Another Example

Starting the week off with some research, inspired by some pictures I quickly took while my husband was driving us to my mom’s house on Mother’s Day. I remembered that I wanted to look into this area more – it’s another example of large-scale blight.

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This is on the way to Frayser in North Memphis, where I grew up. Memphis is full of blight, so much of it is concentrated in North and South Memphis. I always feel shocked when I see it… though it’s fascinating in a way. We are living amongst our own ruins, and every place has a history.

Using Google Maps I took some screen shots of the area, streetview and aerial. I noticed there are 3 schools and a university in close proximity to this site, and a few other sad things.. like a bus stop and bike lane sign right in front of this littered space.

I’ve done deeper research on some of these large sites just to figure out who owns them and when they were built. I found some interesting details about one I’ve pictured in a previous blog post (2456 Frisco Ave.) – this was actually the site of Hunter Fan Co. a huge company founded in the 1920’s that still sells fans to this day. The Memphis location was abandoned in the 1980’s and it sits there now as slabs of concrete. I’ve contacted the company once before just to ask if they’d ever considered funding a remediation project in this location, but I never got a reply.

Here’s some of that email: “For my thesis I am mapping the geography of large-scale blight (1-100 acre parcels zoned Industrial, classified Vacant) within Shelby County, to identify blighted sites located within 3/4 mile proximity to Shelby County Schools. I’ve identified 23 schools so far, and one site in particular just 4.5 miles away from the University, at 2546 Frisco Ave. Memphis, TN 38114: the former location of Hunter Fan & Ventilation Company. I’m hoping to gain access to the site for soil sampling to see if/what contaminants are present. I plan on developing remediation strategies using nature based solutions because I believe students and the surrounding community would benefit from the establishment of a green space, and that it is an environmental injustice to leave over 15 acres of abandoned land/brownfield in their community. I’ve done some research on the million dollar company which is still in operation, and wonder if they would consider helping take some responsibility for the clean-up of this site by funding my project. I am also seeking other grants to fund the clean up of this site.”

Of course I didn’t hear back… but it was worth a try. I don’t know who to talk to or how I could really get a project going. Still working on making contacts… so far it seems no one can help.

The site I recently drove past is another example of industrial abandonment. Built in 1945 on over 10 acres, 1993 Chelsea Ave. is now owned by a real estate company, it was sold in 2018. The site was formerly Layne & Bowler Inc. a plumbing supply company.

There’s tons of surrounding blight along Chelsea Ave., though there’s a lake and park nearby, neither offer much for the residents in the neighborhood. It looks so broken, I can only imagine this land as a giant meadow of sunflowers and other wildflowers, with some walking/biking trails. The lone tree in front of the property looks at least 100 years old, I can just visualize how the land looked covered in trees and ponds before it was altered. Maybe this very spot was used by Chickasaw over 1000 years ago.

I can use public databases like the property assessor to look up current information…

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Just a few blocks separate some of the nicer neighborhoods near Overton and this degraded area further north. It’s a shame such toxic waste is located near a large lake, the wildlife must be impacted too. I’ve never heard of anyone swimming, boating or fishing there. It’s a man-made lake that started as a sand and gravel pit. http://cremedememph.blogspot.com/2017/08/kilowatt-lake-new-chelsea.html

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Can you picture it as a meadow or grove of trees with some walking trails or place to sit and have a picnic? There’s a little market across the street and other potential spots for commercial attractions. It makes no sense to leave it like this for years and years..

“Railroads of the sky” – I just thought of this, wondering about FedEx and the power of the distribution industry. Memphis has always been a manufacturing and distribution hub, where railroads, now airplanes and trucks bring goods all over the country and world. With so much influence, shouldn’t our spaces have higher value?

How can the community help itself or begin to clean up the mess? The area is impoverished but full of character. It’s just one site… there are hundreds. Every single one would benefit from phytoremediation.

Well, just wanted to share the location of another large-scale blight site, it was on my mind.

Here are a few more pictures I’ve taken recently: Mama Dove’s little baby is so cute. The moon was big and bright last night, morning sun shining through Elderberry. Hibiscus, Rose and Hydrangea are from my mother-in-law’s garden, and Fern (my favorite plant) is from a walk I took with my husband and dogs along the Greenline.

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I wish everyone could experience beauty in their daily life. I see so much, I’m grateful for that.. Maybe that’s why it’s easier for me to imagine blighted sites as meadows, but I truly believe greenspaces are the best solution to large-scale blight. I hope one day love, peace, healthfulness and beauty are restored in every space.