Fayetteville, Arkansas

[masons_dad1]

Sounds like Fayetteville's special census will start in March. Not sure how long it will take or how long it will be for us to get some figures back.

City-Data.com has these figures for Fayetteville:

Population (year 2000): 58,047

Est. population in July 2004: 64,190 (+10.6% change)

I wonder how accurate the 2004 estimate is and if it is then Fayetteville may break the 70,000 mark durning this census.

Edited January 17, 2006 by masons_dad1

[Mith242]

City-Data.com has these figures for Fayetteville:

Population (year 2000): 58,047

Est. population in July 2004: 64,190 (+10.6% change)

I wonder how accurate the 2004 estimate is and if it is then Fayetteville may break the 70,000 mark durning this census.

Yeah I've seen estimates vary a bit. But the most recent ones I've seen tend to be around 68,000 to 72,000.

[mcheiss]

Yeah I've seen estimates vary a bit. But the most recent ones I've seen tend to be around 68,000 to 72,000.

I think I've heard 71,200!!

[masons_dad1]

Hot Dogs! That's what Downtown Fayetteville needs.

Every great downtown has a hot dog vendor on almost every street corner. I miss living in my downtown apartment in St. Pete, Florida when I could walk a couple blocks from my apartment to a hot dog vendor and get a hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut. It's a must for every downtown.

[mcheiss]

Hot Dogs! That's what Downtown Fayetteville needs.

Every great downtown has a hot dog vendor on almost every street corner. I miss living in my downtown apartment in St. Pete, Florida when I could walk a couple blocks from my apartment to a hot dog vendor and get a hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut. It's a must for every downtown.

I wonder if Hot Dog Alley in Bentonville would consider this. They have a vendor cart outside of the Wal-Mart Home office that reminds me of the big downtown hot dog stands in Chicago, Atlanta, New York, etc.

[DickSonstreetDFW]

What about this building, Hillcrest Towers?

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=393077

I could see this rehabbed into middle income condos, helping out the downtown street scene and sprucing up the skyline a bit. Seems like I heard some discussion of alternate uses for this building some time back but I can't remember.

My great grandmother briefly had an apartment there back in the 1980s.

I believe its still primarily an old folks home.

Anybody heard anything?

[Mith242]

What about this building, Hillcrest Towers?

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=393077

I could see this rehabbed into middle income condos, helping out the downtown street scene and sprucing up the skyline a bit. Seems like I heard some discussion of alternate uses for this building some time back but I can't remember.

My great grandmother briefly had an apartment there back in the 1980s.

I believe its still primarily an old folks home.

Anybody heard anything?

That's the name of it. I mentioned it in another topic but couldn't think of the name. I've also heard of some alternative uses for the building but I don't think that it was very popular with a number of people so I haven't heard anymore about it. I do think we need to offer some low income housing and such like the Hillcrest does. But I admit I'd prefer it to be moved elsewhere. That area where the Hillcrest is has so much potential. It's in between the Walton Arts Center and the Fayetteville Public Library. More towards the library than the WAC. I've been wanting to see that area be turned into an arts district personally. But of course it's not very popular kicking older people out either. I don't think it's all older people but I do think they make up a good percentage.

[mcheiss]

What about this building, Hillcrest Towers?

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=393077

I could see this rehabbed into middle income condos, helping out the downtown street scene and sprucing up the skyline a bit. Seems like I heard some discussion of alternate uses for this building some time back but I can't remember.

My great grandmother briefly had an apartment there back in the 1980s.

I believe its still primarily an old folks home.

Anybody heard anything?

I thought Mith mentioned something about it being a low-income housing project. The tower looks good to me, but it could use some touch up work.

[Mith242]

I thought Mith mentioned something about it being a low-income housing project. The tower looks good to me, but it could use some touch up work.

Looks like I posted just a few seconds before you did.

[mcheiss]

Looks like I posted just a few seconds before you did.

I just saw that in the Employment thread.

Ironic too, since we haven't spoken about the Hillcrest Towers for a few months.

[DickSonstreetDFW]

That's the name of it. I mentioned it in another topic but couldn't think of the name. I've also heard of some alternative uses for the building but I don't think that it was very popular with a number of people so I haven't heard anymore about it. I do think we need to offer some low income housing and such like the Hillcrest does. But I admit I'd prefer it to be moved elsewhere. That area where the Hillcrest is has so much potential. It's in between the Walton Arts Center and the Fayetteville Public Library. More towards the library than the WAC. I've been wanting to see that area be turned into an arts district personally. But of course it's not very popular kicking older people out either. I don't think it's all older people but I do think they make up a good percentage.

I was just a little kid when my great grandmother had an apartment there. It seems like it was mainly some type of assisted living facility as she had medical stuff there, oxygen, etc. I do remember it being a pretty small apartment.

A high rise doesn't seem to me like the best place for a retirement home.

I'm only drawing on a faint memory here, but it seems like there was a fire on the roof at some point in the past four or five years, and that perhaps there was a story about the building still having a working trash chute/incinerator system.

