TONTITOWN, Ark. — In 2023, Tontitown was recorded as the fastest-growing city per capita in the state of Arkansas. Now, leaders are working to develop the city to match the rapid growth with the Tontitown Heritage Village. The goal is to design a downtown area that honors the town's history.
"The city was founded by Father Bandini, who basically brought a bunch of Italian immigrants to here. So, we wanted to include the Catholic Church as part of the heritage area," city planner Mark Latham said.
Other Italian-inspired elements will be added to the area like a piazza, outdoor amphitheater, 12-acre lake, and multiple fountains.
Latham said they are in communication with three different developers. The chosen developer will ultimately add any additional structure designs that will be beneficial to people living in the village.
"There's been some talk about a library," he said. "We do have some interest in some medical facilities in this area. It's kind of encompassing to make sure that people that do live there, along with the commercial development on the bottom side of this, is a place that they call home."
Tontitown currently has about 7,500 residents. They expect that number to boom within the next five years or so once the village is complete.
"It's projected that if once this is all built out, it could be almost 5,000 people living inside the village," Latham said.
There is no estimated price of the village yet. Latham said city leaders will meet with the Tontitown Planning Commission next to discuss rezoning, design standards, and the city’s master street plan.
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