Angelo’s Grove attracts more hotels, plans ‘town square’
MARION, Ark. — The mixed-use development called Angelo’s Grove has persevered through tough times over the last decade.
First the Great Recession stalled the 93-acre development that lines the southwest quadrant of Interstate 55 and U.S. 64. The technological disruption known as internet sales also hurt in landing a big-box anchor. A coveted Starbucks came and went after the Seattle-based company pulled out of smaller markets. And local government declined to be a partner in building a convention center.
2 hotels at once
Yet, a Fairfield Inn and Best Western are now being built in front of the existing Hampton Inn. They add to the existing lineup of Angelo’s Grove businesses that include medical and dental offices and restaurants in an L-shaped, multibay retail center as well as outparcels comprising Wendy’s, Zaxby’s, Seafood Shack and Colton’s Steak House.
The simultaneous construction of two more hotels has recharged developers’ aspirations not only to add an additional four hotels and a 50,000- to 75,000-square-foot convention center, but to create a live-work-play community with a movie theater, up to 400 condos and an environment where walking is easy, safe and appealing.
Leveraging proximity
Development partners Kenny Farrell and Dick Leike, best known as co-founder of Crye-Leike Realtors, have built out 23 of the 93 acres so far. They’ve spent several million dollars building infrastructure, including much of the road system, sized for a nearly 100-acre development.
The idea is to exploit the resurgence
of Downtown Memphis and the convergence of two interstates.
Angelo’s Grove is just a 12-minute interstate drive to Downtown Memphis, and just a two-minute drive to where interstates 55 and 40 intersect in West Memphis.
Through the recession Angelo’s Grove “could have lost its glimmer,” Farrell said. “But it hasn’t because of the basics of what make this promising are so fundamental: It’s next door to Downtown Memphis. It’s on I-55 just north of I-40.
“And Dick and I have never let up on the scale and the quality. It’s aspirational,” Farrell said.
He pulled out a large poster board illustrating the master plan. Angelo’s Grove has slowly expanded from north, near U.S. 64, to south along the I-55 frontage road.
The master plan shows what is next. Just south and west of the cluster of three hotels are spots for two more hotels. Those future hotels, a convention center and a movie theater are to form the east side of what Farrell calls a “town square.”
The other three sides of the rectangle are formed by mixed-use buildings, with commercial uses on the bottom and condos above. On grounds in the middle of the buildings, a Ferris wheel rises to provide more family entertainment and panoramic views of the vast and flat Arkansas Delta.
The master plan also shows a parking garage on the south side of the square.
The trigger to start building the town square phase of Angelo’s Grove is commitments for two more hotels, Farrell said.
“We have two or three prospects,” he said of the hotels. “We’re pretty close on at least one of those.”
Farrell also is pursuing three more restaurants themed for Italian food, breakfast and sports.
City view
Marion Mayor Frank Fogleman acknowledges that some years ago the city declined to participate in building a convention center at Angelo’s Grove.
Should Angelo’s Grove land two more hotels, “that would raise the bar for an argument for the possible success of such a convention center,” Fogleman said.
At the time when the city was asked to participate, officials were concerned about the effects of a possible renovation and expansion of the Memphis Cook Convention Center, the impact of a new convention center in Jonesboro, and the possibility that Southland Greyhound Park in West Memphis would build a hotel and convention center.
“There are some questions that would have to be answered to address the comfort level,” Fogleman said.
But it’s not lost on Fogleman that Angelo’s Grove will offer about 250 hotel rooms once the Fairfield Inn and Best Western are finished.
“It’s perceived by me and many others that it will have a positive impact on the city,” Fogleman said. “... The perception is it’s going to attract other things. Restaurants come to mind . ...
”If hotels are a springboard to restaurants it doesn’t take a huge imagination to envision ... other retail being drawn to the area or more specifically to Angelo’s Grove. They’ve got the infrastructure in place and the lot layout.”
A regional opportunity
Farrell said he and Leike continue “to try to reconcile our visions” with city officials.
“There are times when we work well together, and there are times when our perspective differences make it challenging.
“What we have recognized is there is a regional opportunity here to diversify the tax base.”
Sequence of development
Meanwhile, the sequence of future development would be the two additional hotels, then the convention center, and then the buildings with retail on the ground floor and condos above.
The residences, Farrell said, should be especially appealing to empty nesters, people who work in Downtown Memphis and people who work in the businesses of Angelo’s Grove.