New use : Kmart building gets new tenants
Posted on Wednesday, October 8, 2008
ROGERS - Volkswagen of Northwest Arkansas will be moving into the old Kmart building, now that the Rogers Planning Commission has approved the new use for the property.
Bryan Hunt, who owns the Volkswagen dealership and Rogers Outdoor Sports, asked the commission to amend its decision to allow outdoor boat sales at the property in order to display vehicles in the lot of 2115 W. Walnut St. The Volkswagen dealership is currently in Bentonville, but will relocate under the plan.
The request echoes a remodel that Hunt completed in Jackson, Miss., when he turned a former Winn Dixie grocery store into a lot for his Jaguar, Land Rover, Volkswagen and Audi franchises.
Hunt promised the commission he would realign the driving lanes through his lot with the lane in front of the Frisco Station Mall, making traveling through the lots safer. He also told the commission he would plant landscaping to obscure the view of the property from residential neighbors.
Volkswagen, Hunt said, is not interested in an overly bright lot.
"Volkswagen is very green oriented," Hunt said. "They don't expect we're going to light up the lot any more than it already is."
The commissioners said they were pleased with the plans for the lot.
"They've designed this so it looks like they have a busy parking lot rather than an outdoor display," Commissioner David Thrasher said.
While the commission unanimously approved the request, it did not do so without conditions. Commissioner Mike Shupe initiated a condition that Hunt be subject to the large-scale-review process, giving the commission a say in any interior redesigns.
Under the plans, Rogers Outdoor Sports would continue to occupy the west side of the building, while Volkswagen would move into the east side, leaving about 50, 000 square feet still unoccupied. Hunt said he was concerned about completing the Volkswagen relocation and would put off any discussions over finding a tenant for the vacant area.
The commission also took the following actions • Approved a large-scaledevelopment plan for the new Rogers Recycling Center on the east side of Arkansas Street at Stave Mill Road in the heavy-industrial zoning district • Approved a request by AT & T for a large-scale waiver to co-locate its antenna on an existing 270-foot tower at 4730 Bellview Road in the highway-commercial zoning district; and • Tabled a request by Doug Nelson to add indoor entertainment to the schedule of uses in the heavy-industrial zoning district. Nelson hopes to build an indoor remote-control car business in that zoning.
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