The presence of an excellent schoool system and the continued expansion of the Little Rock Metropolitan Area has caused Bryant to become one of the fastest growing cities in Arkansas. Like other expanding communities in the Sunbelt region, Bryant’s rural land and open space have been developed with ad hoc residential and commercial uses, all occurring without the context of a greater regional plan. As a result, the City lacks neighborhood structure, civic gathering space and a coherent system of parks and open space. When complete, Midtown will be the first mixed-use center in the City of Bryant.

The Midtown master plan was designed during an eight-day charrette, which was well-attended by residents and local officials who enlivened the design process with continuous feedback that ultimately informed each iteration of the master plan. In its final form, the master plan presents a diverse and viable development vision for 190 acres of suburban infilll, as well as a retrofit for the site’s gateway at the intersection of Commonwealth Drive, Arkansas State Highway 5, and North Reynolds Road. Using existing riparian corridors as neighborhood edges, Midtown is comprised of three distinct neighborhoods. The mixture of commercial and residential uses within these neighborhoods will offer the City an alternative to the single-use suburbanized development now prevalent throughout the region. In addition, a public market, public pools, a community hall , and a series of parks will provide the existing community with a civic core and places to gather in close proximity to housing of many sizes and types.

Along with the master plan developed during the design charrette, a Smart Code overlay document was prepared for the City of Bryant. Once adopted, the Smart Code overlay will give the city the ability to grow in connected, mixed-use, compact, and pedestrian oriented neighborhoods.

website: www.midtownbryant.com

project tearsheet: 1211 Kb PDF file