Chaffee Crossing director issues 2008 report

Ivy Owen, director of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, issued a “Year End Report” late Monday (Dec. 12) that highlighted the “FCRA and its successes this past year.”

The FCRA is tasked with developing former military property deeded to area communities by the Department of Defense in 2000.

“Overall, the plan of work for the staff for 2008 has been completed and in a very successful manner resulting in significant job creation, sizable private investment and a commitment from the community for a successful Chaffee Crossing,” Owen noted in the report.

He said the goals and objectives for 2009 are being developed and await completion during a January “Strategic Planning” session with the entire FCRA staff. Once complete, the plan will be presented to the board.

Highlights of Owen’s 2008 report include:

• Potential Partnership with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith
The potential partnership with UAFS “will probably be one of the biggest assets to happen at Chaffee Crossing.”  Chaffee Crossing could “house the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center in building 101 and add a business incubator to the facility.” Also, there are plans to “develop an on-site, customized training center that will support Chaffee Crossing technology park.”

“Having a teaching facility operated by a local university on site will help with recruiting industry to the area as well as offering ongoing training to local businesses and industries,” Owen noted in the report

• FCRA Web site
The FCRA is set to unveil a new web site that Owen reports will “be more modern and appealing.”

• Communications infrastructure
“In order to support the attraction of companies requiring sophisticated infrastructure such as fiber (optics) and T-1 lines, the FCRA has begun detailed talks with Cox Communications Business Section to install these lines at Chaffee Crossing. These improvements will be made at no cost to FCRA if the Cox representatives can demonstrate the need to their corporate officials. The Cox reps feel confident that this can be accomplished.”

• Geographic Information System
“The addition of a Chaffee Crossing GIS system was a huge accomplishment for the FCRA this year. This entire project was completed without payment by the City of Fort Smith’s information technology department.  Having the GIS data linked to the Chaffee Crossing web site goes a long way with site selectors when searching for sites on the web. Many thanks to Russell Gibson and his staff for all their help on this project.”

• Barbershop Museum/museum district
“This newly rezoned 55-acre commercial district has turned into one of the most interesting projects at Chaffee Crossing.  It has the potential to become something really special,” Owen noted.
He said a developer is interested in the idea of developing a “Mess Hall” type restaurant as well as a “Barracks” type hotel.
The Barbershop museum, which includes information about Elvis Presley’s first military haircut, cost $93,000 in renovation and other costs — all paid out of miscellaneous, non-operating funds. The museum is staffed by a cadre of 23 volunteers from the Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau, and had 380 local, national and international visitors between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30.

Financial and economic development highlights included:

• As of Nov. 30, net income of $28,000, from revenue of $1.079 million and expenditures of $1.051 million.

• There were 845 jobs created at Chaffee Crossing as of Nov. 30, compared to 777 for all of 2007.

• Projected future jobs include: Mars Petcare (photo of groundbreaking at left), 250; PRADCO, 225, Umarex USA, 60; Graphics Packaging expansion, 40.

• Leasing revenue from 64 buildings and 57 tenants totaled $490,000 as of Nov. 30. (The January fire that burned 19 leased buildings reduced lease revenue by $14,760.)

• Revenue from property sales was $381,000 as of Nov. 30, with $298,500 in sales pending.

(The FCRA has said it will post the full report on its web site. The City Wire will update with the link when it is posted.)