A major renovation that includes a 2-acre, 140-kilowatt solar array is underway at 3101 Dugan St. in Little Rock, which will become the new home of Ace Glass Construction Corp. in a matter of weeks.
The project near the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport represents a total investment of a little less than $4 million, including the $1.27 million purchase price for the 9.9-acre property, according to company President Courtney Little. Ace bought the property in July.
Little said the entire facility, including machinery, will be solar-powered and offers ample room for growth. Arkansas Business previously reported Little's plan to partner with Entegrity Energy Partners of Little Rock on the solar array part of the project.
The complex is about 100,000 SF, more than triple the size of the company's current location, a 31,589-SF office-warehouse on 1.04 acre at 405 Shall Ave. The Shall Avenue property has already changed hands. HK Value LLC, led by Bryan Hosto and Hank Kelley, acquired it for $1.5 million in August.
Little said Ace Glass is finishing out or updating 50,000-60,000 SF on Dugan Street right now, but there are three other buildings on the property to the east. Those may be used to operate the company's new glass recycling business and to manufacture products.
Little said the lumberyard at the Dugan Street property has been enclosed, and two buildings have been updated and upgraded. The buildings now feature LED lighting and "high-performance utilities." He said the company's new office will open in another four to six weeks, and it will be 200 percent more energy-efficient than a typical office.
The solar array and shop have already opened, though items in storage and other materials are still being moved there, he said.
Little said the company bought a new glass coater and washer and a few fabrication machines. The washer will be operational today and the coater is already up and running.
Little said the company has a machine that can put a Diamon-Fusion coating on glass at commercial buildings. The coating will cause the glass to shed water, much like Rain-X does for windshields, and also reduce maintenance needed to keep it clean and clear.
