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Lamar
Planning District
About Lamar
The Lamar District is a safe and desirable community, where heritage assets are protected and used as catalysts for economic and cultural opportunities. The Lamar planning district is supported by improved pedestrian infrastructure and quality housing, and community members have access to parks and open space and opportunities to visit local, innovative, and well-designed commercial businesses.
Lamar District Workshop #1 -
What We Heard
District Priorities
Community Feedback
Existing Priorities
Recommended Priorities​​
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Strategically address large scale-vacancy and blight with redevelopment and a focus on preservation and reuse of culturally significant buildings
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Improve pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure to increase accessibility and support multi-modal transportation options.
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Residents have expressed a strong interest in enhancing pedestrian-friendly accessibility along Park Avenue. Additionally, they emphasized the need for improved traffic safety measures at the intersections of Lamar, Kimball, and Pendleton.
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Improve pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure on major corridors to increase accessibility and support multi-modal transportation options.
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Residents are advocating for a stronger focus on creative adaptive reuse. Residents expressed interest for local businesses to occupy commercial vacancies.
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Reduce blight and vacancy in residential and commercial areas while emphasizing adaptive reuse around historic buildings.
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Promote affordable high quality multifamily development.
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Residents have expressed a desire for increased development of affordable multi-family housing at the intersection of Kimball and Lamar and to promote homeownership.
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Promote affordable high quality multifamily development and nurture homeownership to foster stable and thriving communities.
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Promote urban design standards at commercial space.
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Residents prioritized adaptive reuse over urban design standards.
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Encourage the adaptive reuse of vacant spaces to maximize their potential and sustainability.
N/A
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No significant feedback from the community members at WS-1
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Promote sustainable healthy food options when planning for affordable high quality multifamily development.
Anchors
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Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Prioritize and incentivize energy
efficiency improvements in residential and commercial buildings with emphasis on historic buildings. -
Build constructive relationships with store owners to foster improvements in healthy food offerings and extend general assistance in business planning.
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Resident agreed with this area as an anchor but did not have a lot to say about the designation. The majority of the comments were about concerns about the improvements made on Park Ave and how the “bump outs” would impact community members.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Crossing
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Recommended Anchor Type: Neighborhood Crossing
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​An Anchor Neighborhood Crossing describes a Small, walkable mixed-use centers with house-scale buildings embedded within residential neighborhoods, providing convenient services and community gathering spaces.
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1. ORANGE MOUND
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Engage artists and communities in the development of place-specific identifiers for wayfinding and historically themed tours/events.
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Create attractive connections between neighborhoods through public art investments, attractive and maintained landscaping, and community-led initiatives.
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Lead efforts to establish public/private partnerships to maintain underutilized land and vacant/blighted properties around parks and open spaces.
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The Brentwood Park Anchor features valuable community amenities, including greenspace and low-intensity retail, providing a balance of recreational and commercial opportunities for residents within a walkable environment.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Crossing​
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Recommended Land Use: Neighborhood Crossing
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​The Brentwood Park Anchor aligns well with the Neighborhood Crossing designation as it is a access point for community amenities and essential services within a compact and accessible area.
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2. BRENTWOOD PARK
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Work with local artists and artist groups to reflect cultural diversity and heritage of area.
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Identify redevelopment plans for
key economic corridors for idealized businesses. -
Provide crossing lights and caution lights at intersections or high-speed zones.
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Develop programs and strategies
specifically aimed at affordable
commercial rents.
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Getwell and Sharpe is a commercial corridor containing high and low commercial uses. Community members expressed concerns about pedestrian safety, particularly for children walking to school from neighborhoods west of the anchor. They also highlighted the need for better connectivity between Sharpe Elementary School and Albert O’Brien Park. Additionally, they noted a high concentration of tire repair and auto shops on Getwell Rd., along with significant commercial vacancies north of the anchor. As a result, they requested a study of the Getwell corridor.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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Recommended Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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Getwell & Sharpe is an integral commercial corridor containing many high and low intensity uses. A Neighborhood Main Street designation would promote the development of safer pedestrian thoroughfares and continued commercial development.
