CNU kicks of its 2026 Legacy Projects
CNU kicks off its 2026 Legacy Projects this coming week in Northwest Arkansas (NWA). They start with a charrette at Elm Springs, a small town to the west of Springdale, one of the region’s primary cities. The New Urbanist team led by TSW Design, with support from ZVA and DPZ, will work with the City of Elm Springs, the United Methodist Church, and a business, KMS ESTS CDC LLC, to advance a shared vision for downtown revitalization.
“The project will develop a conceptual downtown plan that strengthens Elm Springs’ small-town character and sense of established community while adding context-appropriate amenities and local services in a walkable, connected, and vibrant environment,” according to the Legacy Project proposal. The team will gather March 2-4.
CNU will sponsor three Legacy Projects this year, which leverage CNU’s planning and design expertise to make a long-term impact on the host region of the annual Congress, which will be CNU 34 in NWA, May 12-16.
CNU and its partners, including national and regional practitioners, work with local communities to address urban design and planning issues. The annual program began in 2015. The projects enable communities with limited resources to benefit from top-level urban planning expertise.
Later in March, CNU teams will go to the La Plaza District in Rogers, Arkansas, and Cave Springs, Arkansas.
The La Plaza District Legacy Project will take place March 16-18. Local community partners include Vasquez Results, LLC and the City of Rogers with additional support from Hight Jackson Associates and ISG. The national design team is Arup with support from DPZ.
The commercial district is located on the 8th Street corridor south of Walnut Street. It presents a transformational opportunity: the chance to reimagine a declining suburban commercial area into a walkable, transit-connected, mixed-use multicultural district. Anchored by the vitality of immigrant- and Latino-owned businesses, the District is situated at a key intersection along the highway 71B corridor. “This Legacy Project is a civic call to action—an effort to catalyze a new coalition of landowners, designers, developers, financiers, and institutional partners,” according to the project proposal.
The project in Cave Springs, a small town, will focus on the Main Street corridor and an Illinois River Sanctuary revitalization on March 17-19. Cave Springs is under significant regional growth pressure. The Main Street corridor, anchored by Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP)’s two properties, presents an opportunity to revitalize downtown, expand housing options, and create better public access to open space.
The community partners are led by Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP) with support from the City of Cave Springs, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, local residents, NWA Regional Planning Commission, local developers, and business owners. The national design team is Michael Watkins Architect with support from DPZ.
