I want to address an article that appeared in last week’s Memphis Flyer, and a followup letter that mentioned me that appeared in this week’s Flyer.
A week ago Tuesday, CCC president Jeff Sanford gave a “State of Downtown” speech at the monthly South Main Association meeting. You can read a recap of his speech here. It was a GREAT speech and showed that Downtown will remain very strong through tough economic times, with lots of projects happening in all of Downtown’s neighborhoods. Jeff even managed to change my mind about the Bass Pro/Pyramid project, and I now support it as the best available option.
About 5 days before his speech, I was contacted by an editorial intern at the Memphis Flyer, and was asked to do an interview to give a citizen’s point of view on the “State of Downtown.” I called her back and she was wonderful to talk to – I figured I’d spend 10-15 minutes on the phone with her, but ended up spending 45. Ironically, the part that was used in the eventual article – “Downtown Downturn?” – covered only about 2 of the 45 minutes I spent talking to her. Let me list a few other things I covered in the “State of Downtown” as I saw it:
- I told her that I moved down here 7 years ago. When I first came down here, I thought the best thing about Downtown was that it was a walking neighborhood. I could walk to AutoZone Park to see a ball game; I could walk to Beale Street; I could walk or trolley to South Main for their excellent Trolley Tours the last Friday of every month.
- Since I got here, though, the thing I love most about Downtown has become the people. I mentioned walking into the convenience store on Second and the cashiers know me by name; the great friends I’ve made down here, and in particular the trivia team and the BBQ Fest team I’ve become a part of; being able to walk into many restaurants and bars down here any time of day and running into people I know and like. I stressed that Downtown is the friendliest neighborhood in Memphis, and that I wouldn’t live anywhere else.
- I praised the Center City Commission for the tremendous effort they’ve done to make Downtown a showplace. Their holiday parade and lighting program raised the bar for holiday celebrations by 1,000% down here. I also praised Jeff’s and the CCC’s efforts for keeping Downtown safe through the private safety patrol, and their efforts for attracting new businesses to the area.
- I also found out that my interviewer was a new Memphian, and was looking for a place to live. I spent some time discussing the apartment buildings in the core and in South Main and recommended options that fit what she was looking for – affordability, safety, close to interesting things to do. (She ended up getting a place in Midtown with roommates. Can’t win ’em all, I guess.)
- I praised the South Main Association on the fantastic job they have done, and how their membership has grown by leaps and bounds in the past year.
… And yes, she did ask me about the state of the economy, and I gave her an honest answer. During the 2003-2007ish boom years, a lot of developers went for gold and built high-end condos down here. Now we’re in a market where many people can’t get loans to buy those condos, and where some people who are already in those condos are losing their jobs or facing pay cuts, and risk being forced out. That doesn’t mean all of Downtown is in a downturn – as Jeff reminded us in his speech, Downtown is still VERY strong with many, many new projects underway.
Rather, I think it’s a case where Downtown is still sorting out who will eventually end up living here. It’s my opinion that developers will eventually see that while there are possibly too many high-end condos on the market down here, there are not enough rental units to meet demand, and more will be built. That will lead to more diversity Downtown, as more teachers, artists, musicians, and people in the service industry will be able to afford to live here.
So anyway, about 4 PM yesterday I received a text that said “read page 4 of the Memphis Flyer. You have a new title.” I took a look, and a Flyer reader defending Downtown’s strength took a swipe at me for appearing bearish on Downtown’s prospects, calling me “world economist Paul Ryburn.” I was actually getting a little upset until I saw the source: past DNA president Tommy Volnichak. I haven’t paid DNA dues since 2005, but for some reason I still get the newsletters, and his President’s Messages in the 2007-08 letters have been controversial, divisive, petty, and sometimes downright bizarre. Here’s a link to the archives – see for yourself. The September and October 2008 issues are particuarly illustrative of his writing and leadership style. He finished the October ’08 message by saying that Jesus gave a second chance to misguided souls like Muslims and Buddhists. What business does a statement like that have in a neighborhood association newsletter? Anyway, as soon as I saw that the Flyer letter came from Tommy, I laughed it off. I haven’t taken him seriously for quite some time.
There was also a quote from “38103” on page 8 or 10 (I haven’t got a Flyer in front of me as I type this) that mentions bums, PBR, Jumper Cable Guy… exactly the kind of stuff I talk about on my blog. I’m sure a lot of people think that quote came from me. It didn’t. Maybe the quote came from the guy who owns the 38103 domain, or the guy who makes 38103 T-shirts – both are friends of mine and were perhaps having a little fun at my expense. However, given the timing of the quote, the same week as the letter appeared, I wonder if Tommy or one of his supporters sent it in.
Anyway, I just wanted to correct any ideas people may have taken away from the “Downturn?” article and Tommy’s letter… I think the state of Downtown is still strong, with new businesses, retail, and residents flocking to the area. I love it down here and feel a sense of community I’ve never before felt in any neighborhood. I’m proud to call Downtown Memphis my home, and I’m proud to spend my money here.