Leasing has been brisk at Boyle’s new multi-family community in Collierville, The Carrington at Schilling Farms. The grand opening at the corner of Winchester and Schilling Boulevards was held in June with Collierville Mayor Joyner in attendance. The project, which consists of 111 boutique flats and townhomes, is quite small compared to the ordinary suburban project. The market is responding well and all 3-bedroom units have been leased. According to Les Binkley, Vice President of Boyle who oversaw development of the project, “We have created a great public realm with buildings that provide a high level of architectural detail and interior design. We avoided creating a monoculture that is found in so many parts of suburbia where you see sprawling multi-family communities behind gates with buildings endlessly repeated. The Carrington at Schilling Farms counterbalances this type of development and offers unique, refined living typically not found in multi-family communities.” Amenities include an outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center, a business center, and secure parking. Call Etta Johnson at LEDIC for information about leasing. (901) 854-0111.

Rusty Bloodworth, EVP of Boyle, was one of the presenters at last week’s MAAR Commercial Council seminar, Mid-South Update: Which Way Are We Growing. Rusty’s presentation was entitled “MAAR Pushes Complete Streets for Memphis.”

View Rusty’s Presentation

Rusty Bloodworth remarks

Greetings from our West Tennessee region which spans across the Mississippi River into Arkansas and southward into northern Mississippi. Middle Tennessee’s initiative to create a statewide regional roundtable has been bearing a lot of fruit in our area. To build regionalism, several of our lead organizations (ULI Memphis, Community Development Council, and Livable Memphis) felt that it was important to choose a common initiative that all of our communities could get behind. We worked with the recently formed Office of Sustainability to pitch a broad-based greenways project to
HUD.

This came on the heels of a wildly successful Rails to Trails project called the Greenline that runs through the heart of our metro area.

Much to our glee, Shelby County has received a $2.6 million HUD Regional Planning Grant to develop the first regional Greenprint and Sustainability Plan. We are about a third of the way through the initial process of identifying a regional network of greenways, blueways, bike paths and open spaces to connect four West Tennessee counties, Crittenden County. Ark. and Desoto County Mississippi into one cohesive and continuous network of trails that will eventually exceed 400 miles in length.

Over 80 partner organizations are involved as well as ten municipalities. An incredible, interactive web-based map has been created, and the project is moving forward at warp speed.

Simultaneously with the Greenprint effort, a grassroots spin-off of the Greenline rails to trails project spawned a regional vision of connecting walking and bike trails from West Tennessee to Arkansas across the Mississippi River using the active but aging Harrahan Bridge that carries rail traffic between the two states.

The heart of the project is an 18 million dollar pedestrian and bicycle boardwalk on the side of the bridge which almost a 100 years ago carried primitive automobiles. Boyle Investment Company, the firm I have been with for more than forty years, is making a major donation to the project.

Other efforts are ongoing to connect this project to the existing and active Greenline that would carry visitors and residents to our world-class green hub, the 4,500 acres Shelby Farms. Shelby Farms lies in the heart of Shelby County and is administered by a public-private Conservancy.

Working with Cumberland Region Tomorrow and the Surdna Foundation, ULI Memphis has also been advancing closer collaboration between the various municipalities in our region. Historically, there has been little positive interaction between the larger municipality of Memphis and the surrounding townships. Further, Memphis is bordered by three states, confounding cooperation. But it is a new day in our region, and a Surdna grant is helping us convene mayors from all three states. An important meeting of Mayors will be held at our new Kroc Center in just nine days, and the meeting is being led by mayors from all three states. We are especially grateful for your Mayor Ken Moore and his willingness to lend a hand at a follow-up meeting in June. We have great hopes for this initiative.

On the regional transportation front, someone has pointed out that the West Tennessee region “has the fastest, most agile and arguably the most connected airport on the globe.” This is partially due to the main FedEx hub being located in Memphis. From 1993 to 2009, Memphis had the largest cargo operations by volume of any airport in the world. Our airport fell into the second position worldwide in 2010, following Hong Kong; it remained the busiest cargo airport in the United States. Plus, the region is served by five Class I railroads, a distinction few other major cities in the nation can boast. Coupled with river and barge traffic, this makes the area around our airport of special significance. Our chamber is leading a drive to revision this critical area as an Aerotroplis – a high-powered, multi-modal logistical center of national significance, and a visioning plan are near completion.

Finally, in collaboration with Cumberland Region Tomorrow, The City of Memphis and with help from the Knoxville region, ULI Memphis, our Community Development Council and Board of Realtors have been pushing forward a Complete Streets agenda to serve all municipalities in our region. I am happy to report that Mayor Wharton signed a Complete Streets policy a month ago, and we are working on the development of a Design Manual with the hope that it can be a model for other municipalities in our region.

Summing up, we are excited about the opportunities for regionalism in our area and congratulate all of you here in Middle Tennessee for all you are accomplishing to move your region forward.

Rusty Bloodworth of Boyle is a member of the Mid-South Regional Greenprint Consortium. The Greenprint Consortium would like your opinion on developing more Greenways in our region. Please click on the link below and take the survey. Below is more information on the purpose of the regional Greenprint.

Mid-South Greenprint & Sustainability Plan (Survey 1)

In November 2011, Shelby County Government was awarded the HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant in the amount of $2,619,999 for the Mid-South Regional Greenprint & Sustainability Plan. The plan is designed to enhance regional livability and sustainability by establishing a unified vision for a region-wide network of greenspace areas, or Greenprint, which serves to address long-term housing and land use, resource conservation, environmental protection, accessibility, community health and wellness, transportation alternatives, economic development, neighborhood engagement, and social equity in the Greater Memphis Area.

What is a Greenprint?

The regional Greenprint will include parks, greenways, bike trails and walking paths, byways, blueways, conservation lands, natural areas, wildlife management areas, open space areas, community gardens, stormwater management areas, and other similar spaces. The scope of this plan is defined geographically by the boundaries of the Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and West Memphis MPO, including jurisdictions in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

The development of a Regional Greenprint & Sustainability Plan will address the need for initiating long-term comprehensive land use planning in the Greater Memphis Area.

HUD’s Six Livability Principles

The plan and its implementation by collaborating groups throughout the region will focus on alignment with HUD’s six livability principles by:

• Providing more transportation choices through increased greenway, multi-modal, bike and pedestrian routes and greater connectivity within and between communities;
• Promoting equitable, affordable housing by improving environmental conditions and amenities for urban neighborhoods adjoining greenways and open spaces, and planning land use and zoning changes to promote affordable housing;
• Enhancing economic competitiveness by improving quality of life in the Mid-South region thereby attracting/retaining businesses and residents;
• Supporting existing communities by providing new or improved greenway and open space amenities and access to economic or employment opportunities connected to greenways and open spaces;
• Coordinating policies and leveraging investment related to greenways and open spaces across the region; and
• Valuing communities and neighborhoods by enhancing and providing access to greenway and open space amenities and employment opportunities and improving residential property values.

Proposed Outcomes

Over the grant period of three years and beyond, the expected results of the plan include:

• Increased participation and decision-making by traditionally marginalized populations;
• Increase in access to greenways, bikeways and other modes of alternative transportation or fuels throughout the region, including low-income and minority neighborhoods;
• Reduced social and economic disparities for disadvantaged populations in the target region, including a gradual reduction in poverty levels and a measurable increase in essential goods and services within low-income neighborhoods;
• Decreased overall combined housing and transportation costs per household;
• Increased proportion of affordable housing units that have high access to quality fresh foods;
• Increased proportion of affordable housing located close to walking trails, parks and schools; and
• Improved public health outcomes that result from creating safer, more walkable neighborhoods.

2013 marks our 80th anniversary at Boyle Investment Company. As a way to celebrate and give back to the community that has supported us since our start in 1933, we are pleased to sponsor The Crossroads of Memory: Carroll Cloar and the American South at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art June 8 through September 15.

This year also marks the centenary of Cloar’s birth. Cloar’s work truly embodies the spirit of the Mid-South, and we are pleased to partner with the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art to celebrate our anniversaries.

Below are a few examples of Cloar’s work, some actually owned by members of Boyle Investment Company and some that will be on display for the exhibit.

Carroll Cloar, American, 1913-1993
MY FATHER WAS BIG AS A TREE, 1955
Casein tempera on Masonite
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art; Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Morrie A. Moss 55.24
©Estate of Carroll Cloar

Carroll Cloar, American, 1913-1993
Bridge Over the Bayou, 1974
Acrylic on Masonite
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Bloodworth
©Estate of Carroll Cloar

Carroll Cloar, American, 1913-1993
WHERE THE SOUTHERN CROSS THE YELLOW DOG, 1965
Casein tempera on Masonite
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art; Brooks Fine Arts Foundation Purchase 65.17
©Estate of Carroll Cloar

Carroll Cloar, American, 1913-1993
GRANDPA AND THE PANTHER TREE, 1963
Collection of Dianne and Bobby Tucker
©Estate of Carroll Cloar

Carroll Cloar, American, 1913-1993
FACULTY AND HONOR STUDENTS, LEWIS SCHOOL HOUSE, 1966
Private Collection
©Estate of Carroll Cloar

A public/private/non-profit group from Memphis has been selected to speak at the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Kansas City on Friday, February 8.  The group’s two and a half hour presentation is entitled “Getting to Complete Streets the Grassroots Way” and summarizes an ongoing collaborative effort that culminated in an executive order for a new Complete Streets policy, which was signed this week by Memphis Mayor Wharton.   The development of the Complete Streets policy and subsequent presentation at the conference were the result of a collaboration led by ULI-Memphis, Livable Memphis, and the Memphis Area Association of Realtors (MAAR).https://boyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/REBCompleteStreetConfREDUCED-300×225.jpg

The group making the presentation includes the following individuals and organizations:  Emily Trenholm, Community Development Council; Sarah Newstok, Livable Memphis; Aubrie Kobernus, MAAR; Rusty Bloodworth, Boyle Investment Company; and Lissa Thompson, Ritchie Smith Associates. The group was selected from candidates across the nation and, as a result, Memphis’ efforts are being recognized at this national platform on smart growth in Kansas City.

The development of the new Complete Streets policy, in which City of Memphis Engineer John Cameron was extensively involved, has taken a year and a half to complete.  The next stage entails the creation of a design manual, which will be used in the planning process. The preparation of the design manual also will be a collaboration among city staff, design professionals, citizen representatives, and the private sector.  In developing the manual, the group will consider all of the implications of possible street design, including liability concerns, health, and safety and welfare issues, as well as economic, environmental, maintenance, and aesthetic consequences.

“This Complete Streets initiative is an outgrowth of the Sustainable Shelby policy which I started when I was Mayor of Shelby County,” said Mayor AC Wharton.   “I am pleased that John Cameron, City Engineer, has taken the lead in developing this policy initiative in cooperation with the public and private sectors.  The Complete Streets initiative fits in with my view that enhancing our public realm is a key component of making Memphis a City of Choice.”

“The new Complete Streets policy represents a commitment by the City of Memphis to treat streets as an important part of the public realm,” said Rusty Bloodworth, Executive Vice President of Boyle.  “The policy will enable the creation of city streets in the Memphis area that is inviting to a variety of users, including pedestrians and bicycles, and not just automobiles.   It has been rewarding to partner with so many great public, nonprofit and private sector organizations throughout the region as we seek to provide leadership in the responsible design of our streets.”

“While Memphis is a car-centric city, we still have many residents who get around on foot, their bike, or the bus,” said Emily Trenholm, Executive Director, Community Development Council of Greater Memphis.  “Our street network needs to serve them as well – especially at the neighborhood level — and a Complete Streets policy will help move us in that direction.”

“The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is a member of the National Complete Streets Coalition,” said Lissa Thompson of Ritchie Smith Associates.   “Landscape architects are keenly aware of the benefits of a well-designed streetscape and recognize the public realm is where we live out much of our lives, whether in our cars or on our feet … coming and going every day.  We believe that how the public realm looks, feels, and functions influence our quality of life.  A more attractive and functional environment contributes to a better city image — which helps the local economy whether the goal is to recruit new business or hold the tax base.”

“MAAR and its 3200 REALTOR® members have a significant history of participating, encouraging, and providing leadership in a variety of efforts that seek to build thriving, successful communities throughout our region,” said Aubrie Kobernus, former Governmental Affairs Director of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors.  “MAAR is excited to be involved in the Complete Streets initiative as it works to make Memphis and Shelby County a more desirable place to live, work, and play.”

“Our grassroots Complete Streets effort is the perfect example of what can happen when citizens, non-profits, and the private sector come together to ask the government to take action toward a common goal: safer streets for everyone,” said Sarah Newstok with Livable Memphis.  “It’s a win-win-win.”

Founded in 1936, ULI is a nonprofit research and education organization which promotes the responsible use of land.  The organization has more than 40,000 members in 80 countries.

The following article on Boyle’s Twin Lakes of Piperton by Matthew Fite was published in the Homefinder section of The Commercial Appeal on November 18:

A world of front porches, pristine lakes, rail fencing, and hundred-year-old trees surrounded by rolling farmland awaits you at Twin Lakes of Piperton under development. Twin Lakes affords home buyers the luxury of the good life of Piperton without sacrificing the comfort or convenience.  Just minutes from town, Twin Lakes is arguably the best location around Collierville.  This upscale, walkable, rural porch community provides more than 40 acres of common open space and abundant outdoor amenities including fishing and canoeing.  Both waterfront and 5-acre equestrian lots are available.

“Twin Lakes offers residents the pastoral lifestyle of Piperton with its rolling hills, scenic railroad trestles, and canopies of tree-lined roads,” said Doug Dickens, Vice President of Boyle.  “In addition, you can’t beat this location, which is so convenient due to the new 385 loop with the interchange at Poplar (Hwy 57).”

Open this weekend at Twin Lakes is a two-story, 3,700-square-foot French country home built by Dickens and Associates that offers views of the lake from the front porch and every room in the house.   This all-brick, 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home has many aesthetically pleasing features including a front porch and large covered porch and patio in back.  Ceilings are 10-feet-high except for coffered areas that extend a foot and a half higher. The dining room has arched entryways and tasteful molding. The great room features a pre-cast stone fireplace.  Downstairs, all floors are hardwood.  The home is priced at $489,000.

The home also offers many practical features. “I loaded this house up,” says Chris Dickens, builder for Dickens and Associates.   Among these items are custom cabinetry, a surround-sound system in the great room and outdoor area, a playroom, ample attic space and a master bath with walk-in shower and rain can, dual walk-in closets and his-and-hers vanities.

These features fit into the kind of home and lifestyle that many people want today, Chris Dickens says.

These home buyers want to downsize from their larger homes with high utility bills, extensive maintenance, and high taxes.  However, these usually middle-aged home buyers don’t want to give up amenities.

“The homes are not only built with impeccable craftsmanship but also are energy efficient due to the insulation package, the mechanical package, and windows,” explains Dickens.

Dickens built this Twin Lakes home smaller than many customers’ current houses.  Also, he built it on a half-acre lot, smaller than most lots in Fayette County.

He notes that the property taxes in Piperton are far lower than those in other locations in Shelby County:   Memphis, Germantown, Collierville and unincorporated Shelby County included.   The result is thousands of dollars in tax savings, he says.  Piperton’s annual property tax is an estimated $2,775.00* as compared to Memphis ($9,337.50), Germantown ($7,037.50), and Collierville ($6,712.50).

