Innovating Bentonville, Arkansas

Thrive, a new 16-acre development in downtown Bentonville, AR.

Downtown Bentonville, Arkansas may not always be thought of as a trend setter or even an early adopter of innovative change but developers in on the edge of downtown have taken a serious financial risk that residents want walkable urbanism... and they're winning in a big way.  

ERC Co. purchased 16-acres in a fairly residential, rural section of Bentonville and turned it into a walkable urban paradise.  While public transit options may not be plentiful in the area, this at least eliminates the need for residents to be forced to hop into their cars and drive to the nearest Wal-Mart (headquartered just down the road) to pick up a cup of coffee or a quick bite to eat.  

Bentonville is adopting what may be a requirement for rural suburbs across America to survive in a changing society that has begun to rebuff the ideals or suburban sprawl for a chance to live a life in a walkable urban center close to friends, work and amenities.  

"Based on the trends in Foot Traffic Ahead, there is the potential for market demand for tens of millions more square feet of walkable urban development--and hundreds of new WalkUPs--in America’s cities. Meeting that demand is an opportunity to create huge value for these communities.” -Locus Developers 2015 report titled Foot Traffic Ahead