Back when the federal and state governments were

Back when the federal and state governments were busy building freeways through cities, a neighborhood in Midtown Memphis was demolished to make way for Interstate 40. The highway was never completed through that part of town, and Memphis officials were left with a 56-acre hole in the middle of their city. They decided, wisely, to knit the surrounding neighborhoods together with a grid of streets and new homes that look much like traditional models. The city’s success in what is called the Midtown Corridor can be measured by the increasing difficulty in telling where the old neighborhoods end and these new houses begin. Most of the 200-plus homes have been sold, for prices averaging about $200,000. The strong sales reveal a market for new, quality, traditional, inner-city housing that has not been tapped anywhere in the U.S. in decades. A percentage of profits is diverted to build affordable housing. The houses have generous lots and driveways leading to car ports or garages in the rear. They have traditional proportions and, architecturally, are very much in context with surrounding neighborhoods. However, streets built according to city standards are way too wide (40 feet curb to curb in many cases). This condition, in conjunction with long blocks, leads to potential speedway conditions. One car was observed passing another car that was traveling 20 to 25 miles per hour. That shouldn’t happen on a well-designed residential street. Fortunately, the streets are lightly traveled. Contact: Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development (901) 576- 6601.