The dirt below our feet is riddled with memories from the days before us. Every second that passes is history being made. The city of Fayetteville wouldn’t be the tight-knit and evergrowing community that it is today without the days of its past, and, along College Avenue, a plot of land holds its own eclectic history of its own. With past lives as an apple orchard and a dance hall, the Motel 6 at 2980 N. College Avenue has been a staple of Fayetteville for the last several decades. Now, it’s shifting into the next phase of its evolution.
Dwellist, a real estate development firm based in Los Angeles, California, has acquired the former motel and is in the process of revitalizing the property into The Overland, an upscale, boutique hotel.
The development firm, co-led by Arkansas native Charlie Mackey and business partner Polly Watts, typically handles residential and commercial remodels and renovations across California, but when Mackey came across the development in the town of his alma mater, the partners made an out-of-state exception. With Mackey’s personal connection to the city and his observance of limited independent hotels and short-term rentals becoming more regulated, he and Watts felt this was a unique project they couldn’t pass up.
“Not a lot of people see a Motel 6 and think, ‘We can make an upscale hotel out of this,’” said Mackey. “With this area growing into the new urban corridor, we thought this was such a great opportunity to create something cool outside of the square or Dickson. We’re big believers in localized hospitality re-emerging, and we’re excited to aid in this revival.”
Mackey and Watts were particularly excited about this project due to its location within the city. With Fayetteville’s population and city amenities growing, several new hotels and motels have been erected near the University of Arkansas campus. Meanwhile College Avenue was receiving less hospitality-focused attention. With updated city rezoning laws and street beautification on the horizon, the real estate developers felt that an elevated hotel was exactly what North Fayetteville needed.
“We saw this as an interesting transition into what will be the urban corridor of Fayetteville,” said Mackey. “This zoning change is happening at the same time that we were in discussion with the seller to purchase the property, and we’re very excited to see that the city’s in line with our thought processes of improving College.”
The beautification of College Avenue is not the only goal the Dwellist team has for The Overland. Mackey and Watts also foresee the hotel inspiring local business back to North Fayetteville.
“One of the biggest complaints I heard from local businesses was how expensive rent has gotten near downtown Fayetteville,“ said Mackey. “With tourists having a place to stay on this side of town, we want those businesses to see this as an opportunity to expand in this direction.”
Although Dwellist is tearing down a few walls and adding amenities to the property, the structure of the motel will, for the most part, remain the same as it transitions into The Overland. Mackey and Watts said they appreciated the juxtaposition of the buildings and mid-century modern design potential in the vein of Fayetteville-based architect, E. Fay Jones, against the ruggedness of the Ozarks and wanted to utilize this in their finishes. The hotel will be filled with natural stone and colored in earth tones.
Mackey and Watts had a very clear vision for The Overland. The almost 40,000 square-foot hotel will feature 85 hotel rooms, 14 of which will be large suites equipped with kitchenettes and a six-sleeper capacity, each featuring custom-designed furniture and decor from local artists. The hotel will surround a courtyard furnished with native plants and trees, lawn games, lounge areas and fire pits. Additionally, The Overland will feature a pool, a spa, a fitness center and a newly-constructed lobby. The lobby will contain Oxbow Coffee and Cocktails, a cocktail and snack bar with pool service in the summer months. A merchandise shop sourced with products and goods from local vendors will also be embedded into the lobby. The hotel will be completely pet-friendly.
The hotel will feature several amenities, but exclusivity is not in The Overland’s DNA. Mackey and Watts fully intend for the hotel to be a social hub for Fayetteville locals to enjoy.
In fact, keeping the hotel localized was the mission for The Overland since day one of its conception. The hotel raised most of its equity through local investors and secured its debt through Sterling Bank. For support in the hotel's construction and development, the Dwellist team collaborated with several Northwest Arkansas-based organizations and contractors including Meet West Studio, Reform Contracting, Blue Ribbon Industries, engineer Gavin Smith and architect Will Pendleton.
“We wanted folks that were familiar with Fayetteville and the lifestyle that lives here,” said Watts.
Hotel Equities, which has a regional office in Little Rock, will manage the hotel with a team of locally-based employees.
"Projects like these take a village to complete, and a real passion amongst everyone involved," Mackey said. "We are grateful to each and every trade and vendor who played a part and may not be mentioned here today."
The hotel has been under construction since April 2025, and Mackey and Watts are confident it is on the tail end of the process. The Overland is set to have a “two-phase opening,” with the first phase of the hotel expected to be ready by October for the football season rush. Phase two, which consists of the lobby and bar, is projected to be completed by January 2027 for the official grand opening.
Rather if you’re checking into a room or are a local checking out the lengthy list of lavish amenities, The Overland is sure to be the next hot spot on North College Avenue.
Not a lot of people see a Motel 6 and think, ‘We can make an upscale hotel out of this.’
There’s a story behind the names “The Overland” and “Oxbow.” Mackey and Watts chose these names in respect to a former stagecoach trail that connected Arkansas to California named Butterfield Overland Historic Trail. This trail was also nicknamed “The Oxbow Route.”
“Once the word ‘Overland’ came into the picture with its origins and as a means of travel we realized it fit in more ways than one, with the building also being a roadside motor lodge,” said Mackey.