between traditional single family homes and large multifamily buildings. “Workforce housing is a big thing that’s missed, not only in Northwest Arkansas, but in the nation,” outlines Mayor See.“There’s more of those opportunities coming, where we can fulfill that medium housing that’s being missed.” GROWING RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES Retail growth is a major priority for the city, and much of that focus centers on the busy Highway 72 corridor. “It has about 20,000 cars a day that travel it,” depicts Mayor See, noting that its two lane configuration and lack of shoulders have slowed retail development. Even so, he says interest is growing. “We did have multiple site selectors come in and look at some sites,” he shares. “It will come in time, everybody is just waiting to see what Highway 72 is going to look like, and what we are doing internally with the infrastructure.” One key part of those discussions is connectivity, specifically roads, sidewalks, and trails. “Those site selectors want that bike/ped connectivity for the residents, because that is becoming more and more of a way of transportation for people, especially in a city our size,” he continues. “It is an eight mile area that people can commute around. So we need to create those opportunities for them to have that connection.” 137 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 PEA RIDGE, AR
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