With the long-awaited Memphis 3.0 plan finally enacted, the city of Memphis is beginning projects to lift up key areas of Whitehaven and encourage investment in and around Elvis Presley Boulevard and Raines Road, which is identified in 3.0 as an anchor for the community.

The projects include the demolition of a vacant, blighted apartment complex, a mural that welcomes visitors to Whitehaven, a new bus shelter (which may include lighting and WiFi), neighborhood banners, upgraded crosswalks and a sculpture in front of the Davis YMCA.

Whitehaven Small Area Plan

Following the completion of the Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan, which the Memphis City Council recently adopted, the city’s Office of Comprehensive Planning (OCP) completed two Small Area Plans.

The Raleigh Small Area Plan resulted in the creation of a new tax increment financing (TIF) district, in addition to some Catalyst Fund projects. The Catalyst Fund was created to provide money for Memphis 3.0 recommendations.

In Whitehaven, the office focused on the area of Elvis Presley Boulevard and Raines Road a few blocks south of Graceland.

“People see a lot of activity at Graceland and there’s a desire for activity that’s neighborhood-supported in the center of the neighborhood,” said OCP director Ashley Cash. “That’s how the focal point was determined.”

Through neighborhood meetings, Cash said her office identified low-hanging fruit the city could address while repaving work is being completed on Elvis Presley Boulevard.

“These are somewhat temporary interventions as the Elvis Presley project – we’re trying to do something where we’re not expending a lot of funds – as we wait on those more impactful or major improvements to happen, but still doing something,” Cash said. 

Through the Catalyst Fund, the city is funding a new, covered bus shelter on Raines Road, neighborhood banners on light poles and safety improvements, including upgraded crosswalks at the intersections of Elvis Presley at Raines Road, Raines at Barton Drive and Elvis Presley and Laudeen Drive.

The projects are currently in the design phase.

Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) has put the bus shelter request out to bid. Both the new bus shelter and the bus stop across the street will be more pedestrian-focused, potentially with solar lighting. The OCP is also discussing including a bus schedule box.

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The bus shelter idea came out of the OCP office going to bus stops on Elvis Presley and Raines and talking to riders about what they wanted to see.

The office is also working with the UrbanArt Commission to start the artist selection process for banners on light poles on Elvis Presley Boulevard.

UrbanArt manages the city’s Percent-For-Art Program. The program allocates funds annually to develop public art projects in connection to capital improvement projects.

“We heard a lot about neighborhood identity and you know the Tigers – I’m a Whitehaven (High School) alum – and just ways to showcase the area is special,” Cash said. “So this is minor, it’s not super-transformative, but we think it’s important to support those things as well.”

Cash said the improvements would probably cost at least $100,000.

“This is the beginning of (the city’s) commitment to the area,” Cash said. “It’s not like, ‘Here’s your shelter and your crosswalk and enjoy,’ but how can we build on those things to support, not only city activity, but other activity that’s going on.”

By January or February, people should start seeing movement on the projects.

Maple Ridge Apartments demolition

Addressing blighted properties is a complex process with multiple steps after a citizen calls 311 to complain. 

Vacant and blighted properties in Whitehaven include the Maple Ridge Apartments.

Currently, the Maple Ridge Apartments, also known as Regal Plaza Apartments, are being demolished. They are located on Royal Drive, between East Brooks and Winchester roads.

The city’s Division of Public Works, with the assistance of Neighborhood Preservation Inc.’s Blight Elimination Steering Team, is handling that project, with OCP sharing updates with the public.

'Welcome to Whitehaven’ wall and mural

The UrbanArt Commission is partnering with the city to commission a Whitehaven mural project.

The city is building a retention wall at the southeast corner of Elvis Presley and Brooks Road, as part of a larger street improvement plan. The wall will be visible while exiting Interstate 55 onto Elvis Presley and Brooks. 

A 20-foot by 12-foot wall will hold the mural; there will be a five-foot wall in front of that mural that will read “Welcome to Whitehaven.”

Artists living and working within the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) are eligible to apply for the project.

According to the request for qualifications (RFQ), the committee is seeking a project that will allow neighborhood high school students to work on the project, that incorporates family and interconnectivity for the neighborhood, that speaks to strong neighborhood pride and a “welcome to the neighborhood” feel.

Trey McKnight, executive director of the Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment Corp., is a member of the selection committee.

“It’s something to let you know that you’re in a nice area, that’s open to visitation,” he said of the future mural. “That we’re open for business.”

The total mural project budget is $55,000.

Davis YMCA sculpture

UrbanArt, in partnership with the city, is also commissioning a new sculpture in Whitehaven, in the green space between Elvis Presley Boulevard and the southeastern wall of the Davis YMCA, located at 4727 Elvis Presley Blvd. The site is near Whitehaven High and Elementary schools and across the street from Southland Mall.

Any artist living and working in the U.S. is eligible; but one finalist slot will be reserved for an artist living and working in the Memphis MSA.

According to the RFQ, the committee is seeking a project that is “selfie-worthy” and invites social media activity, creates an inviting atmosphere for both residents and tourists, is functional or interactive (possibly including a seating area), appeals to all ages and that would be a symbol for the neighborhood.

For this project, the committee also requires the selected artist(s) to mentor a Memphis-based artist during the project. An additional stipend will be available for the mentee artist outside of the sculpture project budget, which is $164,500. 

McKnight said he’d like to see a QR code that people scan to let them know how to get to the welcome mural from that site, and/or other artwork or places to visit.

“In between seeing the mural and sculpture, hopefully (people) will get hungry and go eat somewhere in the community,” he said.