Parking Deck Under Way at UA

Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. recently began construction on the previously reported 750,000-SF parking deck off the south quad at the University of Arkansas.

The $22 million deck at the intersection of Duncan and William streets will have nine levels with the capacity to hold 2,100 cars, which makes it the largest parking deck in Arkansas. The project is expected to be complete in early 2005.

The plans also include the construction of a 9,000-SF transit facility with a mix of office and retail space. Polk Stanley Yeary Architects Ltd. is the architect on the project.

UA Innovation Center Continues Construction

May Construction continues work on the new University of Arkansas Innovation Center adjacent to the UA Engineering Research Center and the Genesis Technology Incubator in the Arkansas Research and Development Park.

The 35,000-SF project is expected to be complete by April. Construction costs are estimated to run $5.2 million or $6.3 million including architectural and engineering fees.

Cromwell Architects Engineers of Fayetteville is the architect and engineer on the project, which is being financed through bond proceeds.

The facility will offer office and laboratory space for technology companies to locate and partner with the university. The new building space will be leased and managed by the UA Technology Development Foundation to private companies at a base price of $15 per SF. Future development also will be managed by the foundation.

The long-range build-out plan calls for capacity of more than 1 million SF.

ERC Builds in Springdale

ERC Construction Group of Fort Smith continues construction on 184 units for a new apartment complex at 5325 N. Oak St. in Springdale. Chapel Ridge Apartments will have 12 buildings that feature one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units ranging from 673 SF to 1,285 SF. The Hill Firm of Fort Smith is the architect. The permit valuation for the project is $1.2 million.

Rentals will be a mix of market-based and income-required apartments. ERC Development Group of Fort Smith is the developer of the complex that will be completed sometime in the first part of 2004.

ERC Construction Group also recently purchased eight building permits valued at a combined $2 million for cosmetic interior alterations at eight buildings in the Grand View apartment complex located at 401 W. 24th St. in Fayetteville.

Riggins & BrandonTeam Up Twice

Kevin Riggins and Gary Brandon recently got final approval on a plat for 80 lots to build a subdivision called Sonoma in Centerton. The upscale homes will be 1,400-1,650 SF and range from $125,000-$140,000. Riggins and Brandon will be the general contractors of the development and will sell the homes. Gary Brandon LLC bought the 27 acres for the subdivision from Glen and Kelly Bauch in January 2003. Riggins provided his own plans for the homes and financed the lots independently.

Riggins also recently purchased 52 building permits at a combined value of $3.9 million to build homes in Butterfield Gardens subdivision in Springdale. In August, Riggins and Brandon purchased the original 54 acres of the development from The Commons LLC, of which Glade Williamson is a member. The Commons LLC was the original developer of Butterfield, which was formerly called The Commons. Butterfield Gardens changed the housing model from modular to stick-built homes and eliminated the original covenant age requirement of 55 and up. Butterfield Gardens is financed through Community Bank of Springdale. Homes will range from 1,250-1,350 SF and sell from $95,000-$110,000.

Phase one includes a total of 78 lots and phase two has 250. Riggins purchased lots in phase one from Williamson.

Riggins also recently purchased half of the lots in the Carrington Place subdivision near Turner Street in Springdale. Riggins purchased the 30 lots and 30 acres from Mike Pennington, developer of the subdivision, for $855,000. The remaining 30 lots were purchased by Carpenter Construction Inc. of Springdale. Homes in Carrington will sell from $125,000-$130,000.

Fairchild Builds at Commerce

Fairchild Inc. of Bentonville recently purchased a building permit valued at $1.2 million to build a 15,000-SF office building in the Commerce Plaza office park at 1002 S.W. Westpark Drive in Bentonville. Fairchild Construction is the general contractor and owner.

The building has a shell value of $1.2 million and a build-out value of $1.7 million. Fairchild Inc. purchased the 1.2-acre lot from Dan Dykema and Mark Marquess of Commerce Plaza LLC for $210,000 in May. The building will be available for lease in November at a base finish price of $14 per SF. The building will feature a covered and lighted walkway, finish stained concrete flooring and open-grid ceilings. Benchmark Group of Rogers is the architect. Bank of Rogers financed the construction.

Fairchild Inc. also will begin construction on a new 33,000-SF facility for the the First Baptist Church of Pea Ridge. The engineer for the $2 million building is Tatum Structural Engineering Inc. of Rogers, and the architect is Dan Townsley of Rogers.

St. Valery Sells Lots

John Ward of Homes By Ward in Lowell recently pulled two building permits at a combined value of $945,000 to build homes in the $6 million St. Valery Downs subdivision in Cave Springs. The home at 4097 Caerleon Drive was designed by Frank Betz & Associates of Atlanta and is a “Candace” plan.

The home at 4096 Caerleon Drive is a one and a half story design in a traditional style designed by Steve Fuller Design Traditions of Atlanta.

Ward purchased the two 0.8-acre lots from Arnold P. Lehman of Lehman Properties and Lehman Builders of Rogers in August for $142,000. Arvest Bank-Lowell is financing the construction of the homes.

Lehman Properties has sold at least 16 lots in the equestrian community. The development’s 100-lot phase one includes 81 lots from $70,000 to $90,000 that range from 0.79 acres to 1.6 acres. Another phase will be 25 acres and have 20-25 lots.

Lehman Builders is also building a home at 4104 Caerleon Drive in the subdivision. Jack Arnold Designs of Tulsa is the architect on the house that is about 4,426 SF. Mark Mizelle of Regions Bank of Rogers financed the construction of the home, which is valued at more than $500,000.