An urban park that transforms previously neglected waterfront and ties community resources together.
City: Memphis, TN
Purpose: To revitalize underutilized waterfront space in a way that provides an interconnected park to the citizens of Memphis.
Lead Stakeholders: Community, Business
Process: In 2017, Memphis created a task force to reinvigorate its riverfront. This task force commissioned a design firm to help produce The Riverfront Concept, a 120-page proposal for development along 6 miles of the Mississippi. This proposal included community input, an evaluation of the development site, and a review of peer cities’ waterfront projects. It proposed the development of 5 waterfront parks, with a 5-mile walking and biking trail that connects all the parks.
Tom Lee Park started its design process in 2019 and opened to the public in September 2023. Local, state, and federal funding accounted for about half of $61 million raised for the park– the rest was raised by Memphis River Parks Partnership, the nonprofit in charge of stewardship for the new parks.
Outcomes:
- The implementation of a $61 million, 31-acre waterfront park along 6 miles of the Mississippi River.
- The creation of a robust proposal for future park development, as well as a nonprofit to supervise and implement future development.
View or download PDF of the Tom Lee Park case study.
