Chaffee noise

guest commentary by Ivy Owen, executive director of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority

The first three years of my job at Chaffee Crossing have been ones of many successes, surprises and hopes for the future.

2010-WHAT A YEAR!!!
We saw the groundbreaking of the Mitsubishi  Heavy Industries production facility, the ribbon cutting for the new UMAREX, USA facility and the cross town expansions of Trotter Electric and Rodebush Construction Companies.

All of these job creation projects are encouraging during this extended recessionary economy but, just as encouraging are the new housing starts at Chaffee Crossing and the revived interest in commercial and retail development.

At this time there are three active housing developments underway and three waiting in the wings. Adjacent to these neighborhoods will be the new House of Restoration Church campus. All of these are located along Massard, south of Zero Street. During the past three years, our Board of Trustees has embarked on a very ambitious program of development that included tourism, institutional, recreational as well as the traditional types of ‘news getting’ developments.

During 2010, Chaffee Crossing has become the location for the newest Wetlands Mitigation Bank in Arkansas giving local developers an opportunity to mitigate their developments locally and, thus, less costly. This will provide additional income to FCRA during the coming years and guarantee that our wetlands are protected forever.

The most recent news at Chaffee has been the announcements that the Fort Smith Public School System and the Fort Smith Public Library plan to build new facilities at Chaffee Crossing. The FCRA Board at its January meeting adopted a resolution supporting and approving the donation of 80 acres of land to the Fort Smith Schools and 5 acres to the Fort Smith Public Library for future expansions.

In addition, the resolution supports the development of an adjacent new mixed use community — a new development coming together in the near future. The new project is a total mixed use, walkable and sustainable community-everything within a 5 minute walk from home. It is anchored on the north by the new school and on the south side by the Janet Huckabee Nature Center.

Creating a border on the west side along a ridge is the newest bike/walking trail being built by the County. The new trail connects Ben Geren Park to Chaffee Crossing along Massard on the north and south ends. This trail will complete a 6 mile path for avid bikers as well as runners. Almost at the mid-point of the new trail is the McClure Amphitheater, circa 1943, that is being resurrected by FCRA and being offered as a destination stop along the trail. The amphitheater will be a public use facility situated at the top of a ridge that overlooks the airport and most of south Fort Smith offering the most spectacular view of the city anywhere. This facility will soon become one of the most popular small entertainment venues in the city.

The renovated amphitheater is simply an example of FCRA’s goal to preserve a portion of Fort Chaffee’s past joining the Chaffee Crossing Historic District. The newly created District includes the Chaffee Barbershop Museum, the Vietnam Veterans Museum and the Enchanted Doll Museum.  Eventually, the District will showcase examples of Fort Chaffee’s past that include a renovated barracks, mess hall and office building.

Along with all of this development comes the need for a systematic program for infrastructure construction-water and sewer lines as well as streets are becoming an even bigger need. Railroad improvements on FCRA property are also a priority now.

With the help of RITA (Regional Intermodal Transportation Authority), some federal funding and the commitment of the FCRA Board, we will get the needed rail improvements. Thankfully, FCRA’s budget is tripled what it was in 2008. Income is projected to top $3 million providing a comfortable cushion of about $1 million. This money will be used to pay for the first phase of these needed improvements.

As remarkable as it may seem to people in Fort Smith, Interstate 49 is becoming a reality at Chaffee Crossing. When the current construction contracts are complete, the roadbed and all highway structures will be complete from Highway 22 to Howard Hill Road. All that will remain is the paving of that section and the completion of the roadbed from Howard Hill to Highway 71 South. There is a very good possibility that we could be DRIVING on I-49 within 3 years.

Rounding out Chaffee Crossings total community is a growing neighborhood of “not for profit” organizations ranging from Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) to Cre8ive Art Cooperative. There are almost 10 new organizations serving  the entire region and its diverse communities.

As our 2010 Annual Report is titled, “THE PIECES ARE COMING TOGETHER.” I feel that Chaffee Crossing now has the framework that will allow the remainder of the pieces to come together.

As some have commented, there is a “buzz” at Chaffee Crossing and if you haven’t been here in a while, come out and feel the excitement in the air.