New Ballet Ensemble and School has officially acquired the former Humes Middle School at 659 N. Manassas Street, and the vision is bold: a $73 million transformation into the Memphis Middle and High School for the Arts and Technology, known as MEMArtsTech.
The property transferred on June 12, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds, with a purchase price of $257,000. The renovation price tag of nearly $73 million will be funded through a combination of private donations, tax credits, and other financing sources. What was once a North Memphis school that closed its doors in 2024 is now set to reopen as something entirely new—a dedicated home for arts and technology education at the middle and high school levels.
The Humes building carries real weight in Memphis history. Its halls have shaped generations of neighborhood students, and New Ballet’s acquisition signals a commitment to continuing that legacy under a new mission. MEMArtsTech is designed to serve students who deserve a school that meets them where their gifts are, not one that asks them to leave those gifts at the door.
For New Ballet, this is more than a campus expansion. It’s a statement about where arts education belongs, who it’s for, and what North Memphis can hold. The renovation work ahead is significant, but so is what’s on the other side of it.
