The University District is home to Memphis’ largest institution of higher learning, The University of Memphis. The district is made of several distinct neighborhoods, including East Buntyn, Sherwood Forest, and Normal Station. Its main drag, a two-block strip of Highland Avenue known as the Highland Strip, is a staple of Memphis nightlife and offers food and drinks to fuel any study session. Recently, planning has focused on prioritizing pedestrians, including building standards for storefronts and updated railroad crossing to suit the university’s 20,000-plus students.
In S1E14 of the On The Ground podcast, the editorial team reflects on our four months of embedded research and reporting in the University District. Neighborhood leader Cody Fletcher shares his thoughts about how the neighborhoods that surround the University of Memphis can adapt to meet a growing student population.
The YWCA is celebrating its centennial and is growing its tutoring services and job training to assist people who are escaping domestic violence.
For three months our team has met weekly at a University District coffee shop. As we prepare to move to our next neighborhood, we pay homage to the district’s coffee culture with a roundup of the best local places to get great brew.
This two part series explores how race built Memphis. From a newly discovered 1930s redlining map to recent lawsuits, discriminatory housing policies have kept Black families from home ownership and Black neighborhoods from thriving.
When graffiti pops up in the University District, this group of young volunteers work to clean it up. They call themselves the UDistrict Graffiti Ninjas and they've been working for four years to reduce graffiti and blight in the residential neighborhoods that surround the University of Memphis.
After purchasing an old cabinetry workshop, Heights CDC is exploring how the space could be used to teach a marketable skill like woodworking to local residents.
Photographer Ziggy Mack follows the four-person crew of Fire Station 18 in this intimate look at their daily lives and the bonds created when you live, work, and save the day as a team.
Sure, they have sporting events and guest speakers, but did you know that the University of Memphis is also home to a community garden, art museums and many other free activities open to the public?
High Ground News is wrapping up three months of reporting in the University District with a conversation on how to ensure the district's fast growth is also sustainable and equitable. Join us for drinks, apps and a discussion at The Bluff.
Looking for an unassuming deli with some of the best (and perhaps only) Indian-Korean-Creole-American fusing food in town? Look no further than Sam's Deli and husband and wife team Brad and Shamira Wilbanks
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