Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Bringing ‘Community and Commerce’ To Lincoln Square
LINCOLN — Lincoln School Board President Kendra Moore has a “real heart” for the community of Lincoln and admits she is taking a step of faith to try to do her part to revitalize the downtown square.
Moore and her husband, through their company Redeemed Construction, have purchased four buildings on the square and she is remodeling and renovating the first one at 113 W. Bean St., though she’s not sure yet how it will be used.
“If I had a concrete plan, I’d be happy to share it with you,” Moore said recently.
Work on the exterior of the building has included new windows, a new front door and a new brick facade. Moore said she wanted the front of the building to look nice in time for the Arkansas Apple Festival.
Her ideas for the interior of the building are to have an “industrial chic look” with an exposed ceiling, shiplap and possibly retro lights that hang down from the ceiling.
Moore said she has not had any
“I think sometimes it
takes one person to start the process and others will catch the vision. I hope it catches on.”
Kendra Moore
Lincoln School Board President
interest from someone who would like to lease the building yet but she also has not started advertising the building on social media or through other marketing avenues.
The main part of the building has 2,500 square feet with additional space in the back of the building. The building once was a Crescents store and has been used as a grocery store and church. It’s been empty many years.
According to Washington County property records, Moore bought the property at 113 W. Bean in February from Danny and Mary Ann Spears for an estimated cost of $48,000. Mary Ann Spears, superintendent of Lincoln Consolidated School District, has said she purchased the property intending to renovate it and move into it as residential space. The renovation costs were too high, Spears has said.
The other property Moore purchased on the square is the building next door on Bean Street and two on the west side.
Moore said she would like to bring “commerce and community” back to the square. She said she believes it will take several factors converging together to bring growth to Lincoln and that includes new businesses, new housing and a revitalized square.
“Those are the things that will foster growth for the school system and for the town,” Moore said. “I think sometimes it takes one person to start the process and others will catch the vision. I hope it catches on.”
She added, “I’m super excited about it and I hope by the end, it will look like a whole different square.”
Lincoln Public Library is adjacent to Moore’s building on Bean Street and library Director Dianna Payne is glad to see the upgrades going on next door.
“I think it’s great,” Payne said. “Everyone is asking what it is going to be.”
Payne said she has seen old photos of Lincoln many years ago when Lincoln Square was full of activity.
In the old pictures, “Saturday was a big deal on the square,” Payne said. “I’d like to see more stuff to do on the square. It’s always been such a pretty square and we’d love to see people coming and going.”
In addition to the buildings now owned by Moore on Lincoln Square, another building has sold. According to county property records, Anthony B. Taylor, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock purchased the former Bell Pharmacy at 113 Boyer Avenue. This building is being renovated to be used as a church.