Commercial work drives Fort Smith building permits higher in 2025

Fort Smith building activity, as measured by permit values, rebounded in 2025 following a year that saw an almost 50% decline. Permit values in the city totaled $251.11 million in 2025, up 6.5% from $235.776 million reported in 2024.

The 2025 tally is down 46.9% from the record $442.856 million permitted in 2023.

Some of the larger projects started in 2025, according to Jesse Bennett, the city’s director of building services, included the Bass ProShops Outpost at 6201 Rogers Ave., the Amazon facility at 4300 Geren Road, Sam’s Furniture at 5650 Phoenix Ave., Crain Hyundai at 3300 River Valley Road, and phase two of 88 Chaffee Crossing at 8800 Chad Colley Blvd.

“Each of these projects had a valuation of $10 million or more,” he said. “The projects listed were not completed in 2025 but will be completed in 2026.”

There were 16 permits for new commercial construction issued in Fort Smith in 2025 with a total value of $41.619 million, according to the year end report provided by the city.

Springfield, Mo.- based Bass Pro announced in February it was bringing its Outpost retail store to Fort Smith off Rogers Avenue and along Interstate 540 where the former Best Buy building was located. The 70,000-square-foot Fort Smith store will be the third Bass Pro Shops store in Arkansas and is set to open this year. The other two stores are in Rogers and Little Rock.

The company said it will employ more than 100 at the store. The company did not disclose the planned investment in the store or average employee wages.

A building permit for an Amazon “delivery station” was issued in May at 4300 Geren Road. The 17.84-acre property was sold June 13 to Amazon.com Services LLC for $1.338 million. Allie Payne, an Amazon spokesperson, said the facility is a delivery station, which is different from a distribution center.

The city issued a $14.917 million building permit in May to Brighton, Mich.-based BC Construction Group, which specializes in building large facilities for warehouse use, distribution centers, advanced manufacturing, and charter schools.

The property is south of Rheem’s Fort Smith facility on Arkansas Highway 45 and north of the Silgan manufacturing plant. The building will be around 72,000 square feet. The permit value is for construction only and does not include the costs for furniture, fixtures and equipment.

FURNITURE AND CAR SALES
Springdale-based Sam’s Furniture is opening a new store in Fort Smith, located on Phoenix Avenue in front of the Veterans Administration (VA) Clinic. A $10.5 million permit was issued June 2 for an 80,000-square foot store. It is expected to open in March, according to social media posts.

A $10 million building permit was issued by the city of Fort Smith on Jan. 22 to Petree Construction of Fort Smith, who is listed as the contractor for the Crain dealership project. The permit covers construction only and does not include furniture, fixtures, and equipment Crain will add to the building located at 3300 River Valley Drive.

According to Brian Trumbly, project manager with Petree, the new 36,000-square-foot car dealership for Crain Hyundai of Fort Smith is expected to be completed in January.

According to plans submitted to the city, the new dealership will have a 4,422-square-foot showroom with space for six vehicles. There will be a 1,426-square-foot customer lounge, a 5,250-square-foot service area, and a parts storage area. The finished dealership will have parking spaces for 137 new vehicles and 47 used vehicles. The new dealership will be near the 25,000-square-foot Crain Kia that was built on 6 acres at 6700 Autopark Drive in Fort Smith. That $4.4 million facility began construction in 2020 and was completed in 2021.

The existing Crain Hyundai lot, located at 3600 S. Zero St., will close when the new one is completed, Trumbly said.

A $10.003 million new multi-family residential unit at 8800 Chad Colley Blvd., also received a permit July 2 for 16 new apartments in phase two of 88 Chaffee Crossing apartments.

There were 95 permits issued for new single-family homes with a combined value of $26.992 million, a 40.6% decrease from the $45.454 million with 166 new single-family projects in 2024. The average cost of a newly built single-family house in Fort Smith in 2025 was $284,130, up from $273,819 in 2024, according to city records.

There were 38 permits issued for new duplex construction in 2025 with a value of $8.539 million, a value decline of 51% from the $17.075 million with 48 permits issued for new duplex construction in 2024.

2026 OPTIMISM
Mercy Fort Smith is moving forward to build a cancer center on its main campus at 7001 Rogers Ave., with a ceremonial groundbreaking held in August. The city issued a $3.4 million building permit for “foundation/utility relocation and site work for cancer center” at the 7001 Rogers Ave., address. Bennett said more phases of this project will be permitted in 2026.

Bennett is optimistic about 2026 developments.

“A new restaurant infill of an existing structure is being proposed at 7501 Massard Road, Suite A, called 46 Restaurant,” Bennett said. “There is (also) a proposed remodel for a theatre at 2805 McKinley Avenue called Black Box Theatre that is also in the plan review process. As we get deeper in the year, we will see more projects that will be submitted, and I do predict 2026 to be a great year for economic growth in the city of Fort Smith.”