New life for a historic Little Rock landmark
It is one of the first sights visitors see when entering the city from the south or east, its graceful curving profile a striking contrast to the newer glass-andsteel towers of downtown Little Rock. For the past couple of decades, it was described as an “eyesore,” as time ravaged the building and grounds, but it may soon regain its former glory.
Surrounded by 10 acres at the intersection of East Roosevelt Road and Interstate 30, the former U.S. Veterans Administration Hospital — an 11-story, 520,000-square-foot structure — was built in the late 1940s at a then staggering cost of $11 million. From 1950 until 1984, when another facility was built just east of downtown, the 500-bed state-of-the-art hospital served active and retired members of the U.S. military.
Since the late 1980s, some of the buildings surrounding the hospital have been used by Our House II, a local homeless shelter; and the Little Rock Police Department has leased office space in the main building since 2002.
Last year, the structure’s beguiling midcentury modern lines and proximity to the thriving neighborhoods of downtown Little Rock captured the imagination of Pace Burt, a developer from Albany, Georgia.
During the second half of 2020, Burt finalized a deal to purchase the building for $2.7 million and immediately began the task of clearing the grounds and preparing to have the site noted on the National Register of Historic Places. He envisions the main building as spacious, upscale apartments with historic flair and plans to reserve about 20,000 square feet to donate to local art groups for use as studio space.
“The building is so unique. Typically, a hospital is a big block. Everything [in this building] has got curves. It’s got beautiful silver columns and a lot of interesting ceilings that are curved out,” he said, likening the spaces to the futuristic style of “The Jetsons,” a popular 1960s-era cartoon show that depicted everyday life in the year 2062.
Beyond the building itself, Burt said, he was captivated by the growing business and residential areas of downtown Little Rock. While exploring possibilities for developing the property, he took time to visit with Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson who he said gave him positive feedback about the project.
This is by no means the first time Burt has taken on such a project; he has specialized in historic renovations since 2004.
“We’ve restored over 4 million feet of historic buildings throughout the Southeast,” he noted, adding that his team has brought new life to abandoned textile mills, office buildings, schools, hotels and other structures.
“And now we’ve got a hospital,” he said with a chuckle.
The planned development, which Burt estimates will cost about $20 million, will include about 160 one- and two-bedroom marketrate apartments, ranging in size from about 1,000 to 2,000 square feet.
Burt’s team is working with local consultants to ensure that the project follows the proper guidelines for the renovation of historic structures.
“This building has gone through several developers, and they just couldn’t make the numbers work. They were really ‘sweating’ the property, trying to get as many units out of it as possible,” Burt said.
“I think the previous developer was getting over 220 units out of the building, where we’re only doing 160,” he continued. “Our game plan is to have really large units, and we’re going to do some fun things on the inside [of the building]. We want to try and make it something that people really gravitate toward.”
He plans to retain many of the building’s original architectural features, including the curved interior hallways and ceilings, and create appealing, comfortable common areas, including community living spaces, fitness centers, a swimming pool and more.
Burt is particularly excited about donating a portion of the building to local art groups, something he has done previously in other residential developments, allocating space for various art media, dance studios and more, hoping to help bring the community together.
“It brings a different vibe to the building when you have artists integrating with your tenants,” he said. “We’re taking the large cafeteria area of the hospital. It’s got great lighting, and it’s really going to be perfect for artists’ studios.”
Burt envisions the artistic aspect to be a large part of the development’s success, allowing both building residents and the general community to discover the beauty of the property.
“These buildings are not by the country club or the mall; they’re in typically blighted areas,” he said. “But you don’t want to put a fence up around the property. You really want to include the entire neighborhood.”
Burt said he looks forward to contributing to the growth and development of downtown Little Rock, noting that he was particularly impressed with the city’s Main Street areas and the vibrancy of the entire area.
“We’ve had tremendous support from the community in Arkansas and seen a lot of excitement,” he said. “The finished product is going to be exciting.”