Continued Growth Expected in Downtown Bentonville

Downtown Bentonville Continues Growth

Over the past several years,  Bentonville has seen tremendous growth with a focus on rehabilitating and restoring the Downtown Bentonville area.   Highlighting the Downtown experience is the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and The 21C Museum, along with many local boutiques and restaurants which have opened on and around the Town Square.   There are additional projects underway in this immediate area such as the rebuilding of the Mid Town Plaza which will include a Neighborhood Market as well as additional office and retail space and the construction of Amazeum, a children’s museum which will be located close to the Crystal Bridges location on Northeast J St.  Helping the promotion of Downtown Bentonville has been an independent organization named Downtown Bentonville, Inc. (DBI).  Their First Friday Events, Farmer’s Market, Lighting of The Square and Around The Bloc events have inspired 600,000 people to visit Downtown Bentonville so far this year.

City Planners Announce New Study Phase

Recently, The City of Bentonville has announced a plan to study another section of Downtown Bentonville. According to the plan, the purpose of the study is:

“To develop a special plan for an area southeast of the Downtown Square identifying specialty districts, encouraging a variety of residential development, and creating a unique urban living and working environment.”  The study area is located southeast of the Bentonville Square, with E. Central Ave. creating the northern boundary, SE J Street the eastern boundary, SE 10th St. the southern boundary and SW A St. the western boundary.  Director of Community Development, Troy Galloway states that “The plan is to create arts and market districts as well as a well-established residential district in downtown.”

The cosmetic and infrastructure improvements will continue along The Bentonville Square, but now there will also be a focus on the Southeast portion of the Downtown area as Bentonville continues its revitalization of the entire region, creating an “epicenter” as well as reuniting the community of the Downtown Bentonville area.

Map of Study Area