City and partners present comprehensive riverfront concept; emphasizes phased infrastructure, McKellar cleanup and new Flyway observation deck

City officials and riverfront partners on March 25 presented a consolidated concept to knit together more than two dozen planned projects along the Memphis riverfront — from MLK Riverside Park in South Memphis to Sunset Lake north of the city — and described a phased approach that pairs near‑term infrastructure repairs with longer‑term community planning.

Chief Operating Officer Antonio Adams said the city gathered previously separate plans and partners to avoid piecemeal work and to preserve neighborhood identities while creating continuity along the riverfront corridor. He said the work covers roughly 30 property parcels and will be advanced in phases that allow for maintenance, community engagement and larger construction projects.

Key near‑term and medium‑term items described by presenters and staff: - MLK Riverside Park: Repair and aesthetic improvements including replacing concrete traffic‑block dividers with parking islands and wheel stops, refurbishing pavilions and enhancing trail signage. Presenters noted historic design intent for the park’s entry should be respected as part of upgrades. - McKellar Lake / Riverside Park Marina: City and partners described the lake as an underused slack‑water harbor with substantial debris and a small number of houseboats. The presenters recommended a full environmental assessment and a trash‑collection/removal program before contemplating recreational activation. - Memphis Flyway: Memphis River Parks Partnership showed the Flyway project under construction. The Flyway is an ADA‑accessible observation deck that extends over water at certain points; the CEO said it will be complete in June 2026 and will serve as a classroom and bird‑watching amenity. The organization anticipates the Flyway could attract significant visitor numbers when combined with other riverfront amenities. - Beale Street Landing and Harbor docks: Improvements to decks, docks and materials to better resist debris and weather; city staff said the Beale Street Landing repairs are planned for late 2025 to address wear and improve docking resilience. - Mud Island and amphitheater: Staff presented multiple concepts, from targeted improvements (seating, acoustics) to complete re‑imagining of the island’s program and uses; no final concept or price was selected. - Harbor Knox / Greenbelt Landing: Projects to improve docking, visitor amenities, water connections and bus/pedestrian amenities; staff said the Army Corps is working closely with the city on permits and federal funding earmarks for part of Greenbelt improvements. - Sunset Lake (Wolf River restoration): State‑funded implementation strategy to assess restoration, regulatory compliance and feasibility; presenters described a weir concept to stabilize a normal pool of water and enable trails and development opportunities.

Community engagement and revenue focus: Speakers repeatedly emphasized neighborhood engagement — “what the community wants” — while also urging the team to identify revenue‑generating models so the riverfront can support ongoing maintenance. Councilmembers asked for a clear phased rollout and for projects that can be started quickly to demonstrate progress while community planning continues.

Quotes and details - “There were a lot of plans that were out there. So as opposed to recreating the wheel, what we did was we brought all players to the table,” COO Antonio Adams said, describing the compilation of previously separate studies. - Tom Marshall, a design partner, urged restoring the river‑park entry and respecting the historic design language for Riverside Park. - Art Davis, acting CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership, described the Flyway as “the only free ADA accessible observation deck on the Mississippi River” and said it will be completed in June 2026.

Next steps: Staff said some projects are already under construction or in design (Flyway, Harbor Knox accessibility improvements, elements of Beale Street Landing); others require environmental studies, Corps permitting (Greenbelt) and phased community planning. Project leaders said they would return with a consolidated implementation schedule and more precise funding requests, and they asked council members to consider both maintenance funds and resources to make the riverfront self‑sustaining.

Ending: The city framed the work as both a civic amenity and a potential economic engine and asked council members to support continued planning, permitting and the targeted infrastructure investments that make larger redevelopment possible.