When faced with the opportunity to reimagine an existing public space, the City of Memphis focused on bringing to life more than a refresh – leveraging the historic Tom Lee Park to foster an inclusive, shared experience among all residents. 

In “Inclusive Placemaking: Tom Lee Park, Memphis,” researchers from the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins explore four key lessons from Memphis that can aid other cities in putting equity commitments into action.

Through strategic investments, partnerships, gradual placemaking, and strong focuses on public art, landscape design, and communications, Tom Lee Park has become a living embodiment of how a City’s commitment to inclusivity can help build a stronger city.