Arkansas Children’s Constructs NCOR Facility

Arkansas Children’s is constructing the $75 million National Center for Opioid Research and Clinical Effectiveness (NCOR) on the site of the Little Rock hospital campus. Designed by ESa (Earl Swensson Associates), the 65,000-sf facility will enable pioneering longitudinal studies on the effects of opioid exposure on family and pediatric health to guide treatment approaches and inform policy decisions. The first floor will feature an inviting lobby leading to 12 private and flexible environments for interviews and assessments, four multipurpose rooms, and a phlebotomy lab connected to a processing lab. A dedicated brain imaging hub will provide a 3T-MRI machine, an MRI simulator room, two EEG testing suites with integrated settings for data analysis, and a collaboration area for researchers and students.  

In addition to shell space for future expansion, the upper two levels will house administrative offices, dry labs, and open workstations for scientists. Two divisible conference rooms, offering 190 and 20 seats respectively, will be accompanied by two 12-person venues and a zone for community outreach and prevention. Prioritizing occupant comfort and wellbeing, the visionary development will foster efficiency, adaptability, and interdisciplinary teamwork. Clark Contractors broke ground in July of 2025 on the project, which represents the first of its kind in the nation. Occupancy is anticipated in 2027.