Progress breaks ground in southwest Memphis, at a site that once epitomized American car culture and teenage freedom – the Southwest Twin Drive-In. Closed for over two decades now, the 30-acre site is slated to become home to a new Memphis Public Library branch and a Memphis Police Department precinct, with local officials hoping for it to become a catalyst for more private developments as well, according to reports from Action News 5 and WREG.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young, quoted in multiple sources, emphasized the value he sees in the project. "For too long, this 30-acre site was overlooked and undervalued, but the City of Memphis believes in the community-lifting power of this space," he said, signaling a significant investment into an area long awaiting revitalization, according to a report by Action News 5. While the current landscape starkly contrasts its cherished past, with overgrown weeds and broken pavement, locals like Karen Collier recall sneaking into the theatre...doing a lot of good stuff, sitting on the hill watching movies.
This is not the first attempt to breathe new life into this space. In 2023 and 2024, the city hosted a series of activations and events, luring the community back to the location and setting the scene for its transformation. The city shared a common vision for the site's future. The choice of Baldwin & Shell Construction Company as the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) on behalf of the City of Memphis aims to ensure the project's seamless execution, as reported by Action News 5.
During the groundbreaking, local voices rallied around the potential of the development to bring not only services but entertainment and joy back to the area. Councilman Edmund Ford, Sr., an advocate for the property's renovation, expressed his broader vision, "this would be a place for everybody that can enjoy. I really want to see a bowling alley. I want to see a skating rink out here. I want to see something worthwhile that we can all get together and have a good time," he told The Commercial Appeal.
