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Kevin McNamara
SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. (ABC 24 News) – Aretha Franklin’s birthplace was sold last week on the steps of the Shelby County Courthouse and now has a new owner.
Franklin lived at 406 Lucy Avenue for only two years before moving here from South Central, but 80 years later, the property remains a monument to soul music’s golden age.
Now, with new owners, there is new hope for revival.
“I bought it for a lot of reasons,” Anasa Troutman said. “But come on, this is where Aretha Franklin was born.”
Troutman said he plans to revitalize the house and turn it into a visitor-friendly experience. It is already discussing partnerships with key stakeholders such as the Memphis Tourism Bureau and the Downtown Memphis Commission.
“There was an opportunity to tell more of his story than had been told publicly,” he said. “I couldn’t find anywhere that told his full story, and I thought his family had a great opportunity to expand his legacy in a meaningful way.”
Many of the homes around the community are vacant and run-down. We plan to invest in several nearby properties to help improve the entire community.
“Instead of walking into a void, we’re walking into a real community,” Troutman said.
One of those neighbors is Harold Lee, the house’s previous owner, who has new hopes for the site.
“Build it back to how it was,” Lee said. “Take down this fence. And make everybody happy here.”
Troutman said because the purchase of the house happened so quickly, the next steps in the revitalization process are still being determined. Lee said he is prepared to help restore the soul queen’s home if needed.
“We’re trying to build something that’s going to inspire the community and create something positive,” Lee said.
English:
Kevin McNamara
SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. (ABC 24 News) – Aretha Franklin’s birthplace, which was sold last week on the steps of the Shelby County Courthouse, now has a new owner.
Franklin lived at 406 Lucy Street for only the first two years of his life before leaving South Central, but 80 years later, the property still stands as a monument to soul music’s golden age.
Now, under the leadership of the new owner, there is new hope for revival.
“I bought it for a lot of reasons,” Anasa Troutman said. “But this is where Aretha Franklin was born.”
Troutman said she plans to renovate the house and turn it into a visitor-friendly experience, and she is already in discussions with key stakeholders such as the Memphis Tourism Bureau and the Downtown Memphis Commission about partnering.
“There’s an opportunity now to tell more of her story than has already been told publicly,” she said. “I couldn’t find a place to tell her full story, and I think her family really has an opportunity to continue her legacy in a meaningful way.”
Many homes around the community are vacant and dilapidated. The community plans to invest in several nearby properties to help turn the entire neighborhood around.
“We’re not walking into a vacuum, we’re walking into a real community,” Troutman said.
One of those neighbors is Harold Lee, the original owner of the house, who has new hopes for the land.
“Rebuild it to its original form,” Lee said. “Take down this fence. Make everybody happy here.”
Troutman said the next steps in the restoration process are yet to be determined because the purchase of the house was so swift. Lee said he would be willing to help restore the Queen of Soul’s house if asked.
“We’re trying to build something to inspire the community and create something positive,” Lee said.
Image: CNN
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