Williams/Crawford Properties buys Fort Smith Art Center building
by August 12, 2009 3:10 pm 381 views
The $2 million effort to relocate the Fort Smith Art Center to a new building gained more momentum with Wednesday’s (Aug. 12) announcement that Williams/Crawford Properties is buying the current home of the Fort Smith Art Center and allowing the center to occupy the building rent free for a year.
The move also provides support for the Fort Smith Little Theater.
Arvest Bank donated a former branch back facility — acquired in its $211 million purchase of Superior Federal Bank in late 2003 — at 1601 Rogers Ave. to the Fort Smith Art Center so that center officials can expand their space to exhibit art, photos and provide other services.
Announced in January, the donation was contingent upon art center officials raising $200,000 by June 1. By late May, the art center had received donations and pledges in excess of $225,000 according to art center officials.
On July 14, John Womack and Craig Rivaldo with Arvest Bank of Fort Smith signed the deed over to the art center in a ceremony held at the new Emmy’s Restaurant in Fort Smith (formerly The Hall at Taliano’s).
Following is the complete statement released Wednesday by Williams/Crawford Properties.
Williams/Crawford Properties has completed the purchase of the Vaughn-Schaap House in the Belle Grove Historical District, current home to the Fort Smith Art Center. Fred Williams and Kevin Crawford also own Williams/Crawford & Associates, one of the regions’ largest advertising firms.
The purchase paves the way for the Art Center to move forward with plans to relocate to a building at 1601 Rogers Avenue. That structure was donated to the Art Center by Arvest Bank and will undergo extensive renovations to become the new Fort Smith Art Center.
“We’ve been working on this deal for some time, and I’m pleased that everything was finally able to come together. We’re big fans of the Belle Grove District; we’ve been in this location for almost 27 years. Taking these historical structures and breathing live back into them is a labor of love for me,” said Fred Williams, President of Williams/Crawford & Associates. “I get to walk around everyday and see community members and visitors enjoying these homes. The district is great for Fort Smith and for business in Fort Smith.”
The Fort Smith Art Center will remain in its current location for one year at no cost to the center, courtesy of W/C Properties. “It’s another way we’re contributing to the overall Art Center Campaign,” added Williams. The rent would equal over $30,000.
The renovations on the new building on Rogers Avenue will include installing state-of-the-art temperature, humidity, and lighting controls allowing the Art Center to bring it up to museum standards, and will take approximately one year to complete.
Elements of the W/C transaction include the Vaughn-Schaap home itself and two lots across the street at E and 6th. In a separate transaction, The Fort Smith Little Theater purchased five lots, including existing parking areas and the lawn area containing the gazebo, located directly behind the Art Center.
Steven Jones, Art Center Board Member said, “I am very happy that Arvest’s generosity with the gift of 1601 Rogers will allow us to move out of existing property. The Vaughn-Schaap house has served the Fort Smith Art Center well and the building is now going to Williams/ Crawford and most of the land and the parking lots to the Fort Smith Little Theater. This is a win-win for everyone involved especially the community we wish to serve.”
Jones continued, “Our current neighbor, The Little Theater, gets some needed
additional parking and the Vaughn-Schaap house will be placed with an organization with the resources to maintain this important historic structure. W/C Properties has the C.W. Jones home and the Casper Ruetzel House to our west and has done a great job of restoring and maintaining it. Weʼre also pleased that they are extending to the Art Center one year of free rent in the Vaughn-Schaap house while we undertake the renovations to the new home of the Art Center at 1601 Rogers.”