$72M Northside High project named Northside Square, gives first look
By John Klyce – Reporter, Memphis Business Journal
Years ago, Northside High School was considered a significant asset for the Klondike neighborhood in North Memphis. It had a solid basketball team, and a robust music program. Its night school was considered one of the best in the city for learning a trade.
But in 2016, it closed due to declining enrollment, and the building, located at 1212 Vollintine Ave., was left empty.
In 2020, however, a group of local leaders revealed plans to bring new life to the space — and now, they’re closer to achieving that goal.
The team behind the $71.9 million redevelopment of Northside High — which is comprised of The Works Inc., the Klondike Smokey City CDC, and ComCap Partners — has announced that the project has been named Northside Square.
“Community input was crucial for us during the naming process, because Northside Square is a place for the community, plain and simple,” said Roshun Austin, president and CEO of The Works Inc., in a press release. “Our team connected with Klondike community members and Northside alumni through meetings, focus groups, and email. We surveyed more than 150 people with 25-plus options, and the overwhelming majority chose Northside Square as their favorite. We did, too.”
The 270,000-square-foot development is expected to offer health care, workforce development, literacy advocacy, technical skills training, athletic, fitness, and performing and visual arts resources, as well as an upgraded gymnasium, a welcoming plaza, a renovated courtyard, office space, retail space, a Northside High School Hall of Fame, and affordable housing units.
In February, the project received a 20-year PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) from the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) for Memphis and Shelby County, and an application for the incentives noted that there would be 41 affordable housing units, with a rental rate of $960 per month, and an anticipated occupancy rate of 95%.
Construction will begin soon, and start with interior demolition, which is expected to take six to eight months. Interior renovations are slated to start in early 2023, with the multi-use community hub set to open in 2024.
Grinder Taber Grinder is overseeing the construction process, and LRK is leading the design team. There's also a significant number of minority-owned firms working on the project. For example, minority-owned Precise Contracting is assisting Grinder Taber Grinder, and the design team includes minority-owned Aaron Patrick Architects and JPA Architects.
Universal Commercial Real Estate — the CRE brokerage of Darrell Cobbins — is currently working with the development team to identify office, commercial, and retail tenants that complement the mission of Northside Square.
Years ago, Northside High School was considered a significant asset for the Klondike neighborhood in North Memphis. It had a solid basketball team, and a robust music program. Its night school was considered one of the best in the city for learning a trade.
But in 2016, it closed due to declining enrollment, and the building, located at 1212 Vollintine Ave., was left empty.
In 2020, however, a group of local leaders revealed plans to bring new life to the space — and now, they’re closer to achieving that goal.
The team behind the $71.9 million redevelopment of Northside High — which is comprised of The Works Inc., the Klondike Smokey City CDC, and ComCap Partners — has announced that the project has been named Northside Square.
“Community input was crucial for us during the naming process, because Northside Square is a place for the community, plain and simple,” said Roshun Austin, president and CEO of The Works Inc., in a press release. “Our team connected with Klondike community members and Northside alumni through meetings, focus groups, and email. We surveyed more than 150 people with 25-plus options, and the overwhelming majority chose Northside Square as their favorite. We did, too.”
The 270,000-square-foot development is expected to offer health care, workforce development, literacy advocacy, technical skills training, athletic, fitness, and performing and visual arts resources, as well as an upgraded gymnasium, a welcoming plaza, a renovated courtyard, office space, retail space, a Northside High School Hall of Fame, and affordable housing units.
In February, the project received a 20-year PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) from the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) for Memphis and Shelby County, and an application for the incentives noted that there would be 41 affordable housing units, with a rental rate of $960 per month, and an anticipated occupancy rate of 95%.
Construction will begin soon, and start with interior demolition, which is expected to take six to eight months. Interior renovations are slated to start in early 2023, with the multi-use community hub set to open in 2024.
Grinder Taber Grinder is overseeing the construction process, and LRK is leading the design team. There's also a significant number of minority-owned firms working on the project. For example, minority-owned Precise Contracting is assisting Grinder Taber Grinder, and the design team includes minority-owned Aaron Patrick Architects and JPA Architects.
Universal Commercial Real Estate — the CRE brokerage of Darrell Cobbins — is currently working with the development team to identify office, commercial, and retail tenants that complement the mission of Northside Square.
The project is part of a multimillion-dollar investment in the Klondike neighborhood, and it's located on a 24-acre campus that houses a public library, community center, city park, aquatics center, and Klondike Elementary School.
The project is part of a multimillion-dollar investment in the Klondike neighborhood, and it's located on a 24-acre campus that houses a public library, community center, city park, aquatics center, and Klondike Elementary School.
