The city of Memphis is currently supporting a multi-million dollar investment in public infrastructure, most recently involving St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The state will use the funding to improve the public infrastructure surrounding the St. Jude campus in downtown Memphis. The initiative is also intended to spur economic growth, leading to more jobs for the residents of the city. The infrastructure investments will benefit not only St. Jude, but all of the surrounding areas. The expansion project is expected to be advantageous to clinical care and research programs and will be part of a six-year strategic plan. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened more than 50 years ago and treats patients from all 50 states and around the world.
The enhancements are being funded through the Fast Track Infrastructure Development Program (FIDP). This program assists in the funding of local governments in providing public infrastructure to support new or expanding industry. There are several organizations that qualify for such grants, including water systems, wastewater systems, and site improvement, as well as other public infrastructure improvements required to support economic growth. Grants are typically limited up to a maximum of $750,000 with amounts determined for individual projects. To date, the expansion projects include over a billion in both new capital investment and additional operational expenditure over the life of the six-year plan. This total is designated for use in additional strategic investment specifically for Memphis.
Fun Fact: Memphis has several parks- Mudd Island being arguably the most unique of the city’s parks. It’s located on a 50-acre island in the Mississippi River. The park is open seasonally and will re-open in April. When you go be sure to visit the Riverwalk where you’ll find concrete sections which were installed and positioned to allow the water to flow from north to south.
