Advocacy Update:

Gay Oil Building
Johnswood
Murphy-Jeffries Building
Taber Patterson House
Gay Oil Building, 3rd and Broadway
The QQA is thrilled to share that the Gay Oil Building has been purchased by Greg Hatcher. We understand he is working with a team to include a preservation architect to develop plans for adaptive reuse of this significant historic building.
 
This property was slated for demolition to make way for a Bubble King Carwash, which was stopped in thanks to QQA advocacy. Thank you to everyone who supported our efforts to save the building by signing our petition and reaching out to decision-makers. It made a difference.
 
We can't wait to see the plans.
Johnswood
Last summer we learned that Johnswood, the National Register-listed home of John Gould Fletcher (the only Pulitzer Prize-winning poet from Arkansas) was in jeopardy. The property, along with adjacent properties totaling 28 acres, was advertised for redevelopment. In the marketing materials, the collection of parcels was slated to be rezoned for commercial redevelopment, and retention of Johnswood was not included in that plan.
 
The QQA collaborated with our statewide partners at Preserve Arkansas and the property owner association for River Ridge on efforts to save this Max Mayer-designed home.The QQA was invited to meet with the property owners and shared our concerns. They too did not want to see the demolition of Johnswood. The plans to market the 28-acre parcel for rezoning and redevelopment were set aside, and the house was marketed on its own and sold immediately.
 
Johnswood has been purchased by an owner who understands the significance of the property and is planning to make it their primary residence.
QQA Executive Director, Patricia Blick, at Johnswood, 10314 Cantrell Road, August 2021
The 28-acre property was comprised of seven parcels of land, which you can see above.
Murphy-Jeffries Building
2901-2903 Martin Luther King, Jr.
When Belynda Jeffries and Helen Jeffries reached out to the QQA for help to save the Murphy-Jeffries Building, there was little hope to prevent the demolition by the City of Little Rock. The building was deemed unsafe and vacant, the demolition contract had been awarded, and the adjacent property owner wanted its removal to make way for a surface parking lot.
 
The Arkansas Register-listed property was the office of Andrew Jeffries, the first African American Bail Bonds Man in Arkansas. Jeffries also ran his real estate firm in the building and shared office space with renowned civil-rights attorney Christopher Columbus Mercer.
 
The QQA sponsored a petition to garner support to save the significant African American site, gained media exposure for their efforts, and teamed up with the Jeffries to petition the City of Little Rock Board of Directors to remove the property from the demolition list. Our efforts paid off. The Board of Directors reversed their decision to demolish the edifice and it was sold to Stephanie and Myron Jackson who are redeveloping the building.
Taber Patterson House
1624 Louisiana
The Taber Patterson House, a contributing resource of the Governor's Mansion Historic District, will soon be sold to a new owner.
 
The QQA took the bold step earlier this year to put a tarp on the historic home. Why would we do this? The situation was desperate. The roof had failed, the previous owner had passed away without a valid will and had no heirs, and the resolution of the estate was not going to happen until July of 2023 during a tax sale.
 
We engaged Cornerstone Restoration to tarp the house who contributed a portion of the cost, and we put out a plea to our members and supporters to cover the expense of $5,000, of which we raised $3,270. Many thanks to everyone who supported this effort.
 
We also requested assistance from our member and supporter Bryan Hosto of Hosto & Buchan, LLC. He has been working with his team to expedite a sale of the property which should take place at the Pulaski County Courthouse in the next several weeks.
 
We know there is keen interest in this well-sited property which is eligible for federal and state rehabilitation tax credits. We are anxiously awaiting the rehabilitation of the house.