project overview
HEIGHTS LINE GATEWAY SCULPTURE | The Heights
Artist: TBD
Total budget: $90,000 (includes three finalist honoraria of $1,000 each)
Upcoming benchmark/update: Artist Selection
Next committee meeting date: May 2024
BACKGROUND
About The Heights and The Heights Line:
About The Heights neighborhood:
In the 1830s, the Heights neighborhood was east of Memphis and largely controlled by the Pope Cotton Plantation. In the late 1880s, Shelby County acquired the western side of Holmes Road (Lamphier and neighboring streets) for the Shelby County poor farm, work house, and insane asylum. Today you can see these small identical buildings, now private homes. In 1905, the Raleigh Street Car Line fostered development of bedroom communities for those who worked in Memphis. The streetcar line ran along Broad Avenue from Memphis to Binghampton, turned north along National Street, and continued east after crossing the Wolf River. Access to public transportation sparked commercial and retail development along Summer, National, Highland and Macon.
The Heights is an inclusive neighborhood term to include residents of Mitchell-Heights, Highland-Heights, Graham-Heights, and Brinkley-Heights. This is a diverse neighborhood (51% Black, 17% Hispanic, 15% White non-Hispanic, and 12% additional Ethnicities). The Heights has primarily English and Spanish speaking residents with a growing immigrant community originating from Mexico, Honduras, Vietnam, Yemen, and more. Some notable community members include Penny Hardaway and Elliot Perry (Treadwell High alums) .
About Heights Line:
The Heights Line is a 1.75-mile multi-use path and linear park located in the median of National Street between Summer Ave and Bayliss Ave, connecting to the Hampline and Wolf River Greenway. This is a neighborhood-led initiative to create the longest linear park in Memphis along a former trolley line. The project will provide a much-needed public space amenity in North Memphis and connect disinvested historic neighborhoods to nearby parks, urban centers, and transit routes. It is designed to narrow lanes and decrease speeds making it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. Heights Line will also provide the first urban connection between two of Memphis’ premier greenways– the $60 million Wolf River Greenway and the 13-mile Shelby Farms Greenline.
Local residents began work in 2017 by reclaiming excess road capacity and building a temporary demonstration of Heights Line. Completion of the permanent installation of the first phase from Summer Avenue to Macon is expected in Spring 2024.
From: https://www.heightsline.com/
About The Heights CDC:
The Heights CDC builds community through just housing redevelopment and a commitment to serve with and learn from our neighbors. This non-profit was incubated by Binghampton Development Corporation and serves the neighborhoods north of Summer Ave.
Although its primary focus is on rehabbing blighted properties, the Heights CDC seeks to revitalize the community by building relationships with residents, supporting community leaders, and creating shared green spaces.
Front Entrance of Library
SCOPE OF WORK
UAC and The City of Memphis, in partnership with The Heights CDC, are seeking an artist to create a gateway sculpture that speaks to the pride and history of the community, engages neighborhood youth, and pays tribute to The Heights diverse demographics.
The selection committee has expressed interest in a gateway sculpture that:
Consider the both historical and current context of the Heights neighborhood
Includes student engagement in the creation and/or installation process
A desire for one wow sculpture that delineates the space (when people see it they know they have now entered the Heights/Heights Line)
Invites all of the neighborhood to the space (Heights Line is a place to come together rather than a place to divide)
Incorporates solar-panel lights (to add both beauty and safety during the evening hours)
Fits into the neighborhood architectural landscape
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Marcha Allen- City of Memphis Parks Division- Deputy Director (non-voting)
Ray Atkinson- City of Memphis Bikeway and Pedestrian Program Manager, Engineering Division (non-voting)
Jasmine Avila- Heights Resident
James Chambers- The Heights CDC- Operations Manager, Heights Resident
Sasha Collins- Heights Resident, ButterCream Dreams- Baker/Owner
Vernice Foster- Heights Resident
Paulina Garibaldi- Heights Resident
Justin Gibbs- City of Memphis Parks Division- CSA Representative (non-voting)
Sarah Gilmore: Heights Resident; The Heights CDC- Director of Community Engagement (Community Partner)
Michael Gong- Heights Resident; Kingsbury High- Teacher
Jay Harris- Cxffeeblack Barista; Artist, Heights Resident
Emily Holmes- Heights Resident; Emily Holmes- Photographer/Owner
Colin Kidder- Sculptor, Heights Resident
Mike Lemm- City of Memphis Engineering Division (non-voting)
Jared Myers: The Heights CDC- Executive Director
*Public Vote: Collected public votes will serve as one additional selection committee vote for the final selected artist following the submission of proposals from project finalists.
About Artist:
Coming soon…
