Memphis’ riverfront is making waves—literally and figuratively. Tom Lee Park, the 31-acre civic gem located along the Mississippi River, has just been named one of the top 10 urban developments in the Americas by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), earning a prestigious ULI Americas Award for Excellence.
This recognition places Tom Lee Park among the most transformative projects across North and South America, chosen from a competitive field of 94 submissions. A jury of 15 experts in planning, development, finance, architecture, and urban design narrowed the list to 18 finalists before selecting the 10 winners.
Redesigned to reflect themes of inclusivity, ecological restoration, equity, and opportunity, Tom Lee Park stands as a powerful example of how public spaces can serve as catalysts for community connection. Since reopening on Labor Day 2023, the park has already welcomed more than 2.4 million visitors and become a defining landmark in the heart of downtown Memphis.
“Tom Lee Park signifies a turning point in the city’s relationship with its riverfront,” ULI noted in its announcement. “It catalyzes the reunification of river and city by transforming a significant piece of the riverfront into a signature park where community life can flourish along the water’s edge.”
The park is named in honor of Tom Lee, a Black riverworker who, despite not knowing how to swim, heroically saved 32 passengers from drowning after a steamboat capsized in the Mississippi River in 1925. His courage, generosity, and humanity are now memorialized not only in the park’s name but also in its design and programming.
“Our riverfront is a very special place where everyone is welcome,” said Paul Chandler, President and CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership, the nonprofit that manages Tom Lee Park. “These top honors bring national and international seals of approval to what we already know in Memphis—our riverfront is an inspiring, inclusive, and joyful space, deeply rooted in history and community.”
This is only the latest recognition for Tom Lee Park, which has quickly become a standout in global urban design. In the past year, the park has received:
- A 2025 Regional and Urban Design Award from the American Institute of Architects
- A Design Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architecture
- The Urban Design Honor Award from AIA New York
- Recognition by Fast Company as one of the Top 3 Urban Design World Changing Ideas
- A feature on Mental Floss’ list of 11 Most Unique Playgrounds in the U.S.
- SITES certification for sustainable urban design
- A spot among the Top 100 Global Projects by Bilbao Metropoli 30
All of this builds on the work of the Memphis River Parks Partnership, which manages nine parks along five miles of riverfront and has raised over $80 million to reimagine and revitalize public spaces along the Mississippi. From sculpture gardens and playgrounds to civic lawns and performance spaces, the organization works with and for the people of Memphis to shape parks that reflect the city’s diverse communities and rich cultural legacy.
As Chandler puts it, “This is about more than a park—it’s about the power of place, and the story of a city embracing its river, its people, and its future.”
To learn more about Tom Lee Park and other riverfront spaces, visit memphisriverparks.org.
