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The Building Beat

The Building Beat

Written by: Develop 901
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 Starting a DIY project at home or even opening a new business can be daunting, especially when you aren’t sure who to talk to or where to start. Join our rotating hosts as they sit down with their colleagues and collaborative community partners to dispel the myths and mystery in building and zoning processes and to highlight the information and solutions you have available to you in Memphis and Shelby County. Let’s learn what all you can do in our corner of Tennessee.Copyright Develop 901 Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Ep. 22 Public Parks with a Hidden Purpose

    Ep. 22 Public Parks with a Hidden Purpose
    Jan 14 2026
    Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews Office of Sustainability & Resilience (OSR) Administrator Leigh Huffman Moyer and Shelby County Department of Housing Planning and Programs Manager Dana Sjostrom about recent improvements made to parks in Memphis and Millington that were heavily affected by the historic regional flooding in 2011.

    Updating park infrastructure involved working with community and government stakeholders on engineering and design, having publich outreach for project input, and applying for and managing federal disaster recovery grant funds. But the sum of this work continues to be evident in scenic parks with amenities that are prepared for future flooding issues.

    Have questions for Nicholas, Leigh, or Dana? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.
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    39 mins
  • Ep. 21 Local Historic Districts & Preservation Planning

    Ep. 21 Local Historic Districts & Preservation Planning
    Dec 1 2025
    Land Use Planner Nicholas Wardroup interviews Preservation Planners Ayse Penzes and Margot Payne about the role of the Memphis Landmarks Commission and the purpose of locally recognized historic district designations for residents in those districts. Ayse and Margot also share how the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) approval process works and what residents can do to become more involved in their historic districts.

    Have questions for Nicholas, Ayse, or Margot? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.
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    33 mins
  • Ep. 20 Tiny Homes, Big Questions: Land Use, Location, and Limitations

    Ep. 20 Tiny Homes, Big Questions: Land Use, Location, and Limitations
    Nov 10 2025
    For the conclusion of this two-part series on tiny homes, Building Official Rita Anderson interviews Land Use and Development Services Manager Lucas Skinner to discuss zoning compliance and historic district guidelines as they apply to tiny homes, manufactured homes, and modular homes.

    This episode complements part one in the series focused on local, state, and federal building code compliance related to modular and manufactured homes.

    Have questions for Rita or Lucas? Or maybe you have a request for a multiple-part episode series? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov!
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    17 mins
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