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The
Arkansas Bar Foundation sold the present Bar Center
last April because it was determined after much study
that it would cost too much to remodel and that the
building contained more space than was needed. The
Foundation obtained a thirty month lease for the portion
of the complex occupied by the Association and the
Foundation currently sublets space to the Association.
The proceeds from the sale of the Bar Center Complex
($950,000) were invested in the Foundation building
account.
We appointed a Joint
Planning Group for the Future Bar Center to study
the possibility of acquiring or constructing a building
located in Little Rock as the future bar center for
the Association
and
the Foundation. The members of the Joint Planning
Group were Frank B. Sewall, Co-Chair, Richard A. Williams,
Co-Chair, Lucinda McDaniel, Donna C. Pettus, Brian
H. Ratcliff, Judge Andree L. Roaf, Charles B. Roscopf,
Stephen M. Sharum, James D. Sprott and Judge John
F. Stroud, Jr. After a thorough study, the committee
unanimously recommended
to the Association Board of Governors and Foundation
Board of Directors that the
Foundation
purchase the Riverview
Building located at 2224 Cottondale Lane in Little
Rock for use by the Foundation and Association as
the new Bar Center. The Riverview Building is a two
story building with 10,800 square feet of usable space
and is located in the Riverdale area minutes west
of the Little Rock central business district with
ample parking. The sales price of the building was
$1,220,050. The transaction was completed on January
31, 2005.
The
accompanying photographs and map show the building
and its beautiful location on the Arkansas River.
The Arkansas Bar Foundation with the assistance
of the Association intends to raise the money to remodel
the interior of the building to make it suitable for
our joint needs. We are currently having the building
reviewed by
an architect and a contractor to determine the cost
involved. Judge
John Stroud and Richard A. Williams have agreed to
co-chair this fund raising drive which will begin
soon.
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