Major Downtown Memphis law firm Bass, Berry & Sims is leaving Peabody Place for a rising development in East Memphis.
The firm, one of the only major law firms with a Downtown presence, is set to anchor the planned mixed-use development at 5000 Poplar Ave., the former Houston's restaurant site
. The firm will occupy 39,258 square feet of office space, leaving 6,000 square feet remaining for other types of tenants.The budding East Memphis development is headed by local developers Brown Gill and Darrell Horn.
Gill, vice president of development at Gill Properties, said he's "excited" to welcome Bass, Berry & Sims as the anchor office tenant at 5000 Poplar.
“The firm has deep roots in Memphis and has played a part in many of the projects that have
helped shape our city,” Gill said. "Their commitment to 5000 Poplar says a great deal about the strength of this location and our vision for a place where people can work, meet clients for lunch, enjoy dinner with friends and find more of what they need within a short walk.
"We want the offices, restaurants and retail to complement one another and create a place people enjoy spending time throughout the day and into the evening.”
'Dynamic business corridor'
The Nashville-based, century-old law firm has based its Memphis branch in Downtown since 1999 and has helped realize and improve major local projects like Central Station, Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, Crosstown Concourse and Overton Square. Gil Uhlhorn, managing partner of the firm's Memphis office, said its existing relationships with Memphis companies and organizations isn't changing.
"Joining 5000 Poplar as anchor tenant is the next step in our long-term commitment to a city we have served for more than 25 years," Uhlhorn said. "Memphis is growing in every direction, and this new space will support the continued growth of our team and the way we serve clients today.
"It also puts us at the center of one of the most dynamic business corridors in Memphis. While our address may be changing, our dedication to Memphis and its future remains as strong as ever."
Other planned major tenants in the yet-unnamed building include The Tradition, planned to be the only restaurant, as well as a fitness business and other "experiential" retailers, which Gill associates with boutique-type stores that complement the office space, but also draw people to the site on its own.
Leasing will still come near the end of construction, and the project is set to be complete sometime in Spring 2028.
The development at large is part of Gill's “drive-to urbanism” plan, to create a destination for people to park once and enjoy a variety of amenities and stores on foot. Whole Foods, City Silo, Ben & Jerry's and the Malco Paradiso are all within short walking distance of the project.
"I would love for people to park, eat at The Tradition, go get ice cream ... walk to City Silo, get groceries at Whole Foods, walk to see a movie, and then come back to their car. I think that's a very appropriate use of drive-to urbanism. It's bringing a little bit of urbanity to the suburban [area]."
The development will also include a 57-space parking garage to maximize tenant space, which Gill hopes and expects to be used for those adjacent businesses not directly part of his development.
Gill and Horn worked closely with FirstBank Senior VP Jeremy Bragg to receive the project's financing. First Horizon will also operate a banking center in the development. LRK is the architect, and Mark Levy is leading the landscape design.
Bass, Berry & Sims also has locations in Nashville, Knoxville, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal covering Dining, Retail and Real Estate in the Memphis area. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Major Downtown Memphis law firm to relocate to former Houston's site
