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Raleigh
Planning District
About Raleigh
The Raleigh District has a multitude of retail, entertainment, and dining options utilized by residents and recreational opportunities that draw in those from within and outside the City of Memphis, creating more opportunity for those that live there. The history of the district is prominent and featured in developments and public art. Corridors are safe for pedestrians and all who use them and connect the entire district. Community spaces and public facilities are hubs of activity and provide enjoyment for all.
Raleigh District Workshop #1 -
What We Heard
District Priorities
Community Comments
Original Priority
Recommended Priorities​​
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Increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety and accessibility along major corridors with infrastructure improvements
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Residents acknowledged and appreciated the new street improvements near major intersections. Although, more signage is needed when new street improvements are completed to warn drivers of new traffic patterns. Accessibility and safety remain a priority and should extend to school zones, beyond major intersections and anchors. Accessibility to the Yale and HWY 14 anchor still needs to be improved with a focus on side street improvements instead of the highway.
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Strengthen multi-modal access to community anchors and schools focusing on neighborhood connections via side streets and pedestrian paths.
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Strengthen commercial areas through infill and mixed retail options.
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The current state of commercial properties along HWY 14 are lacking in variety and quality. Residents wish to see more local businesses that serve their community and aren’t fast-food chains. The community wants to see more grocery stores and fresh food options.
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Support local entrepreneurs and attract businesses that are community-focused, increasing commercial variety and viability.
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Improve the quality of public facilities and civic spaces
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Residents lauded the New Raleigh Town Center development and were excited to see more activity around this anchor. JFK park needs more lighting for its pedestrian paths for increased safety. More activities, especially for youth, are needed. A new arts/entertainment district was requested, possibly at Old Raleigh Town Center with urban art murals and parks/beautification.
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Focus on maintaining the momentum from New Raleigh Town Center and improve parks with more lighting and youth-focused activities
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Emphasize Old Raleigh history with new attractions and development
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Residents’ focus had shifted more towards the New Raleigh Town Center but would like to see Old Raleigh history come to life through urban art murals and beautification. Greenery should be improved in the area.
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Beautify and activate old Raleigh utilizing greenery and urban art with supporting infrastructure that connects to JFK Park and the Wolf River Greenway.
N/A
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In Raleigh, there is a general lack of housing for the younger generation. Residents want to see more housing options in the area to attract more younger generation.
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Enhance the diversity of housing types that are attractive to younger generations to keep them from leaving the community as they enter the housing market.
N/A
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Residents expressed concerns regarding the impromptu pop-ups on shopping center sites (i.e. Burlington at the James St and Covington Pike.)
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Reduce “pop-up” commercial sites and instead designate areas in the district where food trucks, festivals, and local markets can be most effective and supportive of the community.
N/A
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Residents want to have more healthy growth of the commercial facilities in the Raleigh neighborhoods.
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Strengthen commercial districts by allowing more density near neighborhood serving commercial utilizing multi-family and mixed-use developments.
Anchors
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Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Provide incentives to small and
minority-owned businesses to locate in commercial districts. -
Incentivize infill on parking lots at
anchors with excess parking. -
Apply traffic calming measures along Austin Peay.
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Provide incentives for facade and
landscaping improvements in
surrounding commercial centers. -
Encourage mixed-use infill to increase density on vacant parcels.
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The New Raleigh Town Center is an invaluable addition to the Raleigh Community. The addition of a skate park, library, and police station has created a space for youth to be safe and active. Residents are encouraged by what they see and hope to have more businesses, housing, and work opportunities via mixed-use development in the anchor area. While the area has improved, the anchor is not as accessible as it was depicted in its original plans. Residents want to see improvements to the pedestrian and biking infrastructure than connect the anchor to the surrounding neighborhoods. Pedestrianizing Scheibler and Coleman roads should take priority over the auto-centric State Route 14.
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Existing Anchor Type: Urban Center (A-UC)
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Recommended Anchor Type: Urban Main Street (A-UMS)
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The New Raleigh Town Center aims to attract residents from all over Memphis but serves as an invaluable asset to the Raleigh Community. The area attracts nearby youth to the skate park while providing safety and community services with a police station and library. The area has the potential of being a mixed-use hub of activity with housing, commercial services, and employment opportunities. The designation of A-UMS allows for the area to develop in a way that fosters community activity, economic growth, leisure, job creation, essential services, and improvement for the surrounding neighborhoods. An A-UMS area supports vibrant, walkable communities that connect neighborhoods to attractive and active areas.​
1. AUSTIN PEAY & YALE
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Market medical office/services
development along New Covington. -
Install sidewalks along New Covington near Covington Pike.
