Planners approve residential facility

Development for senior citizens

ROGERS — The Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a residential facility for senior citizens.

Arabella, a project by Dallas-based Abby Development, is to be built on 18 acres at 5272 and 5274 W. Northgate Road. The land is west of the John Q. Hammons Center and the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion.

The building is to have 216 units, including 60 for assisted living, 34 for memory care, 100 for independent living and 22 cottages, according to the site plans. The independent living part will be four stories tall.

Daniel Ellis of Crafton Tull said before the meeting construction is expected to begin early next year.

The commission also recommended the City Council approve a request by TLC Properties to rezone 4.2 acres at the southwest corner of South Promenade Boulevard and West Walnut Creek Parkway from highway commercial to residential multifamily. The intent of the rezoning is so an apartment complex with 128 units for people 55 and older can be built there.

“There’s not a whole lot of housing for seniors, and I’m talking about the baby boomers,” said Don Spann, Planning Commission chairman. “I’m a baby boomer. I’m

75 years old.”

Spann said he and his wife are tired of taking care of their house and yard.

“We don’t want to go to assisted living. We don’t want to go to a nursing home,” he said.

Housing for senior citizens is needed.

“It’s a market that’s really untapped,” Spann said.

The Planning Commission approved plans from Northern Tool+Equipment, a Minnesota-based company selling tools, air compressors, generators and welding equipment, to build a 20,047-squarefoot store on 3.4 acres off a planned extension of South Promenade Boulevard.

Northern Tool is a part of the final phase of Pleasant Crossing in south Rogers, where businesses such as Burlington Coat Factory, Mattress Firm, Snap Fitness and Papa Murphy’s Pizza.

Northern Tool has a store in Little Rock, its only other Arkansas location, according to its website.

The commission also gave the green light for Plaza Tire to build an 8,734-square-foot facility on 1.3 acres at 3835 W. New Hope Road and for Storage World to build 103,305 square feet of storage buildings on 7.5 acres at Stave Mill Road and North Arkansas Street.

All items passed unanimously with commissioners Dennis Ferguson and Eriks Zvers absent.