Tales of Wal-Mart site, special election, greenway addition
Some 13 years after Wal-Mart abandoned its site on Germantown’s northern border, the last vacant parcel is on the verge of being filled.
Avenida Partners Development Group has applied to rezone the remaining tract near the southeast corner of the old store site. The plan is for an independent living retirement center. Details of the project were not before the Planning Commission recently, only the rezoning of the parcel from commercial to retirement housing use.
Wal-Mart left the suburb in 2004, heading about a mile north into Cordova to build a superstore, leaving Germantown with a large vacant tract on its northern doorstep.
The 5.3-acre parcel is one of six that resulted from Baptist Memorial Healthcare buying the Wal-Mart site on the northeast corner of Germantown Road and Wolf River Boulevard. The Baptist Rehabilitation Germantown Inpatient Unit, completed in 2014, is a major part of the area behind Chick-fil-A.
But the loss of Wal-Mart also contributes to the rezoning request. Applicants say the transition from Wal-Mart’s commercial use to the health facilities is in keeping with the requested zoning. Cameron Ross, director of economic and community development, said the request by Avenida goes along with the suburb’s medical gateway corridor along Wolf River Boulevard.
Greg Marcom of The Reaves Firm, which is working with Avenida, said the arrival of West Cancer Center, the expansion of Campbell Clinic and other medical service providers enhances the corridor plan and is an indication of the changing theme of the area.
“We believe this is a good use for the area,” Marcom said. “…We do believe the area has changed since Wal-Mart has departed.”
The rezoning received unanimous approval from the Planning Commission. As with many things, there are a number of steps left before construction starts, including the Board of Mayor approval of the rezoning.
LAKELAND
FILING FOR AN OPENING: A trio of candidates qualified by Friday’s deadline for a special election to fill a void left on the Lakeland Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Michele Dial stepped down to spend more time with her family. The city already filled a vacancy — left by Commissioner Sherri Gallick moving out of town — and state law allows only one appointment to such a legislative body. Thus, filling Dial’s spot required a special election rather than appointment by the board.
According to the county Election Commission, Maurice Denbow, Billy C. Rodgers Jr. and Wesley Alan Wright qualified for the May 25 special election. Tim Joyce pulled a petition, but did not return it for the election.
Early voting is May 5-20.
MILLINGTON
BATTER UP: Columnist Tonyaa Weathersbee told readers about a new baseball league starting play in Millington next spring, focused on resurrecting interest in the national pastime among black players.
The National Urban Professional Baseball League is expected to start with teams in Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The Millington team will be the Cool Papa Bell All-Stars, after the speedster from the Negro League.
The level of play is unclear. It’s doubtful the Millington team will rival the AAA Memphis Redbirds or the talent level of the Memphis Showboats of the USFL.
The challenge will be to make the product enticing enough to lure fans to the 5,000-seat stadium in the same way people drove from Memphis to Millington from 1986 to 1996 when the North Shelby County city was the USA Baseball training site.
BARTLETT
UP ON FLETCHER CREEK: We told you about the new section of the Fletcher Creek Greenway in Bartlett, providing a walk through nature from Yale and Brother Boulevard to U.S. 64 and Santa Valley.
The official opening of the stretch is set for Friday.
But I have a sneaky suspicion that is simply a ceremonial deal. I think plenty of people have already used the trail, even with that big locked yellow gate at the bridge over the creek at Yale.