City breaks ground on MPD/library project at Southwest Twin site in Westwood
TRI-STATE DEFENDER
It took more than two decades for something new to take root at the old Southwest Twin Drive-In site in Westwood.
But on an overcast May morning, with golden shovels in hand and hundreds gathered in anticipation, city and county officials broke ground on a $30 million redevelopment project they believe will transform the area.
At the heart of that transformation are a new Memphis Public Library branch and a new Memphis Police Department precinct — key civic investments that County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. believes can serve as a magnet for broader development.
Ford pointed to a similar redevelopment that transformed the Raleigh Springs Mall site into an MPD precinct and library space. He said he noticed some changes at the intersection of Yale Road and Austin Peay Highway.
“I looked and said, ‘Okay, where did that Chick-fil-A come from?’ There’s a Truist Bank, a (new) car wash, a Valvoline Oil Change. A Whataburger. They got a Starbucks over there. Did you know that?
“Do you think those things would have been there if they did not start off with the first phase of a police station or a library? I don’t think so,” Ford said.
That kind of growth is the goal of city leaders and residents alike — to replace blight with opportunity, to bring back neighborhood pride and to plant seeds for sustained revitalization in one of Memphis’ most historic communities.
“For too long, this 30-acre site was overlooked and undervalued,” said Memphis Mayor Paul Young. “But the City of Memphis believes in the community-lifting power of this space.”
The Southwest Twin Drive-In opened in 1956 and closed in 2001. In the years since, the site became a symbol of decay — until the City of Memphis and Shelby County allocated $1 million each toward redevelopment planning.
Friday’s groundbreaking is the result of that momentum, with Baldwin & Shell serving as general contractor and Aaron Patrick Architects leading the design team.
In his remarks at the groundbreaking, Young framed the moment as more than a construction milestone.
“This is more than redevelopment,” he said. “It’s restoration. It’s about meeting long-standing needs, honoring community voices and building a future that’s rooted in dignity and opportunity.”
City councilman Edmund Ford Sr., who represents the district and has long championed improvements in the area, took a more plainspoken tone.
“We don’t want no junk. We want something worthwhile,” he said. “I don’t trust the banks no more, but we’re already talking to a credit union about coming out here.”
The new library is planned to serve residents of all ages with access to books, technology, career resources and creative programming. The new police precinct is expected to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the community, in addition to improving public safety.
Felicia Harris, deputy director of Housing and Community Development, thanked city partners and led attendees in a moment of silence for Housing and Community Development Director Ashley Cash, who is mourning the loss of a family member.
“Westwood is on the move,” Harris said. “This is just the beginning.”