Specialized Real Estate Group (SREG) of Fayetteville recently announced plans to redevelop property currently occupied by Farmers Cooperative near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and South School Avenue in south Fayetteville, following the Co-op’s decision to relocate.
According to a representative of SREG, the four existing main buildings will be reused as part of development that will feature restaurants, entertainment venues, as well as small office and retail space. Approximately 220 new apartments will be added to the roughly eight-acre site.
The existing buildings are situated along an arc running from north to southwest — the trace of a long-gone rail line that once served the local timber and produce industries. A new boardwalk will follow the route of the old rail line. New apartments along South School will create an inviting streetscape that will welcome pedestrians, according to SREG representatives. Modus Studio of Fayetteville are the project architects, and construction is planned to begin in early 2020.
“This property has been a meeting place for a long time, and we know that it is significant to the neighborhood and to folks around the region.” said Specialized Real Estate Group CEO Jeremy Hudson said in a statement. “We are thankful for this opportunity to bring new life to such an important place. We intend to honor the agricultural and industrial heritage of the site as we add new housing and small businesses.”
The property links Fayetteville’s emerging cultural arts district and the University of Arkansas Art and Design District, along with the south Fayetteville neighborhood. The Razorback Greenway runs along the west side of the property, linking to the westward Tsa-La-Gi Trail. Tanglewood Branch, a tributary of the West Fork of the White River, runs along the edge of the property, and SREG plans streambank restoration, addressing erosion and establishing Ozark native plantings.
SREG and Fayetteville design firm Modus Studio have partnered on other adaptive reuse projects including Eco Modern Flats, 15 North Church Avenue, and 200 West Center Street, the home of Arsaga’s Church and Center.
The Fayetteville Co-op is one of 18 retail locations operated in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas by Van Buren-based Farmers Co-Op Association. The property has been owned by the Co-op for nearly 20 years.
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