VOL. 132 | NO. 219 | Friday, November 3, 2017

Between the success of Highland Row, the revitalization of the Highland Strip, and the University of Memphis’ own plans to build a land bridge across the Southern Avenue railroad tracks, the demand for real estate in the area surrounding the U of M is soaring.

Which is why Cameron Taylor and Lee Patton of Patton & Taylor Enterprises jumped at the chance to acquire a prime parcel of vacant land taking up almost a whole block of Ellsworth Street between Midland and Central avenues.

“There is a dearth of property in urban Memphis where one could do that, so we felt like it’s an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up,” Taylor said.

The second-generation contractors became aware of the parcel while helping Indiana-based development firm Milhaus build Highland Row, which is located immediately to the east of the site.

“They were originally going to be townhouses, and then (Milhaus) decided they were going to hold off on that,” Taylor said. “So we approached them about selling it to us to do single-family housing, because we felt that would be a better use of the property than townhouses. Memphis has never really been a strong townhouse type of town in my opinion.”

The two partners said that while the project doesn’t have an official name yet, the Ellsworth planned development is slated to be a 22-unit gated single-family community with rear entry and secure garages.

“There will be no driveways in front, so it will be a walkable, urban area,” Taylor added.

Tentatively the plans call for the houses to range from 2,000 to 2,500 square feet, with an expected price tag of $335,000 to $350,000.

“It’s a popular area. Even the existing houses sell quickly,” Taylor said. “It’s a great place to live and a desirable area, and we think it’s only getting better with Highland Row, what the Loebs have done with Highland Strip, and the new rec center and land bridge that U of M is doing. We just felt like it was a good place.”

Instead of building the houses themselves, Patton & Taylor will sell the individual lots to a select group of builders who will have to adhere to a general set of guidelines designed to keep the feel of the existing neighborhood intact.

“We actually used the architectural guidelines for Central Gardens as our model,” he said. “The reason is that Central Gardens has a good, eclectic mix of architecture. East Buntyn is not Central Gardens and we’re not trying to bring Central Gardens to East Buntyn, but we thought the model was a pretty good one.”

If everything goes as planned, the first lots will be released for sale by late first quarter or early second quarter 2018.

“We want it to fit well, we’re not going to have vinyl siding or gaudy McMansions,” Taylor said. “We want something that goes well with the neighborhood.”