Do you think memphis has a small skyline? (Portland, Louisville: condominium, house)

[tsterling600]

It's quaint! it's not New York.

[clobbersaurus01]

Originally Posted by kingchef

would not lipscomb know? w/in the last two weeks the vue project was totally dismissed as a "no do", however, at this same grouping of people, it was publically stated that the project would be completed. now, i assume it won't be on the barboro property---it might be next to it. i was told extensive plans are in existence.

i meant to add that i believe johnny ryall might know, if the past is any indication. apparently, he gets around.

I am just baffled at the lack of press on either of those... I live out of town, so my main source of info is the CA, bizjournals, and daily news. They've covered the landing, and 1 Beale as well as the Horizon. I haven't heard of any new high rises. What kind of meeting was this?

Is the Vue the old high rise design for the hole on Main?

[TimtheGuy]

Originally Posted by kingchef

for a city proper of around 700,000, and, when comparing it to the top 20 largest american cities, .

You can't measure by 'city proper'. You need to look at the 'metro' population. Memphis is more like 41st in metro population, so you need to compare it to the skylines in say Nashville, Louisville, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, etc.

[kingchef]

i happen to disagree. the size of a city skyline (memphis has a dual core) can be completely disproportionate to its physical size. memphis is the only city listed in the top 20 largest cities in the united states in those you listed in your response. the skyline, in my opinion, is somewhat underwhelming; however, the downtown designation is much more in keeping w/ the number i listed in my original post. memphis' cbd is one sq mile. i just don't know the exact size in miles for the area of downtown. the same is true for midtown to east memphis, etc. it would be nice to locate aerial views of the entire downtown---from the island to the bluffs to central I-55 to jackson all the way back to the river in north memphis city limits. unfortunately, i have been unable to find any. one poster suggested that bill cobb was the best for urban aerial photos. it is true. you will find his work listed for a number of cities.

[clobbersaurus01]

Originally Posted by kingchef

i happen to disagree. the size of a city skyline (memphis has a dual core) can be completely disproportionate to its physical size. memphis is the only city listed in the top 20 largest cities in the united states in those you listed in your response. the skyline, in my opinion, is somewhat underwhelming; however, the downtown designation is much more in keeping w/ the number i listed in my original post. memphis' cbd is one sq mile. i just don't know the exact size in miles for the area of downtown. the same is true for midtown to east memphis, etc. it would be nice to locate aerial views of the entire downtown---from the island to the bluffs to central I-55 to jackson all the way back to the river in north memphis city limits. unfortunately, i have been unable to find any. one poster suggested that bill cobb was the best for urban aerial photos. it is true. you will find his work listed for a number of cities.

I think the skyline size is more directly related to a metro population because the metro population influences the metro economy. Issues such as geographic location of the downtown also have to be taken into account. The East Memphis skyline is more in the geographic center of the metro; and if you combined those buildings with downtown, it would make a difference (just like if you combined the downtown St. Louis with their Central West End and/or Clayton, it would make a difference).

[kingchef]

Originally Posted by clobbersaurus01

I think the skyline size is more directly related to a metro population because the metro population influences the metro economy. Issues such as geographic location of the downtown also have to be taken into account. The East Memphis skyline is more in the geographic center of the metro; and if you combined those buildings with downtown, it would make a difference (just like if you combined the downtown St. Louis with their Central West End and/or Clayton, it would make a difference).

i guess, just for fun, it would be interesting to paste the south metro skyline of the casinos south of main downtown. then paste the east memphis corridor from independent bank and clark tower to international paper. finally, paste the fedex campus buildings in to the north side of downtown. i believe that would make a huge difference in commuter traffic corridors. that would make for a fairly live downtown.

one final thought, it seems that the western portion of the memphis metropolitan area is beginning to really grow. west memphis and marion are about to become one, essentially. marion is really growing. i've read several debates about the good and bad of regionalism. in my view, marion, west memphis, tunica, etc., are not regional per se to memphis. i believe---should another mississippi bridge be built in north memphis---that both jonesboro and blytheville would join their metropolitan areas w/ that of memphis. thus, removing , to a great extent, the regionalism that now exists. the same could be true w/ the south metropolitan area. w/ improved traffic routes, i believe it to be realistic for oxford and tupelo to come into the metro area of memphis, even though they have metro classifications now. these designations change frequently. one thing that exists now that should not be is the fact that memphis has no recognized csa, which is ridiculous. i believe, however, this fact is about to change. politics plays a big portion in these things. these classifications are important to a city, region, area, etc., because of the business markets, who look at them for business planning and so on.

