Thirty years ago, Crossland came to Arkansas with a small team, a lot to prove, and a name many people in the area did not know yet.
There was no long list of local projects to point to. No deep history in Northwest Arkansas. No story to tell.
Just people willing to work hard, figure things out, and earn trust one job at a time.
That is where this story begins.
In 1996, Crossland put down roots in Arkansas. What started at “Ground Zero” grew into something much bigger than a construction office. It became a place where careers were built, families were raised, partnerships were formed, and communities took shape.
The Project That Started It All
Every long story has a first chapter.
For Crossland in Arkansas, one of those early chapters was Daniel E. Ferritor Hall at the University of Arkansas. It was a project that helped get Crossland’s name into the area and gave the team a chance to expand our capabilities.
It also helped establish Crossland’s first Arkansas self-perform crews – a major piece of who we are today.
For some, Ferritor Hall was more than a project. It was the start of a career. Miguel Corvera was hired during that job, and nearly 30 years later, his career has woven into the Arkansas story. That is what makes this milestone mean more than dates and buildings. It is about people who showed up, stayed, grew, and helped build the foundation for everyone who came next.
Those early projects were not glamorous. They were not easy. But they mattered.
Earning Trust One Project at a Time
As the Arkansas team grew, so did the work.
Projects like Bentonville Schools, Tyson Discovery Center, Fayetteville Public Library, Naturals Baseball Stadium, Beaver Water District, the VA Hospital, Walmart AMP, Hunt Tower, Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, Oz Trails, and the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine each became part of the larger story.
Some projects helped support education. Some created places for families to gather. Some improved infrastructure. Some changed the way people experience Northwest Arkansas. Some became landmarks people recognize from all over.
Together, they tell a bigger story.
Crossland did not help shape Northwest Arkansas by showing up for one project. It happened through decades of showing up again and again – for clients, for communities, and for each other.
That trust was built the Crossland way: through hard work, honest conversations, and a willingness to take on challenges that did not come with easy answers.
A Project That Changed How We Build
Pinnacle Hills Promenade was one of those defining moments.
At the time, it was one of the largest projects the Arkansas team had taken on. It pushed everyone. It required coordination across teams, trades, schedules, and infrastructure. When the water and sanitary sewer work was delayed for months because of drawing approvals, the Heavy team and the building crews had to work hand in hand to keep things moving.
That kind of challenge can either divide a team or define it.
For Crossland, it reinforced something that was already part of the culture: we figure it out.
That does not mean every answer is simple. It means the team takes ownership. It means people communicate, adjust, and keep pushing. It means nobody stands around waiting for someone else to solve the problem.
That “can-do” spirit is one of the reasons Crossland grew in Arkansas. It is also one of the reasons so many of the relationships built during those years still matter today.
Building the Skyline and the Community Around It
When people talk about Crossland’s work in Northwest Arkansas, they often talk about the skyline.
And it is easy to see why.
Together, these projects tell the story of a region on the rise. Hunt Tower gave Rogers a new landmark as the tallest building in the city. Walmart AMP became a gathering place for concerts, events, and shared experiences. Naturals Baseball Stadium brought people together around America’s favorite pastime. Fayetteville Public Library marked a sustainability milestone as Arkansas’ first LEED-certified project at the time. Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, along with other parks and trail systems across the region, helped support the outdoor culture that has become central to Northwest Arkansas’ identity. The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine represents the region’s continued growth, innovation, and investment in the future.
These projects matter because they made a true impact. But it goes deeper than that.
They are places where people work, learn, heal, gather, celebrate, and come home to. They are places employees drive by with their kids and say, “I helped build that.” They are places where families make memories without always knowing the story or the people who helped bring them to life.
That is what makes this work personal.
Crossland has never been just a builder of buildings. In Arkansas, Crossland became part of the community. Our people live here. Their kids go to school here, some in facilities we built. Their families attend events here. They drive the same roads, use the same trails, cheer in the same teams, and walk through the same spaces they helped create.
That kind of connection changes the way you build.
The People Behind the Projects
This video features stories from people who lived this history – people who remember the early days, the unknowns, the long hours, the hard jobs, and the pride that came with seeing Crossland grow in Arkansas.
Their stories remind us that progress is never built by one person.
It takes field teams, project managers, superintendents, estimators, safety professionals, engineers, clients, trade partners, and families who support the work behind the scenes. It takes people willing to teach, learn, lead, and step into the next challenge.
It takes good people.
That theme came through again and again in the interviews. The foundation of Crossland’s Arkansas story is not concrete, steel, or glass. It’s people.
People who believed in the company before it was well known here or recognized nationally. People who trusted Crossland with important work. People who took pride in doing things the right way. People who stayed late, solved problems, trained the next generation, and helped turn a small Arkansas team into a lasting part of Northwest Arkansas.
The buildings are easy to see.
The relationships behind them are what made them possible.
Built Here.
Celebrating 30 years in Arkansas is not about saying, “Look what we did.”
It is about saying thank you.
Thank you to the clients who trusted Crossland before our name was familiar in the market. Thank you to the partners who worked alongside us. Thank you to the communities that welcomed us. Thank you to the employees and families who gave so much of themselves to help build this story.
Thirty years later, Arkansas is not just a place Crossland works. It is home.
We are proud of the projects. We are proud of the skyline. We are proud of the growth.
But more than anything, we are proud of the people who made it possible.
This milestone belongs to every person who helped build Crossland’s Arkansas story from the ground up, literally one project, one relationship, and one community at a time.
And after 30 years, the story is still being built.
