Boyle Building Reborn as Bob Brooks Justice Building With Completion of $35M Renovation

The renovated Boyle Building, now known as the Bob R. Brooks Jr. Justice Building, in downtown Little Rock (Photo provided by Moses Tucker Partners)

The $35 million renovation of the former Boyle Building in downtown Little Rock has been completed, marking the beginning of a new era for the historic skyscraper.

The announcement Wednesday by project developer Moses Tucker Partners came with a new name for the building: the Bob R. Brooks Jr. Justice Building. Brooks, a former chief deputy attorney general in Arkansas, died unexpectedly in 2024 at age 61.

The state attorney general’s office will soon become the main tenant of the building at Capitol Avenue and Main Street under a deal crafted by Attorney General Tim Griffin. Griffin’s office, which employs about 150 people, is relocating from the 18-story Tower Building a few blocks away.

The attorney general’s office will lease its space for a minimum of five years to allow Moses Tucker Partners to deploy historic tax credits. After five years, the state will have the option to acquire the property for between $35 million to $39 million.

Moses Tucker Partners purchased the 90,997-SF building for $5.3 million in August 2023 and undertook the redevelopment with the backing of real estate investment firm Equity Partnership Holdings LLC of Denver, Colorado. Moses Tucker Partners will manage the property.

Though the company announced that renovations are complete, a look inside the first floor Wednesday revealed at least some work is ongoing. A restaurant concept is planned for the first floor of the building, part of a vision for a thriving thoroughfare linking the downtown business district to the State Capitol.

Stakeholders also hope the project brings renewed investment and development interest along the Main Street corridor.

“This restoration goes beyond bricks and mortar; it’s a strategic investment in the cultural and economic vitality of downtown Little Rock,” Chris Moses, principal, president and CEO of Moses Tucker Partners, said in a news release.

Built in 1909 as the State Bank Building, the building was Arkansas’ tallest structure at the time. It was designed by architect George R. Mann, whose portfolio includes the Arkansas State Capitol.

The building, which is considered a symbol of early 20th century progress and architectural ambition, has been vacant for about 25 years. It was previously owned by the Chi Hotel Group LLC of Little Rock, which purchased the building in 2014 for $4.6 million. The company, led by Jacob and Jasen Chi, wanted to turn the property into an Aloft hotel, then pivoted to a plan to redevelop the building as apartments. But the project was abandoned.

Moses Tucker Partners said restoring the building required significant structural upgrades, modernization of all major systems, and “meticulous preservation” of original architectural details. It called the result a “seamless fusion of historic character and contemporary functionality.”

“Reviving a 115-year-old structure comes with complex challenges, but we believe historic buildings are irreplaceable assets to our city’s identity,” Moses said. “The building’s transformation symbolizes what’s possible when thoughtful development, public-private partnership, and civic pride align. We’re proud to lead downtown into its next era.”

The Bob Brooks Justice Building was incorrectly called the Bob Brooks Justice Center in a previous headline for this story.