Memphis School Gets New Life as Housing, Library

A vacant former high school in a historic Black neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee will be transformed into a community center, library, and senior housing facility that celebrates the building’s historic roots and importance to the community.

In a profile of the project in Fast Company, Nate Berg writes, “The project is part of a $200 million bond package that’s making targeted investments in anchor areas across the city. Despite being empty and unused for more than 40 years, the Melrose School has long been seen by the community as a center and source of pride.”

The project represents “an emerging type of mixed-use development that pairs housing with contextually relevant community amenities.” As Berg explains, “Colocating housing above a library is an approach being taken in other cities, and it’s been shown to be a successful way of spurring community and social engagement.”