The former Commercial Appeal building on Union Avenue has come down, and what’s coming in its place is one of the most significant healthcare investments Memphis has ever seen.
Demolition is now underway at 495 Union Ave. for the future Regional One Health campus, an estimated $900 million project that cleared a major regulatory hurdle earlier this year when it received Certificate of Need approval from the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission in March. Oklahoma-based DT Specialized Services Inc. pulled a demolition permit in May to clear the structure down to slab, a permit valued at $500,000. The CA had been housed at that site from 1933 to 2019.
The new facility is planned to include a bed tower, trauma and burn facilities, women’s and infants’ services, an expanded emergency department, post-acute services, oncology, and modernized ancillary service suites. Regional One Health president and CEO Dr. Reginald Coopwood called the start of site prep “an important step forward in our commitment to providing exceptional care for every patient who walks through our doors.”
The project is being funded by $500 million from Shelby County alongside philanthropic and other financing sources. It is projected to generate between $694 million and $892 million in economic growth by 2027, produce $37 million in state tax revenue, and support 3,600 construction jobs and 2,300 secondary jobs. The development team is led by Covalus Allworld, a joint venture between Dallas-based Covalus and Memphis-based Allworld Project Management.
