MEMFix offers ideas in community improvement to east Memphis

On Wednesday, March 30, Livable Memphis will hold the seventh installment in its MEMFix program, a traveling community event series that showcases a neighborhood’s potential for rapid and robust improvement.  

MEMFix: East will take place from 11am to 2pm at 5100 Poplar Ave. (the intersection between Clark Tower and iBank) and 5pm to 7pm along Brookhaven Circle West. The event is designed to test neighborhood infrastructure changes to increase bicycle and pedestrian traffic while calming vehicle traffic, and build consensus on a common vision for the area.
 
“MEMFix offers residents opportunities to re-imagine what their neighborhood could look like with significant changes and new investments,” said John Paul Shaffer, Livable Memphis Program Director.
 
“The goal of this scaled-back, ‘Mini-MEMFix’ approach is to really highlight the missed connections for pedestrians in an area that could be easily more walkable. The Clark Tower and Brookhaven area have a lot of destinations for dining and business within a short walk, but there are significant barriers to walking that can force people into their cars for even a two to three block trip.”

Livable Memphis will use its Mobile Porch – a traveling citizen engagement vehicle -- to capture public input and unique ideas for community revitalization through survey and video responses. The organization will also present pedestrian plan concepts for high-traffic businesses in Brookhaven Circle and those near to and surrounding the Clark Tower.
 
Additionally, the MEMFix: East event will feature ‘pop-up’ style recreational activities, temporary cross-walks and parking for area restaurants and retail locations. During the designated event times, participating businesses will encourage residents and those who work in the area to walk to lunch. Fino's East, Porcellino's, Bangkok Alley, and Brookhaven Pub & Grill will offer special promotions and gift certificates for event attendees and patrons.
 
“With the encouragement of land and business owners and guidance of MEMFix, pedestrian connectivity is being generously expanded,” said Blair Parker, Landscape Architect with Blair Parker Design.
 
Since 2010, past MEMFix events have been held in Binghampton, Crosstown, Soulsville, the Pinch District, Edge District, and University District neighborhoods in partnership with the City of Memphis and Mayor’s Innovation Delivery Team. Livable Memphis is expanding the series this year, beginning with MEMFix: East.  
 
“Our goal is to develop an empowered core of residents and stakeholders committed to making a shared vision for their community a reality,” said Shaffer.  “We want to increase understanding of how small, inexpensive investments can make a big difference in the way our neighborhoods function.”