South LR site for shopping, soccer on table

Residents in industrial area hope to fill recreation void

She said the new development could provide access to food, shopping and recreation for residents of that area who don’t have their own transportation.

A new retail area and two soccer fields are planned for Little Rock’s south end, a move neighborhood activists hope will bring more life to that area of the city.

The city Board of Directors will vote on whether to approve the project’s zoning at its regular meeting set for 6 p.m. today.

The plans for the 18-acre lot show two soccer fields with bleachers and lighting planned for near the intersection of West 65th Street and Scott Hamilton Drive. An L-shaped retail building and a smaller structure are planned for the south and west borders of the property. The planning sketch shows an outdoor retail and dining area in between the buildings and fields, with parking spaces interspersed throughout the property.

The area surrounding the site is mostly industrial and includes the Little Rock Job Corps Center to the south and the Arkansas Food Bank to the west.

Pamela Bingham, president of the Upper Baseline Windamere Neighborhood Association, said the area had been neglected, but she hoped the new project would encourage other developers to see the community’s potential.

“I think it would bring great value to the neighborhood,” Bingham said. “I don’t ever recall there ever actually being a shopping center.”

She said the new development could provide access to food, shopping and recreation for residents of that area who don’t have their own transportation. She added that she hoped to see more healthy eating options in the neighborhood.

“We still need a grocery store,” Bingham said.

Rick Ferguson, the site’s developer, said he could not yet specify what shops would go in. He noted that multiple local businesses were interested in leasing space, including a bakery, a restaurant and a barber shop. He added that

he hoped to see an urgent care center in that space as well.

Ferguson said he liked the uniqueness of the location, which is easily accessible from Interstate 30 and close to Alexander and Bryant. He said a private company would be put in charge of arranging reservations and tournaments on the fields.

Pam Adcock, president of the grassroots group Southwest Little Rock United for Progress, said she was especially excited about having soccer fields in the neighborhood, since the closest facilities are at the West Central Community Center.

“We do have a lot of youngsters here. It would be good if they could participate in sports in their own neighborhoods,” Adcock said. “It sure would help us parents.”

In the city’s south end, Adcock said she sees people playing soccer in empty lots at schools and churches.

Ferguson, who has managed multiple developments in the western part of the city, said he hopes to break ground on the project within the next several months.