If I missed any, or if there are any factual inaccuracies below, e-mail me at paul@paulryburn.com. Good resource to research these places further: ApartmentRatings.com
Also, I’m not doing the apartments on Mud Island for now. Sorry. I’m just not familiar with them, and if it isn’t walkable or trolleyable to the core then I have problems considering it “real” Downtown.
Places to rent an apartment in Downtown Memphis:
Number 10 Main Apartments, 10 South Main, 901-543-8356. Large 1BR and 2BR apartments; W/D in all units; rooftop with hot tub and restaurant-quality grills; gym with cable TV in basement; on the trolley line. One of the few apartment complexes Downtown that is dog-friendly (they don’t accept all breeds - call for details). On the trolley line; quarter block walk to Walgreens; 2-4 block walk to restaurants and entertainment district; 2 block walk to AutoZone Park. Rent is in the upper range compared to other Downtown apartments, but worth it. I can personally recommend this one highly because I’ve lived there 5 years and am about to sign lease #6. If you call, please mention that Paul Ryburn’s blog referred you.
Main Street Flats and Cornerstone Apartments, 99-113 South Main, 901-734-3333. Newly renovated apartments in historic buildings on Main between Union and Gayoso. Large, very nice apartments, hardwood floors, exposed brick, high ceilings, W/D units, walk-in closets, parking. 1 block walk to entertainment district. Have heard very positive things about these. They’re so in demand that it’s rare that there’s a vacancy. Upper-range rent but justified by location, amenities and cool factor.
The apartments in the Lincoln-American Tower will open soon. Visit courtsquarecenter.com for more details.
It’s worth it to check the Memphis Flyer and Craigslist for private condos whose owners are renting them out. Also, rent38103.com has some Downtown apartment and condo rental listings.
Gayoso House, Front at Peabody Place, and Pembroke Square Apartments, Main at Gayoso, 901-529-0390. Managed by same company. Ideal location, only steps from the entertainment district. Rent is medium range for Downtown. Most of the reviews I’ve heard of this place have been positive. Units in Gayoso tend to run a bit small. Pembroke’s are larger but more expensive and many of them are loft-style.
Central Station Apartments, Main at GE Patterson, 901-523-0555. These are right in the heart of the South Main Arts District, and you’d have a very short walk to the art galleries, the Arcade Restaurant, Earnestine & Hazel’s, Calhoun’s Sports Bar, and the soon-to-open Blue Monkey. I’ve had several friends who have lived there and their reviews were mostly positive. Rent is in the mid-to-upper range for Downtown.
Renaissance Apartments (formerly 99 Tower Apartments), on Main between Jefferson and Adams. High-rise building with balconies overlooking the river or the Main Street Mall. Utilities are included with rent. Pool access. There’s a laundry room and also a party room you can reserve. Rent is mid-range for Downtown. In the past I heard a lot of negative stories about this place, but it seems to have improved since becoming the Renaissance. I have several friends living there now and they’re all happy.
Uptown Square, on Exchange between Third and Danny Thomas, 901-523-8662. Within the last decade the old Lauderdale Courts housing project was gutted and turned into a mixed-income apartment complex. Nice, medium-sized apartments with patios or balconies. Swimming pool. Free wireless Internet. Party room that can be reserved. Mid-priced with some of the units reserved for residents who fall below a certain income threshold. I have friends who live there and have good things to say about the place. Very friendly neighbors. Recent reviews on ApartmentRatings.com suggest that management needs to improve responsiveness to resident requests. Biggest negative is that it’s a 2 to 4 block walk to the trolley line, and it’s a walk down Exchange which is only a block away from 201 Poplar, the county jail.
Fielders Square (formerly Echelon at the Ballpark), Fourth Street from Madison to Union, 901-543-8700. I lived there for a year when it was the Echelon. Decent-sized apartments, some with ballpark view. Walls are thin enough to hear your neighbors. Laundry room; W/D connections in apartments but not provided. Party room, pool, breakfast for tenants on Saturdays, occasional parties for tenants. Parking included with rent, unusual for Downtown. Recent posts to ApartmentRatings.com indicate that management needs to improve responsiveness and clean up the hallways. I’ve also heard from former tenants that security is inadequate. Avoid the apartments facing Union at all costs; Union is a major cruising strip in the summer and you’ll be kept awake to the tune of thundering stereos until 3 AM or later Fridays and Saturdays. Efficiency units are affordable, but units with bedrooms have upper-range rent, and it’s hard to justify the cost compared to Number 10 or Main Street Flats.
Greenlaw Place, Second at Mill, 901-578-2988. Low to mid range apartments with some units reserved for tenants below a certain income threshold. I’ve been inside these and they’re very nice, recently constructed apartments. Apartments are medium sized and have W/Ds. Apparently there have been some problems with noise. This is a couple of blocks past the north end of the trolley line. Good value for the money, but this is still a neighborhood in transition.
Metropolitan, Mill at Thomas, 527-1670. This is another new apartment complex by the same people who renovated Uptown Square and built Greenlaw Place. Haven’t seen these but suspect they are well-built with the intent to foster a sense of community the way Uptown Square and Greenlaw were. Affordable to mid-range rents. The major drawback is that this complex is half a mile from the north end of the trolley line. If you don’t mind driving to most points Downtown (or a very long walk) this would be a good value. As with Greenlaw Place, keep in mind that this is still a neighborhood in transition.
Exchange Building, Second and Madison, 901-527-0244. Among the lowest rents in Downtown Memphis; you can get a 1 BR for less than $500 a month. Some units are reserved for those below a certain income threshold. Large units and a 2-3 block walk to the Downtown entertainment district. However, the low rents also present a problem: These apartments are cheap enough for panhandlers to afford. How would you like to have a bum as your neighbor? That said, I know a few people who have lived there for a long time and are happy with the place. Not the Taj Mahal by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a way to live in the Downtown core on a budget.
