ON the River

Time on the River changed John Ruskey's life, and he's sharing his knowledge and love of the River with others.



Click HERE to find out about joining John Ruskey on the River.

And ON the Bank this weekend

the aroma of barbecue roasting, eager participants, and those along for a great party -

May 17 - 19

Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest

in Tom Lee Park.

Click HERE for info.

Great Urban Oases

Frank Bruni was thinking and writing about community-minded priorities and great urban parks on his blog for the New York Times: "Several of them have the virtue of "wateriness" and are "sublimely situated pieces of real estate." Some are connected Emerald Necklaces. His list could/should include Memphis and our naturally spectacular riverfront!

Photo of cyclists heading for Stanley Park by Bonny Makarewicz for The New York Times.

Three of Bruni's favorites are: Margaret Island in Budapest, Stanley Park in Vancouver and Belle Isle in Detroit. Readers from all over the U. S., China, Europe, Central and South America added their favorites, places like the Charles River Esplanade in Boston, Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. .... Reading the comments was like a wonderful tour guide itself.

It was good to see that a reader from Michigan had added: " I share your affection of Belle Isle, which we both discovered while working at the Freep, but my favorite urban park will always be Overton Park in Memphis, a city whose charms are too rarely recognized." A good reminder of the beauty, parks, and pathways we have.

Where is this role model?

Seattle is looking at this space for some ideas for their waterfront. Originating in the Depression Era, the public space allows everyone to sit and read at no cost and without need for a library card or ID. A spot you're familiar with?

Read more »

Memphis in May - 1st Up Beale Street Music Festival

Memphis in May brings a month-full of fabulous events to our riverfront.
Click HERE for the line-up & schedule.

Cobblestone Landing Restoration - Do it with Excellence

ALL OF THESE NEED TO BE CHECKED, NOT JUST 2

Recognized by the National Park Service for the important role it has played in American history, the Memphis Cobblestone Landing is being restored. The Riverfront Development Corporation (RDC) will present their revised restoration plan to the Memphis Landmarks Commission Thursday, Apr. 26, at 5 pm at City Hall (125 N. Main, Conference Rm. A, 4th floor) and to the Downtown Memphis Commission Design Review Board on Wed., May 2 at 5 pm at DMC's office, 114 N. Main Str.) Both meetings are open to the public. To submit comments to DRB, e-mail Brett Roler roler@downtownmemphis.com (575-0540); to Landmarks, fill out their automatic e-mail form HERE.

Representatives from FfOR have met with RDC representatives, reviewed the proposed design and materials, and, in response to a request from the RDC, we've summarized our opinion about the revised proposals for both the Cobblestone Landing and Beale Street Landing projects.
Read more »

Getting Ready for the Queen

Lots of work has been going on at Beale Street Landing in preparation for the arrival and christening of the American Queen.

Andy Ashby at Memphis Business Journal covered details about the construction of the Landing's 410'long x 28'wide floating dock. Built in Iuka, MS and on Presidents Island by LCI Inc., the dock is described as two barges attached to two hydraulic mooring arms that rise and fall as water levels change. John Conroy says they are, "one of a kind in the world."

Benny Lendermon of the RDC took ABC/24 reporter Mike Matthews on a hardhat tour.



Wayne Risher reported in the Commercial about the ship's refurbishment and scheduled arrival in Memphis Thurs. 4/26 at 8:30am, christening by Marie Presley Friday from 2:30 - 4:30pm, and departure Friday at 6 pm for Louisville.

Overnight Cruising Back in Memphis - 1st Ship Out a Surprise

In all the excitement about the refurbishment of the American Queen, its scheduled departure from Memphis on Apr. 27, and new jobs with Great American Steamboat Co., we almost missed the 1st overnight cruise ship to pull out of Memphis since 2008.

It happened this past Saturday, Apr. 14. Passengers boarded the 99-passenger Grande Caribe at the Memphis Cobblestone Landing for a 9 day trip south to New Orleans.

Less opulent than the American Queen and not steamboat-style, the smaller ship notes that it is BYOB to cut down on bar tabs, carries kayaks, a raft, and bikes on board, and offers photography workshops and lectures, which may be an appeal to a younger, adventure travel market. The quoted price for the cruise ranges from $2,699 to $3,389 per person, but a special 2-for-1 rate was offered on this maiden voyage.

Built by Blount Boat Co. and operated by Blount Small Ship Adventures of Warren, RI, Grande Caribe was commissioned in 1997, renovated in 2009, and sails routes that include Belize, US, and Canadian waterways. Click for information about the itinerary or to book a spot on the repeat of this cruise Treasures of the Mississippi: Memphis to New Orleans, scheduled for Dec. 10 -18, and for more information about the the ship.

For information about the American Queen, its April 27th departure, itinerary, entertainment, christening, pricing, and future trips to and from Memphis, click HERE.

