Since releasing its Growing Home NWA regional growth strategy in April, the Northwest Arkansas Council has been working with communities and partners across the region to move the strategy’s six priorities toward implementation.
Some of that work involves major regional challenges. A wastewater study underway with the State of Arkansas is expected to identify more than $1.5 billion in needed infrastructure improvements across Northwest Arkansas. The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission’s Forward 2050 plan identifies another $6 billion in transportation needs through 2050, with about $3 billion in expected funding. Addressing needs at that scale will require significant investment, coordination and long-term planning.
Implementation also happens at the individual project level — through decisions made by cities, developers, property owners, lenders, investors and entrepreneurs.
That was the focus of “Building Northwest Arkansas, One Project at a Time,” an Aug. 26 Growing Home NWA event featuring North Texas developer Monte Anderson.
Anderson has spent more than 30 years finding new uses for overlooked properties and helping local entrepreneurs get a foothold in their communities. “Think big. Start small. Start here.” was the theme of his presentation.
Through projects across North Texas, Anderson showed how older buildings, aging shopping centers and underused properties can accommodate new housing and businesses. He encouraged communities to look at what they already have, identify what is missing and find projects that respond to local needs.
That approach connects with several priorities in the growth strategy, including strengthening downtowns and centers, expanding housing options and aligning growth with existing infrastructure.
It also creates opportunities for more people to participate in development. Anderson emphasized the importance of cultivating local property owners, entrepreneurs, developers and investors who understand their communities and can take on projects at a scale that makes sense.
A property owner can bring an older building back to life. An entrepreneur can fill a small storefront. A developer can build a few homes. A lender can finance a first project. A local investor can help someone get started.
Over time, those projects can create more local ownership and allow more people to build wealth through the improvement of their communities.
Northwest Arkansas will need significant infrastructure investments and large-scale development to prepare for continued growth. It will also need projects of many different sizes throughout the region.
Growing Home NWA provides a shared strategy for how the region can grow. The work now is putting it into practice.
Explore the full regional growth strategy and learn more about the work underway at GrowingHomeNWA.com.
