A developer plans to transform the Ice House building in downtown Bentonville into a multi-story, mixed-use development with a rooftop garden.

Michael Pedler, with Hart & Ashley Group, purchased the building at 406 S.E. 5th Street for $7.5 million late last year.

Early plans call for roughly 20,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground level. Above that will be high-end condominiums, which would be sold rather than rented.

The plans are still in their early stages, and redevelopment is not expected to begin until 2028.

The project will require “significant infrastructure and foundation work,” but Pedler said he hopes to “preserve what we can and honor the spirit and history of the building.”

The building dates back to the 1900s and originally operated as a cold storage facility for residents and businesses in Bentonville, according to real estate listings and news reports over the years. 

A bar and restaurant concept named The Ice House of Bentonville opened in the building in 2006, but was only open for a few years before closing due to failure to pay state sales taxes, according to the NWA Business Journal.

Prior to the most recent sale, the property last changed hands in 2013, selling for $650,000 to a group of partners who renovated the building with an eye toward creating upscale office space.

The building currently houses Visit Bentonville and the Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, although both organizations plan to move to the Massey Building in the coming months. Champagne concept Muselet opened in the building in the fall.