Developers pitch Drake Farms master plan and offer potential elementary site within new mixed-use neighborhood
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Summary
Developers outlined the Drake Farms mixed-use neighborhood on the north side of Fayetteville and offered a potential 4- to 5-acre elementary school site within the plan; the board agreed to participate in a neighborhood design workshop before deciding on any land purchase.
Representatives of the Drake Farms development presented Jan. 23 to the Fayetteville Public Schools board and described a town-center mixed-use neighborhood on the north side of Fayetteville that could include a site reserved for an elementary school.
Developers described the roughly 20-acre build area within a larger property bounded by the interstate to the north, Gregg Avenue to the east and Drake to the south. They said the broader project would include apartment, townhome and single-family residential units; mixed-use commercial space; hospitality and medical components; and a Washington Regional Health campus that will occupy roughly 40 acres adjacent to the site. Developers said first-phase construction is underway on the east side of the site and that the full neighborhood could take 10 to 20 years to complete.
The team said a 4- to 5-acre elementary school footprint could be accommodated within the plan in a location that would serve new residents and relieve enrollment pressure at nearby elementary campuses. The developer presented conceptual site options and said the district would be invited to a design charrette in April to participate in neighborhood planning and to refine a school location and layout. Developers said they would prefer an early commitment if the district wished to reserve land, but acknowledged the board does not intend to make an immediate building decision; district staff said the conversation was preliminary and that land-buy timing would depend on enrollment growth and budget priorities.
Board members asked questions about traffic access, trail connections to nearby neighborhoods, timing and the development's infrastructure expectations. Developers said Drake Street would be rerouted within the neighborhood, that there are pedestrian-access easements and that they would coordinate road and utility work with the city. District staff emphasized they were exploring long-term options and that any formal purchase or dedication would return to the board for consideration.
No board action was taken; the board agreed to participate in the April charrette and to continue discussing the site as a potential long-range elementary placement option.