The Early Word: Party on at Annesdale Mansion and a look inside 100 N. Main
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We may be partying, but the City of Germantown is most certainly not. The suburb’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen will consider an ordinance today to stamp out ticketed house parties, like the ones at a house on Forest Hill Irene Road that caused a stir earlier this year.
In sports news, the Memphis Tigers will play two-time defending NCAA champs UConn in their first game at the Maui Invitational. The Memphis Grizzlies will play the Portland Trail Blazers in the Pacific Northwest, and it seems Ja Morant could be a maybe. For more upcoming sports ball and other things, see This Week in Memphis.
After years of feuding between the Annesdale Mansion’s former owner Ken Robison and a handful of Annesdale-Snowden neighbors, there’s finally some peace around the parties held at the historic mansion. Neighbors had been unhappy with loud music from the weddings Robison hosted there. The new owner Bill Townsend is still hosting parties, but he’s been careful to work with the neighborhood to ensure they’re not disruptive. And his parties aren’t for profit; he’s been using the space for charitable events, often at no charge to the nonprofits hosting them. Townsend also owns several other historic properties — the Luciann Theater, the Lowenstein Mansion and others — and he’s got big plans for all of them.
Downtown’s 100 N. Main redevelopment project is moving right along, and more than 75% of the 38-story tower has been demolished and abated. The demo process should be done by the end of spring. Then, the construction phase on what will become a mix of apartments, a Marriott hotel, office space for the City of Memphis and a 1970s-inspired basement speakeasy will soon follow. Adam Slovis with 100 N. Main Development Partners gives a detailed update on where the project stands and what people can expect from the rehabbed 58-year-old building.
Plus, MATA cuts are still on the table, and Hog & Hominy’s Beef & Cheddar Hot Dog is, too. Plus, Crosstown is getting another live music venue.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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