'For Sale' Is Sign of Concern for Annesdale Mansion Neighbors
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Public Records & Notices View a complete day’s public records and notices at memphisdailynews.com. www.chandlerreports.com Friday, March 6, 2020 MemphisDailyNews.com Vol. 135 | No. 38 Rack–50¢/Delivery–39¢ Shelby County budget $85M in the hole for 2021 LINDA A. MOORE Crosby, county finance director. But since 2017, expenditures underestimating property tax rev- Although general fund expen- Courtesy of The Daily Memphian Between 2014 and 2016, gen- have exceeded revenues, with enues, losses due to the successful ditures are projected to decrease Based on spending and rev- eral fund revenues exceeded ex- shortfalls of $3.4 million in 2018 appeals of real estate reappraisals, by $5.5 million, she said, budget enue projects, Shelby County penses by $7.6 million in 2014, and $10.1 million in 2019 and a the elimination revenues from the requests total $23.5 million. Also, government is facing an $84.9 $5.4 million in 2015 and $6.9 budgeted shortfall of $7.9 million Hall income tax which was paid Shelby County Schools has asked million shortfall for fiscal 2021, million in 2016, Crosby told the for this year, she said. on investment profits and a sig- for $21 million, which would County Commissioners were told commission’s budget and finance Revenue shortfalls rep- nificant reduction in earnings on Wednesday, March 4 by Mathilde committee. resent deficits created by investments, she said. BUDGET CONTINUED ON P2 the market, potential buyers are being told that the grounds are large enough to develop more housing. ‘For Sale’ is sign of concern for “Needless to say, neighbors in the Annesdale- Snowden Historic District are anxious about what potential buyers might have in store for the prop- erty that is at the historic heart of our neighbor- Annesdale Mansion neighbors hood, even if it is outside the boundaries of the his- toric district,” Christopher Church told The Daily Memphian. He lives a block away from the mansion. C h u r c h w a s speaking only for himself despite be- ing president of the Neighbors in the Annesdale-Snowden Historic Neighbor- Annesdale-Snowden hood Board. The Historic District are board is tentatively anxious about what scheduled to meet and discuss the potential buyers mansion on Mon- might have in store day, March 8. “Personally, I for the property that would hate to see “is at the historic heart the property subdi- of our neighborhood, vided,” Church said. “A big part of the An- even if it is outside nesdale house aes- the boundaries of the thetic is its setting on the hill with that historic district.” grand approach up –Christopher Church, resident of to the house. Annesdale-Snowden Historic District “Just as the green space and reflecting pools of the National Mall contribute to the grandeur of the U.S. Capitol, Annesdale’s lawns, gardens and ancient trees let Real estate agent Joshua Spotts of Crye-Leike Realtors walks the grounds of the historic Annesdale Mansion in Midtown Memphis that house shine like no other place in Memphis,” on Wednesday. Spotts will be selling the property on behalf of owner Ken Robison. (Patrick Lantrip/Courtesy of The Daily Memphian) Church said. “Crowding the mansion, whatever the infill, TOM BAILEY Realtor Joshua Spotts said of the inter- that their ideas vary for what to do with will detract from what the house still is,” he said. Courtesy of The Daily Memphian est shown in the 165-year-old house the property. Robison bought the place for $550,000 in 2011 Neighbors and preservationists are since it hit the market on Monday, Neighbors and preservationists also and spent a substantial but undisclosed amount voicing concern about the future of the March 2, at a $5 million asking price. are expressing keen interest, but for dif- to restore it. Annesdale Mansion even as prospec- Already, representatives for three ferent reasons. The Annesdale-Snowden Historic Neighborhood tive buyers are signaling their interest. anonymous clients have contacted Owner Ken Robison not only has put “Extremely positive,” Crye-Leike Spotts to ask questions, he said, adding the antebellum house at 1325 Lamar on MANSION CONTINUED ON P2 INSIDE Public Records ................ 4 Public Notices ............... 