Insurance, law firm deal to bring 30 jobs to downtown Fort Smith

Members of the Central Business Improvement District all but stumbled over themselves to approve a downtown Fort Smith commercial building redesign that will indirectly bring 30 jobs to the area.

JMR/PFP Insurance, now located in the headquarters building of Golden Living (former Beverly Enterprises), recently purchased the 18,000-square-foot building at 1120 Garrison Ave. The upper floor of the building houses the law firm of Smith Cohen & Horan.

The law firm plans to move across the parking lot to 1206 Garrison Ave., purchasing a maintenance building owned by BancorpSouth. James Reddick, with Guest Reddick Architects, presented the design plan on the 8,000-square-foot building the law firm will renovate. The plans, including awnings and brick color fell within design guidelines of which the CBID has authority in downtown.

“I’m glad that we to retain you guys downtown,” CBID member Phil White told Bob Cohen after the commission unanimously approved the renovation plan.

Cohen said the attorneys and staff of the firm are sold on staying in the downtown area.

“There is such an energy to being downtown that doesn’t exist anywhere else,” Cohen said.

Jim Russell, with JMR/PFP Insurance, said the plan is for the company’s 30 employees to move downtown in about 6 months. The company will occupy both floors of the building and the project will cost around $2 million, he said.

Prior to merging with PFP Insurance, Johnson Moorman Russell operated in a renovated home at 14th and A Street near Garrison Avenue. He said the company was eager to return to downtown Fort Smith, and jumped at the chance when the law firm was willing to sell.

“We’ve always liked downtown and it was just kind of a central location for us. And it’s still the financial center for Fort Smith, I think,” Russell explained.

In other CBID business, the commission unanimously approved recommended Jeff Pryor as a replacement on the commission. Pryor’s father, Birnie Pryor recently passed away. He was a long-time downtown property owner and CBID member. Jeff’s nomination will be forwarded to the Fort Smith Board of Directors for consideration.