In the News

The nonprofit Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub has received a $1 million federal grant to complete renovation of its Argenta Innovation Center in downtown North Little Rock, it announced Monday.

The grant comes from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The Hub will use some of the money to finish renovating the center, located at Broadway and Poplar. The final phase of renovations will include development of the Silver Mine entrepreneurial resource center.

The rest of the money will enable the Hub to complete the purchase of the building, which formerly housed a North Little Rock police substation. The Silver Mine will be used as a co-working and acceleration space. The center already houses the Launch Pad maker space; the STEAM Lab, a classroom and laboratory space dedicated to science, technology, engineering and math projects; and The Art Connection, a program for high-school students that develops entrepreneurship through visual arts.

Joining Hub Executive Director Warwick Sabin for the announcement were Gov. Asa Hutchinson, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Matt Erskine, U.S. Rep. French Hill, Delta Regional Authority Co-Chairman Chris Masingill, Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde and North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith...