didn't the custom house have a large skylight that was rectangular in shape and rested over the middle section of the roof? i don't see it now, but it is present in some of the memphis photos on ssc and other memphis forums. the law school has a night shot on which shows the skylight lit.
second point, the new discussions about the renovation approach to the sterrick skyscraper. i would love to see the building left basically as it is now, however, i would like to see it painted a titanium white, w/ just a touch of bluing added to the white. i think it would be magnificent. the roof and the fish fin tyles should be painted a chinese red. the sears tower renovation would be nice to see painted in an umber green and trimmed w/ a sienna, wheat, or sand/sable color.
i could give the council some really good ideas on getting these places up to snuff, they could pay me half of what they want to pay these companies that usually are employed to tell us what we already know, while they attach a 2 million dollar price tag (w/ recommendations that are usually or never followed.) the recent discussion about what needed to be done on a project, all of the answers were available, the desired outcomes known, etc., etc., yet the council voted to study the project for 18 months, because 2 million or 1 1/2 million dollars was to be given to the city, which would be added to the million dollars that was available to spend. again, one of the reasons memphis projects take 5 to 6 years to finish from table to placement. one reason why one industry leader moved a significant manfacturing project and warehousing operation to olive branch, 2 miles or so from the tn location, but civic officials didn't work quickly enough to get the information the company needed in order to remain where they were, even though they preferred to do so. to weeks ago, the executive disclosed the behind the scenes actions to a packed house of corporative and civil leadership of the county regarding the streamlining of company locations to the metro. too, the city is facing a housing shortage in new stock for purchasing and renting, along w/ available hotel rooms in downtown and midtown. w/ this looming in the face of civic leaders, memphis has lost at least 3 large conventions to kansas city, st. louis, and tampa, because space at the convention center is maxed out for the conventions, and hotel rooms are unavailable or completely inconvenient to travel to in other parts of the city. these issues are not new ones. for at least four years i have heard the same complaints over and over. more rooms are needed for convention guests, more rooms are noticed for peak tourist activity, at least one hotel w/ 1000-1200 rooms is needed downtown, and the convention center is in need of enlargement. memphis wants to compete as a city of destination, as a city for tourism, and leisure, however, their doesn't seem to be anyone getting the job done for the city and its people.
i think 2 1/2 years is coming up for getting a minority hotel, supposedly luxury in nature, has been approved, money was appropriated, but someone dropped the ball and couldn't get required information to the powers that dole out the stimulus money, tax abatement extended one year, supposedly work was to begin in december, 2011, however, nothing begun. is more important to include a group that cannot get their "stuff" together, or are the people and their city better served when the project can be completed for the good of all? is the same true for the chisca? the indigo?
the riverfront, as it stands now, looks as if it is going to be a success, but, just as the pyramid, at what price. i've heard that memphis has always been slowed in getting the people's business completed, however, when it is finally completed, most of the time it is superior in quality. that is my hope, i hope the projects that are not privy to public scrutiny, ridicule, and encouragement are very successful, but, even though the economy and its present state has taken much of the current blame for the lack of projects being completed or started entirely, the problem regarding "feet dragging" has been around for several years.
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