Northside Square on time and on budget with tenant buildout to begin
By Stephen MacLeod – Reporter, Memphis Business Journal
March 12, 2025
The $81 million mixed-use redevelopment of the former Northside High School is entering a new phase.
Core and shell construction at Northside Square is now 75% complete, according to Roshun Austin, president and CEO of The Works Inc., the community development organization leading the project at 1212 Vollintine Ave.
As design work by LRK nears completion, tenants are preparing to begin buildouts of their spaces.
The first tenant buildout permit — a $5.3 million project to convert the former school’s basement into a Moore Tech campus — was filed March 7. Permits for additional tenants, including Literacy Mid-South and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, are expected to follow soon.
When the project broke ground in 2023, its commercial space — more than 200,000 square feet — was nearly fully leased. Construction remains on schedule for completion by the end of the year, with initial tenants expected to begin occupying the building in January 2026. A ribbon-cutting is planned for 2026.
The residential portion, which secured financing in October, is also progressing. Framing is complete, and drywall installation is expected to begin soon. That component will add 42 affordable housing units to Klondike, a North Memphis neighborhood that has long faced economic challenges.
Once completed, Northside Square will be owned by The Works and developed by ComCap Partners. Grinder, Taber & Grinder is serving as general contractor. LRK designed the majority of the project, while Aaron Patrick Architects led the residential design.
The development — the largest Black-led project in a majority Black neighborhood in Memphis history — is intended to serve as a catalyst for further investment in Klondike.
“I’m still as excited about the project as I was when we broke ground,” Austin said. “It’s been a tremendous pleasure working with our partners and seeing this project stay on track and within budget.”