An excavator sits at the site of a former Hooters restaurant in north Fayetteville on Wednesday. The building was demolished this week to make room for a new mixed, use development.

Photo: Todd Gill, Fayetteville Flyer

The former Hooters restaurant building in north Fayetteville was demolished this week to make room for a new mixed-use development.

The building had been empty since the restaurant closed in 2013. It sat on a 7.42-acre parcel facing Shiloh Drive just south of the Northwest Arkansas Mall. The site also includes a large undeveloped area to the west.

The property was recently sold to Claude Shiloh, LLC for $2.725 million, according to Washington County property records. St. Louis-based DCM Group are working on the new project.

DCM in October were approved for a rezoning of the property to transition the site from a strictly commercial zone to the city’s Community Services district which allows for a mix of residential and commercial uses.

At the time, Rob Goltermann with DCM said the plan is to build a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development that will bring additional customers and patrons to the neighboring commercial businesses. He said the project will include apartments, a retail center, modern amenities and ample parking.

“We believe our project will provide a needed urban housing option for the neighborhood where residents can work and live along with activating a currently under-utilized infill location,” Goltermann said in a letter to city planners. “Additionally, we believe this is the perfect use based upon how the site is currently being used. What better way than to activate the site with an influx of consumers.”

Goltermann this week told the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal the residential project will be called The Claude, and that Aspen Dental will be the lead tenant of the retail portion of the development.

Former Hooters restaurant building in 2021 / Flyer file photo

Hooters restaurant in 2013 / Flyer file photo