Developers of a new mixed-use project in Cooper-Young say they will meet with residents to allay fears that the 34-unit apartment project on Cooper Street will be a detriment to the community.

Complaints have included adding too much density and a modern design that is out of character with the neighborhood.

The three-story project, located between Oliver and Evelyn avenues, was granted a 15-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) incentive Sept. 10 by the Center City Revenue Finance Corp. (CCRFC) estimated to be worth $1.5 million. Currently, the project at 871 S. Cooper includes 34 residential units, 12,000 square feet of ground-floor office/retail space and 66 off-street parking spaces.

Mark Morrison, a 14-year resident of Cooper-Young and president of the Cooper-Young Community Association, has taken note of the debates on social media platforms like Nextdoor and Facebook.

“While some people are happy to see a new development that will replace an unattractive building and bring life to that long vacant corner, the majority of the discussion seems to be centered on the modern design and the compatibility of the proposed architecture with the character of the surrounding, historic community,” Morrison said.

The effect the project may have on street parking has been a primary issue.

“Residents who live nearby are concerned that it will make street parking and traffic worse when you add the residents of 34 apartments and the employees in the commercial spaces to the number of people who already come to Cooper-Young to enjoy our restaurants and bars,” Morrison said.

Matt Crow and his partners, Elizabeth Petipas and Terry Kerr, own the real estate development and management firm CPK, LLC, which is developing the $8.3 million project. Crow said collaboration with designer archimania is key in moving the discussion forward.

“Working with them, we’ve learned that architecture isn’t as much about stylistic motifs and paint colors as it is about durable materials, thoughtful placement, deliberate function, and sustainability,” Crow said. “The mixed-use nature of the building – with ground floor retail/office space and residential units above – blends the commercial corridor of Cooper Street with the residential enclave behind the site.”

There is currently no tenant in place for the ground-floor commercial space, but Crow said he prefers one who can offer something unique to the neighborhood. He hopes the building can co-exist with the forward-thinking attitude of the neighborhood as a whole.

“It will be the first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) structure in the neighborhood and, we think, the first multifamily building in Tennessee to rely on renewable energy,” Crow said. “In those regards, it’s a modest but forward-thinking development that mimics the progressive atmosphere of Cooper-Young.”

The number and magnitude of LEED certifications in Memphis are growing. Crosstown Concourse, a few miles to the northwest, is currently the largest LEED Platinum certified historic adaptive reuse project in the world.

Archimania, which declined to comment, also designed the planned mixed-use structure at the corner of Cooper and Linden nearby.

Crow and his partners are aware of residents’ concerns, and said their input is one reason they chose the site.

“We are Midtowners, and are well aware that Cooper-Young is a very engaged community — that’s what makes the area attractive to us as local developers who view this as a long-term investment,” Crow said.

The Downtown Memphis Commission staff recommended approval of the project, saying the project aligns with the aim of the city to increase population density in its core.

“We are Midtowners, and are well aware that Cooper-Young is a very engaged community — that’s what makes the area attractive to us as local developers who view this as a long-term investment.”
Developer Matt Crow, CPK, LLC

“This infill project is closely aligned with the CCRFC’s goal of increasing population density by adding new housing units and commercial activity within our urban core,” the evaluation stated. “While the project is modest in size, putting underutilized and vacant property back into productive use is an incremental step toward the city’s goal of building up, and not out, in Memphis’ core neighborhoods.”

Morrison and Crow are working to open discussions with community stakeholders in the coming weeks.

“Mr. Crow is working with me to schedule a community meeting, although they aren't legally required to have one,” Morrison said. “We are currently trying to find a date in the first week or two of October when the CYCA could host a meeting to provide an opportunity for dialog between the development team and the community.”

According to developers, construction will likely begin in 2020 and is estimated to be completed in the same year.