The University District Neighborhood Associations have been in a struggle to preserve the district’s urban identity for the past few months. Soon, however, they may celebrate a victory or be forced to swallow a bitter compromise.
Several years ago, the neighborhoods and businesses in the University of Memphis District, in collaboration with the university, envisioned the Highland Strip as a vibrant urban street--safe, pedestrian friendly, and fun to walk along.
“Bring the shops out to the front and make it a nice place to walk, so that people want to be on the street,” said David Cox, the university liaison with area neighborhoods and officer of the University Neighborhoods Development Corporation. “When you have more people on the street, it’s a more pleasant experience, but also crime goes down.”
The community plan gained the recognition of the City Council in 2009, and the University District Overlay (UDO) became the official set of standards that will guide all new construction.
Back in May, McDonald's applied to build a restaurant on the southeast corner of Southern and Highland, where the Whatever Store and Z Market are currently located. The fast food company intends to vacate its building on 657 S. Highland St., almost across the street, if permitted to build the new restaurant.
Upon the news, neighbors welcomed the new development.
“On behalf of Mr. Martin [U of M President], The University of Memphis, and the University District Development Corporation, I want to express our support and excitement for the project,” Cox wrote in a letter to the president of Century Management, McDonalds’ franchisee.
But the excitement didn’t last long. Cox, UD associations, along with many business owners and residents in the district were soon writing letters to the Land Use Control Board, objecting McDonalds’ proposed site-plan for its inconsistency with the University District Overlay.
The planned building sets away from both streets, Highland and Southern, to allow for drive-through lanes to wrap around it. Pedestrians would have to walk through cars to enter the building.
“It’s not an urban design. It fits out on Germantown Parkway. But nobody walks up and down Germantown Parkway,” Cox said.