Carlisle Corp. invests in Tom Lee Park
September 15, 2022 (MEMPHIS, TN) — The first-ever ADA-accessible path connecting the steep bluff in downtown Memphis to the riverfront at Tom Lee Park will be named Carlisle Cutbank Bluff, thanks to a philanthropic gift of $1.5 million from Carlisle Corp.
The Carlisle Cutbank Bluff is more than a stunning, accessible pathway. It is also the first time that commercial development in downtown Memphis has been seamlessly connected to the riverfront. Carlisle Cutbank Bluff unlocks the economic impact of park visitors as they can easily move from downtown to the river and back again. The connection is a crucial linchpin between two major new civic amenities: Tom Lee Park and the new Brooks Museum on the Bluff.
“As a passionate advocate and supporter of downtown Memphis, I am all-in on a positive, ambitious future for our city,” said Chance Carlisle, CEO of Carlisle LLC. “My father, Gene Carlisle, long-ago recognized the pivotal role this corner of downtown plays in the city’s future, and the name Carlisle Cutbank Bluff honors his vision. He would be proud of this new Memphis rising on our riverfront.
“As Paul Young at Downtown Memphis Commission has said, if we want to be a world-class city, we must invest in world-class amenities. That’s what we’re building at One Beale, and it’s what Memphis River Parks Partnership is building at Tom Lee Park,” said Carlisle.
Carlisle Cutbank Bluff features include a generous, ADA-compliant switchback ramp, a traditional staircase, two informal “stone scrambles” made for climbing, new trees and more than 50,000 grasses, shrubs, and other planted plugs. With access from Vance Ave., the connection is just six blocks from the new South City development and gives Memphians in 38126 easy car-free access to the riverfront.
“Like One Beale, Tom Lee Park is an investment in a bright future for our city. We are thrilled that Carlisle Corp. is investing in this critical part of the park and making a long-term investment in our shared future,” said Tyree Daniels, board chair, Memphis River Parks Partnership. “It’s a privilege to count Chance and Carlisle Corp. as the latest corporate citizens to announce their commitment to Tom Lee Park.”
Carlisle Cutbank Bluff will open to the public in 2023, at the same time as Tom Lee Park.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be building the first real connection between downtown and the riverfront,” said Carol Coletta, President and CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership. “I moved downtown more than 40 years ago and can’t count the number of times I have heard visitors complain about the lack of easy connections to the river. Carlisle Cutbank Bluff will finally make it easy for all of us — no matter what our physical challenges may be — to enjoy our magnificent riverfront.”