3. GETWELL & SHARPE
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Align consecutive, future, and past environmental and ecologically focused planning initiatives to anchor based strategy.
Participants emphasized the importance of better urban design and adaptive reuse. They also noted a long-closed commercial establishments north of Barron Ave and suggested promoting local businesses to establish there.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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Recommended Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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Participants emphasized the need for adaptive reuse and urban design and infill development of commercial space. The Neighborhood Main Street Anchor would promote increased adaptive reuse that would allow for mixed-use development featuring retail and community spaces. This aligns with the resident’s desire for the infill development of vacant commercial space.
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4. SHERWOOD
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Implement and increase signage and street paint to highlight heavy utilized pedestrian crossing areas.
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Develop programs and strategies
specifically aimed at affordable
commercial rents. -
Engage artists and communities in the development of place-specific identifiers for wayfinding and historically themed tours/events.
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Residents raised concerns about pedestrian and traffic safety at the Lamar/Kimball/Pendleton intersection, as well as inadequate lighting and traffic signals at Lamar and Kimball. Lamar’s role as a freight road creates discomfort for cyclists. The neighborhood lacks public spaces, youth-focused investments, and gathering areas. Cherokee Park access is hidden and needs improvement.
There is potential for affordable multi-family housing at Kimball and Lamar, but the area already has abandoned apartments. Residents suggested developing small shopping centers with a grocery store and emphasized the need for more neighborhood grocery options while discouraging auto-oriented businesses. Additionally, the burnt-down apartment south of Kimball Ave near the Harriet Performance Center was identified as a major concern.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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Recommended Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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The Lamar & Kimball corridor is an important commercial anchor for the Lamar District. The Neighborhood Main Street designation will further solidify the area as a hub of retail and housing with strategic investment in pedestrian infrastructure, mixed-use development, public spaces, and local business growth. ​
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5. LAMAR & KIMBALL
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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neighborhoods through public art
investments, attractive and maintained landscaping, and community lead initiatives. -
Engage artists and communities in the development of place-specific identifiers for wayfinding and historically themed tours/events.
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Invest in streetscape improvements and civic spaces, using native vegetation.
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Support institutions that contribute to the diversity of commercial areas and corridors, such as local business associations, arts venues, and cultural organizations.
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Develop programs and strategies
specifically aimed at affordable
commercial rents.
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Residents view the anchor as an important focal point. They emphasized the need for grocery and food access, requested an urgent care facility, and highlighted the necessity of a nearby police station for security.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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Recommended Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street
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The residents' priorities for grocery and food access, an urgent care facility, and a nearby police station align well with this concept, as a Neighborhood Main Street is designed to support diverse local businesses, essential services, and a safe, pedestrian-friendly environment.
6. LAMAR & AIRWAYS
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
Recommendation
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The community identified Sharpe and Prescott as a priority area as it is a key educational hub for children within the community.
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Adaptability: When we think of an Anchor we want it to be adaptable and this location is unlikely to change. Due to its status as a civic institution.
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Limited Walkability: While the road is not overbuilt, the lack of a quality crosswalk and pedestrian infrastructure limits walkability to the park and community center.
​​Recommended FLU Designation: Primarily Single Unit Neighborhood.
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The Sharpe and Prescott area is best designated as a primarily single unit neighborhood. A strong neighborhood supports strong schools.
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Sharpe and Highland should be explored as potential anchor due to existing commercial uses.
7. SHARPE & PRESCOTT
Summary of Community Feedback
Analysis
Recommendation
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The community identified South and Alcy as priority area as it is close to the airport and is what visitors first see when incoming into the city.
See South District Notes for analysis
​Recommended FLU Designation: Anchor Neighborhood Mix​
8. SOUTH ALCY & BALL
Summary of Community Feedback
Analysis
Recommendation
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The community identified the Spottswood and Marianna St as a food desert.
