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| Fri, Nov. 21, 2008 |  |
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Former Dillard's HQ could ease space crunch in Capitol complex Thursday, May 29, 2008 By Jason Wiest Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The state library and other state agencies could be moved to the old Dillard's Inc. headquarters on Capitol Ave. by September 2009 to free up office space in the crowded state Capitol complex, state officials said Wednesday. The Arkansas Building Authority is negotiating a lease-purchase contract for the 110,000 square-foot building that two Dallas developers recently purchased from the Union Rescue Mission. "It's a start," said Building Authority Director Anne Laidlaw. "It's definitely not going to solve all of our space problems in the future." For the past 20 years, lawmakers have proposed constructing a second Multi-Agency Complex on the Capitol Mall. Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern, has been the latest proponent of such proposals, but construction costs estimated at $165 million and a lack of parking space have deterred his efforts. Faris said he now supports a lease-purchase agreement for the old Dillard's building, which for many years has been vacant since the department store giant moved its headquarters to a new complex on Cantrell Road. The area of the current Big Mac building that now houses the State Library could be refurbished to house other state government offices, Faris said. The library would occupy approximately 65,000 square feet of the Dillard's building, leaving 45,000 square feet for other agencies. Those in the Big Mac building as well as those leasing space in privately owned facilities are being considered, Laidlaw said. The building has 90 parking spaces on-site, the owner of an adjacent building is willing to lease about 20 parking spaces and parking is also available on the street and in adjacent lots, she said. About 3,300 state employees work in or around the Capitol and only 2,254 parking spaces are available in the area, according to Laidlaw. The developers purchased the Dillard's building after approaching state government officials and learning of their interest, Laidlaw said. While many details still have to be worked out, the developers have agreed to the lease-purchase arrangement, she said. "I would not be as interested just leasing in long-term," Laidlaw said. The lease-purchase arrangement is better than buying the building outright because the state can move into it faster and also save money, she said. The developers qualify for tax credit that the state would not get on its own and they are splitting the credit with the state, she said. Faris said he hopes to file legislation during 2009 regular legislative session that would create a special committee to study properties up for sale near the state Capitol campus to determine whether they should be acquired. Demolition is currently under way on the old Dillard's headquarters. Laidlaw said she hopes to be able to make a commitment to the developers by the first of September so that redevelopment of the building can begin. State agencies could occupy the facility by August 2009, she said. Gov. Mike Beebe said he supports the arrangement for the building, which will be redeveloped as a sustainable building. "That's another one of the features in this opportunity that is of great interest to me," Laidlaw said. |
