Westside Lofts

Serving individuals and their families for over 40 years

Westside Lofts

Office hours: 1:00p.m. - 4:30p.m.

Phone: 501.376.1700 or 501.377.7000

An important part of our Mission: Providing quality, affordable, accessible housing for Arkansans with and without disabilities.

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Westside Lofts Opens its Doors

December 17th, 2003

Westside Lofts, a $5 million project, has been quietly underway since January 2003 to convert the 65,000-square-foot, former Westside Junior High School, into 43 loft apartments. The lofts will feature "universal design," a strict set of criteria measuring accessibility for persons with disabilities. This Westside Lofts project is modeled after several of The Arc’s recent successes, including Eastside Lofts, a set of 41 loft apartments developed in Little Rock’s historic Eastside High School building.

Built in 1917 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places (as is The ARC’s recent redevelopment projects, Trinity Court Place Apartments and Eastside Lofts), the Westside Junior High School building is a three-story classical composition designed by Theo Sanders. Many of the new loft apartments will retain the original chalkboards from the school, and each apartment has its own unique architectural features, such as skylights and high, angular ceilings. Westside Junior High School was closed by the Little Rock School District in 1971. For leasing information pertaining to the loft apartments, contact The Arc Arkansas at 501-375-7770.

"There have been many attempts to remodel and redevelop the property," says Steve Hitt, CEO of The ARC Arkansas. "But for one reason or another, the project has never been viable. Last year, The ARC was searching for property in Little Rock that would help us fulfill an important part of our mission: providing quality, affordable, accessible housing for Arkansans with and without disabilities. "This is a very exciting project that revitalizes a community and provides wonderful housing and services."

The development team for the project also includes Dover Dixon Horne; Fennell Purifoy Hammock; Champion Builders and Herron Horton Architects.

About The ARC Arkansas

The ARC Arkansas is a statewide membership organization providing support, housing, advocacy, education and leadership to people with developmental disabilities and their families. The ARC’s personalized support is outcome-oriented, dependable, effective and flexible. The ARC assists and encourages individuals in acquiring skills and support services that allow them to make decisions regarding their own lives, helping them to achieve integration in the mainstream of community life.

About First Security Vanadis Capital

First Security Vanadis Capital, LLC has emerged as a pioneer in community development finance and in reintroducing multifamily living and community-based commercial real estate development to the urban core of once-populated downtown neighborhoods. To date, the firm has accomplished more than $50 million in development. Originally formed in 1995 as Vanadis Group, the firm has worked with both private and nonprofit groups in the redevelopment efforts of downtown communities across the central region of the United States. On Aug. 1, 2001, Vanadis Group formed a joint venture with investment-banking and public-finance leader Crews & Associates Inc. of Little Rock, Ark., adding public-finance capabilities to its existing capital resources and experience.

The slide show below depicts the process the building went through during the year long, $4million dollar renovation. Individual pictures of the renovation can be seen at the bottom of this page.

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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

December 17, 2003

"WESTSIDE STORY": After sitting abandoned for over 17 years, the old Westside Junior High at 1300 Marshall street in Little Rock gets another chance to shine. The ARC of Arkansas has completed the purchase of Westside Junior High and the 5 million dollar renovation of the building began in November 2002.

The Arc of Arkansas announces the acquisition of the historic West Side Junior High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The renovation of the building into 43 loft apartments will began in January of this year. The architect for the project is Fennell Purifoy Architects and the project development consultant is First Security Vanadis Capital of Little Rock, Arkansas. The project is estimated at $ 5 million.

Westside Junior High school was built to accommodate the growing number of people expanding into the neighborhoods to the west of the "Original City". It was designed by architect Theo Sanders and built in 1917. In 1971, the junior high school closed and became the Little Rock Skills Center. The vocational training center moved out in 1984 and the building has been abandoned since that time. In the early 1990's, the Little Rock School District announced plans to raze the building, however neighborhood leaders were able to stop the process, arguing it is a significant structure in its neighborhood and the demolition of the structure would have a negative impact on the neighborhood.

The Arc has established itself as a leader in independent housing for individuals with disabilities through the renovation of two downtown landmarks, the first being the historic Trinity Court Hospital and the second being Eastside Junior High School. The idea behind each of these multi-family developments is that all individuals have the opportunity to live where they choose. The apartments are of "universal design" meaning they are accessible to all individuals with and without disabilities. The Westside Lofts will have a number of designs offering one and two bedroom apartments. Individuals with and without disabilities will make the new Westside Lofts a community within itself, as they have with Eastside Lofts and Trinity Court.