SPRINGDALE -- The building that once housed a landmark Emma Avenue retail store has been purchased by a company associated with the Walton Family.
The building that housed Ryan's Clothing sold to Springdale Downtown LLC, a company registered in Delaware with a Bentonville address. The post office box address, 1860, also is used by Walton Family Enterprises, and by members of the Walton family who donate money to political campaigns, according to campaign contribution reports.
Lance Morgan, a spokesman for the Walton family, returned a Thursday phone call to Walton Family Enterprises. He said he didn't have any information about Springdale Downtown LLC, but would call back if he received any information he could discuss. He didn't call back by 5 p.m. Friday.
The San Jose Manor building was owned by two entities. The section at 202 E. Emma Ave. was owned by Robert and Max Ryan, the sons of Ryan's founder Troy Ryan. That sale closed May 12 with a purchase price of $250,000, according to Washington County records. Ryan's closed last year.
The remainder of the building was owned by Mid-America Management Associates. That sale closed Monday and was filed Tuesday with Washington County, according to a warranty deed. The purchase price was $970,000. The sale included two parking lots to the north of San Jose Manor.
The building is one block east of where the Razorback Greenway will cross Emma Avenue. A trailhead will be in a park that will be created by closing one block of Mill Street and demolishing two buildings bought by the city. The area was named Walter Turnbow Park on May 23 on the Springdale businessman's 90th birthday.
The Razorback Greenway is a 36-mile walking and bike trail between Fayetteville and Bentonville. The Walton Family Foundation provided the matching money for a $15 million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant. The trail is to be completed this year.
Offers have been made for two additional buildings on Emma Avenue. A contract to sell the Jeff Brown Building, part of the Springdale Poultry Industry Historic District, to Tyson Foods will be on the City Council agenda for its 6 p.m Tuesday meeting. The price for the building at 317 E. Emma Ave. would be $37,313.
The Apollo Theater, 308 W. Emma Ave., is under a contract for purchase, according to Philip Taldo, with the Griffin Co.
No further details are known.
NW News on 06/07/2014