[JoeCartpath]

Ever since the I-240 north loop was constructed there was a plan for another Mississippi River bridge. If you're headed west on the loop past the Watkins exit and, instead of taking the turn south toward downtown, take the short leg to the Thomas St. exit, you'll see that the Thomas interchange was designed for that section to extend toward the river.

If that bridge were ever built, it would be perfectly aligned to connect to a new interstate section heading directly to Marion.

[jdevelop2]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

Skyscrapers = outdated thing of yesterday

Maybe next we'll have someone from Toledo or Columbus or wherever tell us all about their exciting new indoor shopping mall.

Tell that to Dubai, Vegas, Manhattan, Miami, Austin, Hong Kong, etc. In Austin for example, the majority of the now impressive skyline was built in the last 8 years.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by Austin8868

for a city its size?

Absolutely! For a city its size, it should have at least a couple of towers over 500 feet high--at the bare minimum. It is one of the handful of cities in the US with "weaker" skylines relative to a city with such a large population. Other cities that come to mind are Phoenix, San Jose, San Diego, El Paso, Jacksonville FL, St Louis, and Detroit.

Since Memphis will continue growing in population, I'd think its metro would hit 2 million in about 25-30 years or so, a denser and taller downtown is inevitable really.

[kingchef]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Absolutely! For a city its size, it should have at least a couple of towers over 500 feet high--at the bare minimum. It is one of the handful of cities in the US with "weaker" skylines relative to a city with such a large population. Other cities that come to mind are Phoenix, San Jose, San Diego, El Paso, Jacksonville FL, St Louis, and Detroit.

Since Memphis will continue growing in population, I'd think its metro would hit 2 million in about 25-30 years or so, a denser and taller downtown is inevitable really.

as i said earlier, i really would like to see the skyline in memphis elevate to a moderate degree. some expressed that it was silly, wrong, or ridiculous to express such desires. i know that there are current plans for highrises, and there is a concerted effort to begin infill from danny thomas blvd to the downtown medical center and to the beginning of midtown. most of us realize that the alternative to downtown highrises is the "corporate campus." that isn't new to memphis, as evidenced by 20 to 25 years ago looking at corporate buildings running from the sycamore view area to the bellvue baptist campus. By the way, are the new buildings near the group of crosses the beginnings of a new baptist university? i was told that was the intention, and it would be dedicated as a completion of dr. adrian rodger's dream for more christian education? nevertheless, back to my topic. among other areas in the metro, the corporate campus idea was in our city long before federal express built its huge and very attractive campus. the same is true about international paper, medtronic, and others. personally, i would have liked to see a beautiful fedex scraper, highrise parking lots, etc. it could have saved a good deal of ground. instead of international paper building two 9 story office buildings and one 11 story, on ground at ridgeway park at 240, i think it would have been a beautiful skyscraper downtown. i like the design and color of all of the international paper complex.

again, the 7 seven story lenox square buildings, and so on and so forth. my point is a great deal of land has been used up, which ultimately pushes memphis metro out to around 35 something miles, at present. the long and short of it is the fact that these companies chose not to do so. currently, one company that has two midrise buildings in east park are at capacity, and they have said they will be looking for a site to purchase for another presence in downtown, while keeping their east campus buildings.

recently, a poster limited himself by making a rather silly comment, when he said or implied that skyscrapers and high rises were structures of the past. although i read the statement once and knew how ignorant it was, i was occupied w/ interesting conversation concerning other things. at the time, i chose to pass on the opportunity to counter the statements, as offered by the poster. eventually, i knew the statement would be challenged by credible and sensible points. many thanks to those who chose to point out the obvious.

as for downtown memphis, it continues to increase in population. currently, the resident population is estimated to be around 31,000. the physical size of downtown continues to grow, as is outlined by the plan adopted by the city officials. the initial plan for downtown goes back as far as 1997, yet it is being modified, and rightly so, on a timely basis. much of what the brookings institution has offered, as well as the milken reort for city growth has been considered and some of the suggestions implemented.

the law school move, the revamping of large urban neighborhoods in downtown, the investments in the medical center, the reiverfront, and the move of the college of art housing to downtown are just a few of the things that continue memphis on its path to positive things for the future. i love seeing the salvation of the old, the rebirth of the forgotten, and i look forward to the new buildings which will draw memphians and visitors alike to more than just the skyline.

it is foolish for anyone to say that people look for the new. they feel a "vibe", and they associate building cranes w/ buildings, buildings w/ growth, growth w/ vitality, and vitality w/ health. if you can't see these things, perhaps, you are sick. jj, thanks for the "take" on the topic. reps to you.