Construction Updates

UPDATE: December 3, 2020

Temporary Markham Road Sidewalk Closure begins December 14

Crews will remove a section of sidewalk from the south side of Markham Road starting on December 14 to replace it with a new section of City of Fayetteville multi-use trail. Assuming no weather delays, the new trail will open in the first week of January. The new trail will be set back from the street, with a wide surface for walking, running, and biking.

July 24, 2020

Dear University Heights Neighbors,
We will begin sitework in August in preparation for construction of several new single family homes in the University Heights neighborhood near the intersection of Cross Avenue and Markham Road. We wanted to let you know what to expect – below are answers to anticipated questions about our work.

What is planned for the site on Markham Road?
Specialized Real Estate Group is designing and building single family homes for sale.  There will also be a few custom homes tucked into the woods on the south side of Markham Road. City of Fayetteville multi-use trail will be installed on the south side of Markham Road in this area. 

What’s the timeline?

We plan to begin work in August and complete infrastructure work including the City of Fayetteville multi-use trail by the end of this year. Construction on new homes is scheduled to begin in early 2021, and homes will be complete by fall 2021.

As work begins, expect to see a substantial amount of brush and trees cleared from the area on the north side of Markham and the area where the City of Fayetteville trail will be installed.  The area to the north of Markham Road is a thicket of invasive plants. Though the street trees along Cross and the sycamores along Markham will be preserved, most of the vegetation in this area will be removed prior to construction. 

The largest tree to be removed is an oak near the center of the area north of Markham.  We consulted with three arborists in hopes of saving this tree, but each of them advised us that the tree is at the end of its lifespan due to disease and it presents a safety hazard. Sadly, even more of the tree’s crown has died since those arborists have assessed it. 

What steps are you taking to minimize the impact of this work?

During construction, we’ll employ best practices including: 

• Silt fencing to keep particulate matter out of runoff
• Natural straw wattles to protect streams 
• Mulching to cover and protect open soil from erosion, reduce velocity of runoff, and allow for natural percolation of stormwater
• No burning. Trees removed from the site will be used to stabilize banks of the White River in partnership with Watershed Conservation Resource Center. Brush will be mulched for use on site or nearby.
• Cedar harvested on site will be used in garden fencing for the new homes.
• Existing street trees along Cross and the sycamore trees along Markham will be preserved.
• University of Arkansas wildlife ecologists are sweeping the site in advance of construction activity to capture box turtles and care for them off-site. Turtles will be returned to the site after construction activity ceases.

Will this project increase stormwater runoff for downhill neighbors?

This addition to the neighborhood is designed to improve stormwater conditions downhill during rainy weather. New low-impact development features will address not only the stormwater runoff from the buildings on site, but also from neighboring property. Our initial sitework will create areas planted with native species to capture, absorb, slow, and filter stormwater.

Who can we contact if we have a problem related to construction?

Our team has planned to minimize offsite impacts as much as possible, but if you experience a problem related to construction, please contact Adam Kirkendall, Senior Project Manager with A-CO Services at (479) 717-7474

How can I find out more about the homes and lots for sale?

Visit our website, universityheightshome.com