Douglas Skipworth and Dan Butler had been watching Memphis, Tennessee’s Summer Avenue commercial corridor with interest for some time before they decided to move their real estate investment company’s campus to that location in 2015. “We put two buildings under contract in Spring 2015 and purchased both properties in July of that year to create a campus for our companies, CrestCore Realty LLC and CityLight Commercial Services LLC,” recalled Skipworth. “We knew from the beginning that we wanted to renovate an existing building and bring our 65 full-time office workers to the area, which would add our support to the restoration efforts going on in an underinvested area of Memphis.”
The Summer Avenue corridor hosts an eclectic mix of big-box stores, mom-and-pop eateries, and national chains, such as an assortment of fast food restaurants and a Planet Fitness. “When we bought our buildings, they were big, outdated showrooms with no real character,” said Skipworth. “We knew we were headed for a total retrofit, including plumbing, electrical, HVAC, interior and exterior. We knew when we were done, we would have something that would really stand out visually from the surrounding area.”
On the exterior of the building, the investors added LED lights, landscaping, and the first permanent surveillance system in the area, a SkyCop camera. “We also removed Summer Avenue parking spaces to limit potential accidents,” Skipworth said. They painted both buildings, matched the signage, and created new parking lots. “Our interior is light, airy, industrial, and accented with CrestCore colors,” he added. “The exterior was adjusted to create a clear campus feel.”
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