Drake Farms construction entrance on Drake Street / Photo: Todd Gill, Fayetteville Flyer
A new mixed-use development in Fayetteville will include an expansion of Washington Regional Medical Center, hospital officials announced.
The development, called Drake Farms, was first discussed in public last year when the City Council was asked to approve a new railroad crossing on Futrall Drive to provide access to the property just west of Gregg Avenue.
At the time, city staff said the developer of the property had shared conceptual plans for land that includes a mixture of residential properties, restaurant and retail space and an expansion of Washington Regional.
Washington Regional officials on Monday confirmed the news and said the hospital has recently acquired 15 acres of the property for expanded inpatient hospital services, outpatient surgical services, overnight stay capabilities, ambulatory care services, and a center for wellness focused on whole person care.
Washington Regional reportedly paid $6.63 million for the land. It also acquired the option to purchase two additional parcels totaling 25 acres within the development, according to a news release.
Larry Shackelford, president and CEO of Washington Regional, said Northwest Arkansas is among the fastest growing regions in the nation, and acquiring the property will allow the hospital to grow with it.
Planned railroad crossing at Futrall Drive / City of Fayetteville
Shackelford said the current campus opened in 2002 with 345,000 square feet of space, and in less than 20 years as expanded to over 724,000 square feet. At this point, he said, there’s simply no more room to grow.
“Purchasing this property adjacent to our campus will allow Washington Regional to plan for the next 20 years of growth by optimizing our medical center campus for higher acuity services and offering lower acuity services at our expanded campus at the Drake Farms property,” Shackelford said.
The 175-acre Drake Farms project will be developed incrementally over the next 25 years. It will integrate “beautiful architecture, serene outdoor spaces, and lively entertainment centers” into a neighborhood for “working, living, and enjoying,” according to online copy from High Street Real Estate and Development.
The first facility set to open at Drake Farms is the Pendergraft Building, which is located at the northwest corner of Gregg Avenue and Drake Street. The building will serve as the headquarters for the Pendergraft family business, and will also include an additional 12,000 square feet of leased space. Construction on that first building is set to be completed in November.
