Haxton District in downtown Bentonville breaks ground on next phase of development

Bentonville developers have started construction of Haxton District East, a mixed-use building two blocks southeast of the downtown square in Bentonville.

The Class A commercial building at S.E. 224 Second St. is the second building in the Haxton District, which opened Haxton District West (three stories and 9,222 SF) last year at 222 S.E. Second St. The Phase II building will be larger — four stories and 11,000 square feet — but the two will be connected via staircase, according to Neil Greenhaw, whose professional recording studio, Haxton Road Studios, is the anchor tenant on the first floor of the Phase I building.

“By code it’s four stories, but it’s a true four-and-a-half story building,” Greenhaw said. “The top floor is actually a split-level floor.”

Dave Burris of Bentonville is the project architect, and the general contractor is Turn Key Construction Management of Fort Smith. Taylor Boswell of Bentonville also assisted with the design.

The building permit being used for the project is valued at $1.96 million.

Greenhaw is marketing the property through his TLNG Properties entity. He said it’s been rewarding to see the success of Phase I — whose tenants also include vendors Paris Presents Inc. and Cities Market Studios and the administrative offices for the Bentonville Film Festival — and is eager to keep the momentum going with Phase II. The first building was 100% leased before construction was completed. He said about 75% of Phase II is already pre-leased for a variety of uses.

“It’s been pretty cool to be working in our recording studio on the first floor while Walmart meetings are happening upstairs, and also see celebrities walking through the building visiting the film festival office,” he said. “It’s a rare and unique development that’s bringing life to the southeast corridor of downtown.”