The Little Rock Board of Directors voted Jan. 13 to move forward with the renovation of the Ottenheimer Market Hall, issuing a memorandum of understanding for St. Louis-based developer New + Found to proceed with the development phase of the project.
Rendering by Lawrence Group
Gina Gemberling, president and CEO of the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, noted that the LRCVB began working with the board to establish a partner for the renovation soon after completing a tourism master plan in January 2023.
Gina Gemberling
“The River Market Ottenheimer Hall was top on the list of items that just needed a refresh,” she said, “so we started, at that time, working with JLL at a national level, bringing in and looking at different organizations that might be interested in taking over the Ottenheimer Hall, as well as putting some finances, along with our finances and the city’s finances, to make the plan work.”
Will Smith, president of New + Found, said his company has a 20-year history working in the adaptive reuse of historic structures, including City Foundry STL, a retail entertainment destination anchored by a food hall that has become one of St. Louis’ top attractions.
Will Smith
“With that background, we have started to look at opportunities in other cities where we can have a similar type of impact,” he said. “I think there’s this bringing together of our expertise as a developer with design and construction and the ability to both deliver a project and manage the project, but at the core of these type of projects is the local food scene, and so our intent is to have all local Little Rock entrepreneurs and providing them a platform to grow their businesses and provide for their families.”
Rendering by Lawrence Group.
He added that the proposed renovation would be “a complete remake of the River Market as it’s known today.” The two outdoor pavilions at the rear of the market would be brought inside for year-round use, he said. The western pavilion would be a part of the food hall space, while the eastern pavilion would be transformed into a multipurpose event space.
Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said the project has special significance to himself and other board members who could remember the area before the Ottenheimer Market Hall was completed in 1996.
Mayor Frank Scott Jr.
“We grew up where there wasn’t a River Market, and then all of a sudden, there was a River Market,” he said. “To now see the ability to transform something that happened 20 years ago is a sight to see.”
Director Antwan Phillips added that the decision marked an important moment in the history of the city.
Antwan Phillips
“A lot of times, we celebrate the ribbon cuttings and when the doors are opened, but sometimes I think it’s important to recognize when the ball gets rolling to get us in that direction, and I think today, with this resolution, when we look back at downtown five, seven years from now, it started on this day with our partnership with New + Found to really transform what downtown is into what it can be.”
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