Fayetteville, Springdale Taking Different Building Paths

So far, 2002 has seen suburbs spreading across Springdale and apartment complexes rising in Fayetteville.

Fueling the perception that Fayetteville development caters to University of Arkansas students, the Washington County seat had a 70 percent increase in new apartment and duplex units built for the first three quarters of 2002 as compared to the same period last year.

In the first three quarters of 2001, developers purchased building permits for 187 apartment units and 38 duplex units valued at a combined $11.4 million. Through Sept. 30 this year, developers have purchased permits for 727 apartment units and 14 duplex units valued at a combined $32.4 million.

Ironically, Fayetteville home builders’ permits through Sept. 30 are also valued at $32.4 million.

Such figures are in sharp contrast to Springdale, which has only $4.4 million in apartment permit valuation through Sept. 30, but $43.9 million during the same period for new homes.

Springdale had almost double the total of new home permits — 413 to 209 — last year in the first three quarters compared to Fayetteville, and the gap has closed only slightly this year — 369-201.

“I think this is just due to the expansion of Northwest Arkansas,” Springdale Chamber of Commerce President Perry Webb said. “For many years Springdale has been seen as a blue-collar town and Fayetteville as a white-collar residential community.

“It probably makes sense that a lot of jobs have been created in Benton County and maybe some people have wanted to live outside of there and have considered living in Springdale perhaps rather than farther south in Fayetteville.”

Commercially, both Fayetteville and Springdale enjoyed growth compared to the first three quarters of 2001.

Although Fayetteville had four less permits from its same period numbers last year, it more than doubled the new size of its new facilities with 548,061 SF and had $24.2 million in commercial building permit valuation.

Springdale had 17 more commercial building permits issued this year in the first three quarters than during the same period of 2001. It has added 532,144 SF of commercial space at a valuation of $19.8 million.

Farmington had the second-highest population growth percentage in Washington County from 1990-2000 at 172.7 percent for a population of 3,605.

But Farmington’s growth is likely to stall for a while.

Farmington Mayor Ernie Penn said there is currently a moratorium on development due to the town’s sewer capacity being maxed out. He also said many land owners are not willing to part company with property that has been in their family for several decades.

“A lot of families have owned rural land here a long time and they’re not looking to sell it even at a premium price,” Penn said. “There’s some beautiful, prime development land out my back door, but it’s not for sale.”

Farmington’s problems may be to Prairie Grove’s benefit.

“We issued more building permits in the second quarter this year than we did in all of 2001,” said Arvest Prairie Grove President Greg Reed.

Farmington is the third-largest town in Washington County, Prairie Grove fourth and Johnson fifth.