wmr

Yeah, we're booming again. Home sales numbers for Benton County continue to lead all counties in the state.

I found this rendering of the Washington Regional expansion.

I think a cultural shift has occurred over the past 20 years or so. Downtown properties are some of the highest-priced in the city, if not overall the highest. Parking is more difficult, but people are willing to endure that to be able to walk to several different businesses, bars, or restaurants in one trip. There will be some headaches caused by some parking being shifted, I agree. I think it is important to understand that business-owners won't deliberately hurt their own project by grossly under-parking it. Any developer needs to know that a business can survive and be successful enough to consistently pay rent. I think the biggest impact will be on under-used properties, like those along the older sections of College Ave, which have languished due to being unable to meet city-mandated parking mins. Another impact will be with properties like the one shown in the story, where shifting business-uses have created situations with hugely over-parked businesses. I think some land-owners will re-evaluate their land-use and we will see new construction and infill. In most cases, it will be in locations where on-street parking is available or nearby. Developers and business-owners are self-incentivized to invest into properties where parking demand can be met by other means, if not on site. I rarely see any cars parked on my residential street. I would be ok with people eventually parking along my street like they do downtown, if it meant we had more businesses that were within walking distance of my house. It will be interesting to see. Ultimately, leaving it up to people with money at stake will prevent any huge problems, IMO.

This is exactly what the proposal allows--developers determine their own preferred level of parking, rather than be forced via city code to provide a minimum number of spaces.

The goal is eventual infill expanding into areas adjacent to downtown, like North College Ave. Downtown already has its own parking regulations, due to proximity to lots of on-street parking and municipal lots. Developers can still build parking to their liking, up to a maximum. The city just won't set standards for minimums. I think its a good thing. We need more "on-street" parking and more infill to revitalize older parts of the city. With current parking regs, a downtown district never would have arisen in the first place. To replicate a little more of that, this is a good step.

Here's an article about Fayetteville considering doing away with parking requirements for commercial development. This could free up some properties for development which otherwise wouldn't ever be redeveloped. Thoughts? http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2015/08/10/fayetteville-considers-eliminating-minimum-parking-standards-for-businesses/

http://www.thecitywire.com/node/38429#.VcWCY_lViko

http://www.dexigner.com/news/28105 The Walton Family Foundation today unveiled a plan that will elevate the quality of architectural and landscape design in Arkansas' Benton and Washington counties. The new initiative, named the Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program, will promote the highest level of design in the development of future public buildings and spaces.Read more: http://www.dexigner.com/news/28105

Would this be some of the George land near Arvest Ballpark?

The prep academy private school is going to happen. There's an article in the DemGaz today about the Walton Family Foundation funding a new private school for JR and SR high students in Bentonville. That's the one the WFF survey was referencing that TRB and I both received calls about. The head of the school is going to be a Princeton "deputy dean". Like with all things the WFF does, this sounds like it will be top-notch.

I could see something more dense and "row housey" working on the side streets off College, maybe in the area between North and Maple. Or even denser commercial, up near the street, with parking behind, because Lord knows there's no room for parking along College Ave in that stretch. Lots of stuff that comes for sale is so overpriced as to make it nearly impossible to get a return.

I agree with you. My fear is that we get people in government who want to rollback every good development regulation we have. The height restriction ordinance is ridiculous, and is catered to serve a few families in the downtown area. The mayor is incredibly frustrating. The social justice warrior mentality of a big part of the council is also frustrating. I really miss Dan Coody. I can't believe we chose against him twice! I know he made mistakes, but he was that middle ground type person, and very intelligent and forward-thinking.

Well in his defense, Haas Hall is better than most private schools. They are the highest ranked school in the state. Its easy to forget they are actually an open-enrollment charter. I got a call from a survey company asking questions about my interest in a proposed tuition-based "prep academy" for the Northwest Arkansas region. This was about a year ago. It was obvious from the questions asked that the survey was being conducted on behalf of the Walton Family Foundation and maybe a few other big philanthropic players in the region. If they wish to put their $$$ behind Haas Hall for now, that's great.

Haas Hall is a charter, not private.

What private school is this? Shiloh? I don't know of many private schools in the region.

