nandle

Material costs, particularly steel and concrete, have soared in the last year impacting this bid. In addition increased fuel costs have a impact on the bottom line as it impacts various elements of a construction project. This was compounded by the fact that the LEED certified Green design requires more technical and complex methods. These are the items that will be cut first according to what i read. Unfortunately unless someone steps in, via a private or corporate ( Stephens to the rescue?) donation this will certainly have to be scaled down. Skirby what other project were you referring to being on hold?

Wild Oats will be in the out parcel, along the south side of the development, which just under construction now. I drove up today and it looks like they are preparing to pour the slab. Jim Strode personally told me that they kept changing their designs and finally just submitted final plans within the last month or so. He also said all but one space is leased.

You all found my secret stash, damn! I check that website daily and actually came to post that Williams Sonoma submitted plans today. All the stores mentioned' above have submitted plumbing plans for Midtown specifically, so there is no question these tenants are tenants....corporations don't complete construction documents until leases are signed. Wild Oats is definite- I know a design firm working on it, although they wouldn't confirm exact location. However the manager admitted it when I asked her, well told her I knew about it, and as I posted here before, they want to bring it up to national standards. I know someone here debated that issue but if you have ever been to other locations, everything from the graphics to the merchandise mix is not up to the level of the other stores. It might have the square footage, but that doesn't mean much in regards to how the place functions. I worked for Whole Foods for a number of years, and it is a world of difference between that and Wild Oats in WLR. Most new store layout and designs are more like a traditional grocery stores and less like health food stores. Check out this link and see what I mean. http://www.wildoats.com/u/find/

I have been told, by somone in the know, that Wild Oats is actually moving to a new location inside the Midtowne Project. They want to bring the Little Rock store up to its national standards, and their demographics showed them a majority of their customers were from the zip codes around Midtowne. While this is good news for some, it does seem to indicate that Whole Foods has decided to concentrate on their urban store developments, and saturate those markets instead of coming into smaller markets where the competition is already entrenched.

Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma are actually going into the Midtowne Little Rock development across from Park Plaza. From the website of the realty company that is functioning as the main leasing company on the project: MidTowne Designed in a true urban setting, this lifestyle center in Little Rock, Arkansas will be one of the most important influences to the City

Thanks for the welcome- i suppose time i stepped out of the shadows.....I have traveled throughout AR- although my only experience in NWA is in that funky town of Eureak Springs. I think most of the bad rap Arkansas gets is from the perceptions of the state portrayed by the media over time. Most people associate Arkansas with hillbillies, Walmart, and of course President Clinton. Little Rock, for the most part , has been associated with the Central High Crisis...but as the population demographiocs change not just here but nationwide , more peole are exposed to other aspects of our state., and most noticebly our cities. Clearly we are a "tale of 2 cities" at this point in time, Little Rock and NWA ( i know more of a mini-opolis), the rest of the state is perceived as rural, backward, or just a place to fish, hunt or grow cotton. I read a book a few years ago on the ecological history of North America, a great read, but the author made only one mention of this region and it it basically only refered to the "unremarkable" Ouachita and Ozark Mountains. This always sticks in my mind- afterall we are the natual state,,,and those regions are unique- not only for their natural hiostory, but for the cultutral history. In the urban arena there is work to be done - but this state, and specifically Little Rock, has come a long way. My wife and I vowed we could never live here when we were first married, but after having children and looking at the reality of our every day existence decided this was exactly where we wanted them raised, but honestly i dont think i could say that about any other place in Arkansas- at this point in time- to meet my personal needs. But then again what i have alluded to is the change that is taking place, not just within the place itself but within the perception of the place. This in essence is the maturity in the "state of mind" , if you will. Arkansas cannot continue to be 49th on the list of per capita income, and 2nd in teenage pregnancies, and the 5th best place to relocate a business ( im taking liscence here but you get my drift)and still not see the dichotomy of where we came from and where we need to go.

Well I suppose I should step up to the plate- I found this website and forum a few months ago whil casually looking for what projects were being developed here in Little Rock. Yes I am from Little Rock and I am a development junkie. I love the enthusiasm on this forum- as Little Rock , and Arkansas are very underated. Sure we are the 49th in every list I see published by the doom and gloom Arkansas Demogogue Gazette- but good things are happening here. I am not a native Arkansan- but before moving here about 5 years ago I had been viting for years ( my wifes a native). One major issue for me moving here was the lack of the urban core in Little Rock- and the seemingly mysterious- now resolved- lack of a Starbucks. ( i emailed them weekly once i moved here- they finally threw in the towel). The revitalization of the River Market district was only a smattering of the urban core i desired , but enough to help me and my wife make the decison to move here from a much larger- and much less desirable megaopolis. The progress here has been great- we are still a small - yet accessible - city. Going to the zoo is not a major all day affair, the arts are all within reach, and I no longer have to take a half day off of work to go to the DMV. These quality of life issues might seem small to some - but the cumulative effect is great. Well just my 2 cents - plenty more where that came from- and i will try to participate some as i do check this forum almost daily. Thanks to all who make this a must on my daily internet sweep.