Category: Business News

From 72% to Fully Leased: Tanglewood Center Reaches 100% Occupancy

Posted on 07/10/26

Tanglewood Center in Little Rock is officially 100% leased!

When Kelley Commercial Partners was selected to manage and lease Tanglewood Center in 2022, the property was 72% occupied. Our team embraced the opportunity to revitalize one of Little Rock’s most recognizable neighborhood centers and create a stronger destination for businesses and the surrounding community.

With a significant investment from ownership, including a new roof, upgraded parking lot lighting, and a complete renovation of the South Building’s second-floor suites, Tanglewood Center has undergone a remarkable transformation.

We are proud to announce that, effective August 1, 2026, Tanglewood Center will be 100% occupied.

Anchored by well-known tenants such as Edwards Food Giant, Starbucks, Anytime Fitness, and Norwood Day Floral, Tanglewood offers far more than traditional retail. The South Building has evolved into a vibrant hub for creatives, entrepreneurs, service providers, and families, with tenants that include art studios, design firms, aesthetic services, and youth-focused educational programs.

After the traditional workday ends, the center remains active with cooking classes at Creative Culinary Kids, art instruction at AR Art Studio, music lessons at Rosen’s Music Store, dance classes at Dancer’s Corner, and activities offered by many other locally owned businesses.

Collectively known as “The Studios at Tanglewood”, these tenants have created a genuine sense of community. Their semiannual open houses bring local families and small businesses together while introducing visitors to the wide variety of services, classes, and experiences available at the center.

“We are grateful to the ownership for giving us the opportunity to bring this longtime Cantrell Road property back to life and create what we believe is one of the best tenant mixes in town,” said Kaley Tucker, KCP Senior Property Manager and Leasing Agent.

Reaching 100% occupancy reflects the commitment of ownership, the dedication of the KCP property management and leasing teams, and the outstanding local and national businesses that have chosen to call Tanglewood Center home.

We look forward to seeing this thriving community destination continue to grow.

Looking for a property management and leasing team that can help your commercial property reach its full potential? Kelley Commercial Partners is ready to help!

St. Joseph Center Farm Store Coming Soon to Breckenridge Village

Posted on 05/20/26

st-joseph-center-of-arkansas Breckenridge Village continues to grow as a neighborhood destination for food, shopping, and community connection. We are excited to share that St. Joseph Center of Arkansas has announced plans to open a new Farm Store at Breckenridge Village later this year.

The new Farm Store will share a building with The Root Cafe, creating a natural fit for a center that is quickly becoming a hub for locally focused food and community gathering. According to St. Joseph Center, the store will feature locally grown produce, value-added products, and Arkansas-made goods similar to what customers loved at its original farm store.

This announcement comes alongside the successful launch of the West Little Rock Farmers Market, which is held at Breckenridge Village on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. St. Joseph Center noted that close to 2,000 people attended the market on April 18, a strong sign of the community’s interest in supporting local farmers, makers, and food producers.

For Breckenridge Village, the addition of the Farm Store is another meaningful step in the center’s continued revitalization. The goal has always been to create more than a shopping center. Breckenridge is becoming a place where people can meet friends for a meal, shop local, enjoy events, and feel connected to the community around them.

We are proud to welcome St. Joseph Center of Arkansas to Breckenridge Village and look forward to seeing the Farm Store become part of the center’s growing local food scene.

Read St. Joseph Center’s full announcement HERE

The Residences at Gracie Mansion Sells to Local Historic Multifamily Owners

Posted on 12/12/25

Haybar Properties has announced the sale of The Residences at Gracie Mansion in downtown Little Rock to Mark Brown and Jill Judy of Downtown Dwellings. Brown and Judy are known for acquiring, restoring, and managing historic multifamily properties throughout the downtown area.

The seller group included Haybar owner Bryan Hosto, architect Tim Heiple, investor Bo Briggs, and Hank Kelley of Kelley Commercial Partners, each holding a quarter interest. The 75-unit property sold through a national auction for $5.7 million, as reported by Arkansas Business.

The partnership originally acquired the property in 2011 when it was in significant disrepair and invested heavily in restoring the 3-acre site, including the historic Absalom Fowler House and the surrounding apartment buildings. Kelley Commercial Partners has served as property manager since the renovation was completed in 2013.

