JOHNSON, Ark. — If you look around the city of Johnson, with a population just over 3,500 residents, a lot seems to be going on.
With multiple projects being announced, or currently underway, city leaders said Johnson is looking to keep up with the growth being seen all around Northwest Arkansas.
“I think Johnson's really turning a corner in Northwest Arkansas,” Johnson Mayor Chris Keeney said.
Located between Springdale and Fayetteville, and under 30 minutes away from other growing cities like Bentonville and Rogers, developers say Johnson is in a prime location to attract visitors.
“It's right off of Interstate 49,” Principal at High Street Real Estate and Development Ward Davis said. “It's very easy to get to all the great things that are in Northwest Arkansas.”
Davis and High Street are in the process of developing the City of Johnson through the Johnson Square project. According to their website, the company emphasizes creating communities centered around “placemaking” where residents can “connect with the community and set themselves as an integral part of the neighborhood.”
On Oct. 15, Bennett Commercial Real Estate announced the next phase of the Johnson Square, with a 6-acre multi-use development that will include just under 80,000 square feet of retail, office, restaurant and medical space.
According to Bennett, the development will also come with 66 apartments and will be located on Johnson Mill Boulevard.
"The idea is we want to build a neighborhood that functions like neighborhoods have historically, where you can walk to get something to eat for dinner, and you can walk and get a drink at the little local watering hole or you can spend time with neighbors,” Davis said. “We really designed the neighborhood around kind of walkability and then just fostering human interaction."
The Warehouse District is another ongoing development in Johnson. According to Bennett, construction on the district is estimated to be completed by Spring 2026.
On top of that, Keeney said the Wilkerson Road Widening Project is also currently in progress. He said the project looks to handle the motor and pedestrian traffic needs that have only increased in the city in recent years.
He added the project also looks to handle water and sewer infrastructure as well.
“The full street section will have a dedicated northbound, southbound, with a turn lane, which will help reduce any of those stops where people are trying to make a left hand turn across traffic,” Keeney said. “On the east side of the road is a five-foot sidewalk, and on the west side of the road is a 10-foot multi use path that will go all the way to the Greenway."
Keeney said the project is being paid for from a bond citizens passed in 2019. He said despite the current traffic that has been caused from the construction, the end result will be something the citizens will approve of.
“A lot of traffic comes through Johnson,” Keeney said. “But I think once they see the amenities, the developments such as Johnson square and the other developments coming in, I think they're really going to appreciate the close-knit connection we've created in Johnson.”
Keeney and Davis said that they both agree that growth is inevitable in Northwest Arkansas.
Keeney added he is trying to position the city in a way that will help it keep up with the change.
“We're not trying to plan for five years,” Keeney said. “We're trying to figure out the next 20-30 years, with population growth expected to be one million in a 2-county area by 2050, we've really got our work cut out for us, and that's what we're planning for."
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.