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.
    Show More Show Less
    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.
    Show More Show Less
    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!
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Ep. 19 Tiny Homes, Big Questions: Navigating Structural Standards & Safety

    Ep. 19 Tiny Homes, Big Questions: Navigating Structural Standards & Safety
    Oct 6 2025
    Building Official Rita Anderson interviews Director Jim Hightower of the Manufactured Housing, Modular, and Licensing section within the State of Tennessee's Department of Commerce and Insurance. Jim expands upon the popular term "tiny home" and shares the distinct differences between manufactured and modular housing, along with the federal and state standards that apply. Rita and Jim share what options are available for property owners and contractors within the State of Tennessee and what code standards the different housing types.

    This episode is the first in a two-part series focused on tiny homes and manufactured and modular housing in Memphis and Shelby County.

    Have questions for Rita or Jim? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • Ep. 18 From Draft to Approval: Demystifying Plan Review

    Ep. 18 From Draft to Approval: Demystifying Plan Review
    Sep 8 2025
    Deputy Building Official Mario Moton interviews Senior Plans Examiner John to discuss the goals, responsibilities, and expertise of Plan Review, a team that reviews building plans to ensure they are code compliant long before any building permits are issued. Mario and John talk about what the plan review process looks like and what it actually involves, including how applicants can make their review time even shorter!

    Have questions for Mario or John? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.
    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • Ep. 17 Demolitions

    Ep. 17 Demolitions
    Aug 4 2025
    Senior Building Inspector Tony Grashot interviews Plans Examiner Erica Rogers about the requirements for demolition permits and the differences between residential and commercial demolition projects. Tony brings his background as a commercial contractor with an ATF license to the discussion.

    Have questions for Erica or Tony? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

    Link to Fite Rd Demolition: https://youtube.com/shorts/0hMcRB_JT8o?feature=share
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Ep. 16 Signs, Billboards, and Zoning Compliance

    Ep. 16 Signs, Billboards, and Zoning Compliance
    Jul 7 2025
    Producer Breana Miller interviews Senior Signs & Zoning Inspector Antwone Smith about the signs, billboards, and zoning regulations that he and his team enforce and that they tend to educate and inform customers about while in the field. While handling anything from eight-second digital billboard advertisement frequencies to the prohibition of roosters in residential areas, Signs and Zoning Enforcement has seen and heard a lot of what's happening in the Memphis and Shelby County area.

    Have questions for any Antwone? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • Ep. 15 Inside the Division Spotlight Series: Land Use Planner

    Ep. 15 Inside the Division Spotlight Series: Land Use Planner
    Jun 2 2025
    Producer Breana Miller interviews Land Use Planner Nicholas Wardroup about his position within the division, especially related to working with the public and elected officials; his experience in transitioning from a graduate intern to his current full-time role; and his journey in learning and communicating about the ordinances and codes that guide his work.

    Have questions for any Nicholas? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins