The historic Boyle Building stood vacant for more than 20 years on the prominent corner of Capitol Avenue and Main Street in downtown Little Rock — easy to pass by without giving much thought.
No more. The stately structure has been returned to its former glory thanks to a $35 million redevelopment that transformed it into the Bob R. Brooks Jr. Justice Building, a redo that earned the project a CoStar Impact Award as judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
The building now serves as the headquarters for the state's attorney general, Tim Griffin, and offers something missing from the neighborhood, a destination dining spot called Restaurant Fleur. The result is a location that can now attract people day and night, bringing new energy to the area.
About the project: The 12-story structure, constructed in 1909 as the State Bank Building, was once the tallest in Arkansas and an example of early skyscraper design with its white terra-cotta ornamentation and Gothic Revival cornice. Its new incarnation takes its name from Bob R. Brooks Jr., the state's chief deputy attorney general, who died in 2024.
What the judges said: "A great project for Downtown Little Rock, for this asset that has been vacant for decades. It should bring vibrancy back to the Main St/Capitol Ave corridor," said Jason Parker, brokerage director at Cushman & Wakefield | Sage Partners.
"The commitment of Tim Griffin as our attorney general to stay in the heart of downtown Little Rock and bring the Boyle Building back to a functioning newly restored property brings hope to the central business district that other state offices and constitutional officers will come back to the central business district. The downtown area of Little Rock presents the best lease and ownership opportunities in our market with ample space options," said Henry Kelley Jr., CEO, partner and executive broker at Kelley Commercial Partners.
They made it happen: George Friedmann, partner and vice president of development; and Chris Monroe, principal and vice president of corporate services at Moses Tucker Partners, served as developers for the project.