Two long-empty brick buildings on South Front Street, 48 and 64 S. Front, are finally inching toward a comeback. After years of sitting dark on Memphis’s historic Cotton Row, new owners have quietly started the official process to repair storefronts, replace windows and stabilize the aging exteriors. It is early, paperwork-heavy stuff, but it marks a real move toward turning vacant shells into usable ground-floor space and offices as other downtown projects gather steam.
Owners File To Repair Facades And Windows
City records show two Certificates of Appropriateness were filed this spring as “minor” exterior applications focused on storefront repairs and window replacement. The filings list Indian Paintbrush LLC as the owner of 48 S. Front and DSSA Properties LLC as the owner of 64 S. Front, with LRK architect Katie Hunt named as the design representative, according to Shelby County’s landmarks archive.
Sale Details And Who's Behind The Plans
DSSA Properties bought the 64 S. Front building this spring from A.H. of Tennessee (Robert Hodges, who has been publicly known as Prince Mongo) for $1.25 million, according to reporting by The Daily Memphian. While neither owner has released a full construction timeline, public filings show the first phase is expected to concentrate on making the facades watertight and restoring original window openings rather than jumping straight into flashy interior build-outs.
Cotton Row's History And The Wider Context
Front Street’s Cotton Row is a National Register-listed district, and the National Park Service nomination highlights the Hart Building at 48 S. Front for its late-19th-century Romanesque details, according to the National Park Service nomination. The latest filings land just as the Brooks Museum prepares to relocate downtown as the Memphis Art Museum, a project slated to open in December 2026 and expected to boost visitor traffic along Front Street, as reported by Grinder Taber.
What Comes Next
The “minor” COA applications will go through staff review and any needed commission sign-off before contractors can start work, according to Shelby County permit records. The Daily Memphian reported on July 19 that the new owners describe the efforts as restoration after decades of vacancy and decline, and follow-up coverage is expected to track permits, bids and visible construction activity as the projects move from paper to bricks and mortar.