City Enters Agreement to Correct Sewage Treatment Problems

After a long history of sewage problems including foam floating down the River from the M. C. Stiles Sewage Treatment Facility, an enforcement action was filed against the City of Memphis. Yesterday, two years later, the City reached a settlement agreement with Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Tennessee Clean Water Network (TCWN), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Under the agreement, the City will assess areas near Cypress, Cane, and Lick Creeks, develop three large infrastructure projects one of which is the Wolf River interceptor, and have written policies and procedures for operation and maintenance activities.

For more information, click HERE.

For the consent decree, click HERE.

Great day to Hook Up to Clean Up Downtown & our Riverfront

Near & On the River soooo much going on this Weekend

For more info., click HERE & HERE.

Did you know? New York City’s High Line project had grassroots beginnings.

Two “average Joes” organized others, and the city eventually listened, hiring James Corner Field Operations for the redesign.

It's a fascinating story -- how Robert Hammond and Joshua David attended a public meeting determined to keep the abandoned High Line railway from being torn down, but they never intended to lead the struggle. In 1999 they found themselves forming Friends of the High Line with opposition from every corner: city officials, developers, and neighborhood groups. The tide turned in 2001-2002, when photographer Joel Sternfeld captured the beauty and potential of the abandoned line in a series of compelling photographs. In 2009, 10 years after its initial conceptualization, the first phase of The High Line "park in the sky" opened in the lower West side of Manhattan. It has spurred some $2 billion in ancillary development, and has had a positive effect on the local crime rate, with not a single serious offense reported on the High Line since it opened.

based on an iinterview with Robert Hammond in ASLA's "The Dirt."

David and Hammond have written the whole story in their new book, High Line: The Inside Story of New York City's Park in the Sky. Martin Filler, in the NYReview of Books calls it "an inspiring case study of how major city planning initiatives can be realized without either the authoritarian methods of Robert Moses …or today’s characteristic commercially driven redevelopment schemes."

High Line captures art of the promenade

As the sun slides down beyond the Hudson River ..., you’re bound to encounter the lost art of the promenade, unhurried conversation, perhaps even someone using paper and pen to scribble free verse in a journal."

People of all walks of life, at all times of day, ...enjoying one another's company....

from "Walking on Air" by Jeff Gordinier, New York Times.

Photos by Casey Kelbaugh, "A Time Tunnel in Downtown, New York Times.

Click HERE for an audio/video stroll with Bill Cunningham on the "most extraordinary fashion promenade you can imagine...."

High Line - How it Worked Design-wise

Figuring out how to reuse the abandoned railway moved fast. Friends of the High Line held an open, international "search for ideas" in Jan. 2003. They were put on public display at Grand Central Terminal, and, with the City and community leaders on board, the ideas were narrowed down to those from 52 teams, and then to four teams who presented designs. In Oct. 2004 James Corner Field Operations, with a collaborative team that included architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro and planting designer Piet Oudolf, was chosen.

In the beginning ... I thought it would make sense for an architect to be a lead, but this is truly a landscape project.… When I talked to architects about their concept it was all additives, about adding things to the High Line. Landscape architects are better at dealing with existing conditions. The existing condition was so important to us and had such a deep connection with the history and what people fell in love with, and James Corner recognized that.

Robert Hammond, Co-Founder of the High Line

Design Slideshow. (Click on individual slides for explanation.)

Interactive map and Design Video.

Downtown to get some TLC

All over downtown, Volunteers are Hooking Up to Clean Up, so please bring your brawn and spirit - come help!!

Saturday, Apr. 14, 2012

Registration & Clean Up @ 9am @ 3 Locations:

* Huling Trolley Stop for South Main

* Cobblestone Landing for Central Downtown

* Uptown Park for North District

Party to celebrate our handi-work in Uptown Park @ Noon.

Community partners:

You're Invited to Walk the High Line

Greenways, paths, promenades, esplandes are “in,” and probably the most talked about, strolled, and acclaimed is New York City’s High Line.

Join Memphis artist and Master Gardener Cheryl Converse and Friends for Our Riverfront for a photo tour:

Take a Walk on the High Line
Mon., April 2, 6:30 pm; (light refreshments @ 6pm)
Benjamin Hooks Main Library (3030 Poplar)
Free.

Called the most extraordinary promenade you can imagine, the High Line was an abandoned, elevated, railway track on NYC’s West side. Rescued from demolition through grassroot efforts and redesigned by James Corner Field Operations, the “park in the sky” blends contemporary and historical design, industrial decay and natural beauty. It has not only captured the hearts of New Yorkers and been called "the most innovative and inviting public space in New York City and perhaps the entire country" by "National Geographic," but it has also spurred some $2B in ancillary development, primarily housing adjacent to the park.

History of Memphis Cobblestone Landing & Why it's Important to Preserve It

Judith Rutschman's interview with Virginia McLean and Judith Johnson for Sierra Club Nature of Conservation.

