Planning Commission approves Upper Crest Event Center conditional use permit at 320 West Seventh

The Little Rock Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit May 8 to allow the Upper Crest Event Center to operate at 320 West Seventh Street, with the commission removing a reference in the staff report to access to an adjacent private parking garage and approving the application subject to the staff conditions noted in the agenda report.

The decision matters because the property sits in downtown Little Rock and the event center — described by staff as a one‑story building of about 14,925 square feet, with the applicant occupying roughly 10,000 square feet — will host paid events, live entertainment and a private lounge. Neighbors and an adjacent garage owner raised concerns about late hours, parking overflow, trash pickup and liability.

Monty, a city planning staff member who read the agenda, told commissioners the applicant sought a conditional use permit for an event center that would host corporate, social, cultural and live‑entertainment events. Staff’s report recommended approval subject to the comments and conditions in paragraphs e and f of the…