Arkansas was nominated as number one for economic, construction, and job growth in the US. Northwest Arkansas has a huge part in that growth, but why are people moving here for construction jobs, and what is happening here?
The top construction job growth in Northwest Arkansas comes from Walmart HQ, new hotels, and new office space. There’s a large housing explosion going on now, and with that, we need new hospitals, schools, and warehousing.
Join me as we discuss why Northwest Arkansas is expanding and why we have the number one distinction for construction job growth in America.
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Top Construction Job Growth In America
A full study recently came out about the new construction in America, including job growth, and Arkansas came out on top. Rather, Northwest Arkansas is at the top of the state. Little Rock is second in construction job growth.
We’re seeing tremendous growth in Northwest Arkansas, so there is obviously a need for people to do the work. But what sectors are growing faster, and where are the construction jobs?
Walmart HQ New Offices
Considering that Bentonville hosts Walmart’s headquarters, they are the biggest employer for construction jobs. They’re actually building a new home office that will span a total of 350 acres. It will have 12 office buildings, amenity buildings, parking decks, and surface lots.
One interesting thing is that the Razorback Greenway, which is 40 miles of an off-road, shared-use trail system in Northwest Arkansas, will cut through the campus, allowing people to bike or hike through Walmart’s home office. They will have their own trails and dirt ramps, as well as community centers and health and wellness centers for Walmart employees.
There will be a childcare facility for Walmart employees, as well as a gym. It will be massive, and if you’re in the area, there’s no way you can miss seeing it. The planned completion date is 2025.
New Hotel Construction
Another major development in Northwest Arkansas that’s creating several construction jobs is that several hotels are being built. Why?
We have several events, games, concerts, and other things happening here almost all the time, and as the area becomes more popular, more people need a place to stay. They also come for the attractions like Crystal Bridges and the Bentonville Film Festival.
Of course, there are Air BnBs, but not everyone likes staying in those facilities. So between Bentonville, Springdale, Rogers, and Fayetteville, there are several hotels being developed right now.
So new construction jobs are moving to the area because of how many people are traveling here and need places to stay.
New Office Spaces Are Needed For New Companies
Office space, and office buildings in general, are in high demand right now in Northwest Arkansas. You might wonder why if there are already enough in the area already. But that’s the thing–NWA doesn’t have enough office space for all of the businesses coming here.
Northwest Arkansas is a highly collaborative area because we live, work, and play in this area. There are plenty of companies that have remote opportunities that are moving here, but they still need a space for the companies that move here and bring their employees with them.
That’s the interesting thing about the construction jobs here. Whether in Rogers, Downtown Bentonville, Springdale, or Fayetteville, there’s a huge demand for office buildings.
Then there are the three main companies in the area, JB Hunt, Tyson, and Walmart HQ, that need more space for expansion. This is great news for those in the construction industry, as there are several current projects and future projects that will keep them in demand for the foreseeable future.
Another thing about the main three businesses is that, at least with Walmart, any company that does business with them must have a presence in Northwest Arkansas.
Whether that’s Coca-Cola or 3M, they must set up space here, which means more office space.
Housing Explosion Brings Several Jobs to the Area
This next point is my specialty, obviously, but the housing explosion is bringing several construction jobs to this area. When people move here for their jobs or because they want to live in a warmer climate, they often want a new house.
But not only do the housing developments call for construction workers, but they also need plumbers, electricians, and roofers.
One interesting thing about this area is that big-name developers are taking notice and are moving here, such as Dr. Horton. They actually bought out a big-name developer in Northwest Arkansas and are now working on large custom development projects.
This shows how much larger developers are taking notice of NWA, which is why construction jobs here are at an all-time high.
New Hospitals, Schools, and Warehousing
The last reason why Northwest Arkansas has so many construction jobs is that, due to how many people are moving here, there’s a need for the infrastructure to go with it.
That means that we need more hospitals and schools to accommodate everyone. For example, Mercy Hospital recently announced a $100 million expansion to build a bigger building to house more patients, oncology teams, and other things like that. The Children’s Hospital is also doing a $300 million expansion, and of course, Washington Regional is expanding.
Warehousing is another thing desperately needed in this area, but if this sounds odd, let me explain.
There’s a major highway that connects Oklahoma to Arkansas, 412, that goes from Tulsa to NWA. Major warehousing needs to be built between the areas on that highway, as, in time, it can be the main hub connecting the two dots between Oklahoma and Arkansas.
So warehousing is very much needed, and it’s being built even now. Warehousing is needed everywhere in this area, but there’s a 1% vacancy rate with warehouses. If you want to build a warehouse, this is the place to do it.
Now schools are obviously needed, as we have a huge influx of people moving to the area, and many of them have kids. But the best thing about here is that they’re building intentional schools–meaning that they’re not just putting them anywhere, but rather, where they’re actually needed. This keeps them from becoming tax burdens later down the road.
Conclusion
There are so many construction opportunities here due to the high growth and expansion. But they don’t just build something without thinking about it. Because of the intentional development, it eases the tax burdens on people.
If you’re in the construction field, or you have plumbing or electrician experience, then you’ll be able to find some great opportunities here. And if you’re coming for a visit, let me know, and I can give you the $10 tour.
