Tillman Cove adds 219 housing units in Binghampton
by Andy Greenman
The neighborhood of Binghampton welcomed a large housing unit in 1948. It came at a time when Memphis was rapidly growing, and expanding its borders far from the Mississippi River. World War II veterans filled Tillman Cove, a 99-unit single-story complex.
Four decades later, Kordera Lindsey was born in Binghampton in 1989. He was now beginning his journey in the same place his grandparents had settled for a better living. Kordera’s parents followed suit and stayed to raise Kordera. His family was at home at the Cove.
Over time, the buildings began to deteriorate. Kordera had relatives stay there until they passed, and he watched others get forced out when they shuttered in 2016. His memories of Tillman Cove are bittersweet.
“Growing up back then it was hard,” Kordera recalls. “It was like growing up in the ghetto.”
He was fortunate to move out prior to the closure. Just across Tillman Street, Kordera started a family.
The Cove remained abandoned until 2019 when the City released the Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan. The plan created the Community Catalyst Fund (CCF) to spur growth for neighborhoods. Funding was used from the CCF to demolish the abandoned units that same year.
With plans to rebuild the community anchor, the CRA obtained two parcels to allow a secondary exit on McAdoo Ave. This provided another safe and efficient outlet for residents and emergency vehicles.
The Binghampton Development Corporation (BDC) and the CRA provided oversight to ensure the upcoming apartments aligned with the neighborhood redevelopment plan. Then the BDC and developer Elmington Capital took charge.
When Kordera first heard that Tillman Cove was being rebuilt, he was afraid the neighborhood would change. But when he found out the new apartments included affordable family units, he was sold. After a 12-year absence, he moved into his third-floor apartment in April.
“It was really a blessing and I was very happy to come back to the same place that I grew up. It was kind of like a movie for me.”
The name remained the same, but everything else had been rebuilt. On June 25, a ribbon cutting was held at Tillman Cove to celebrate the 219 mixed-income, affordable units. Mayor Paul Young, who previously led the Memphis Housing and Community Development (HCD), was an integral part of the redevelopment.
“We have plenty of affordable housing. There’s plenty of cheap places for people to live,” Young remarked. “But the question is, do we have quality affordable housing? Spaces that reflect the dignity and pride that our residents should have.”
Kordera, 37, is now raising his children at the modern Tillman Cove. The father of four, and Texas Roadhouse grill master doesn’t take a day for granted. He can provide for his family while enjoying the beautiful new scenery.
“This is where I was born and raised, and this is probably where I’ll end up dying at. This is my neighborhood, and I love my neighborhood.” ▲