FOX13 EXCLUSIVE: Letter sent to MSCS by board member surrounding Whitehaven STEM Center
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The new Whitehaven STEM Center is nearly complete, but community leaders said they still don’t know where all the money went or why the building is smaller than what was originally promised.
The Herbert STEM Center was pitched as a 25,000-square-foot hub for science and technology in the Whitehaven community. But according to permit records, the finished building is just 20,000 square feet. That reduction and the money tied to it has leaders demanding answers.
“How do you do a permit that shows $7.9 million, but we raised $9.5 (million)? The Leadership Council wants to know what happened to the remaining money,” said Eddie S. Jones Jr., chairman of the Whitehaven Leadership Council.
FOX13 reached out to Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) and the nonprofit listed as the project’s owner, Whitehaven STEM Building Inc.
Attorney Richard Myers, who is listed as the owner, told FOX13 inflation forced changes to the original design but stressed that no money is missing.
“We collected around $9.2 million with another $300,000 outstanding. About half the funds are private and the other is from the city, county, and MSCS. We shrunk the building to 20,000 square feet because we didn’t have the money to build more,” Myers said in a written statement.
“All of this was approved by MSCS administration. We built what we planned, and our ribbon cutting is Wednesday, October 8, where we hand it over to Supt. Richmond.”
Back in 2024, the project required extra funding to add a storm shelter, bringing the price tag to $9.5 million. But according to the Shelby County Assessor’s Office, the construction permit shows the cost closer to $7.9 million — raising more questions about whether all the extra funds were accounted for.
Community leaders said they still haven’t seen documentation showing how those dollars were spent.
Former school board chair Rev. Althea Greene said the board fought to secure funding for the project, but the responsibility for managing it fell to others.
“It’s one job to advocate, but it’s somebody else’s job to manage and make sure whatever we committed to actually happens,” Greene told FOX13.
Community leaders said they won’t stop pressing until every dollar is accounted for before the ribbon is cut next week.
FOX13 received a copy of a letter that MSCS Board Member Keith Williams sent to the district, demanding answers. It stated:
Subject: Whitehaven High School- Herbert STEM Center
Greetings,
As a representative for District 6 and on behalf of the Whitehaven Empowerment Zone, I am writing to express my serious concern regarding the development of the Herbert Stem Center at Whitehaven High School. We are troubled that decisions regarding the project were made without consulting the Principal and the WEZ community, which has caused significant confusion and frustration.
While we value transparency, the current process has undermined community trust. Effective engagement is crucial for project success and for maintaining a relationship between the district and the community..
I am requesting the following documents for review.
Negotiated Contract Agreements
Documents showing (Building original name, address,)
Cost of construction for the building
FOX13 reached out Thursday to MSCS about its role in the project but did not hear back.
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