Memphis River Parks Partnership finally revealed what the redesign of Tom Lee Park will look like, and tbh it looks pretty dope ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
“The Tom Lee Park redesign will be a stunning example of what we can accomplish by coming together to achieve great things,” Ray Pohlman, chair of Memphis River Parks Partnership said. “Even more, it means that we can send the message that while Memphis, like the rest of America, has faced challenging times, we are moving ahead, together, with confidence.”
The reveal was broadcasted live on the Daily Memphian website, but don’t worry, it’s still there and on YouTube, so you can see the whole shebang for yourself! It’s about an hour long, so we’re breaking it down into a synopsis of what you can expect from Tom Lee Park 2.0.
As Beyoncé would say, Lemme Upgrade You!
Among the many new additions for Tom Lee 2.0 (that’s what I’ve decided to call it for now) are “five new, highly efficient buildings, an open-air canopy, over 250,000 square feet of open lawn space, and a series of immersive landscape environments spanning the park’s 30 acres.” It will also be comprised of four primary zones that feature open, expansive lawns with signature play areas, forested areas that include meditative paths and peace walks, shaded areas for people to enjoy the views without being blinded or burned by the sun, a small cafe, and more. The $60M project is made possible thanks to the manpower of the whole design team and funding from the Tourism Development Zone, Shelby County, State of Tennessee, and private funders.
Since the plan for redesign was announced last spring, we know people were feeling some type of way. There were questions about what was to come of the Memphis in May International Festival, and the redesign team took time to address some of those concerns.
- Memphis in May will return to Tom Lee Park in 2023.
- The redesign will leave plenty of space for tents and stages for BBQ Fest and Music Fest.
Get a more in-depth look at the project on the new Tom Lee Park official website.
Keep up with the process by following Memphis River Parks on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
