Barling warehouse sells for $151 million, top 2025 Sebastian County property deal

BusinessFort Smith

by Michael Tilley ([email protected]) April 2, 2026 2:14 pm 4,857 views 

A more than $150 million sale of a large warehouse in Barling was the top Sebastian County property deal in the fourth quarter of 2025 and was the top deal for the year, according to information from the office of Sebastian County Assessor Zach Johnson.

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Van Tuyl Companies, the parent company of VanTrust Real Estate, sold the 824,856-square-foot distribution warehouse at 6801 Mahogany Ave. in Barling for $151.385 million. The deal closed Dec. 12.

The facility was bought by St. Louis-based ElmTree Funds, an investment firm that buys and sells industrial properties. New York City-based Blackrock, the world’s largest asset management company.

The facility was built on 61 acres that VanTrust acquired from the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority in 2023. The price per acre was $40,000.

The warehouse is a food-grade storage facility that includes security services. Built in 2024, the building also includes multiple dock doors, trailer stalls, and 40-foot walls.

The 824,856-square-foot distribution warehouse at 6801 Mahogany Ave., in Barling.

A $10.8 million sale of property at 4115 S. Zero St. in Fort Smith was the second largest Sebastian County deal in the fourth quarter. The deal closed Dec. 5. Stryten Energy, a battery manufacturing plant, is located at the address. Ames Properties sold the property to Fort Smith Industrial Holdings and JPN Fort Smith. Dugan Kelley is listed as a representative of Fort Smith Industrial Holdings.

Fort Worth, Texas-based DWG Capital Partners reported Dec. 12 that it had acquired the 256,314-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility operated by Atlas Holdings, the parent company of Stryten.

“This acquisition represents a rare opportunity to invest in a high-demand, low-vacancy market with a well-established, mission-critical tenant, utilizing strategic growth capital, best-in-market CMBS financing from Deutsche Bank and DWG’s structured finance value-creation approach,” Judd Dunning, principal and president of DWG Capital Partners, said in a statement. “Also, Fort Smith’s strong business climate, competitive workforce and transportation access, make it an ideal location for industrial investment and for companies like Stryten Energy to grow.”

The third largest Sebastian County deal in the quarter was a $1.575 million home sale. The Fort Smith residence was sold by Scott Clark and the Betty Jo Family Trust to Delesia and Jerry Sams. The deal closed Dec. 5.

PRIOR YEAR DEALS
The top Sebastian County property transaction during 2024 was a $7.195 million deal for duplexes near the Arkansas River Valley Nature Center at Chaffee Crossing. The property was sold by Platinum Building Group, owned by Fort Smith-based Norris Group, to Bentonville-based Sanders Properties. The deal closed Feb. 5, 2024. Sanders Properties also paid $2.855 million in July 2023 for two apartment properties at 7800 Joseph St. and 1615 Jackson St. in Fort Smith.

The largest deal in 2023 was the $5.7 million sale of Southbrooke apartments on 8201 U.S. 271 S. in Fort Smith. The complex was sold by Dallas-based FS Southbrooke to Fort Smith-based Southbrooke Fort Smith. The new owners planned at the time to renovate the 129-unit apartment complex.

A $20.387 million sale of the new Veterans Affairs Clinic in Fort Smith and associated property was the largest Sebastian County property deal in 2022.