By Dana Poindexter, assistant to the Mayor
Bryant Mayor Jill Dabbs announced during February’s city council meeting that an architect firm was selected to help with the design and implementation of the city’s two new fire stations and parks improvements that are planned over the next few years.
The city placed a Request for Qualification for these projects in January, and interviewed the top five firms. Through that process, the architect firm Black Corley Owens + Hughes was selected.
BCO+H was founded in 1979 by Larry Black and has steadily grown, while maintaining roots in Saline County. They have over 280 years of combined experience in the field of architecture. They first appeared on the Arkansas Business list of Top 20 Architecture Firms in 1986 and remained there consecutively for the past 29 years. They have several projects in the works for Saline County including McCarty Nissan, Everett Infiniti, along with the Benton Fire and Police Station on Highway 5.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to work in our community,” said Ken King, lead architect on the project. “Most of our employees live here in Saline County as well as our consultants. Both Larry Black and Sydney Hall are products of the Bryant School District. Brian Black grew up in Benton and Michael Hughes’ children currently attend the Benton Schools. Both Joe Grant and David Yarbrough have children that attend the Bryant schools and are active in sports and the community.”
“The City of Bryant will benefit from the both the professionals and experience that Black Corley Owens + Hughes is bringing to the table for these extensive projects” stated Mayor Jill Dabbs. “Their strong ties to the community make these projects just as personal to them as they are to us.”
The replacement of two fire stations and several parks improvements were approved by the citizens through last year’s bond refinance and are in the preliminary planning stages. For more information, contact the mayor’s office at 501-943-0302.
