On any given evening, residents of many Arkansas cities might be tempted to head out of town for dinner and entertainment. Being located close to a bigger city such as Little Rock is a benefit of many suburban municipalities. However, what if there was a space in the city that was specifically designed to provide another option?

Parks and community spaces have long been a focus of Arkansas municipalities, but what can be seen now is more intentionality in the selection and design of these community spaces. Municipalities are beginning to shift their focus from simply providing recreation opportunities for residents and looking more toward utilizing these community spaces to strengthen economic development in addition to quality of life. 

Maumelle’s new Millwood Station is a recent example of a community space Crafton Tull has helped to plan and design. This open-space plaza offers stations for food trucks, picnic areas, a pavilion for markets, a stage for live music and serves as a hub for community events.

Millwood station offers connectivity and a space for community gatherings