13 memphisdailynews.com chandlerreports.com Marriage licenses are unavailable ©2020 The Daily News Publishing Company A division of The Daily News Publishing Company while Shelby County Clerk’s O ce Memphis, Tennessee The standard for premium real estate Established 1886 • 135th year information since 1968 reviews internal policies for its digital Call 901.523.1561 to subscribe Call 901.458.6419 for more information platforms. Page 2 MemphisDailyNews.com Friday, March 6, 2020 MANSION CONTINUED FROM P1 Robison does not use the mansion as a residence, but as is an enclave of historic homes an events venue to rent out. The generally bounded by I-55 on the place is especially popular for west, a rail yard on the south, weddings, rehearsal dinners, Lamar Avenue on the north and wedding receptions and showers. Heywood on the east. The business is sometimes a The Annesdale Mansion problem for the nearest neigh- property is not formally a part of bors on Snowden Circle and parts the historic neighborhood dis- of Agnes who endure loud music trict, but is surrounded by it. The from some of the bands that per- mansion was separately placed form for events. on the National Register of His- However, Robison has toric Places in 1980. forged a relationship with the Nearly a week after the neigh- neighborhood. borhood board meets, preserva- “I appreciate Ken Robison’s tion organization Memphis Her- investment in the preservation itage will host a meeting at its of the Annesdale house and its headquarters for neighbors and stately grounds,” Church said. anyone else concerned about the “Ken has hosted many neigh- property. That meeting will be 3 borhood meetings at Annesdale p.m. on March 15 at Howard Hall, and has put on what has to be the 2282 Madison. best Easter egg hunt anywhere … “It’s not hanging them up by in its garden and lawns. their feet,” Memphis Heritage “I am deeply appreciative of development director June West this hospitality,” Church said. said of the meeting’s purpose. Still, neighbors are anxious “We don’t know what they are about any plans from a future going to do.” buyer of the mansion. The goal is to share informa- Among questions Church has tion about what can and cannot are: Are there any restrictions on be done with the property, and the number of infill housing units what the worst- and best-case and stories that could be built? scenarios are, she said. Would access to a new subdivision The Annesdale Mansion be from Lamar, or would new curb property is zoned Residential cuts be made along Snowden Cir- Urban 4 (RU-4) and is in the Mid- cle? And, are there design guide- town District Overlay. lines that ensure the architectural That means that an own- TOP: Real estate agent Joshua Spotts of Crye-Leike Realtors stands in the stately entrance of the historic styles mesh with the neighbor- er has the right to residential Annesdale Mansion on Wednesday. BOTTOM LEFT: Pieces of art pile up in the home office of Annesdale Mansion hood’s century-old homes? uses that include a conventional owner Ken Robison as he prepares the historic property for sale. BOTTOM RIGHT: An antiquated cherub statue Linda Lipinski has lived house, a side-yard house, a cot- dutifully holds his position on the mansion grounds. (Photos by Patrick Lantrip/Courtesy of The Daily Memphian) across Snowden Circle from An- tage, a semi-attached house, a nesdale Mansion for 45 years. She two-family home, a townhouse, a lush grounds. If so, there is ample that way, but it was his choice to Galloway Mansion at Overton also acknowledged the good that large home, a stacked townhouse, space to build without spoiling open this up and somebody can Park and McLean, West said. Robison had done in preserving apartments, an upper-story resi- the historic atmosphere sur- buy it, or if multiple people want There, the mansion anchors the the mansion and hosting neigh- dential home, a live/work struc- rounding the mansion, he said. to get together and buy it.” center of the block that was sub- borhood events. ture, a manufactured home and “With the neighbors, yes, ev- West said more development divided for relatively new homes “It’s beautiful,” Lipinski said. a modular home. erybody’s got an opinion, right?” could be “tolerated and appro- at three of the corners. “It’s kind of a winding road up Group living also is allowed Spotts said. “But that’s the rea- priate” if it were upscale, single- What should not happen is there. The best thing, of course, as a nursing home, a full-time son it’s offered publicly. If some- family homes. the erection of apartment build- would be if you could keep it like convalescence hospice, a per- body wants to buy it, then they An example of how not to ings that block the view of the that. sonal-care home for the elderly, can do it. develop more housing on the mansion from Lamar, West said. “… It’s frightening to think, a residential home for the elderly, “It’s really the reason that grounds of a historic mansion is She credits Robison for restor- and I can’t imagine how some- an assisted living facility, an in- (Robison) didn’t say ‘Let’s sell it the historic Hunt-Phelan House ing Annesdale Mansion, adding, body would want to put a high- dependent living facility and a under the table and sweep this at 533 Beale, where a condo build- “He did a very admirable thing.” rise apartment or something like supportive facility.