West TN Success Stories

South Main Artspace (Memphis, TN)

The South Main Artspace property, located in downtown Memphis, was historically used for industrial purposes including a freight depot. Recently, the property was used for warehousing and storage of furniture and miscellaneous goods. Through environmental investigation and cleanup, soil was removed from the property, a vapor mitigation system was installed, and the former warehouse basement was redeveloped into a parking garage. Today, the property is also an artist residence and gallery. Download more information about the South Main Artspace

The Former Laycook Clutch is located in downtown Memphis, TN. Automotive and truck repair activities occurred on portions of the site since 1928. Neighboring property uses included dry cleaners, gas stations, and automotive repair facilities. Prior to redevelopment, the site most recently consisted of four buildings, a gravel parking area, and vacant land. Through investigation, soil removal, the installation of a vapor mitigation system beneath and within one of the new buildings, and placing Land Use Restrictions on the property, the property was redeveloped as an apartment complex. Download more information about the Former Laycook Clutch

The 66-acre tract of land located in the Raleigh neighborhood of Memphis was operated as a country club. Despite its popularity as a family recreation spot, the country club operated until the early 1980s. Overtime, the Wolf River Conservancy began looking at the property for potential use in their county-wide greenway project. The Wolf River Conservancy broke ground in 2015 on new sections of the planned 36-mile Wolf River Greenway, which will follow the river throughout Shelby County. The Epping Way property is one of four parcels where the nonprofit conservancy will launch an effort to complete the nearly 22-mile portion of the greenway within the city of Memphis. Download more information about the Wolf River Conservancy.

The Former Foote Homes complex in Memphis was transformed into a mixed-income neighborhood that utilized several funding sources and programs. One program the project involved was the TDEC Division of Remediation Brownfields Voluntary Program to ensure future residential properties would not be environmentally impacted. Download more information about Former Foote Homes

The former Reed’s Tire Shop had been in commercial use since at least 1907 and had remaining petroleum contamination from years of being a gas station and tire shop. After environmental studies and contaminated soil removal, with oversight from the TDEC Division of Remediation Brownfields Voluntary Program, this property is poised to become a green space for the neighborhood. Download more information about Former Reed's Tire Shop

In 2010 the small, rural river town in southwest Tennessee received an EPA Brownfields 104(k) Community Wide Assessment Grant. Prior to being awarded this grant, the town had a vacant and unused former county high school. Through this grant, several environmental assessments were completed. Download more information about the Saltillo Grant

The former Chisca hotel in downtown Memphis has been a fixture in the Memphis skyline for over 100 years. This historic building has served several purposes throughout its life, but notably, it was the broadcast center where Elvis Presley’s voice first hit the airwaves. Since the late 1990s’ the building sat vacant and empty until 2013. Through private and public investments including a 104(k) EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, The former Chisca hotel is back in re-use as a mixed-use development. Download more information on the Former Chisca Hotel

A 13.3 mile stretch of the Greater Memphis Greenline in Shelby County, Tennessee was made possible by an EPA 104(k) Brownfields Assessment grant and 128(a) funds that provided oversight for the project. A $347,080 hazardous substance assessment grant was awarded in 2008 to assess a stretch of 100-foot wide abandoned railroad corridor that runs from Cordova, TN to Memphis, TN. Download more information on the Shelby Farms Greenline

The Chelsea Avenue Greenline project involves a 2.4 mile section of abandoned railway in Memphis, Tennessee. Three Phase I Environmental Site Assessments were completed on the property through Shelby County's EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, with oversight provided by TDEC. These assessments were critical to moving the project forward to connect the Shelby Farms Greenline to the Uptown West area. Download more information about the Chelsea Avenue Greenline

The former Citizens Gas and Light property in Jackson, Tennessee was a manufactured gas plant that operated from 1871-1931. It is located on the northern fringe of downtown Jackson, between a Farmers Market and a disadvantaged neighborhood. The City of Jackson was awarded a $200,000 Brownfields 104(k) Cleanup Grant to remove source contamination areas and put a soil cover system in place. Download more information about Jackson Citizen Gas and Light