Memphis history is powered by the world’s greatest river. For years, Memphians have dreamed of a riverfront whose majesty matches the river it frames.
Today, guided by the Memphis Riverfront Concept, Memphis River Parks Partnership is transforming underused and disconnected parks, former industrial sites, parks formerly housing Confederate monuments, a historic cobblestone landing, forgotten land behind flood walls and arteries in disadvantaged neighborhoods into a connected, catalytic and inclusive system of public parks and trails with equity as a driving value.
At its center sits Tom Lee Park—the most visible and accessible riverfront real estate. Drawing inspiration from the river itself, this front door to Memphis is being reimagined as a vibrant and dynamic civic space that finally connects the city to its river in beautiful, sustainable and equitable ways.
| Infrastructure Type | Waterfront / Waterway |
| Status | Open / Ongoing |
| Opening | Open Tom Lee Park opening 2023 |
| Size | 250 acres |
| Design Team | Groundswell Design Group, SCAPE Studio, Studio Gang |
| Management | Memphis River Parks Partnership |
| Project Leader | Carol Coletta |
An internationally acclaimed artist is creating artwork for Tom Lee Park that will ask visitors a profound question: Can you put the welfare of others ahead of yourself, like the great Tom Lee did in 1925 when the African American river worker risked his life to pull 32 people from the Mississippi?
It’s 2021 and Confederate symbolism is still on display in too many public places, from city parks to statehouses to the U.S. Capitol. Some communities across the country are taking action to remove Confederate symbols from public life—including from license plates, as mascots, and from state flags and public space.
These past six months have been more challenging to downtowns than any I remember – and I’ve been working on, investing in and living in downtowns for almost half a century. We are being asked to reconsider everything we believe about downtowns – why they are important, and how they work.
