‘Mighty, mighty Wildcats’ sing as renovation of Melrose High begins
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and others break ground during the ceremony Oct. 7 for the renovation of the old Melrose High School in Orange Mound. The renovation is one of the city's Accelerate Memphis capital projects. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Mary Mitchell, Shelby County community historian, speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 7 for the renovation of Melrose High School. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
People look over renderings for the renovation of Melrose High during the groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 7. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of Melrose High School Oct 7. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Renderings of the planned renovation of Melrose High were available during the groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 7. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Jevonte Cortez Porter, assistant director of community relations at Youth Villages, speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of Melrose High on Oct. 7. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Balloons are released during the groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of Melrose High School on Oct. 7. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
The groundbreaking Friday, Oct. 7, for the renovation of the 84-year-old school building ends a 40-year debate about whether the Orange Mound landmark should be renovated or demolished.
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Old Melrose High School Mary Mitchell Orange Mound Accelerate MemphisBill Dries on demand
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Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
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