Downtown Memphis Riverfront: Parks, Trails and Homes

The Mississippi River is the reason Memphis is where it is, and for anyone living in Downtown Memphis it is also the neighborhood's front yard. Over the past several years the riverfront has changed a great deal, with a rebuilt Tom Lee Park, a continuous trail linking the parks along the bluff, and a pedestrian crossing over the river itself. If you are considering a condo, loft, or townhome in the 38103 zip code, here is what the riverfront offers and a few things to know about living near it.

Tom Lee Park: About a Mile of Riverfront

Tom Lee Park runs south from the foot of Beale Street for roughly a mile, between the river and Riverside Drive. The park covers about 30 acres and reopened in September 2023 after a full redesign led by Studio Gang and the landscape architecture firm SCAPE.

The new layout includes the Sunset Canopy, a large open-air pavilion used for events and recreation, a playground with sculptural river animals, a hammock grove, winding paths through native plantings, and more than a thousand new trees. An elevated walkway and a switchback path now connect the top of the bluff to the river's edge, making the route from Downtown streets to the water accessible on foot or by wheelchair. Memphis River Parks Partnership, which manages the park, lists its hours as 6 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset.

The park is named for Tom Lee, a river worker who rescued 32 people from a sinking steamboat in 1925 even though he could not swim. A memorial in the park tells his story.

The River Line and the Chain of Parks

Tom Lee is the largest of the riverfront parks, but it is one of nearly a dozen. The River Line is a walking and biking trail of about five miles that links them. Along it you will find River Garden, Fourth Bluff, Cobblestone Landing, Ashburn-Coppock Park, Martyrs Park, Butler Park, Chickasaw Heritage Park, and E.H. Crump Park, with Mud Island and Greenbelt Park on the north end near Harbor Town.

For residents, that means a morning walk or bike ride can start at the front door and follow the river for miles without getting in a car. South Main, with its restaurants and galleries, sits just up the bluff from the southern stretch of the trail.

Big River Crossing

At the south end of the riverfront, Big River Crossing carries walkers and cyclists across the Mississippi on the Harahan Bridge. It opened in 2016, runs close to a mile, and connects to trails on the Arkansas side in West Memphis. The bridge is lit at night, and the view back toward the Downtown skyline is one of the most photographed in the city.

Homes Near the River

Housing close to the riverfront is mostly attached: condominiums in mid-rise and high-rise buildings along the bluff, lofts in converted warehouses and commercial buildings in the South Main area, and townhomes and single-lot houses in the South Bluffs area and on Mud Island. Some buildings are newer, and others are historic structures with exposed brick and timber.

Buying a condo or loft involves a few questions that do not come up with a detached house:

What the monthly association dues cover, and whether utilities, insurance, or parking are included. The financial health of the association, including reserves and any planned special assessments. Parking: whether a space is deeded, assigned, or leased, and where guests park. Rules on leasing, pets, and renovations. For historic buildings, the age of the roof, elevators, windows, and mechanical systems.

Your lender may also have requirements for the building itself, so it helps to raise the question early.

Practical Notes on Downtown Living

Downtown is inside the City of Memphis, so owners pay both City of Memphis and Shelby County property taxes, and MLGW provides electricity, gas, and water. Public schools are part of Memphis-Shelby County Schools, and the district can confirm which schools serve an address.

Large events are part of life on the riverfront. Festivals, concerts, and races bring crowds, street closures, and sound on certain weekends, and Riverside Drive is sometimes closed to traffic. It is worth visiting a building on an event weekend as well as a quiet weekday before you decide. Freight trains run along the bluff, too, and how much you hear them depends on the building and which way a unit faces.

If you plan to look at properties near the river, check flood zone information for the specific address. Much of Downtown sits high on the bluff, but conditions vary closer to the water and on Mud Island.

If the Downtown Memphis riverfront appeals to you and you would like help sorting through buildings and neighborhoods, I am happy to be a resource. Ask whatever is on your mind; there is never any pressure.

Kelly Day, SRES, SRS, AHWD, PSA, RENE
Multi Million Dollar Club
Broker Lic # 365811
simpliHOM
901-289-9227
855-856-9466
[email protected]
https://memphishouselistings.com