ULI Northwest Arkansas and Ross Barney Architects are proud to announce Railyard Park in Rogers, Arkansas, has been recognized with a Special Mention in the 2025 ULI Americas Awards for Excellence, one of the real estate industry’s most prestigious honors.

Railyard Park has become a vibrant community hub and regional destination, featuring a plaza, flexible event spaces, a performance pavilion, splash pad, playground, bike trail, and more. The park reflects the city’s vision to create a space that is inviting and serves both residents and visitors of downtown Rogers.

Designed by Ross Barney Architects, the park is a testament to the power of design in shaping inclusive, high-impact public spaces.

“With the City of Rogers, Arkansas, we crafted a visionary space that seamlessly blends innovative forms with groundbreaking materials and versatile uses. This dynamic Railyard Park environment captures the vibrant spirit of Rogers, transforming it into a bold expression of design excellence and local character,” said Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, HASLA, Founder and Design Principal, Ross Barney Architects.

The project was celebrated not only for its design but for its role in revitalizing downtown Rogers and advancing broader community goals.

“Railyard Park represents what’s possible when public investment, thoughtful design, and community vision come together,” said Wes Craiglow, Executive Director of ULI Northwest Arkansas. “This recognition by ULI Americas is a proud moment for Rogers and for our entire region.”

The ULI Americas Awards for Excellence recognize exemplary development projects across the Americas region. Railyard Park’s recognition continues to promote Northwest Arkansas as a region leading innovative urban development and community-driven design.

For more information about Railyard Park and the ULI Americas Awards for Excellence, click here.

About ULI
The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to shape the future of the built environment for the transformative impact in communities worldwide. ULI is the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world. ULI is its members—delivering the mission, shaping the future of the industry, and creating thriving communities around the globe. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 45,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.

About Ross Barney Architects
Ross Barney Architects is a Chicago architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture studio. The practice has developed a reputation for creating innovative, environmentally responsible, user focused architecture and civic space that stands the test of time. This work has often centered on overlooked and forgotten buildings and places that form the backdrop to urban life: train stations, power plants, government offices, schools, parks, and fast-food restaurants. The studio’s portfolio is distinguished by an ability to design projects with complex histories, tight budgets, and bureaucracy. Challenges and constraints are recast as opportunities; elevating the mundane into memorable and inspiring architecture.