Cromwell relocates NWA office in downtown Springdale

Progress on a multimillion-dollar commercial renovation project in downtown Springdale took a tangible step forward in December with its first tenant.

Cromwell Architects Engineers has established a 5,000-square-foot office for 10 employees on the second floor at 100 W. Emma Ave. It’s part of a more extensive redevelopment of the former First Security Bank complex, including retail, restaurant and office uses.

Emma Building Group, an investment group with Springdale ties, paid Searcy-based First Security Bank $4.96 million for the property last summer. It includes the two-story, 30,000-square-foot bank building — which is being redeveloped — and the 10,000-square-foot “Barrack” building fronting Turnbow Park. Tenants there include Phat Tire Bike Shop, real estate office Engel & Völkers and Con Quesos restaurant.

Cromwell is also leading the redesign work for the multi-use building.

“This is an exciting adaptive re-use project in an iconic mid-century modern building,” said Josh Danish, Cromwell’s NWA regional director. “It’s significant in terms of growth and community development for downtown Springdale, Turnbow Park, and Cromwell. We now have enough space to more than double the size of our office, which will accommodate our growth needs in the future.”

Danish hopes the project will ignite growth in Springdale’s downtown area. He said inspiring change and fostering community growth is in Cromwell’s DNA and carries on the legacy of its namesake, Ed Cromwell.

“Whatever scale we can provide to help revitalize downtown, we want to take part,” Cromwell President Dan Fowler said. “We hope moving our offices into the area will encourage other businesses to move and drive economic development in downtown Springdale.”

Cromwell has a history of revitalizing Arkansas communities and has significantly impacted the areas where its headquarters are. After over 40 years anchoring and revitalizing the Convention District in downtown Little Rock, Cromwell moved its headquarters to the former Stebbins and Roberts building in Little Rock’s East Village, which became the flagship project of a larger revitalization of the neighborhood.

“Just as we’ve done with our headquarters in East Village, we plan to help revitalize downtown Springdale,” Fowler said.

Cromwell has 130 workers.