Historic Rehabilitation Project Set for Downtown Little Rock’s Main Street

More positive news on the redevelopment of downtown Little Rock. Moses Tucker announces today the purchase and plans to rehabilitate the former Fulk-Arkansas Democrat Building, located at 615 Main Street in downtown Little Rock. The project will consist of eight (8) loft-style unit apartments with a retail component on the ground floor that will be anchored by Raimondo Winery. The project is anticipated to start in mid May and will cost approximately $2 million. The Fulk-Arkansas Democrat Building is not currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but is one of the more architecturally significant buildings on Main Street. The 2-story, 13,146 square foot building was constructed in 1916 and was designed by well-known architect, Charles Louis Thompson. Charles L. Thompson was one of the more prolific architects in Arkansas, having been involved in designing more than two thousand buildings throughout his career. Some of his best known works in the state of Arkansas include the Washington County courthouse in Fayetteville, Little Rock City Hall, the El Dorado High School, and the Peter Hotze house in Little Rock among others. The Fulk-Arkansas Democrat Building originally housed The Arkansas Democrat newspaper, known today as the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, between 1917 and 1930. This approximately 14,000 SF mixed-use project is situated on the east side of Main Street between 6th & 7th and is expected to be completed by mid 2016 to allow for tenants to open simultaneously. Raimondo Winery will be situated on the ground floor level of the development and will be open 7-days a week, serving only lunch. The winery will feature a wine tasting room and will offer select culinary events . Customers will also have the ability to purchase other products such as her homemade extra olive virgin oils and premium balsamic vinegars. Owner and operator, Margie Raimondo said, “We are excited to bring our quality wines to Central Arkansas, as well as something new and different to the downtown Little Rock market. The urban development of the Main Street corridor and landscape will give our winery a European feel.” Raimondo Winery is a family-owned winery owned and operated by Margie Raimondo of Little Rock. She and her family have been making wines in Italy and California for over 20 years. After more than two decades in a marketing and operations career in Silicon Valley high-tech, she moved from California to the Arkansas Ozarks to start a winery in Mountain Home, AR. Her wines are handcrafted using artisan techniques in small lots from premium California grapes. Margie specializes in Italian and Iberian wines and offers extra virgin olive oils and premium balsamic vinegars as well. Moses Tucker Real Estate is the Project Developer and Cromwell Architect will serve as the project architect. Central Construction Group is serving as its general contractor, and financing will be provided by Arvest Bank. Since it’s founding in 1984, Moses Tucker Real Estate has been the leader in development of commercial properties in Little Rock. Whether seen on the arm of a downtown crane, or perched in the window of a sleek, new office or retail space, the Moses Tucker logo is a fixture in today’s Little Rock landscape. The company’s three-decade history is perhaps best characterized by its pioneering efforts in revitalizing the urban core of downtown Little Rock. Moses Tucker is a dynamic real estate company dedicated to building a great city.