CHAFFEE CROSSING (KFSM) - New developments will soon be coming to a River Valley development that will bring a lot of fun into the area. Plans for five warehouses to be turned into a space that everyone can enjoy is in the works in Chaffee Crossing.
After construction is complete, the new buildings will still have the same World War II structure and the same green roof. The buildings are located on Ellis Street in Chaffee Crossing. They need a lot of repair on the inside and the outside since they were built back in the 1940's.
In March, the Chaffee Crossing Trust agreed to sell the five historic warehouses to an investment company who plans on turning them into a retail and office space. Also, adding a pizza restaurant with an outdoor covered dining area complete with a stage for entertainment.
Next door across the train tracks is a building that the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority sold back in November for a future microbrewery. Restaurants will be one section of the space. Owners of the brewery and the restaurant will be coming up with an agreement to sell some of their beers at the pizza place.
"People that live close to Chaffee Crossing are going to enjoy this new addition," said FCRA Executive Director Ivy Owen. "Even the people that live in downtown are going to be able to enjoy it."
Leaders want to do a full redevelopment of all five buildings at once which will come to a cost of $3 million.
Crews will start construction at the beginning of the summer. They're hoping construction will wrap up by the end of the year with the restaurant and retail spaces being to the public.