Category Archives: Architecture

A Capital Christmas: Capital Hotel Tree Lighting Tonight

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The Capital Hotel is wrapped up in the Christmas spirit. The 2012 edition of A Capital Christmas actually kicked off yesterday with Ballet Arkansas’ Nutcracker Tea. But at the Capital this evening, the hotel lobby’s famous Christmas tree will be lit in a Christmas celebration.

Tonight’s festivities kick off at 5pm. In addition to the tree lighting, Chef Tandra’s gingerbread village will be unveiled. The front windows of the hotel have been wrapped for over a week as the village has been built in an enclosed section of the lobby.

Throughout December there will be many other events at the Capital Hotel. This Saturday (December 8) Ashley’s will host a Teddy Bear Tea. Pre-paid reservations are required for this event which is sure to sell out. Contact 501.370.7015 or lingold@capitalhotel.com.

Saturday the 8th, Sunday the 9th and Sunday the 16th, there will be Gingerbread House Workshops for children 5 and up. A special Adults only workshop will take place on Saturday the 15th. For pre-paid reservations, contact 501.370.7015 or lingold@capitalhotel.com.

There will be other events and special activities throughout the season.  For more updates, visit the Capital Hotel website.

Give Thanks for Tax Credits – Preservation Conversations

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The Quapaw Quarter Association’s monthly Preservation Conversation continues tonight.

This month attendees will hear from property owners who have successfully used Arkansas and Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits.  Tom Marr, Rehabilitation Tax Credit Coordinator with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, will also provide information on the program and answer questions.

The program takes place this evening at Curran Hall, 615 East Capitol Avenue. From 5 to 5:30 a reception will take place. The program will run from 5:30 to 6:30.

The Quapaw Quarter Association’s mission is to promote the preservation of Little Rock’s architectural heritage through advocacy, marketing and education. Incorporated in 1968, the QQA grew out of an effort to identify and protect significant historic structures in Little Rock during the urban renewal projects of the early 1960s. Throughout its existence, the QQA has been a driving force behind historic preservation in Greater Little Rock.

ARmusica in Recital

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On Friday, November 16, a recital will take place to help raise funds for the restoration of the St. Joseph Center of Arkansas.

Violinist, Drew Irvin and pianist, Julie Cheek will perform music of Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann.  They will be joined by violist, Ryan Mooney and cellist, David Gerstein.

The recital will take place at 7pm at Trinity United Methodist Church in Little Rock.

The St. Joseph Center of Arkansas was originally built as an orphanage by the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock.  Designed by Charles Thompson, the building opened in 1910.  It served as an orphanage until 1978 (except for a brief stint as officers’ family housing during World War I).  It later served as a daycare and kindergarten until 1997.   In 2010, the Diocese signed a 50 year lease with the St. Joseph’s Center of Arkansas.

In 1976, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Built for $80,000 it is a 56,000-square-foot brick and stone building that includes eighty rooms, an attic, and a basement. It features a chapel, classrooms, a kitchen and dining room, a bakery, and a laundry. The roof was laid with red tile and crowned with a dome.

Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale this weekend

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Hundreds of sculptures and thousands of visitors will again populate the River Market Pavilions when 2012 Sculpture at the River Market returns for the sixth year on October 19 – 21.

The sculptures will be on display in the River Market Pavilions and in the adjacent area of Riverfront Park. The works featured will include all types of media, style, subject matter, and size.

Admission to Sculpture at the River Market is free. Sculpture at the River Market Market will run from 9AM to 5PM on Saturday, October 19 and from 10AM to 4PM on Sunday, October 21.

On Saturday, Sculpture at the River Market will take place in conjunction with the Farmers’ Market.

At 2pm today, there will be a dedication of a new piece of public art.  A one of kind 15 foot sculpture constructed of stainless steel, glass and bronze was the winner of the 2011 Sculpture at the River Market people’s choice award. “The Center” by artist Chapel received the most votes.

This evening there will be a preview party where patrons will get the first chance to see the artwork, visit with the sculptors, and purchase sculptures. Tickets for the preview party are $100.

The sale and show is sponsored by the City of Little Rock and the National Sculptors’ Guild. Proceeds from the sale of artwork will fund upgrades in Riverfront Park and the River Market.

