October 25, 2021

Development in Collierville: What’s Next for Three of the Town’s Biggest Projects?

The Commercial Appeal

By Dima Amro

Town Is Seeing Growth from New Developments

Collierville developments continue to make progress this year, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved multiple projects in the last 10 months. Now, more companies, dwellings and attractions are headed to the town.

Here is a look at three of Collierville’s biggest projects and where they stand.

Schilling Farms Water Tower District

The board of mayor and aldermen in September approved the first phase of the Water Tower District, a mixed-use development south of Poplar Avenue.

The first phase includes 2,193 square feet of retail space and 259 rental dwellings — 27 buildings with 110 one-bedroom units, 95 two-bedroom units and 54 three-bedroom units.

The residential side is located along Schilling Boulevard West between Poplar Avenue and Winchester Boulevard.

Les Binkley, vice president of Boyle Investment — the project’s developer, expects phase one construction to begin this year and could last about two years.

Along with residential areas, the first phase contains 40,000 square feet of retail space, 50,000 square feet of office space and the corporate headquarters for IMC Companies, an intermodal logistics provider, which is already under construction.

Town Administrator James Lewellen said the Schilling Farms area offers a big commercial impact to the town and it is still growing.

“It’s big,” Lewellen said. “For the whole district we’re looking at other possibilities for commercial and additional office growth.”

The area has been in the works since the 1990s and more commercial, office and residential developments are underway.

The Farms at Bailey Station

Some seniors can expect to move into the first round of apartments at The Farms at Bailey Station in late fall, said Thomas Becher, spokesperson for the Farms.

The Farms, a $290 million senior living community in Collierville, will allow residents to move into some of the 176 apartments Nov. 15, and by the end of the year, 25 of 63 homes will be occupied.

“It is huge, an amazing project,” Lewellen said. “Every time I drive by it I look at it and say, ‘That’s big.'”

Retirement Companies of America develops and manages the Farms, which is for adults 55 and older and includes housing, a three-story clubhouse and a health campus.

Lewellen said the retirement facility attracts more people to Collierville.

The Jordan River Health Center, an onsite medical campus, is nearing completion and will open soon, Becher said.

The health campus features 60 private nursing suites, 52 private assisted-living suites, 32 memory care suites for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s, and 4,300 square feet of inpatient and outpatient rehab facility.

The medical facility is available to anyone but members of The Farms at Bailey Station are a priority.

The development will be fully constructed by 2023.

Town Square parking garage

In July, the board unanimously approved a $1.1 million purchase agreement to acquire approximately an acre of land north of the historic Town Square to potentially add a parking garage.

Town Square in Collierville, Tenn.

This agreement began the board’s due diligence period of 120 days to determine if the site is appropriate for the garage. But after looking at another piece of land on Washington Street, east of the square, they may back off the deal, Lewellen said.

The town owns the parking area at 177 Washington St., and the board is concerned about purchasing new land when another area is only a couple minutes farther away, Lewellen said.

Currently, the land north of the square is vacant but a 55-room hotel, event center and restaurant are planned for the area to the right of it. The parking garage will complement the project, the debate is whether the garage will be right next to the hotel or about 500 feet away on Washington Street.