FORT SMITH, Ark. — After a decade of abandonment, the old apartment complex on 36th and Kinkead in Fort Smith is set to be renovated. After construction, it will be known as Kinkead Village, a 140-unit complex.
“It’s a great day in Fort Smith,” said Fort Smith Mayor George McGill during a public ceremony announcing the complex.
For more than a year, Fort smith Vice-Mayor Jarred Rego has been trying to remove and rebuild the property. “It's a failed, rundown, dilapidated, atrocity of an apartment complex.”
“We’re just very, very happy that this group of local Arkansas investors stepped up to turn this project around.”
In late 2022, Elevate Investment Group, with the help of Harmon Real Estate Co. brought the complex.
"We plan on investing close to $10 million on this project," Chief Investments Officer for Elevate Commercial Investment Group, Brian Wagers said.
They've already spent about $1.5 million on cleanup and renovations.
“We’re here to stay, said Joshua Harmon Sr., owner of Harmon Real Estate Co. "We’re going figure out this property, but we’re gonna reimagine it.”
“We can accommodate students, we have two bedrooms, we can accommodate families, we have laundry outside, we're going to put barbecue grills outside. We're really going to figure out how to give the community what they need.”
New ownership says this will be affordable for college students and young families.
“Well, it’s going to be more housing opportunities, it’s going to be a psychic boost for the area,” Rego said.
“It’s good to be investing in the city of Fort Smith,” Wagers said.
“What you're doing extends far beyond this footprint,” Mayor McGill said.
Crews have already laid the groundwork for the complex and demolished two buildings to create upgrades. Crews are currently working on the plumbing and electricity. This is a three-phase project, and Wager says phase one is expected to be finished by the fall.
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