The Walton kids were the buyers of the Lane Hotel in downtown Rogers. This could be something great. All of the region's downtowns are looking up. http://www.thecitywire.com/node/38066#.VZnu5vlViko

Yes. The point isn't to downgrade Little Rock or to insult Little Rock. I think about news and weather, for example, Little Rock's news will sometimes cover NWA happenings, just because it has always served as the news center for the entire state. NWA news and weather doesn't go east of Ozark, generally. If there is a news story of national interest, or a hugely damaging weather event somewhere in Central Arkansas, we hear about it in NWA. Otherwise, day to day news, we don't get much perspective on Little Rock. We're more likely to hear about something in eastern Oklahoma. I think Little Rock is a nice city and I keep meaning to make a trip down there to see what's new and visit their downtown area. But it would be a special trip. It isn't on my usual route of places to go. Also, imagine the uproar if a new business wanted to locate in Arkansas, and a law accommodating that business was written to include "must be in a county of 200,000 population, sharing a border with Oklahoma or Missouri".

I don't foresee NWA having the population for light rail to be feasible in my lifetime. It just requires a lot of people willing to ride. For the overwhelming majority of people, it will still be preferable to have a car. Go to Dallas, look at their light rail, and also pay attention to the massive freeways and drive-time gridlock. People still choose to drive, because it it much more convenient than using transit, except for people who live at rail stops and also work at rail stops. I think the cities could focus on higher density development in certain areas to make it possible to not use a car locally. Mass rail transit between the cities is a pipe dream.

Walton linked "Food Hub" buys more property for the Market District: http://www.nwabusinessjournal.com/14240/walton-linked-food-hub-gobbles-up-bentonville-property-for-6m

You interpret a mention of how NWAers "don't actually care about central Arkansas" as "bragging". I didn't intend it as a brag, because honestly, I don't really care much about what happens down there. I visit their forum from time to time, and have had nothing but positive thigns to say. I've visited DFW probably 15 times in the past 7 years. I haven't even driven through Little Rock once in that same time period. There is a negativity towards NWA on the part of some central Arkansans and some power brokers down there. The people who were quoted talking about the possible new riverfront art museum specifically mentioned Crystal Bridges as the impetus for the discussion. And hey, I'm all for Little Rock having a better art museum. It affects me none. But you won't find "responses" like that one by NWA toward Little Rock. NWA is its own place, doing its own thing. The bill in question was written very specifically for Pulaski County. That is undeniable. There is only one other metro in the state where a D&B would consider going. When the bill is written to exclude every other part of the state, including specifics like 300k county population and "navigable river", then surely you can understand why it is interpreted as being a Little Rock specific exclusion. Why not write the bill to include "counties over 200k"? That language would fit the "urban vs rural" dichotomy you claim is the real culprit here. Why didn't they write it that way? I frankly don't care if there's a D&B anywhere near me, because it really isn't a place I'd go. I've been to a D&B once when I lived in Dallas and I don't understand the appeal. Welcome to the forum.

While I don't really care much about Dave & Busters, actions like this one betray a spitefulness and jealousy in the Capitol City towards NWA. It is stupid and unproductive for Arkansas. The irony is that in NWA you won't hear folks compare anything to Little Rock, and the spitefulness doesn't go both ways. We don't really think or care about Little Rock, except when they pass stupid laws like this one.

For the price of the land, even an apartment building like Specialized has been doing recently would make sense on that parcel. It would need to get pretty vertical, though. The views to the south would be worth some rent $$$.

I'd be fine with a smaller project on that site as long as it contributed something to the fabric downtown. Zoning allows 15 stories there, if a developer could justify it. The site is strange. Maybe an Aloft or some other boutique hotel would make sense there. Not sure Fayetteville has the hotel demand anymore with all of the new projects in Benton County. A parking garage would be a must for the site.

So, cheap and easy.

Take a low bid, and the company might be inclined to spread their work out over a longer time, just to ensure their smaller workforce always has work to do. If they sped through it and completed the project as fast as possible, in a small metro like this they'd have to rehire folks when it was time for the next job. Just a guess. In larger markets, road builders are in higher, more consistent demand, so they're incentivized to get their projects completed faster.