A proposed apartment development near The University of Memphis at the northeast corner of Highland and Central has neighbors concerned about a potential eyesore and increased traffic.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer currently owns the property at 294 South Highland.
Maximum Development Corporation has proposed building a seven story, 60-unit apartment building on the northeast corner of Highland and Central.
"It is zoned as RS-6, which means single family residential," said Don Jones, principal planner with Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development. "They're proposing a development plan that is an overlay which sets on a piece of property and has its own uses different than the underlying zoning."
The proposal will go before the Land Use Control Board during its meeting Thursday at 1 p.m.
"Several neighbors are concerned about this already being a high traffic area," said Central Cove homeowner Fran Riley. "This lot is little more than a 1.3 acre parcel of property."
Riley, an attorney with Farris Mathews law firm, thinks the plan is counterproductive considering the efforts The University is trying to improve pedestrian safety.
The private development proposal is in no way affiliated or connected to The U of M.
The development would include 60, four-bedroom units that combine the best features of dormitories and apartments, said Gary Prosterman, president of Maximum Development Corp.
"We're proposing a residential apartment community geared toward students and faculty," Prosterman said. "This is a proposed project. We still have to go through various approval processes with the city and decide if it's feasible."
Prosterman, who lives nearby in the Galloway Golf Course neighborhood, said he has not heard any strong opposition to the plan so far.
"We've made a concerted effort to reach out to interested parties," he said. "We've contacted heads of all the neighborhood associations near the site."
Karen Wellford, a resident on nearby Ridgefield, owns a business at Highland and Cowden.
She denies that the developers have made any effort to contact residents.
"My husband Alex is the head of our neighborhood association," Wellford said. "The only thing we've received was a notice from the Land Use Control Board about the meeting."
The plan for housing some 240 people with only 159 parking spaces is ridiculous, she said.
"The only proposed entrance and exit would be on Highland," she said. "And there are beautiful large trees on the lot that they haven't accounted for."
In addition to the added traffic some 200 residents would add to the area, Fran Riley is also concerned about the size of the building.
"It's just too much building for such a small site in a high traffic area," Riley said. "Seven stories seems quite tall considering the residential areas nearby."
Riley said neighbors would be attending the Land Use Control Board meeting to voice their concerns about the proposal.
"Hopefully we'll have residents from all neighborhoods around the site," she said.
Ten citizens appointed by the Memphis and Shelby County mayors comprise the Land Use Control Board.
"They will review the proposal and make an advisory recommendation to the City Council," said Don Jones.
Prosterman said that Maximum Development has informed The U of M about their proposal.
"We've met with various senior administration officials to make them aware of the plan," he said.
Curt Guenther, U of M director of communications, said The University has no authority or official opinion on what private developers might do with the land.
"The University has no connection, endorsement or official opinion on this development proposal," he said.
