ROGERS -- Some neighboring merchants concerned about the safety and appearance of the Opera House building downtown say they are cautiously optimistic a restoration project there will make significant progress soon.
John Mack, owner of the three-story building that has sat vacant for years, said exterior restoration work over the coming months is planned to finish this spring or summer.
The building at 102, 104 and 106 W. Walnut St. is well over a century old.
Julie Loose closed her downtown antique store The Rusty Chair across the street from the building last month after 12 years. She still owns the building at 109 W. Walnut St.
The vacant Opera House building has "definitely" impacted her business, she said.
"I have no proof that it does, but it's half of a city block that's just empty," she said. "With retail, you need a concentration of retail to draw people."
Loose said her main concerns about the building over the years have been safety and appearance. She worries about a fire, because people have gotten through the construction fence and into the building, she said.
"My insurance rates would go up if there's a fire," she said.
As a building owner, she said she understood the financial constraints that likely accompany such a large project, but she wants it to look better and not detract from investments the city has made in the downtown area.
Dominic and Courtney Smith, owners of home goods store Dandy Roll at 107 W. Walnut St., have also expressed concerns about the impact of the building across the street.
Dominic Smith said he understands the building isn't the root cause of a recent decline in foot traffic at their store, but the building is an "eyesore" and hasn't helped.
Courtney Smith said she has had safety concerns about the building and once saw paneling fall off the building onto a parked car.
"We have customers who are daily asking about it," she said.
The couple said they have seen little to no progress at the site in recent years and have never been given a timeline on the project. They said while Mack has done a lot for downtown Rogers, they worry about the impact the building would have on the surrounding area if it remains in its current state.
CITY ACTION
The building was added to the city's dilapidated properties list in September, according to William Hyde, deputy chief of the city's Community Risk Reduction Division. Addition to the list means a property was found to be a threat to public safety or out of compliance with city code, Hyde wrote in an email.
The list is the primary way the city would address safety concerns with a building, said John McCurdy, director of community development.
"It's by design a long process. Unless there's a real public need to take over a building and to tear it down, that's the last thing we want to do," he said. "I don't expect that to be the case with the Opera House. I expect John Mack is doing the best he can, and he'll get the project done like he says he will."
McCurdy said a more secure barrier has been added at the site over time to limit illegal access.
"As far as I know, the interior of the property is secure. [Mack] has done a lot of work to make sure it's safe," he said.
Code Enforcement with the Police Department hands out citations related to "unsightly and unsanitary conditions" such as an overgrown lawn, though McCurdy said he wasn't sure the building met those standards.
The Historic District Commission approved the proposed exterior renovation project on Jan. 3 by granting a certificate of appropriateness. Loose and Dominic Smith both spoke in favor of granting that approval at the commission's meeting and asked the commission to place a deadline for finishing the work. Both said the project was exciting for the area.
The commission did not set a deadline for the work. The work must begin within 12 months or the certificate will expire, according to the certificate application.
Karen Wagaman, vice president of downtown development for the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce, said she thinks it is "magnificent" that Mack has made a significant investment in the restoration of the historic building.
RESTORATION
Mack, principal of JKJ Architects, has had a role in restoring several other buildings downtown. He said the building is his most ambitious project.
He and his wife, Harriet, bought the building in 2013, understanding it would be a long-term project, he said.
Restoration projects often involve shifting priorities and unexpected costs, he said.
"There's an ongoing process of discovery, and it accumulates a cost over time," he said.
Work had to be done several years ago to repair and stabilize the roof, which had been compromised, he said. Later work to restore the original brick on the outside of the building was "laborious," he said.
The first-floor exterior of the building has been left open to the elements to make it easier to get material into the building during the construction process, he said.
He said he understands safety concerns about having the building open, and those concerns have contributed to moving forward with getting the exterior done later this year.
He said he wasn't notified of the building being added to the dilapidated structure list and hasn't heard about panels falling off the building.
There's no timeline for finishing the building's interior, according to Mack.
Restoring the interior of the building's performance venue will include preserving a signature wall, which many performers signed over the years, and should provide an estimated 275 seats, he said.
The historic structure was built as a two-story building in 1890 with a third floor and opera house balcony added in 1903, according to Mack. It was a mixed-use development that included retail, office and apartment space in addition to the opera house venue.
In its early years, the building hosted Thomas Edison in addition to speeches by political candidates, senior plays by Rogers and Bentonville high school students and meetings where regional grape growers set the price of grapes, he said. The building reached its peak usage around 1917, he said.
After the nearby Victory Theater was built in 1927, the opera house stage was removed to make room for a boxing ring, he said. Offices and space related to the opera house were abandoned in the 1930s. Retail operations continued on the first floor of the building until Townzen Barber Shop and Red Hairing Salon moved out four years ago.
The historic opera house building is shown, Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 104 W. Walnut St. in Rogers. Some downtown Rogers business owners have complained the Opera House building on Walnut Street is an “eyesore” and a safety hazard for downtown pedestrians. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
The historic opera house building is shown, Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 104 W. Walnut St. in Rogers. Some downtown Rogers business owners have complained the Opera House building on Walnut Street is an “eyesore” and a safety hazard for downtown pedestrians. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
The historic opera house building is shown, Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 104 W. Walnut St. in Rogers. Some downtown Rogers business owners have complained the Opera House building on Walnut Street is an “eyesore” and a safety hazard for downtown pedestrians. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)