city skyline

Data-Driven Growth: What KC Can Learn From Memphis

Presented By
Doug McGowen

Memphis, a sprawling, river-flanked, music- and barbecue-imbued city about 7½ hours to the south, offers some important lessons in development for Kansas City.

Doug McGowen, the chief operating officer of Tennessee’s second-largest city, discusses its use of data-driven policies in monitoring and managing growth in the latest installment of the Library’s Making a Great City series. Much like Kansas City today, Memphis found itself overextended with a governing area of 340 square miles. A new comprehensive development plan in 2019 adopted a market-based approach in assessing the areas where business attraction and growth were most needed, realistic, and compatible with neighborhood needs and aspirations. A proactive transit plan stressed ridership goals over coverage of the entire city.

Since launching this initiative a little more than a decade ago, the city has put the brakes on unsustainable development. Its “Accelerate Memphis” implementation process uses investments in neighborhoods, parks, and major civic assets to kick start growth and improve equity, housing options, and connectivity.

McGowen’s presentation is co-presented by Multistudio (formerly Gould Evans), Verimore Bank, the Hall Family Foundation, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Watch
This event is co-sponsored by: Gould Evans, the Hall Family Foundation, the Urban Land Institute of Kansas City, First Missouri Bank, the Mid-America Regional Council, and Newmark Grubb Zimmer.
Upcoming in this series:
Watch or Listen to Past Events in this Series:
Making a great City

Gregg Colburn

Affordable Housing

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 6:00pm
What does it mean to be a “great city”? Since 2018, the Library has hosted public presentations by urban planners and round-table conversations with civic leaders to...
30
Jan
Strong Towns: The Profit, and Losses, of Growth
Plaza Branch |
6:30pm
27
Apr
Taking It to the Streets: Rethinking Mobility in A...
Plaza Branch |
6:00pm
29
Oct
Smart Growth in KC: How? Where?
Plaza Branch |
6:30pm
24
Jul
Fixer-Upper: How to Repair America’s Broken Housin...
Central Library |
6:00pm
city skyline

Data-Driven Growth: What KC Can Learn From Memphis

Date & Location
-
Reception: 6 pm
In Person
Details
Adults