MORRILTON, AR – TOLM Construction recently purchased the 20,000 plus square foot property located at 210 Moose Street in downtown Morrilton and will renovate the building for the company’s corporate headquarters. The public was invited for a sneak peek of the pre-renovation interior at a “demo day” event on November 15.
Since September, demolition crews have been working to take the interior back to its original bones and will soon begin the rebuilding process. The building will house executive offices, accounting, project management and health, safety and environmental operations. Plans also include a large meeting and event space, a gym for employees, and the addition of rooftop solar panels to increase the energy efficiency of the nearly 90-year-old structure.
TOLM Construction President Brian Rohlman said, “We are very excited to establish this site as our home base for close to 40 of our administrative employees that are based here in Morrilton. We are working with the National Forest Service and the Arkansas Department of Historic Preservation to restore and preserve many of the elements of historical significance in the building and we will also be incorporating new technology to increase the sustainability of the property for years to come.” He added, “We are excited to have this opportunity to invest in our local community and to be a part of Morrilton’s downtown revitalization efforts”.
Rohlman went on to say that the most exciting part about the project is what it means for the future of TOLM Construction. The company, purchased in 2014 from the TOLM family by Mike and Suzan Miller of Hattieville, has grown from around 20 employees to nearly 100 in just four years. The new office will not only serve as an anchor for new growth and development in Morrilton’s historic district, it will also serve that same purpose for TOLM employees. Mr. Miller added that “We are working to create opportunities in Morrilton so that our kids don’t have to move away to find work. That’s what this investment is really all about.”
According to a 1929 article in The Arkansas Unit the plant was touted as the “finest and most beautiful bottling plant in the world” and was designed with a loading dock to be approached from two directions to allow for the expected increase in business. Just as the Coca Cola Company set out to do with the construction of this facility, the Millers and Mr. Rohlman are preparing for TOLM Construction’s rapid growth to continue. The new headquarters are being designed to encourage a collaborative atmosphere and will also have many elements that cater to opportunities for client and community interaction. These features will enhance Tolm’s ability to continue to grow their client-focused, community oriented construction services.
The project is expected to be complete by fall 2019. The total investment will come to approximately $2 million and the project is expected to qualify for the Arkansas Rehabilitation Tax Credit incentive program. TOLM has engaged two area architecture firms on the design-build team that will collaborate on the updated floor plan and interior finishes.
The building housed the Coca Cola Bottling Plant from 1929 until approximately 1967. In 1968 it became the first location for Morrilton’s Walmart Store Number 8 until the mid-70s. Sam Walton was known for rolling out new innovations at the Morrilton location and the Walmart innovation hub in California is now named Store No 8 in reference to what Walton called the small town “experiment”. In 1978 it became home to Morrilton City Hall and the Morrilton Police Department which remained in the space for almost 40 years. In 1984, it was added to the national historic register. The city moved to a new location in 2016 and TOLM Construction purchased the property in 2018.
TOLM Construction is a full-service construction firm headquartered in Morrilton, Arkansas. They provide design-build, construction management, and general contracting services for a diverse range of clients across multiple divisions including commercial, industrial, water/wastewater, and heavy civil construction. For more information contact Morgan Zimmerman at 479-264-4332 or visit www.crowconst.com.