The Twin Lakes subdivision, off Highway 57 (Poplar) near the western edge of Fayette County, is close to many places in Collierville than are some places in Collierville itself.  For example, it is about six minutes from the Collierville Historic District.

Boyle Investment Company developed Twin Lakes, and Doug Dickens, Vice President and father of Chris Dickens, says “It’s like all real estate, it’s location, location, location.” As for the municipality in which Twin Lakes is situated, he says, “Piperton is really coming into its own.” He says the town is rural yet close to Collierville and I-385.

Twin Lakes provides extensive walking trails that go over dams adjacent to lakes and the Wolf River.

Chris Dickens says the goal for his company is constructing quality homes with attention to detail and excellent service.

He is building infill homes in Collierville, as well.

Also an affiliate broker, Chris Dickens is selling the home in Twin Lakes. You can contact him at (901) 262-5019 or at chrisd@boyle.com.

*Example based upon $500,000 value.

Boyle congratulates Mark Halperin, Executive Vice President, who was named Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser by the Memphis Chapter of the Association of Professional Fundraisers at their National Philanthropy Day Cyrstal Awards Luncheon on November 15.  Mark was honored for his fundraising efforts on behalf of the Memphis Jewish Home.  Mark has been active on boards throughout the Memphis community, including the Memphis Jewish Home, Temple Israel, Jewish Foundation of Memphis, Memphis Jewish Community Center, and Memphis University School.  Through his passion for mission, strong financial commitment, and encouraging others to give, Mark exemplifies what makes an outstanding volunteer fundraiser.

Homes are selling quickly in the Village from the high $300,000s to $500,000, in the Manor from the $400,000s to $650,000 and in the Grand Manor from the high $600,000s to  $1,000,000 plus.  Lots are available for custom homes in the Grand Manor and a new phase of lots in the Village is coming soon.

Boyle was a sponsor of the second annual Harvest Dinner on the Greenway, a fundraiser to support the work of the Wolf River Conservancy.  Both Boyle and the Morgan family have a history of donating land to the WRC for conservation.  Boyle donated a 290-acre forested tract along the Wolf River in the Memphis Annexation Reserve, 85 acres to create the Greenway’s first phase in Memphis, and a 32- acre parcel between the Wolf River and Humphreys Blvd. for the Germantown greenway.  In addition, Snow and Henry Morgan, President of Boyle, contributed 13 acres of their property to extend the greenway from Shady Grove to Germantown.  This one-mile segment just opened in July and has been averaging 300 to 800 users per day.   This is the first time in recent years that the City of Memphis greenway was intentionally connected to the suburbs to create a regional greenway.  Bayard Morgan, Vice President of Boyle, currently serves on the Board of Directors of the WRC and is assigned to the Land Committee.  In this capacity, Bayard has been involved in the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation process which governs how land conservancies manage real estate and handle funding strategies.  There are 1,700 land trusts in the U.S. and only 10 percent have this accreditation, so this will go a long way in ensuring the WRC operates professionally and responsibly.  Bayard says he’s really excited about the direction that the new executive management of the WRC is taking.  Boyle and the Morgan family will continue to support the WRC and its important mission of land conservation.

You don’t want to miss the Exceptional Foundation’s first annual Chili Cookoff at Boyle’s Moriah Woods Office Park on Saturday, October 6. The Exceptional Foundation of West Tennessee (EFWT) enriches the lives of the developmentally challenged by meeting their social and recreational needs and offers a variety of programs that improve the quality of life for participants. The EFWT also provides after-school programming for school-age children. Tickets are only $10. Boyle is proud to have the Exceptional Foundation as an office tenant at Moriah Woods. Click here to learn more about the event. http://www.exceptionalfoundationwesttn.org/

The ground has been broken at Schilling Farms in Collierville for a 45,000-square-foot office building, which will house MCR Safety’s corporate headquarters.  The $8 million project will provide the Memphis-based company room to grow with expanded facilities for training, product showrooms, and a conference center.  The two-story brick and cast stone veneer building with 176 parking spaces should be completed by summer 2013.