Building proposal for site near North Little Rock's plaza is still on ice

FILE — Pansies bloom in a planter box near Argenta Plaza in North Little Rock in this 2021 file photo. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)
FILE — Pansies bloom in a planter box near Argenta Plaza in North Little Rock in this 2021 file photo. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)

A multimillion-dollar food hall and residency project that was supposed to be built next to Argenta Plaza in North Little Rock has become more of an afterthought, with the plot currently serving as a green space.

City officials have touted the proposed Power & Ice Building in downtown North Little Rock for the past several years as a key part of the plan to revamp Main Street.

Plans called for the food hall to complement the city-owned, $5.36 million Argenta Plaza at 510 Main St., along with the First Orion building, the Thrive Argenta apartments and the North Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Argenta Plaza opened in 2019, but so far the Power & Ice project hasn't progressed beyond the conceptual stage.

Shawn Spencer, director of the city's Planning Department, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last week that he hadn't heard of the project and that it hadn't come up before the Planning Board over the past couple of years. Mayor Terry Hartwick also said he wasn't aware of the Power & Ice Building proposal.

Robert Birch, director of development for the city, said Little Rock businessman John Chandler has an option on the property next to Argenta Plaza, but Birch said he isn't sure when work on the project will begin.

"As most know, building of new restaurant space came to a halt, and that was a key to his building," Birch said. "I have not spoken to Mr. Chandler in a bit to discuss his future plans, but I spoke with the architects and all was on hold at the moment."

Attempts by the Democrat-Gazette to contact Chandler were unsuccessful because he was out of town, but Birch said Chandler assisted with making the green space that is currently on the lot.

"There are no plans at the moment," Birch said. "Most people have really liked the green space. It makes a nice addition to the plaza."

The Power & Ice Building was part of former Mayor Joe Smith's vision to turn North Little Rock's downtown area into a version of Sundance Square Plaza in Fort Worth.

The 55,000-square-foot Sundance Square Plaza is part of the 35-block Sundance Square in Fort Worth's downtown area, featuring high-rise office buildings, shops, restaurants, art galleries, a music hall and museums. The plaza has jetted fountains, a cascading fountain waterfall and the capacity to accommodate thousands of people.

The North Little Rock City Council approved in 2019 an agreement to sell a rectangular piece of property adjacent to Argenta Plaza to Chandler to create a three-story development that would be known as the Power & Ice Building. Plans called for a ground-floor restaurant space and residences on the upper two floors.

The building's name refers to the site being the former location of the North Little Rock Electric Light Plant and the Ice Factory from 1897 to 1913.

Chandler was one of about 50 people who joined Smith on a tour of Sundance Square Plaza in 2016.

"[Chandler] shares our vision and excitement about this development," Smith told the City Council in 2016.

The Power & Ice Building was supposed to anchor the north side of Argenta Plaza and was the last remaining piece of the puzzle for the downtown renovation, Chris Kent, executive director for the Argenta Downtown Council, said in a 2019 article in Block Street & Building.

"The food hall will serve as a launch pad for six other concepts offering a wide range of cuisines," Kent said in the article. "These upscale eateries will showcase an array of sights, smells, sounds and tastes from open kitchens that put the art of cooking on display."

Birch said he spoke with James Meyer of Taggart Architects, the firm working on the project, who mentioned that a new idea for the property might be in the works. But Birch said that "nothing has been presented to me yet."

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