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Create an easy licensing system that allows vacant commercial spaces to be used as pop-up shops.
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Provide incentives to service-based businesses to locate in anchor areas.
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Focus the use of Division of Housing and Community Development's Strategic Community Investment Funds (SCIF) in anchor neighborhoods.
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The existing commercial services, specifically grocers, in the area are lacking compared to services located outside of Raleigh. Residents wished for a higher standard of service from the existing commercial establishments. Multi-modal access to the area also needed to be increased. The area is particularly unsafe for pedestrians and bikers.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street (A-NMS)
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Recommended Land Use: Neighborhood Main Street (A-NMS)
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The current services provided by this anchor are essential to Raleigh but are currently not meeting residents’ standards for service. Increasing activity in the area through infill development could improve the current services in the area by inspiring competition between businesses to better serve their community. The A-NMS designation allows for mixed-use and infill development. As the number of housing units in the area increases and more people can patronize the businesses, the area will attract more economic activity and improved service. Increasing activity and business presence in the area aligns with residents’ desires for better retail options and services.
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2.1. AUSTIN PEAY & NEW COVINGTON PIKE
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Market medical office/services
development along New Covington. -
Install sidewalks along New Covington near Covington Pike.
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Create an easy licensing system that allows vacant commercial spaces to be used as pop-up shops.
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Provide incentives to service-based businesses to locate in anchor areas.
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Focus the use of Division of Housing and Community Development's Strategic Community Investment Funds (SCIF) in anchor neighborhoods.
No significant public feedback from WS-1.
Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street (A-NMS)
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Recommended Anchor Type: Campus Institution (A-C)
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Methodist North is an invaluable asset to the Raleigh and Memphis communities at large. Health services are a necessity for any community to thrive. The site attracts new residents, professional employment, and patients from across the Memphis region. The area surrounding the anchor can harbor a mix of uses that add to Raleigh’s vibrancy and economy. As a Campus Institutional Anchor, Methodist North drives economic growth, jobs, and essential services for the entire Raleigh community.
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2.2. AUSTIN PEAY & COVINGTON PIKE (METHODIST NORTH)
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Provide opportunities for small
business owners that involve anti-blight strategies and small maintenance/ repair tactics. -
Encourage residents to adopt areas for beautification.
The Old Town Center needs an aesthetic facelift that harkens back to the area’s history. Urban art murals and greenery are needed to improve the current conditions of the anchor. The accessibility to nearby JFK Park and the Wolf River Greenway needs to be improved. Residents also had a great deal of concern for the hotels near the anchor on Old Austin Peay due to crime and blight. The area could also benefit from an increase in density on the west side of HWY 14. The introduction of high quality, mixed-use developments that include multi-family housing to attract younger families into the area would benefit the community.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street (A-NMS)
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Recommended Anchor Type: Neighborhood Main Street (A-NMS)
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Old Raleigh is key to preserving the history of the Raleigh district once known for its springs and vicinity to the Wolf River. The redevelopment of the area could serve to increase access to amenities such as JFK Park, the Wolf River, and the New Civic Center. The A-NMS designation encourages mixed-use development of housing, shopping, employment, and community space. With a mix of uses increasing access to various services and housing, Old Raleigh can once again be a well-connected community near the Wolf River, a great natural asset.
3. JAMES RD & OLD RALEIGH
Existing Anchor Actions
Summary of Community Feedback
Anchor Type
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Create an easy licensing system that allows vacant commercial spaces to be used as pop-up shops.
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Provide incentives to service-based businesses to locate in anchor areas.
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Develop a down payment assistance program in anchor neighborhoods.
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Focus the use of Division of Housing and Community Development's Strategic Community Investment Funds (SCIF) in anchor neighborhoods.
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Identify financial resources to repair and renovate homes, upgrade the neighborhoods with signage, cameras, speed bumps, lighting, bike lanes, and beautification.
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Upgrade the Frayser-Raleigh Senior Center grounds and the adjacent community park to be a focal point in the community.
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Residents shared concerns of accessibility issues in this area, particularly the pedestrian/biking environment. Sidewalks are not well maintained and are hard to get to. Additionally, the area needs more lighting. The new intersection design has made turning difficult, but residents would rather see more signage warning drivers of the oncoming changes rather than dismantling the improvements. Residents also wanted to see commercial options that were better suited to the schools and neighborhoods nearby rather than existing gas stations.