Memphis Cobblestone Landing from Chickasaw Group on Vimeo.

Greatest Maritime Disaster in U. S. History ?

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, 1,177 men on the USS Arizona tragically lost their lives. Today more than one million people annually visit the memorial, a National Historic Landmark that sits astride the sunken hull.

BUT the greatest maritime disaster in U.S. history took place 76 years earlier and much closer to home.
Just across the Mississippi River from Memphis in Mound City, AR, the SS Sultana sank on April 27, 1865. Carrying mostly Union soldiers released from Confederate prison camps, the ship exploded and sank killing an estimated 1800 of its 2400 passengers. Today the ship's remains lie under silt near Marion, AR.

Photos from the 1860s and a few fascinating Sultana artifacts are temporarily on exhibit at Bella Vista Commons Shopping Center (2895 Ark. Highway 77, Marion, AR) through March 25 with hopes that eventually a permanent museum in Marion will commemorate the disaster. Sounds like a fun short excursion!

Click for stories in the Daily News and Commercial Appeal.

What a great day on our Riverfront!

Water - Tomorrow's "gold" - Rethinking what we do with it while it's in the City

A traffic circle in Normal, IL has been voted the #1 public space in the U.S. It's of course not just your normal traffic circle; it's also a water recycling system and a park.

Flooding along Lick Creek put storm water run-off and retention basins on the front page in Memphis and in the city budget. Retention basins, like the new one under a University of Memphis parking lot on Central Avenue and the one proposed for Overton Square, are being built to slow the run-off down and help reduce flooding.

Around the country, engineers and designers are also working on "bioretention cells" and rain gardens -- sustainable solutions that absorb, filter, recycle and clean the water through collections of plants. That's what Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects did at the traffic circle in Normal. Take a look.

An idea for storm water before it hits our harbors and the River?

A Gentle Love Affair with Memphis & our River

Jason Allen Lee's video captures the mood. Bet you'll like it.

Memphis Moments from jason allen lee on Vimeo.

Music by Patrick O'Hearn-Beyond this moment

Spring Break 2012 Memphis

Living Lands & Waters back to continue cleaning up McKellar Lake.

3 Sessions - for college students only
Week 1: Sunday, February 26th to Friday, March 2nd
Week 2: Sunday, March 4th to Friday, March 9th
Week 3: Sunday, March 11th to Friday, March 16th

For more info. and to register, click HERE.

Reelfoot & the Steamboat - 1811

Q: 1811 is noted for:

1) largest slave revolt in U.S. history
2) historic steamboat voyage
3) huge earthquake
4) mass squirrel migration
5) comet sights
6) war
7) all of the above

The answer -- #7. Get the fascinating facts and see the lake left behind this weekend at Reelfoot Lake Visitor Center.

200 years ago, the steamboat New Orleans travelled down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. The first steamboat on the waters west of the Allegheny Mountains, it would pass the Chickasaw Bluffs (later to become Memphis) and signal the commerce that would draw settlers westward along the rivers and create a national economy.

A bicentennial exhibit, on loan from The Rivers Institute at Hanover College, covers the incredibly eventful four month journey, and on Sat., Feb. 18th at 7pm Thomas D. Schiffer will speak on the steamboat adventure (free).



Nicholas Roosevelt (great uncle of President Theodore Roosevelt) with Robert Fulton built the steamboat New Orleans in Pittsburgh in 1810 and 1811, and in 1811 – 1812 made the journey down river with his wife Lydia Latrobe, daughter of architect Benjamin Latrobe. What a strange and eventful trip it was! Not only was the New Orleans the first steamboat to operate on the Western rivers, but, during most of the trip, the Great Comet of 1811, was in full view. A baby was born onboard, and migrating squirrels swimming in the Ohio River competed with the ship for right of way. As the New Orleans entered the Mississippi River, the first of the New Madrid earthquakes occurred, causing the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a time. Native Americans, believing that the steamboat was the comet come to earth and the cause of the earthquakes, attacked the steamboat in war canoes. As the ship passed through Louisiana, the territory was covered in a rare snowfall.

Map of MS River Trail in Shelby County

University of Memphis City and Regional Planning Dept., Memphis Regional Design Center, and MS River Corridor - TN have prepared a map of current and proposed bike and hiking trails along the Mississippi River in Shelby County. Here's the section between Meeman Shelby Forest on the north and T. O. Fuller State Park on the south.

Click on map to enlarge.

Cotton Row Rehabs

It's a win - win: Restoration of our important downtown historic buildings right across the street from what can be a beautiful Public Promenade for Memphians!

Distributors Holding will rehab 60 Front; Memphis in May will be next door at 56 Front, and Mortimer Enterprises LLC at 62 Front. This kind of sustainable redevelopment is happening around the country. What great new tenants for the Cotton Row Historic District.

Click HERE for the story in the Commercial Appeal.