MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Project leaders showed WREG around Crosstown Concourse Monday. The space used to be the blighted Sears Crosstown building.
It was our first look inside the mixed-use space.
The Sears Crosstown building was 1.5 million square feet, but a project leader said the square footage was slightly reduced to make room for light wells to brighten the inside of the building.
It costs about $200 million before tenant improvements.
Many in the community hope it helps revitalize the crosstown neighborhood.
“I think Cleveland has seen about 35,000 square feet of retail that has opened up since we’ve started doing this work,” said co-leader McLean Wilson.
Developers broke ground in February.
Project leaders said the building is on track to open in 2017.
It will soon house galleries, offices, clinics, and apartments. There will also be a high school and an adult charter school.
The Church Health Center is also relocating here.
“Everything the Church Health Center does will be at the heart of this building, and it’s all about reinventing ourselves and engaging Memphis in what it means to live a life well-lived,” said Church Health Center CEO G. Scott Morris.
The building is just blocks from Northwest Prep Academy, which enrolls kids who have been expelled from other schools.
Police said some of those students were involved in a violent mob attack at a gas station close by earlier this spring.
Some wonder if the development could attract trouble.
“It’s a possibility, but I’m sure the Memphis Police should be able to handle it, and we’re looking for a mayor now, so I’m sure he’ll be, you know, great at what he do,” said Crosstown resident Melvin Polk.
“I think we’re being very realistic about wheat security needs to be,” Wilson said.
Wilson said Crosstown Concourse is already working with a security firm, as the building will see about 3,000 people pass through everyday.
He said there is no plan at this point to put a fence around the building.
He said the high school in the building will have its own, separate entrance.