Demolition nearly complete at West Center complex site

Before and after views of the demolition of the West Center construction site as seen from the northeast corner of Center Street and Duncan Avenue.

Staff graphic

Demolition is nearly complete at the construction site of the West Center student apartments near the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

The 2.75-acre site is set to become home to a five-story, 471-bed complex on the south side of Center Street between Duncan and Harmon avenues. Crews removed a small apartment complex, a triplex and three houses to make way for the project.

View from the nearby Harmon Avenue Parking Garage

Staff photo

West Center is the latest from local developers Specialized Real Estate Group who have once again teamed with Fayetteville architecture firm Modus Studio on the project. The two companies worked together on the nearby LEED Platinum-certfied Eco Modern Flats complex, and the 637-bedroom Sterling Frisco complex under construction at Maple Street and West Avenue.

Like Sterling Frisco, the West Center complex will be wrapped around a hidden parking deck. Expect to see a new four-way traffic signal installed at Center and Duncan, and a center turn lane for eastbound vehicles on Center. Also planned are new sidewalks and lighted crosswalks.

Construction officials have said the project will strive to achieve LEED Gold accreditation, and should be completed in time for the university’s 2014 fall semester.