Heifer International HQ sold to Little Rock health education group

Little Rock, Arkansas — A private health care company based in Little Rock bought Heifer International’s Little Rock headquarters where Lyon College plans to open Arkansas’ first dental and veterinary schools.

Depending on the accreditation process, the Lyon College Institute of Health Sciences’ dental and veterinary schools will occupy the bottom two floors of the facility and could open as early as 2024-25.

Heifer International will purchase a long-term lease for the top two floors from Little Rock-based OneHealth Education Group, which has signed a binding agreement to purchase the 94,000-square-foot headquarters.

On Thursday, the announcement was made at the headquarters, which sits on 28 acres in the East Village area of Little Rock. The purchase terms were not disclosed. The paperwork was signed on May 16.

OneHealth provides back-office structure, real estate, technology, and educational support for health care entities.

According to OneHealth Founding Partner Merritt Dake, funding would come through philanthropic donations and financing options.

Financing is “still in development right now,” Dr. Melissa Taverner, Lyon College president said.

According to Taverner, class sizes will be determined largely by national accrediting agencies. The college would work with those agencies to determine the optimum number of students that can be trained effectively, she said.