cozmosis
-
Posts
162 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Project Database
User Guide
Store
Events
Posts posted by cozmosis
-
-
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.
-
semantics
An open-enrollment charter school gets its money from the state. A private school does not.
How are those the same things again?
-
I wonder if the Nike outlet would move to the planned Outlet Mall near Bass Pro Shop?
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.
-
It's literally next door to the pier 1. Which wich will be housed in the old quizno's. Any one find out what construction is going on near the mall? And does anyone know what hotel chain is being built on warden road?
They are re-roofing above Dillard's. It looks like the equipment out front is for that project.
-
Does anyone know what is being built in the lot at Carnahan and Club Manor behind Zaxby's? I noticed that they have cleared the lot and have plumbing signs up.
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.
The recently opened Kroger store in Maumelle is in the process of being reset to prepare for a remodel and expansion into a Kroger Marketplace in 2013.
Have you heard anything further on possible remodel/expansion of the Kroger?
-
Considering the old Backyard Burgers near UAMS is about to be a Slim Chickens, this has me wondering what is going on at the old North Little Rock backyard burger on McCain. I pass it each morning on my way to work and right now all of the windows are covered inside with brown paper, and there is also a flat bed trailer and a temporary dumpster outside, causing me to wonder if they are remodeling the inside perhaps? Has anyone heard if Slim Chickens has bought this location as well?! It'd be awesome to have one in NLR!
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'm assuming this will become the rumored "small" Supercenter?
I thought this was going to be a large Neighborhood Market instead of a small Super Center. Perhaps I heard wrong.
-
According to Pizza Hut's map that's in their waiting room there is supposed to be a road that connects from South Shackleford (the light that goes to Wal-Mart) around Cook Lake the up to around W. 24th St.
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?
-
The Shackleford Crossings store isn't really a mini supercenter. It is smaller than the NLR or Cantrell stores, which are towards the higher end for supercenter size, but it is not significantly smaller than many other supercenters around the state or country. A better look at a small supercenter layout would be like the newer stores built in towns like Mountain View, Lonoke, or Flippin- all of which tend to be around or under 100,000 sq. ft.
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."
-
Some developers are trying to get land along Maumelle Boulevard in front of the Country Club rezoned for commercial so they can build more "upscale" strip malls in Maumelle proper. This isn't going over very well with neighbors who have already started filing out petitions against it.
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?
-
Covington Towers is a former concrete plant turned into living spaces.
I've driven by there several times and always wondered what that building was. Is it occupied now? I ask only because it still appears to be surrounded by a barbed-wire fence. Of course, I can't help but thinking those ramps would be fun when it snows. :-)
-
As much as I hate that store, it does seem to do a decent volume and Taco Bell is practically in its parking lot.
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.
-
I was wondering that myself. I understand having limits in that area (and limits there should be used to help encourage any larger buildings being located more in the heart of downtown), but 5 stories (3 without a variance) is very, very low. I would think nothing under 10 in that area should be a real issue.
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.
-
They are contradictory. Here is the link for the USA Drug sketches.
http://www.littlerock.org/CityDepartments/...-C%20Sketch.pdf
However, it says that they've requested a deferral until the July meeting, so maybe they didn't have possession of the land and knew that Walgreen's was coming back. Don't know, but if anyone can enlighten.
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...
Tax problems may have hurried the closure. The state Finance and Administration Department website indicates the restaurant was served a closure notice Feb. 11 for sales and use tax arrearages. But the owners apparently have been making an effort to square accounts. The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau reports that the restaurant had fallen behind on the city hamburger tax, but brought accounts current in mid-March. County Treasurer Debra Buckner also said the restaurant had some $1,700 in unpaid 2008 property taxes. -
Yeah, I saw that. Ouch! I know some people in management there....500 jobs is not inconsequential.
I believe Target is the second largest employer in Maumelle behind electronic component manufacturer Molex.
-
Simply amazing how people around here are so opposed to economic development. I saw the same type of things in Fort Smith, where the city fought bringing in both an IBM and a Toyota plant for some reason (I think it was increased growth and traffic).
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.
-
So, as I surfed around the 'Net this morning, I came across an employment listing for Hibbett Sports, coming soon to Maumelle. It didn't say where in the city, though...
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.
Maumelle
in Little Rock Metropolitan Area
Posted