Among the artists are Arkansans Terry and Maritza Cornejo Bean, Shelley Buonaiuto, Bryan Massey Sr., Ed Pennebaker, Ryan T. Schmidt, John Sewell, Margaret Warren and Michael Warrick.

Other artists include Lori Acott, Kevin Box, Kathleen Caricof, Dee Clements, Ron Chapel, Tim Cherry, Merrilee Cleveland, Frederic Crist, Darrell Davis, Jane DeDecker, Clay Enoch, Cassandra Fink, Jim Goshorn, Denny Haskew, Mark Hopkins, Ryan Mays, Bruce Niemi, Nic Noblique, Reza Pishgahi, Don Rambadt, Merle Randolph, Kevin Robb, Karla Runquist, Emelene Russell, Wayne Salge, Sandy Scott, Adam Schultz, Kim Shaklee, James Paulsen Solway, Sam Spiczka, Pati Stajcar, Arabella Tattershall, Kevin Trobaugh and C. T. Whitehouse

Art of Architecture series returns tonight with Professor Mark Boyer

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Mark Boyer will present a lecture titled “New Ground, Notable Projects” on Oct. 16 in Little Rock, as part of the Architecture and Design Network’s 2012-2013 Art of Architecture lecture seriesThe “Art of Architecture” series kicks of 2012-2013 with Professor Mark Boyer discussing “New Ground, Notable Projects.”  It will take place tonight, October 16, at the Arkansas Arts Center. The lecture will begin at 6 p.m. in the center’s Lecture Hall, following a 5:30 p.m. reception.

Boyer is head of the department of landscape architecture in the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He also currently serves as second vice president of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, the national organization of landscape architecture educators. He earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Kentucky and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. He is the first landscape architect to participate in the Art of Architecture lecture series program, now in its ninth season.

Boyer will present an overview of several exciting and timely departmental programs and the creative contributions of both students and faculty members to those programs. For example, he’ll discuss a memorial for fallen police officers in West Memphis; the Campus RainWorks Challenge, a design competition run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and a project and research involving the Rohwer War Relocation Center in southeast Arkansas. In addition, he’ll describe green roof research, research of Roosevelt Era communities and a potential Haiti project.

The 2012-13 Art of Architecture lecture series is sponsored by the Architecture and Design Network, with support from the Central Arkansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Arkansas Arts Center and the Fay Jones School of Architecture.

Preservation Conversations Tonight

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The Quapaw Quarter Association’s monthly Preservation Conversation continues tonight.

This month Riley May of Riley May Restoration, creator of the new floorcloth in Curran Hall, will talk about floorcloths.  The floorcloth was installed at Curran Hall in September.

The program takes place this evening at Curran Hall, 615 East Capitol Avenue. From 5 to 5:30 a reception will take place. The program will run from 5:30 to 6:30.

The Quapaw Quarter Association’s mission is to promote the preservation of Little Rock’s architectural heritage through advocacy, marketing and education. Incorporated in 1968, the QQA grew out of an effort to identify and protect significant historic structures in Little Rock during the urban renewal projects of the early 1960s. Throughout its existence, the QQA has been a driving force behind historic preservation in Greater Little Rock.

QQA Annual Meeting and Awards

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QQA logo 2 colorThe Quapaw Quarter Association will hold its annual meeting tonight and present the Greater Little Rock Preservation Awards.

At 5pm, a reception will begin with the program starting at 5:30pm.  The program will take place at The Joint in the Argenta district.

The featured speaker will be Kim Trent of Knox Heritage in Knoxville TN.  She brings a diverse background to her current role, including experience in journalism, community organizing, community development banking, public relations and non-profit management. She has worked in preservation professionally and as a community volunteer and advocate at the local, state and national level for more than 16 years and is a proponent of preservation-based community and economic development.

Following the annual meeting, which is open to the public, there will be a members only reception at 7pm.  Memberships to the Quapaw Quarter Association will be available for purchase.

Rhea Roberts is the executive director of the Quapaw Quarter Association.

The Quapaw Quarter Association’s mission is to promote the preservation of Little Rock’s architectural heritage through advocacy, marketing and education. The QQA promotes the preservation and enhancement of the historic buildings and neighborhoods of Little Rock.  It is a Local Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.