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                        OVERTON PARK SHELL UPDATES
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              Overton Park Shell to undergo $1M renovations
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Memphis Business Journal - 12:01 PM CST Thursday, February 22, 2007

by Andy Ashby
Staff writer

The Overton Park Shell will reopen as The Levitt Pavilion for the 
Performing Arts at The Overton Park Shell when renovations are completed 
in early 2008.

The Mortimer Levitt Foundation, the City of Memphis and the Friends for 
the Levitt Pavilion Memphis Inc. will renovate the outdoor amphitheater 
in Midtown Memphis and produce 50 free concerts there a year.

Total renovations will cost approximately $1 million and construction is 
scheduled to begin in June with the first performances in Spring 2008.

The Memphis City Council approved capital funding of $500,000 to be matched 
by the Mortimer Levitt Foundation and the Friends for the Levitt Pavilion 
Memphis. The Friends will raise an additional $1.75 million to operate the 
Shell for the first five years.

"The Mortimer Levitt Foundation is excited to support the restoration 
effort of the Shell in Memphis and we look forward to bringing all genres 
of music back to Overton Park," said Elizabeth Levitt Hirsch, vice 
president of the Mortimer Levitt Foundation.

The Overton Park Shell opened in 1936 and was the location of 
Elvis Presley's first paid performance in 1954. It closed in 2004.

"We are preserving our architectural heritage and encouraging harmony 
through music within our community with this project," said Barry 
Lichterman, board president of the Friends for the 
Levitt Pavilion Memphis. "It has taken us over two years to get this 
project finalized and the Shell will once again provide a place for 
many more music memories under the stars."

Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects will design the renovation and is 
looking to make it environmentally friendly and sustainable, according 
to a release.

"The renovations include replacing the two wings on each side of the 
stage and replacing the old benches with lawn seating and a few new 
benches for the elderly and handicapped," Lee Askew said.

aashby@bizjournals.com | 259-1732

FROM: 
http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2007/02/19/daily23.html

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