Historic Cobblestone Landing Restoration and Walkway Project
The Historic Cobblestone Landing in Memphis is one of the nation’s largest remaining, intact cobblestone landings. Located on Riverside Drive between Beale Street and Jefferson, the landing was created by the commerce of incoming ships using cobblestones as ballast, exchanging them for loads of cotton, lumber and other products.
Sadly, the historic cobblestones have fallen into disrepair as they settled and sloughed at the toe.
The result is extremely unsafe walking conditions resulting in injuries, lawsuits and even one death from a fall. The current walking surface also creates a large barrier to pedestrian movement north and south along the Mississippi Riverfront at Memphis. However, the problems can be solved by restoring the landing, preventing further deterioration, making repairs throughout the cobblestones’ surface, and providing adequate walking surfaces constructed in a manner respectful of historical significance.
The purpose of the Historic Cobblestone Landing Restoration and Walkway Project is to stabilize and restore the Memphis Cobblestone Landing and provide limited usability, connectivity and accessibility improvements.
To ensure this purpose is achieved, several project objectives have been established to focus the design toward the desired end. The scope of these individual objectives, and thus the scope of the entire project, has been defined to address the purpose and need and to fit within the project budget of $6,857,000. This budget is comprised of $5,667,000 in Federal funds and $1,090,000 in local funds. The construction budget for this project is $6,015,000.
Project Objectives
In order to meet the purpose and need of the Historic Cobblestone Landing Restoration and Walkway Project, the project objectives, in priority order, are as follows:
- Stabilization of the lower (western) edge of the cobblestone field
- Restoration of the cobblestone field
- Improved accessibility to the cobblestones, including those required by the ADA
- Removal and relocation of overhead utilities
- Continuation of and improvements to the docking of boats
- Installation of interpretive signage
- Creation of a Union Avenue terminus centered on the Riverside Drive walkway above the Cobblestone field
The Riverfront Development Corporation and the City of Memphis have secured nearly $6 million to preserve, restore and enhance the Historic Cobblestone Landing. To begin the process, a meeting of stakeholders was held on February 7, 2008, to solicit input toward the creation of a concept design for the project. After that meeting, a preliminary design was submitted to the Tennessee State Historic Preservation Office for consideration.
The Section 106 Clearance process was undertaken. The archeological investigation and the historical impact study are in draft form. The Programmatic Categorical Exclusion request has been submitted to FHWA. As part of this process, a joint public information meeting will be held by the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday, August 11, 2009, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 330 North Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee (38103).
This project would become the critical north-south connection along the River, while protecting and bringing new attention to the Cobblestone Landing. This project is related to the Riverfront Development Corporation’s (RDC) plan. In addition, the Governor’s Alliance for Regional Excellence identified heritage tourism as an important strategy in building the tourism sector of the regional economy. Given the Cobblestone Landing’s national significance, this project would help build tourism by making it possible for people to experience the Landing.
