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Welcome to About Town, where we take a deeper dive into one neighborhood each week while also highlighting the latest news, developments and back stories from Memphis’ neighborhoods. This week’s focus: Boxtown.
Last week, we updated you on the Scott Street saga.
This week, it’s only appropriate we follow that up with another issue that’s dominated local conversation for several months.
Instead of a potential street closure, however, it’s the proposed, 49-mile Byhalia Connection pipeline that will run through several South Memphis neighborhoods – including Boxtown.
The Memphis City Council was set to vote on an ordinance Tuesday, May 4, crafted in large part to halt the pipeline’s construction.
What ultimately occurred was a truce of sorts between Memphis City Council and the companies behind the pipeline – Plains All American and Valero.
The agreement, which is being put into writing, halts all major decisions on the pipeline until the Memphis City Council concludes its budget season July 1. Essentially, the project remains on hold, even as national and local opposition to the project appears to grow by the day.
There are several reasons behind that decision, as The Daily Memphian reporter Bill Dries’ highlights in his story. But, Dries also provided us with some additional insight into the council’s thought process with the truce.
“I think at least a majority of the council members want to find a way to stop the Byhalia pipeline,” he said. “Where the differences come in and where the change is; how do you do that? How do you accomplish that and not at the same time stop things like gas pumps for gas stations or maintenance for existing underground pipelines for any number of things?”
One thing is for sure: This issue is far from over.
More About Town:
 Partners Eduardo Sanchez Borja (left) and Jorge De Ochoa Jr. (right) plan to develop a mixed-use commercial project on Lamar Avenue. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Midtown’s hot real estate development may soon stretch south to embrace an entire block of Lamar Avenue, which has experienced disinvestment over the decades.
Residents polled in South Memphis identified blight removal as the No. 1 issue they’d like TIF money to address, but also affordable housing, stronger local retail, and improved streets and sidewalks.
 The new sidewalk in front of the Highland Strip would eliminate a continuous double-step from the street. Steps will be built in several places along the sidewalk. (Tom Bailey/Daily Memphian)
A $6.5 million project to install along the Highland Strip five crosswalks, medians, better sidewalks, more lighting, lusher landscaping and improved drainage is set to be complete by June 2022.
The annual Juneteenth celebration is moving from Robert R. Church Park to Health Sciences Park, held on the grounds where Nathan Bedford Forrest’s statue once stood.
Council unanimously approves a resolution opposing the proposed configuration that would eliminate Scott Street’s southern connection to Poplar Avenue.
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