New plans for Tom Lee Park revealed
Large, open lawns that can accommodate crowds during Memphis in May. A river grove where trees offer shade over tables and chairs. A sandbar beach, maybe even with umbrellas and beach chairs so you can suntan while looking over the Mississippi River. A raised canopy looping through the trees and tangled landscape by the edge of the water.
All of those are pieces of the new plan for a reimagined Tom Lee Park — plans that were announced Wednesday.
“The opportunity to have a civic gathering space in Memphis that elevates everyday experiences and brings people together is going to be a
much more powerful experience than I think people can anticipate,” said Carol Coletta, president and CEO of the Memphis River Parks Partnership. “I think when people walk into this park, they're going to be so proud of the fact that they are Memphians and that they're going to be proud of their city and proud of the fact that they're part of it. That's what really excites me.”
The latest concept was developed after earlier planning ground to a halt as organizers from Memphis in May clashed with the Memphis River Parks Partnership, eventually resulting in months of closed-door mediation that ended in December.
Now, the plan unveiled by architecture and urban design firm Studio Gang and landscape architecture and urban design studio SCAPE, aligns with the mediation agreement between the parties.
At the same time, it will offer “small, special moments, moments for all of Memphis,” said Kate Orff, founder of SCAPE, during a live streamed reveal of the plans, hosted at The Daily Memphian.
In the revised plans, three lawns meet or exceed the required amount of square footage needed to host Memphis in May's signature events, the Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, according to the mediation agreement. Built into the plans is also a smaller river lawn. The lawns are also spaced far enough apart to keep music from concert stages from overlapping.
Memphis in May has already announced that they plan to hold their festival in Tom Lee Park in 2021. This year's festival has been moved to the fall — also in the park — due to COVID-19.
James Holt, president and CEO of Memphis in May, said what he's seen of the concepts so far align with what's needed for the festival and that he looks forward to seeing updates as the design concept progresses.
“We want, like everyone, to see an improved riverfront in this city, but we also want to see a park that can host our festival and events,” Holt said.
As for the renovations to the 30-acre riverfront park, the groundbreaking is scheduled for this fall. The first portions of the renovation won't inhibit park use, and the transition to working fully inside the park (which will require Memphis in May to move for one year) is expected to begin in June 2021.
The plan, revised based on the mediation as well as dialogue with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, divides the park into four zones:
The Civic Gateway
❚ Located at the north end of the park, the Civic Gateway will bring people down from the cliff from Vance Park to the entrance of Tom Lee Park.
❚ It will include an accessible route down the bluff, a small water feature, a community forest and river grove offering shade with tables and chairs and landscape improvements at Beale Street Landing.
The Active Core
❚ This area will feature a 20,000 square foot open “civic canopy'”for recreation and events nestled between two large lawns.
❚ The Active Core will also include a destination play space, pavilions with a small café and public facilities and river groves providing shaded areas for people to sit and watch the river.
❚ Designers are taking inspiration from driftwood and considering using reclaimed wood for the canopy and the exterior of buildings like the restrooms and the pavilions.
The Community Batture
❚ The batture is a forested area on a slightly raised ground. It will include smaller community spaces for barbecuing or hammocking.
❚ The Community Batture will also include a small sandbar beach, not far from the Tom Lee Memorial. In the reimagined area, pathways with clear sight lines will lead up to the sculpture, which will still be backgrounded by the river.
❚ A glade will offer a sunny area for smaller-scale gatherings or events.
The Habitat Gardens
❚ The gardens at the southernmost part of the park will offer a more natural landscape, including a raised canopy walk through the forest and immersive nature platforms.
❚ Sound gardens, outdoor classrooms and smaller spaces will “magnify” or “amplify the sights and sounds of the river,” Orff said.
Based on conversations with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the revised plans step back from work on the edge of the Mississippi River, with clearly established “no cut” and “no fill” zones.
Currently, Memphis River Parks Partnership still needs to raise about $19 million in private dollars for the project. $30 million comes from state, county and city government funding, while about $11 million in private funding has already been raised.
Although times are difficult financially, leadership at the Memphis River Parks Partnership are optimistic about those final pieces of fundraising. They've seen increased park usage as shelter-in-place orders have closed restaurants, gyms and other businesses, they say.
“The one silver lining to coronavirus is we see the value of parks and public spaces is across the country, those are the only places where people have been able to get out, exercise and spend time safely, because you've got space apart from other people,” said George Abbott, spokesperson for the partnership.
Over the past 100 years, about 20 plans have been developed for Memphis' riverfront.
Now, it's finally beginning to feel like the transformation is actually happening, Coletta said.
The Memphis River Parks Partnership
has already completed several projects, including the River Garden, and has plans to work on the historic Cobblestone Landing this fall. Those things show the progress already made, and that the work on Tom Lee Park will be the “crown jewel” of all the plans, Coletta said.
“It's not going to happen, it's happening,” Coletta said. “That's what is so exciting, just thinking about transforming the city's front door, the first impression, making the most of our greatest natural asset. That's a big move for Memphis. It's been 100 years in the making, but I think 100 years from now we'll still be proud of the move we made.”
Katherine Burgess covers county government, religion and the suburbs. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com, 901-5292799 or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.