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Connectivity to existing Anchors: The area is connected to the Brentwood Park neighborhood crossing anchor. Which contains community amenities such as retail and greenspace.
Recommended FLU
Designation: Anchor Neighborhood Primarily Single Unit
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This area is primarily composed of single-family units and this best fits the guidelines of the neighborhood Primarily Single Unit designation.
9. SPOTTSWOOD & MARIANNA ST
Actions
The Memphis 3.0 Jackson Planning District goals focus on enhancing community goals and actions through a structured approach that categorizes actions into three main areas: Citywide, Community, and Anchor-specific goals. This organization aims to reflect neighborhood feedback and adapt to evolving community needs five years after the initial plan's conception. By aligning these goals with multiple themes, the plan seeks to foster a more vibrant and inclusive environment for all residents.
Theme
Community Feedback
Recommended Action Item
Anchor Goals and Actions
Economic Development
Residents emphasized the need for a grocery store to improve food access. The area should maintain its balance of community amenities, greenspace, and small-scale retail to serve local needs.
Promote neighborhood-scale commercial development while preserving open space for community use in places like Brentwood Park.
Community Amenities
Residents see this as an important anchor but emphasized the need for grocery stores, urgent care, and enhanced public safety through a police station.
Encourage mixed-use development that includes essential retail, healthcare, and public safety services to support a walkable, vibrant corridor and Park Avenue traditions around anchors such as Lamar and Airways.
Pedestrian Safety
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High pedestrian and traffic safety risks at Lamar/Kimball/Pendleton due to inadequate lighting and traffic signals. Lack of public spaces, youth-focused investments, and gathering spaces. Strong demand for affordable multi-family housing and neighborhood-serving retail.
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Concerns over pedestrian safety, particularly for children walking to school. Poor connectivity between Sharpe Elementary and Albert O’Brien Park. High commercial vacancies and an overconcentration of auto-related businesses.
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Prioritize pedestrian infrastructure upgrades and traffic calming measures to improve safety. Develop public spaces and community gathering areas to foster social engagement.
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Encourage mixed-use development that supports affordable housing and essential neighborhood services.​
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Conduct a Getwell Corridor study to improve pedestrian safety, address vacancies, and diversify business types. Improve walkability and green connections between schools and parks.
Lamar District Goals and Actions
Historic Preservation & Cultural Identity
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Residents want to protect historic landmarks and cultural heritage sites.
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Concern over new developments erasing neighborhood history and identity.
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Support the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic and culturally significant buildings.
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Ensure new developments respect and complement the city’s historic character.
Public Safety & Blight Reduction
Abandoned and burnt-down properties create safety concerns. Some areas lack adequate lighting and emergency services.
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Prioritize redevelopment or removal of hazardous abandoned buildings. Improve lighting and increase security presence in high-crime areas.
Recreation & Community Amenities
Residents want more parks, trails, and community centers.
Support for local schools
Community was very concerned about their neighborhood institutions.
Repurpose vacant lots for parks, trails, and community gardens.
Promote development that will help stabilize neighborhoods around Memphis Shelby County Schools
City wide Goals & Actions
Sustainable Healthy Food Access
Residents would like more access to sustainable healthy food options
Promote sustainable, healthy food access in affordable multifamily developments and support neighborhood-stabilizing investments around key institutions to enhance community well-being and long-term growth.
Community Engagement & Communication
Residents feel excluded from decision-making on major projects.
Lack of communication on development plans leads to frustration and mistrust.
There is a need for more accessible and transparent public engagement.
Modernize public outreach using digital tools, multilingual communication, and real-time updates. Increase transparency in project timelines and development processes. Provide consistent updates on infrastructure improvements and community plans.
Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning & Development
Comprehensive Planning Department
125 N Main Street, Ste 468
901-636-6601
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