We are pleased that The Residences at Gracie Mansion will remain in the hands of engaged local owners who share a commitment to caring for residents and preserving downtown’s historic fabric.

Read the full article from Arkansas Business here: https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/gracie-mansion-apartments-sold-little-rock/

2026 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate

Posted on 12/12/25

Each year, The Counselors of Real Estate® (CRE®) surveys its global membership to identify the forces most likely to shape real estate over the next 12–18 months. The newly released 2026 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® is out, and it offers a clear, practical framework for thinking about the road ahead.

At a high level, the report reinforces what many of us are seeing on the ground: fundamentals still matter, capital is selective, technology is reshaping everything from underwriting to operations, and people – where they live, work, and move – remain the ultimate demand driver.

The 10 issues highlighted are:

Fiscal & Monetary Policy – Record national debt, a large federal deficit, and uncertain interest rate policy continue to influence investment decisions and pricing.
Portfolio Risk – Risk analysis has expanded well beyond simple occupancy and cash flow; investors and occupiers are now weighing climate, regulatory, insurance, and geopolitical risks across entire portfolios.
The Changing Nature of Real Estate: Back to the Fundamentals – With cap rate compression no longer masking weak performance, returns will increasingly depend on smart underwriting, active asset management, and picking the right building, not just the right sector.
Capital Sources & Flows – Equity is cautious and transaction volume remains muted, even as debt capital is still available. Raising capital requires a clearer, more compelling story around liquidity and long-term viability.
Transformation of Real Estate Through Technology – AI, data centers, and PropTech are changing how properties are selected, financed, operated, and secured. Ownership and control of data inside buildings is becoming a strategic issue.
The Future of Real Estate – We are entering a “golden age” of analytics, where better data and more powerful tools demand more disciplined, modern approaches to decision-making.
Global Chess: The Crisis of Confidence & Uncertainty – Policy shifts, tariffs, and declining transparency are contributing to a persistent “what if” environment that complicates everything from development plans to financing.
Housing Attainability – Housing pressures now affect a wide range of income levels, with higher costs, limited land, zoning constraints, and slow approvals creating friction at every step of the housing pipeline.
Pricing Risk – A “debt overhang” from maturing loans, especially across office and multifamily, is fueling a drawn-out workout cycle, widening bid-ask gaps, and making valuation more complex.
Flow of People – Slowing household formation, migration, and immigration are reshaping demand patterns across markets; traditional “growth stories” are evolving, and location decisions are becoming more nuanced.

For owners, investors, lenders, and occupiers in Arkansas and beyond, these themes show up in very practical ways: which assets to hold or sell, how to think about pricing risk, where to invest in improvements, and how to position properties to attract tenants and talent in a slower-growth, more data-driven environment.

We encourage our clients and partners to read the full report and consider how these issues intersect with their own portfolios and plans.

Read the 2026 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate®

If you’d like to discuss what these trends could mean for your properties or future investments, the team at Kelley Commercial Partners is always available to help you think through next steps.

Milano’s Moves to The Center at Chenal

Posted on 07/10/25

Milano's Italian Grill

We’re pleased to welcome Milano Italian Restaurant to The Center at Chenal, a Kelley Commercial Partners-managed property located at 17200 Chenal Parkway in west Little Rock.

After years in their cozy location off Cantrell Road, Milano’s has found a new home in a larger, more refined space formerly occupied by Kemuri West. The new setting features black tablecloths in the main dining area and white tablecloths in a private alcove that can be closed off for parties, offering a more polished atmosphere while keeping the same welcoming feel that made it a local favorite.

The menu still features the generous portions and Italian comfort food regulars have come to love, including house-made sauces, classic baked pastas, and crowd-pleasing appetizers like fried ravioli and Mozzarella Caprese. The Fra Diavolo brings the heat, and the Veal Marsala remains a staple, now served in an elegant space perfect for date nights or group dinners.

Milano’s relocation is part of the continued momentum at The Center at Chenal, which is quickly becoming a destination for dining, shopping, and entertainment in west Little Rock. We’re proud to have played a role in helping Milano’s take this next step and invite you to stop by and see what’s new.