Two historic Downtown buildings getting new lease on life

By Andy Ashby – Daily Memphian

July 20, 2026

The Center City Development Corp. approved exterior improvement grants for two properties across from the new Memphis Art Museum, putting a fresh coat of paint on the city’s Front Street door.Both buildings, 48 S. Front St. and 64 S. Front St., are in the Cotton Row Historic District and have suffered from decades of neglect and vacancy.

Memphis architecture firm LRK has been involved with both properties as well as the district.

The two buildings serve as reminders of Cotton Row’s prominent role in the cotton industry well into the 20th century, said Greg Morrison, architect and resident historic preservation consultant at LRK.

“Both buildings date from the second generation of buildings built along Front Street in the late 19th century and exemplify the boom of this period as well as the gradual decline,” he said.

Both buildings have been modified over the years but retain key features like rooftop cotton classing light monitors and decorative cast-iron posts at the street level.

“Restoration of these properties more than 50 years after their placement on the National Register of Historic Places is a real full-circle moment for Memphis’ historic buildings,” Morrison said.

The building at 48 S. Front St. is a 30,000-square-foot structure built in 1870, according to the Assessor of Property site.

The 1972 National Register nomination and the book “Memphis: An Architectural Guide” both identify it as the “Hart Building.” The property was sold in 1980s by a group of heirs with that last name.

Beauregard C. Alsup designed the building for cotton firm Fulton & Sons. Alsup also designed Central High School and the Gallina Exchange Building, which is now part of Silky O’Sullivan’s on Beale Street.

Atlanta-based development and investment firm Tirrill-Hyde, operating as Indian Paintbrush, bought the building for $950,000 earlier this year and is working to stabilize it.

The stabilization includes $128,811 on historic-window replacement, $132,550 on painting and coating, and $475,518 on masonry repair.

“The client is committed to investing in this building’s future because they understand the value of its history to the Downtown fabric and its potential to fuel economic growth Downtown at the same time,” said Katie Hunt, architect at LRK and an assistant professor at the University of Memphis Department of Architecture.

The initial plan is commercial space on the ground floor and residential above, serving as a cultural hub hosting art-centric programming.

One of the main challenges for the 48 S. Front building is the condition of the south-facing exposed masonry wall. Part of the prior building is causing some water infiltration issues which must be addressed.

A historic photo shows Front Street from the riverfront. (The Daily Memphian file)

“Originally these buildings were intricately connected with a multi-wythe brick wall,” Hunt said. “The brick that is now visible was never really meant to be exposed to the elements, so it is failing. You can even see the vestiges of the old fireplaces that were in the demolished building.”

The wall will get a specialized coating to protect the brick.

The front façade is showing signs of movement as evidenced by the stair-cracking under the third-floor arched windows, Hunt said.

Chad Stewart & Associates, a structural engineering firm, is directing the fix.

“We will be literally reattaching this face to the building’s floor and roof structure to stabilize it for future use,” Hunt said.

JSI Consulting, operating as DSSA Properties LLC, bought the former cotton classing building at 64 S. Front St. for $1.25 million earlier this year as well.

Working with LRK, it’s planning a retail frontage with kitchen and break room on first floor, a conference room and shared office space on the mezzanine level, and JSI’s offices and lounge on second floor. They are looking into a rooftop terrace.

The three-story, 7,500-square-foot building was built in 1875. Like many other buildings on “Cotton Row,” it was built to meet the needs of buying and selling cotton.

Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges bought 62 and 64 S. Front St. for $185,000 in 2003. He operated various businesses in the properties, but they have been vacant for years.

“There were a number of unfortunate drop ceilings installed at some point which conceal many of the architectural showpieces such as the original windows and huge skylight monitors used originally for cotton classing,” Hunt said. “During initial demolition, we also discovered a small mezzanine above the third floor that we are hoping to take advantage of in the future design.”