Combs Loses Purchase Deal

Gary Combs, a developer and owner of Basic Block Group and Basic Construction in Springdale, said a deal with the Bank of Fayetteville has been derailed.

Combs said he offered to buy the old Fayetteville train depot on Dickson Street from the bank more than a month ago for a “seven-figure” sum and they “backed out” of the deal.

Combs said he hadn’t finalized plans for the depot, but “It was going to be something nice,” he said.

John Lewis, chairman and CEO of the Bank of Fayetteville had a different story. He said the depot was never “listed nor offered” for sale.

Lewis said the bank might sell the depot but not before the final downtown master plan comes back from Dover, Kohl and Partners of Coral Gables, Fla. “We are trying to synchronize with the downtown development as a whole,” Lewis said. “We’ve got a large investment in a branch down there.”

When asked if he would sell the depot to Combs if the depot were for sale, Lewis answered: “Well, it’s a free country.”