‘Flex space’ business park being built on Zero Street in Fort Smith

A new $5.255 million business park is going in on the former site of Grand Slam Fun Center at 5300 Zero St. in Fort Smith. A building permit was issued Sept. 19 to MP&U Investments Inc. for a $5.255 million 24-unit business park at 5300 Zero St.

The property, which once housed Grand Slam Fun Center, an outdoor amusement center, now boasts a sign for Grand Slam Business Park, which lists the owner as Thomas Gage.

In February 2023, the Fort Smith Planning and Zoning Commission approved a request by Mickle Wagner Coleman, agent for MP&U Investments, Inc., for a master land use plan amendment from residential detached and general commercial to a planned zoning district (PZD) that allows office, research and light industrial. The application was approved.

The PZD allows for this 17.72 acre property to be developed in a controlled fashion that will take advantage of the shape and slope of the existing property. This proposal is intended to limit the uses on this property while also allowing for a range of different developments on the property. The proposal includes mostly industrial uses as well as some commercial uses, the application said.

Developments on this property are intended to allow each occupant flexibility on how they  utilize their building space. Permitted uses include auto and boat related businesses, a variety of retail businesses, offices, animal and pet services, manufacturing and commercial communication towers. Conditional uses include truck stops, pet cemeteries, animal food processing, bus stations, sports complexes and police stations.

The application for zoning said the development would bring some modernized office/light industrial facilities to Fort Smith.

“Standard office space has started to become outdated in recent years. A portion of this development will be designed as flex space allowing each business to optimize their individual buildings to fill a variety of needs,” the application stated.

According to the application, development of the property is expected to be completed by 2028.