Main Street: An Avenue of Culture and Commerce

Influenced by theme parks and a desire to “revive” the past, we often nostalgically consider Main Street as a homogeneous entity, relegating its existence to the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries alone. Investigation into the history of Main Streets across the United States, as well as more specific analysis of Main Street in Memphis, TN reveals the fallacy of this assumption. Main Street has had a rich and complex history. Strengthening the presence of this true past, rather than relying solely on its fabricated history, offers a tremendous opportunity for cities to capitalize on their history. To build in a way that only references the earliest part of Main Street’s past not only belies the true history of the street, but also creates problems for the needs of its current users. Main Street has had a long and complicated history, making use of multiple building types suited to the ever-changing needs of its users. Contemporary interventions should then adapt to the present needs of those consuming what is for sale on Main Street. This project seeks to capitalize on the American Main Street’s historically commercial identity to provide the means of strengthening the presence of this important place in Memphis, Tennessee.

Over time, what has been for sale on Main Street has changed greatly. What started as an area for selling goods to the community is now a major destination for selling the experience of the city to both residents and visitors. The fact that the street always relied on a commercial culture makes its resurrection a viable and authentic avenue for development. The project proposed in this document makes use of a new hotel at the intersection of Main Street and Beale Street, currently a parking lot surrounded by several of Memphis’ important cultural icons, as the means of achieving this goal. Ultimately, paying homage to the site’s commercial identity provides an opportunity to represent an authentic memory of Main Street in Memphis – a place particular to its setting and yet recognizable within the greater context of American urban history.