Above you at 425 West Capitol Avenue rises a 40-story skyscraper, the tallest building in Arkansas. At 547 feet (167 m) it is the tallest building in Arkansas. This tower was born of a conversation between two rising executives — John Flake, a Little Rock real estate developer, and Jerry Maulden, then president of Arkansas Power & Light (now Entergy).
Construction began in 1984 on the $72 million project, and in 1986 the building was completed and dubbed The Capitol Tower. Upon opening it took the height record from its neighbor, the Regions Center (formerly the First National Bank Building), by 92 feet (28 m). The namesake tenant today, Simmons Bank, is headquartered here, with presence in markets across Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee.
Kelley Commercial Partners, the development firm, handles management and leasing, while the Doyle Rogers Company serves as special asset manager. In April 2014 the building was renamed Simmons Tower. Picture John Flake and Jerry Maulden's conversation growing into this $72 million tower, renamed Simmons Tower in 2014 and still topping the Little Rock skyline it reshaped back in 1986.