How the City of Memphis wants to reactivate a neighborhood site
Memphis Business Journal
The former Southwest Twin drive-in theater in the Westwood neighborhood is set to be transformed into a community anchor, according to recent filings with the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development.
The project is being designed by Aaron Patrick Architects. The City of Memphis issued a request for information for designers in August 2023. Throughout the latter half of this year, the former drive-in site has hosted a series of events for the Westwood community. Now, the redevelopment project is starting to take shape.
The City's goal is to turn the abandoned drive-in into a community anchor to spur development by utilizing the Memphis 3.0 plan. The old movie screen would remain and be restored, and a 24,500-square-foot police station and 12,700-square-foot library would be built.
The City also owns a parcel at West Raines Road and McCain Road at the corner of the property, though the filed site plan doesn't specify what is planned for the parcel.
"The project will create a new town center at the historic Southwest Twin Drive-In, which has been vacant since 2001," the letter of intent states. "As a part of this redevelopment, the City of Memphis will repurpose the historic screen and pavilion to create new public gathering spaces. The town center will activate the area and provide a police station, library, and park space for the community in South Memphis."
It's not the first time the City of Memphis has used this redevelopment model. The proposed development looks similar to the Raleigh Springs Civic Center (RSCC), which also created a public space in the form of a skate park and walking trails, a library, and a police station.
Since the RSCC opened to acclaim in 2021, Raleigh has seen an uptick in investment, with new restaurants and stores opening in the neighborhood. The RSCC was MBJ's Building Memphis Community Impact award winner in 2021.
The current Planning and Development filing is for a variance to allow for a vehicle repair use on the site, which would be used as a fleet maintenance facility and accessory fueling site for the on-site police station.
"I believe in the power of redevelopment. It is great to see a property that has meant so much to the community re-imagined with a use that will continue to serve the residents of our city," City of Memphis Mayor Paul Young said.