Memphis Heritage Trail Green Streets Retrofit Initiative
Self+Tucker Architects in partnership with the City of Memphis Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the local landscape architects Jackson Person & Associates, Inc. received the 2013 Mid-South Regional Greenprint sub-planning award for the development of the Memphis Heritage Trail Green Streets Retrofit Initiative. The grant funded the design of environmental/green retrofits as part of the larger planning effort known as the Memphis Heritage Trail. Our team explored environmental solutions such as Low Impact Development (LID) for stormwater management, the Complete Streets Policy for pedestrian friendly streetscapes, traffic calming solutions, and recommendations for green retrofitting of public spaces. The goals of this project was to revitalize the street infrastructure with pervious materials to lessen the impact of stormwater run-off; identify opportunities to link historic sites, green space, and public plazas; and to connect the existing and planned greenways, walking trails, bicycle trails, and riverfront. When implemented, these strategies would have the potential to promote health and wellness in the community and create a neighborhood that would serve as a national example for planning and implementation of sustainable urban practices.