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Existing Anchor Type: Neighborhood Crossing (A-NC)
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Recommended Anchor Type: Neighborhood Crossing (A-NC)
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This area is a smaller community located within Raleigh that features some retail and schools. Future development should increase necessary services such as grocers, local retail, and food options while being consistent with the area’s character. The A-NC designation allows for small-scale mixed-use developments that increase local connectivity and provide essential services to nearby residents.
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4. EGYPT CENTRAL & RALEIGH MILLINGTON
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
Anchor Type
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The intersection is heavily trafficked, and residents believed the area could serve as another anchor to Raleigh. The area features an auto-centric design with multiple lanes of traffic, big-box stores, and large parking lots. Due to several vacancies and a lack of oversight, some local entrepreneurs have begun to use the space for “pop up” shops such as car washes and food trucks. Residents would prefer to see this activity become more regulated to better serve the community.
Lack of a Central Hub
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The proposed anchor area is at the major intersection of Yale and Covington pike. There are virtually no pedestrian amenities and better serves automobiles. The area is primarily a corridor that connects other anchors and areas.
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Recommended FLU Designation: Low Intensity Commercial (CSL)
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Connectivity
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The corridor is mainly used for commuters leaving and entering Raleigh. Ensuring that residents are connected to the different activity hubs of Raleigh is essential. Thus, designation as a low-intensity commercial corridor can better serve residents while also boosting the local economy with businesses.
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An analysis of Low Intensity Commercial Services is available here.
5. COVINGTON PIKE & YALE
Actions
The Memphis 3.0 Jackson Planning District goals focus on enhancing community goals and actions through a structured approach that categorizes actions into three main areas: Citywide, Community, and Anchor-specific goals. This organization aims to reflect neighborhood feedback and adapt to evolving community needs five years after the initial plan's conception. By aligning these goals with multiple themes, the plan seeks to foster a more vibrant and inclusive environment for all residents.
Theme
Community Feedback
Recommended Action Item
Anchor Goals and Actions
Continue Support for and Capitalize on New Raleigh Town Center Development
Residents were elated by the new development and hope it brings more investment and opportunity into the community. The skate park is a highlight for the community. Although, the connections around the anchor still need work. There is a lack of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and residents would like to see a greater mix of uses here.
Focus increasing connectivity to the anchor via side streets such as Coleman and Scheibler roads. The City has more control over improvements that can occur on these local roads as opposed to the state-maintained HWY 14. More pedestrian crossings with a greater number of human- and block-scale buildings can increase walkability in the area and support active, safer transport.
Yale and Hwy 14 Commercial Improvement
Much of the commercial services along HWY 14 were perceived by residents as being run down and not having much to offer. The community wanted to see more variety and quality in the retail options along the major commercial corridor.
Focus on increasing commercial and sit down restaurants along the highway and a cleaner neighborhood.
Raleigh District Goals and Actions
School Zone Safety
Residents reported that schools such as Kingsbury, Berclair, and Coleman do not have enough road infrastructure in place to protect their children. Residents would like to see more raised crosswalks and medians near their schools.
Increase traffic-calming infrastructure near schools in the community. The addition of raised crosswalks, curb bump outs, signage, and lighting would improve visibility and safety near the schools.
Youth Activities and Support Systems
The New Town Center served as a great starting point for increasing activities for youth in the community. Residents wished to see more youth-focused programs and activities to provide better support systems for children in their community.
Capitalize on the New Town Center development through more playground equipment and other amenities for youth in Raleigh. Promote outdoor activity through creating connections between the parks and community centers to surrounding neighborhoods.
Citywide Goals & Actions
Speeding/Reckless Driving
Residents were frustrated with the amount of speeding and dangerous driving occurring on major roads. There was a call for better traffic measures to reduce bad driving habits
Increase the amount of traffic calming elements on roads where speeding is more prevalent. We would like to avoid more speed bumps, but these are a quick solution. Improving land use types and the built form around intersections could go a long way towards slowing traffic down.
Pedestrian Accessibility and Safety
Residents liked to see the new road improvements in their community but wished that street signage was improved. Curb bump outs were not visible enough and wanted more signage/reflectors denoting narrowing roads.
Increase the amount of signage near new road improvements to ensure motorists have enough forewarning of new traffic patterns/impediments.
Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning & Development
Comprehensive Planning Department
125 N Main Street, Ste 468
901-636-6601
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