John A. Elkington is an American real estate developer best known for the redevelopment of Beale Street, the entertainment district in Memphis, Tennessee, known in the United States as a popular tourist destination.
In 1979, with business partner Steve Keltner, Elkington built the first private unit development (PUD) in Memphis.
Lenox School, built in 1912, had been closed for years before its conversion into condominiums that retained the integrity of the original building.
After decades of decline and an ill-conceived urban renewal program that left the formerly vibrant area desolate and the street lined with empty, crumbling buildings, John Elkington agreed to lead the development and management of the massive project.
He had three goals for Beale Street's restoration: preserve the music, bring commerce back, and maintain a diversity of owners and patrons.
[7] Government entities also recognized his years of work resurrecting Beale Street: He was honored by the U.S. Congress in 2008, and by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2010.
As a real estate professional, Elkington earned his CCIM designation (Certified Commercial Investment Member) in 1992, and was honored by the MAAR (Memphis Area Association of Realtors) in 2012 as Retail Broker of the Year.
John Elkington is a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Memphis, and was honored in 2015 as the Rotarian of the Year and as a Paul Harris Fellow.