Experience the Mississippi in a new way at Tom Lee Park: A river overlook is in the works
Memphis' riverfront is getting a new amenity.
The designers behind the renovated Tom Lee Park are adding a Mississippi River overlook: The Memphis Flyway.
On Thursday, local and state officials gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the 215-foot structure.
"This is the result of believing in a better riverfront for Memphis," said Carol Coletta, Memphis River Parks Partnership president and CEO. The partnership manages Tom Lee Park.
The Flyway will overlook the river from Tom Lee Park's southern end and will be visible from both the Interstate 55 and Interstate 40 bridges. The attraction is expected to open in 2026 and attract more than 1 million visitors annually. The Memphis Flyway will also be free to the public and Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible.
Chicago-based Studio Gang and New York-based landscape architectural firm SCAPE designed the observation deck. The two firms also collaborated together in the $61 million renovation of Tom Lee Park, which was completed in September 2023.
Coletta said two grants were significantly responsible for ensuring this project came together: the U.S. Economic Development Association awarded a $3.7 million grant for the project and the Tennessee Heritage Trust awarded a $3.5 million grant.
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Deputy Commissioner Greer Tidwell praised the park design and the new Flyway amenity, adding on that green spaces are vital for Tennessee but bringing one to an urban setting requires so much creativity and partnership.
The Flyway will be a canopy boardwalk supported by three steel column bundles, with a walking trail along the slope leading to the observation deck. That 105-foot-long overlook will lead to a triangular-shaped deck with wooden railings.
"Memphis is finally claiming its riverfront as a public access and it feels right," Memphis Mayor Paul Young said.
An observation deck was always in play in the park's redesign, however, the scale of the project forced The Flyway to come after the initial park's renovation and reopening.
The Memphis Flyway is being funded by the Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, U.S. Economic Development Administration, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and philanthropic donors.
Neil Strebig is a journalist with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at [email protected], 901-426-0679 or via X/Twitter,@neilStrebig.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Tom Lee Park to add Mississippi River overlook in Downtown Memphis
