SPRINGDALE -- The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to renew the city's $100,000 contract with the Downtown Springdale Alliance.
The city has charged alliance leaders "to promote, preserve and enhance downtown Springdale and to facilitate the implementation of the Downtown Master Plan."
The contract comes up for review every year.
The Downtown Master Plan was adopted by the city in 2015. City officials currently are working to update that plan.
Jill Dabbs, executive director of the alliance, on April 18 told City Council members that the alliance has seen nearly $400 million in development downtown. She said the downtown plan, the Razorback Greenway and Opportunity Zone all have attracted investors to the area.
The state's designation of downtown Springdale as an Opportunity Zone could lead to tax incentives for investment in parts of downtown that are economically distressed.
The council on Tuesday also approved a $4.5 million construction contract with McClelland Construction for realignment of the Razorback Greenway at Emma Avenue. The changes aim to make the crossing safer and easier to navigate for cyclists.
The city received a $3.1 million grant for construction from the Walton Family Foundation. The city will pay just $1.2 million of the total project.
The Walton Foundation in February announced its plans to build the Market Center of the Ozarks in downtown Springdale.
The market is part of the Northwest Arkansas Food Systems initiative to help local farmers and cooks provide fresh, locally grown foods on a larger scale than traditional farmers markets can offer.
Patsy Christie, director of the city's Planning Department, said the initiative's "food hub" will support local farmers with educational opportunities, land, capital and markets. It also will connect with consumers wanting fresh products, she explained.
The 10-acre project will sit west of the Springdale Municipal Airport and be near the Razorback Greenway.
Design work continues on Luther George Park, with plans to break ground late this year.
Dabbs reported that a capital campaign for the park has raised $4 million of the $10 million goal.
The alliance also has worked in support of the city as officials review and update the Downtown Master Plan.
The alliance developed an online survey in three languages for residents to share their thoughts about the downtown area, Dabbs noted.
The survey garnered 1,200 responses, and more than 120 people in late March attended public meetings about the plan.
The alliance operates with a $300,000 yearly budget, with a third coming from the city, a third from supporting foundations and a third from grants, Dabbs said as she showed a PowerPoint presentation as an annual report for the alliance.
The alliance counts eight new businesses in the downtown area and three more planned, including two mixed-use developments with 200 new residential units.
Additionally, eight businesses have expanded their offerings downtown, the report noted.
Artists have also found their niche in downtown Springdale, with support from five private investment projects and four supported by local foundations and nonprofit agencies.
The Outdoor Dining District has been a success, with 60,000 to-go drinks served in the first two years, Dabbs said. Bars, restaurants and retail businesses report increased sales and more foot traffic, she said.
The alliance also facilitates events held in Turnbow Park, Shiloh Square and even in the middle of Emma Avenue.
The alliance supported about 50 events per year in 2019 and 2020, Dabbs said. In 2020, many events were canceled or postponed nationwide because of the covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, 80 events were held, attracting 50,000 people.
Alliance leadership expects a 10% to 15% increase in events during 2022, she continued.
Since 2019, the Public Events Committee has processed more than 200 applications for events in downtown, Dabbs noted.
The alliance also has facilitated grants for banners on light poles, building facades, murals and art installations, she said.