Downtown Little Rock Undergoes Renaissance

Little Rock's central city has seen improved streetscapes, increased investment in downtown real estate, and the development of a future education center -- all in the past five years.

1 minute read

October 30, 2002, 5:00 AM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


Downtown Little Rock has seen a transformation. Where boarded store-fronts used to line the streets of the center city, there are now shops, improved streetscapes, and upscale restaurants and hotels. New real estate has sprung up on the banks of the Arkansas River. The River Market (a farmers market) has found its way from a parking lot to a new pavilion. "Since the River Market opened in 1996, Little Rock and North Little Rock have seen $145.7 million in development. Another $595.7 million is either planned or under way." Anchoring all of this development and re-investment, the Clinton Presidential Library will open near the River Market in 2004. If all that weren't enough, actor Ted Danson and his wife, actress Mary Steenburgen, have bought a condo in town - a vote of confidence that did not go unnoticed in the small urban setting.Says local developer Jimmy Moses: "This has the potential to be the best small urban city in the country."

Thanks to Rachel Harshman

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 in CNN

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight