cozmosis

David's Burgers is now open & business appears to have been pretty brisk. Sonic has been approved to build a new location across the street from Maumelle Wines & Spirits. They will close the Carnahan Dr. location, which they've evidently been leasing for years. The new site is supposed to have a playground, outdoor dining area and sand volleyball court. I heard a rumor that the location across from Wal-Mart in North Little Rock would be closed, too, when the new location opens -- but I have no confirmation on that. Construction continues on a small strip center on Savannah Drive that will house a new UAMS clinic and a relocated Maumelle Eye Care (Dr. Derek Long). This will be the third site in about a decade for the growing optometry practice. Kimberly Clark and Plastics Ingenuity (both located in the industrial park) are planning expansions to their building, which should result in additional jobs. "The Colony at Maumelle" has been approved. This development will be built at the end of Country Club Parkway, which is the main artery for most of the streets/neighborhoods around the Country Club of Arkansas. Country Club Parkway currently dead ends into a construction site. The new development is supposed to feature approx. 50 lots for town houses and a club house in its first phase and approx. 60 single-family lots in phase 2. Space for a third phase is available for future development. Approx. 9.5 acres of land behind First Security Bank on Maumelle Blvd. was recently rezoned from SUR (Special Use Residential) to COMM (Commercial) by request of the landowner. I have not heard of any planned development for this site. No clue when the "Nashville Rockin Grill" (which is actually in North Little Rock) will open. Last I heard, they were shooting for the 2nd or 3rd week of July. But I also remember back in Fall 2014 when they said they'd be open in January. So, anyone's guess is as good as mine.

I'm well aware of the Waltons' love for charter schools. And there are plenty of charter schools in the country that have received financial help from private organizations. But there is a difference between the two types of schools.

An open-enrollment charter school gets its money from the state. A private school does not. How are those the same things again?

I'm a month late on this... But since the Nike store at the Promenade is not an outlet, I'm guessing no.

It would have been nice for the property to be developed into a retail space of some sort. However, there's been no legitimate interest that I know of to do so since Kroger moved out four years ago. So, it many ways this will beat having a vacant business at what was once the more important intersection in town. Related to the old Kroger building, Arvest has begun construction of a new branch in front of the Wal-Mart Supercenter on the boulevard and will close the branch in Maumelle.

They are re-roofing above Dillard's. It looks like the equipment out front is for that project.

It is a development called "Savannah Corners." My understanding is that it will be a three-bay strip center. I do not know if there are any tenants signed up as of yet. Have you heard anything further on possible remodel/expansion of the Kroger?

I think it would make a great location for Frostop, which has been closed since a fire in their building back in December. I stopped by one day and asked Joe Gharah (the owner of Frostop & Aladdin's Rugs) what the plans were for reopening the restaurant He said they wanted to reopen but were looking for a place with a drive-thru. If you ask me, it can't happen soon enough... but I worry that the more time that passes, the less likely we are to see them re-open at all.

I thought this was going to be a large Neighborhood Market instead of a small Super Center. Perhaps I heard wrong.

A road around the lake and up to 24th Street would put it right through the middle of Camp Aldersgate (which owns the lake and some 120 acres of land). Perhaps the map was showing an extension of Aldersgate Road? Currently, it dead ends with no cul-de-sac about 450 yards from S. Shackleford Road. I'm not sure who owns the property between the two or if there are any future plans for its development.

I notice a sign posted today that there will be a public hearing August 11 to discuss changing the name of "Lile Drive" (where the Baptist Health complex is located in Little Rock) to "Baptist Health Drive." There are several non-Baptist properties along the 1/2 mile street, but I can't imagine many of them protesting. I have no idea who Lile Drive was originally named after. Anyone?

On the topic of Wal-Mart Supercenters, Monticello has one of the first Supercenters built in Arkansas (constructed circa 1989). I believe it was in the neighborhood of 115-120k square feet when constructed and it has been expanded at least once. Even more surprising than a small town in southeast Arkansas would be chosen early in the Supercenter roll-out is that the store is still in operation. The town's first Wal-Mart was open approximately nine years. The Supercenter has been open 22. However, it seems that Wal-Mart has started to renovate more stores as opposed to abandoning old properties and building new ones. (Malvern has two "old" Wal-Marts.)

