Memphis & Pearl: What’s Happening Behind the Fence
By: David Robinson
If you have driven past Memphis and Pearl lately and wondered, “What exactly are they doing over there?” you are probably not alone.
The short answer: a lot.
Over the summer, the Memphis & Pearl redevelopment moved through some of the most complicated work we have encountered since the project began. Some of it is easy to see from Memphis Avenue and Pearl Road. But much of it is happening underground, inside walls or behind the remaining structures.
Greenline Building Demolition and Storage Tank Removal
The former, triangle-shaped Greenline building is now completely gone. As demolition began, the extent of its structural deterioration quickly became apparent. Crews had to bring in additional equipment simply to stabilize portions of the building as it was taken down. The process reinforced just how challenging it would have been to preserve the structure for long-term reuse.
During demolition, crews located the underground storage tank that had been one of the environmental concerns on the property. It was significantly deeper than originally anticipated, but its removal brought some welcome news. The liquid inside the tank was water, not gasoline or another petroleum product. The tank was removed and soil sampling was completed around the excavation. With the tank gone, another longstanding environmental unknown on the site has been addressed.
Not finding a contaminant like used oil, gasoline or kerosine is not a surprise considering how long this tank has been underground. After decades of erosion and water drainage, whatever was in that tank that may have been an environmental concern is long gone. That portion of the site is now essentially a clean slate.
St. Luke’s Building Structural Conditions
At St. Luke’s, however, the work has been considerably more complicated.
As crews removed the addition attached to the original church, they uncovered structural conditions that simply could not have been fully understood until layers of the building were removed. Large steel beams from the addition had been tied directly into the original St. Luke’s structure. Portions of the church’s original masonry supports had been altered or removed when the addition was constructed decades ago.
In other words, we cannot simply pull the addition away from the church without first making sure the building we are preserving stays standing.
Crews are now rebuilding and reinforcing four structural piers along the original St. Luke’s wall. New concrete footers have been poured, tested and allowed approximately three weeks to cure before additional masonry can be constructed above them. The work has to happen carefully and in sequence. Once all four piers are properly supported, crews can begin separating the large steel beams connecting the addition to the original church.
Various images identifying further reinforcement needs of the St. Luke’s building.
It has taken longer than anyone would like, but this is exactly the kind of work worth doing slowly and correctly. The goal has always been to preserve and renovate the original St. Luke’s building, and the work happening today is correcting structural decisions made decades ago so that the building can remain part of Old Brooklyn for decades to come.
The next major unknown is the roof. Crews are beginning that work in early September, removing portions of the existing roof so engineers can assess the underlying structure and identify any damage caused by previous water infiltration. Once that condition is fully understood and addressed, the project team expects the remaining stabilization work to move much more predictably.
Despite the surprises uncovered along the way, the current phase remains within budget. We have also received an extension on the State of Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program timeline through December 31, giving the project enough time to complete the work carefully rather than rushing through complicated structural conditions.
Utility Work and Phase Two Preparation
There has also been major progress underground.
A new stormwater and sewer system has been installed across the site. In early September, work will begin on a new water main connection from Pearl Road that will ultimately serve the redevelopment. That work will require temporary lane changes on Pearl Road from September 1 through September 7.
Expected traffic pattern changes during water utility work that will take place 09/01 — 09/07/2026.
By the end of this phase, much of the infrastructure needed for future development will already be in place, including new water, sewer and stormwater connections.
So, what comes after all of this?
The project is moving from demolition, remediation and stabilization toward final design and permanent financing. The financing structure has changed from what was contemplated several years ago. The Development Entity is no longer pursuing the previously considered HUD financing and is instead working toward traditional financing.
That change also creates more flexibility in the final design.
During 2026, several local businesses have expressed serious interest in commercial space at Memphis & Pearl, including businesses looking for significantly larger footprints than originally contemplated. Those opportunities could change the final mix of commercial space and apartments, which is why you may have seen different residential unit counts discussed at different points in the project’s history.
The final apartment count, parking plan, and some building uses are not yet set. We would rather say that plainly today than publish a number we know may change as the final design comes together.
Large redevelopment projects rarely move in a perfectly straight line. Designs evolve. Financing changes. Old buildings reveal surprises once you open the walls. And yes, sometimes an underground tank you have worried about for years turns out to be full of water.
But progress is happening.
For a long time, Memphis & Pearl has been a project people have heard about more than they have been able to see. That is starting to change. The site is being cleared, infrastructure is going in and the work to stabilize St. Luke’s is moving forward. There is still plenty to do, but if you haven't been past the corner lately, it certainly looks very different than it did just a few months ago.
