spaces and as it is not detrimental to the Harbor • Improve housing conditions and housing open spaces. and adjacent integrated, mixed use opportunities. • Expand points of access across barriers (rail, neighborhoods. • Support and expand upon in-fill and floodwall) where feasible and appropriate. • Maintain boat/barge access throughout the redevelopment efforts where feasible and • Create new streets where needed to promote Wolf River Harbor. appropriate. integrated, mixed use development and public • Encourage the ongoing dredging of the harbor. • Improve infrastructure, streets and parks. access. • Promote neighborhood retail and services. • Work with TDOT/City to properly execute • Visually enhance and landscape stormwater the 2nd-3rd Street improvement project. management areas/ponds/pumping facilities. • Focus development around public spaces • Promote safety through appropriate physical which tie into an overall framework of parks design. and green spaces. • Adaptively reuse buildings wherever feasible.

Promote a mixture and intensity of uses Encourage an environment for both cleanup (i.e. City of Memphis floating trash close to the water and other destinations. new development and redevelopment interceptor at Gayoso Bayou). • Locate greater density, intensity and mixture of opportunities. • Strategically assist property owners in the uses nearest Front Street, Main Street, the Pinch • Encourage property owners in the development and redevelopment process of District redevelopment area and the Wolf River redevelopment or upgrading of industrial Uptown West by making them aware of existing Harbor. properties as their functions and use change. financial incentives and public improvement • Encourage appropriate activities near the • Assist property owners in strategies to utilize strategies. water’s edge to “activate” the Wolf River raised foundations or selectively fill to raise the • Acquire, on a limited basis, strategic Harbor. level of low-lying areas in order to increase the properties that are obstacles to the Uptown potential for development near the Wolf River environment or that present opportunities for Harbor. redevelopment. • Investigate various strategies for the • Solicit the participation of local and national improvement of the water quality of the Harbor development entities in the development and such as water circulation and trash/debris redevelopment of Uptown West.

Leverage public investment to attract private investment • Invest TIF Funds and other public funds (such as the Harahan Bridge/Main-to-Main TIGER grant and the grant for the water taxi system received by the City of Memphis) in order to encourage private investment in Uptown West where feasible and appropriate.