According to the Arkansas Times: "Beginning July 1, Delta Airlines will fly nonstop from Little Rock National Airport to Minneapolis-St. Paul. A 50-seat regional jet will depart Minneapolis for Little Rock at 1:20 p.m. daily and fly from Little Rock to Minneapolis with a 3:50 departure."

The argument seems to be directed against development in general than the specific type of development proposed. It appears to me that many citizens see trees on a lot and think that means the piece of land is green space. What some folks don't realize is that everything in the city is zoned for something. The piece of land in question, which is located between the NLR city limit & Orleans Drive, has been zoned residential for decades. Half of the property is zoned in such a way to allow multi-family dwellings. So, right now, the owner would be well within his/her rights to start development with houses and apartments. I imagine most citizens opposing the commercial development would be against that, too. This issue is good fodder for the discussion of commercial development in the city and there are a lot of smart voices to be heard. The people I do not understand, however, are those that moved in within the last 5-7 years & seem to oppose all new development. How can you move to a city that is among the fastest growing in the state and (a) not expect others to want to do the same and (b) want the city to stop growing now that you are there?

Is it just me, or is that the last Taco Bell in the world to use the old signage? It looks like a relic of the 1990s.

Is it possible the restrictions in that area (around the capitol) exist so that buildings aren't constructed that directly compete with it or block it entirely on the skyline. I ask only because of Washington, DC's height restrictions that are in place so that no building competes with the various monuments, etc.

-> Maumelle Boulevard at South Odom is the place to be right now... The new Walgreens is open and crews are installing the city's sixth traffic light at that intersection, also. The addition of traffic lights has certainly cut down on the boulevard's original design as a suburban expressway, but there is a definite reduction in serious accidents as a result. -> You can now see the Holiday Inn Express from the road without a problem in the Morgan area of Maumelle. They've had a couple of work stoppages due to water mains & such but word on the street is that they are shooting for a February opening. There is plenty of room in front of the hotel for a restaurant. No idea what type, however. -> The police and fire headquarters buildings are coming right along and are supposed to be ready sometime in October. -> There is a construction dumpster outside of the old Kroger building. Last I heard, Academics Plus Charter school had made an offer on the building. I haven't heard if that offer was accepted and don't know if the dumpster is due to renovations or Kroger cleaning the place up. -> Speaking of schools, the land was cleared for the new Maumelle High School (to replace Oak Grove) seemingly overnight. I believe it's roughly 100 acres that went from forest to nothing in a hurry. It's good to see progress on this project. With more than 15,000 residents... It's time for Maumelle to have a high school. -> The city's oldest school, Pine Forest Elementary, has brought in another portable classroom for this school year. It is my understanding that the school will receive a new addition next year to increase the amount of permanent classroom space.

Academics Plus Charter School voted a couple of weeks back to purchase the old Kroger store at Commerce Drive & Maumelle Boulevard as the site for a new campus. They're on the agenda at this week's Planning Commission meeting to seek a conditional use permit for that purpose. It is my understanding that Kroger will remove the fuel pumps for anyone buying the property. The charter school is reportedly planning to use the large parking lot as a playground. The charter school currently occupies an old strip mall and multiple modular buildings near Edgewood Drive & Lake Point Drive. They started a non-profit foundation to help them eventually construct a permanent home for the school. I am not sure if the purchase & remodel of the Kroger store will be that permanent home or if it will just act as a step in that direction. Personally, I'm glad to see the charter school get a better home than it has now... But you have to be disappointed that one of the most visible commercial lots in town hasn't already been sold to a developer or other potential tenant. I guess that's the sign of the current times.

From that sketch, I would think it's poor design to have a driveway between the intersections of Pine & Cedar onto Markham. Seems that it would add congestion since there are already lights on Markham at Pine & Cedar.

This is some of what the Arkansas Times had to report about Vermillion's closing in their Arkansas Blog...

I believe Target is the second largest employer in Maumelle behind electronic component manufacturer Molex.

I don't think most people are against economic development in downtown NLR. However, the method by which the mayor is "merging" the existing areas for this TIF is suspect at best... And, at worst, illegal.

Trees have been cleared and some machinery is on site at the old location of the I-40 Restaurant in Morgan. This will be the site of a new Holiday Inn Express. The hotel is supposed to sit deep on the lot with a restaurant planned for highway frontage.

Actually, that's not in Maumelle at all. And although the location appears to be in North Little Rock (it will be in with Firehouse Subs, etc.), recent scuttlebutt says that the shopping center is actually in unincorporated Pulaski County.