Rogers company busier than ever

Charlton Development Co. LLC of Rogers is working on a series of projects totaling $2.4 million that includes several developments that will service Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Mike Charlton, son of owners John W. and Mary Lou Charlton, says his company has received more interest this year about commercial property in Bentonville than ever before.

Charlton refinanced its 16,000-SF Gold’s Gym at 2614 “J” St. in Bentonville on Dec. 22 with a $400,000 loan through Arkansas National Bank of Bentonville. John and Mary Lou Charlton signed the loan. Plans call for the addition of another 8,000 SF to the gym that will include a six-lane indoor swimming pool, of which Charlton will probably contribute another $100,000.

Lease space in Charlton’s new $400,000, 6,500-SF Walnut Park office building at 1100 S.E. 22nd St. in Bentonville is still available. A software engineering company has already acquired 1,057 SF of the building and as many as seven additional tenants could be accepted.

The first of three Charlton projects still to go before the planning commission is a 15,500-SF office building for a Wal-Mart vendor that’s already agreed to lease the development. Charlton wouldn’t identify any of the new tenants but said the project will cost $750,000.

Charlton has a verbal agreement to construct and lease a 10,500-SF office showroom/warehouse for a company that services Wal-Mart, but the location of the project in Benton County has not yet been decided. Construction is expected to begin this summer and cost $450,000.

A $700,000, 15,000-SF laboratory for a Wal-Mart support company is also on Charlton’s list. The facility will create 90 new jobs and be located in Bentonville.