Historic house gets approval for renovation

FAYETTEVILLE — A contractor from Siloam Springs will get a historic home downtown in shape.

The Advertising and Promotion Commission on Tuesday approved a $153,912 contract with Ellingson Contracting to renovate the Walker-Stone House at 207 W. Center St. The commission, which serves as the administrative arm of the city’s tourism bureau, Experience Fayetteville, has owned the Civil War-era structure since 2016.

Most of the work entails safety and code-related improvement, said Aaron Ruby with Revival Architecture. Ruby helped assess the needs for the structure and will oversee the renovation.

Improvement will include a wheelchair-accessible ramp and bathrooms, replacing the guardrails on the balcony and back porch and taking out the carpet in the annex and second floor, Ruby said.

“We’re doing what makes sense no matter who owns the building or what it’s used for,” he said.

Most recently, University of Arkansas School of Art students held a three-month residency at the house, which wrapped in May. Students and faculty had classes and exhibitions. The commission hasn’t yet decided a longterm resident or purpose for the house.

An earlier phase of the project to get Walker-Stone more suitable for public viewing involved installing an air-conditioning system. Any other future improvement would be up to the commission to decide, Executive Director Molly Rawn said. Commissioners approved $225,000 in the budget this year to improve the house.

In other business, renovation of part of Town Center are scheduled to wrap Aug. 20. The commission supported a plan in April to expand the amount of rentable space at the center and move the center’s office next door to 1 W. Mountain St.

Work on the Town Center is estimated at $143,000, which includes new air conditioning, lighting and carpeting. The commission has been meeting at the visitors bureau while the work is ongoing.

Rawn also told commissioners June revenue collection was $321,639, up about 11 percent from June last year. Half of the city’s 2 percent hotel, motel and restaurant sales tax goes toward tourism efforts.

The number represents tourism numbers from May plus some late collection. Rawn attributed the increase to an uptick in spending and the city’s diligence in collecting the tax.

“We’re doing what makes sense no matter who owns the building or what it’s used for.” — Aaron Ruby, Revival Architecture