Little Rock, AR · Member since 2014 · 121 posts · 27 votes
I grew up in the Central High area and went to school there. I am interested in helping to revitalize the area and bring back the greenness of the 50s/60s/70s, building a bedroom community for baby boomers and encourage businesses to move into the area.
Welcome back to town. There has been a resurgence in the Central High area and surrounding "Quapaw Quarter". Specific to Central High area, Summit St has several houses that were completely dilapidated or condemned by the city that have been completely rehabbed. The Creative Corridor Project is getting most of the attention right now. But other area neighborhoods have seen an upsurge in investments, improvements, and community involvement.
Feel free to contact me to talk about your goals and plans. I've attempted to purchase property in the area but so far haven't found the right scenario for me.
Here are several links and articles about current Little Rock revitalization efforts.
Flipper/Rehabber · Springdale, AR · Member since 2016 · 79 posts · 41 votes
8y
Well I am no expert by any means, but I helped open a independent pharmacy near there (17th and Main) and did gain a lot of insight. During our initial days we did lots to bring business in. Part of that became deliveries and, yes, many of the houses are beautiful. We also got “in” with some of the leadership/coordinators of the housing authority, and even eventually hired one lady part time at the pharmacy. She’d lived/ worked in the area for a long time. Along with others who had been there a while, they all painted kind of the same picture. Downtown Little Rock and surrounding areas, over time and due to many factors, became the “hub” of low income/ homeless. Just within 1.5 miles of our pharmacy were at least 4 large, low income housing “projects”- old hospitals, hotels, and former posh apartments- all turned to single bedroom housing for low/no income. (Each building had 200-300 rooms for one to two people and had waiting lists to get in.) The problem (I was told) was that over some years the city sort of “corralled” the low income to that area. Public transport is not really a big thing in Little Rock, except near downtown and a few other places. Culturally, in Central Arkansas, public transport is frowned on, but a staple for the people in these areas. All this to say: you’re not simply looking to revitalize an area- you need to change the way everyone views an area. People outside these rough areas avoid them, and even fear them. There are efforts to “rebrand” the area (look at River Market and SOMA district), but even those business owners are seeing the uphill battle against the city (used generically.) And what we found as a small mom-and-pop business is that among the lower class exists a very subtle sub-culture that almost embraces poverty and free assistance, and has no intention of really working beyond it (to say, buy a house or live in a nicer rental.) I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it would be very long term, and require a whole lot more than pretty, rehabbed houses. I’d love to see this area mirror some of its glory days, and would even try to help where I could. It certainly needs it. I spent many days during deliveries dreaming of investing in the area to build it up.
Hope this helps some, and I hope I didn’t stereotype too much. Please ask questions or correct me where you think needed- this is a conversation worth having. I’m following this discussion.
Real Estate Investor · Encinitas, CA · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
8y
@Jonathan Boyd I'm much farther away from you (out here in California) but have seen some of what you're saying. The River Market revitalization (from afar) seems to be working pretty well. There are higher end condos, nice apartments, etc. in the area and 15-20 years ago I really don't think I remember getting that feeling. But I'm always stuck juxtaposing that with the multifamily properties that I've visited in the LR/NLR area. Almost every single one has looked so much better in pictures, on Google Maps, etc. than when I've been there in person. And those are the areas that my property manager just hasn't blanketly crossed off as "you don't want to buy there". All of this goes right into your thought of: CHANGE THE WAY EVERYONE VIEWS THE AREA. At this point I just naturally assume that I wouldn't want to own in LR or NLR and would rather buy in the suburbs. I'm taking River Market and places like Chenal Valley out of it because it's hard to get a good ROI on those homes.
I'm sure far more forward-thinking locals will be more apt to pick up the revitalization effort but it's still hard for me to think of putting my "outside of Arkansas" money into many of those areas.
Specialist · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2019 · 13 posts · 20 votes
6y
Lots of good insight in this thread! Thank you, Diane, for starting it. I wish I had read this when you first posted it. I'm following now and look forward to learning more and contributing to the effort. . . God willing, of course.