Different Flavor in Fort Smith

We’re pulling for Fort Smith.

The public and private sectors have pooled their resources in the last few years, and between them, have done wonders for the old drag along Garrison Avenue.

Man, did it need at little TLC. Urban sprawl hit Fort Smith in the 1970s, and in 1994, a tornado tore through the west end. Downtown Fort Smith was a mixture of vacancies and destruction, and neither is good for business.

Thankfully, that was yesteryear. Fast-forward to 2013 and you can feel it — a new spirit lives on Garrison Avenue. And if you don’t believe Whispers, just ask Rick Griffin, who’s about to begin an important renovation on the north side of the 400 block of Garrison.

“It’s been a 40- or 50-year process to reclaim it,” he said, referring to Fort Smith’s most recognizable thoroughfare. If Griffin’s project was the only thing cooking, we’d be excited, but not necessarily overwhelmed.

But there’s more. Steve Clark, founder of Fort Smith-based Propak Logistics Inc., recently paid $135,000 for the 24,000-SF Friedman-Mincer building in the 1100 block of Garrison. He plans to convert the century-old building into offices for his company.

All this, of course, leads up to the 2016 grand opening of the waterfront U.S. Marshals Museum.

“It’ll change the flavor of downtown,” Griffin said.

From Idea to Reality

There’s another plan in the works that’s far from complete, but should be a top priority for the decision-makers in Fort Smith.

We’re talking about the proposed relocation of a railroad maintenance facility that’s right smack dab in the middle of Fort Smith’s waterfront amenities. If the maintenance facility were relocated, then a green, pedestrian-friendly zone could be created between the museum site and Harry E. Kelley Park.

That’s a great idea, but to become a reality, it has to be blessed by three organizations: the Pioneer Railroad Corp., the Fort Smith Railroad and the mighty Union Pacific Railroad, all of which have an interest in the repair yard. Whispers has plenty of experience with railroads in the past, and believe us when we tell you — they’re not easy to deal with.

If there’s any city in the state tough enough to negotiate a good deal with a railroad, not to mention three of them, it’s Fort Smith.

Good luck moving forward. You’re going to need it.