I think location should dictate use and that location, as you said, is prime for redevelopment. Even if just converted to apartments and improved, the location could command high dollar. Imagine that tower filled with grad students and young professionals, all within walking distance to Dickson and the square.

Maybe I shouldn't be talking about that on here and instead start working on it.

Anybody know if its government owned or privately owned?

[Mith242]

I was just a little kid when my great grandmother had an apartment there. It seems like it was mainly some type of assisted living facility as she had medical stuff there, oxygen, etc. I do remember it being a pretty small apartment.

A high rise doesn't seem to me like the best place for a retirement home.

I'm only drawing on a faint memory here, but it seems like there was a fire on the roof at some point in the past four or five years, and that perhaps there was a story about the building still having a working trash chute/incinerator system.

I think location should dictate use and that location, as you said, is prime for redevelopment. Even if just converted to apartments and improved, the location could command high dollar. Imagine that tower filled with grad students and young professionals, all within walking distance to Dickson and the square.

Maybe I shouldn't be talking about that on here and instead start working on it.

Anybody know if its government owned or privately owned?

Seems like I heard something in the past couple of years mentioning they don't use the trash chute anymore. After doing a littl research it looks like Hillcrest is government subsidized housing and it does appear to be aimed mainly towards seniors. The Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan I think sums it up best. 'Both the Hillcrest Tower and the Fayetteville City Hospital both play important roles for the city but both sites are under-utilized. ' The Fayetteville City Hospital lies just south from the Fayetteville Public Library and Hillcrest Tower lies about a block or so north of the Fayetteville Public Library. As I mentioned earlier I think West Ave has a lot of potential even if there isn't an arts district established as I would like. Near the Fayetteville City Hospital West Ave almost connects to 71B/Archibald Yell Ave near the Mill District. If we can redevelope part of the Mill District some more maybe we could even extend West Ave down into the Mill District.

Edited January 18, 2006 by Mith242

[Mith242]

Here's one of my crappy maps to help those who don't know the area very well.

[masons_dad1]

Mayor Dan Coody Gives State of the City Address

In an interesting move, Mayor Dan Coody invited past city leaders to his State of the City address where he touted his plan to "reinvent" College Avenue.

"Today, College Avenue is nothing to be proud of," Coody said in laying the foundation for his proposal. "It is dangerous, poorly developed, and run down."

Coody described the major street as a giant line in the sand separating children from their schools, citizens from downtown, neighborhoods from the parks and residential areas from local businesses.

There are also economic reasons to improve the avenue, he said, pointing to efforts by Rogers to focus on development along the interstate. "Our most profound opportunity is waiting to be recognized and acted upon, one manageable section at a time," he said.

[More:]

He referred to the changes that have been made in Dickson Street over the years and the positive image that it now has, calling it an "asset" and a "source of enjoyment." That, he says, is why he believes changes on College Avenue would be a good move.

Most people would agree that Dickson Street is a prime example of making a decision, laying out plans, and following through. Not something one can usually say about city government anywhere. One should note, however, that the project was handled by a citizen committee made up of mostly property owners on Dickson Street. The city used the people that have the most at stake to make the plans and carry them out.

McClave would submit to the good Mayor that he might consider handling any changes to College Avenue in a similar fashion. Otherwise, it will turn into a government boondoggle and ugly as hell.

(The article claims you can see the entire text of the mayor's speech here: www.nwanews.com/times/extras but McClave had no luck finding it there.)

This was posted by McClave @ NWAPolitics.com

[Mith242]

This was posted by McClave @ NWAPolitics.com

Thanks for that, I heard just a small reference about College Ave on KNWA but they really didn't say a lot about it. I didn't want to post without finding out a little more. I think I heard they were going to work on the northern part first. Although personally I don't think it's as bad as a lot of other areas of College Ave. I'm hoping to eventually hear some of what I heard years ago. Perhaps moving the powerlines and such underground and some beautification processes.

[Mith242]

Developers took to the skies today over Fayetteville to get a better look at the city and it's growth. They hoped the aerial views would help them see the city and how it's growing and how to make the city a better place.

[Mith242]

Well don't look for any more buildings the size of the Renaissance Tower around downtown Fayetteville. The Planning Comission has now set building heights around the general downtown area set aside in the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan. The downtown core limits are 3-12 stories. Main Street Center, 2-6 stories. And the rest of the general downtown area 1-4 stories. Sounds like this will also set the future Lofts at Underwood Plaza as the tallest buildings on Dickson St since nothing else will be allowed above 4 stories after this. Not unless there's some future changes in the building codes or the planning comission.

Edited January 20, 2006 by Mith242

[Mith242]

Sounds like the Barber Group better hurry on setting up plan on it's buildings in northern Fayetteville. There's talk of the Planning Commission setting limits on building heights in the rest of the city as well. Although I don't know if they'll be quite as strict as the ones downtown. Apparently the commission were having a hard time promoting density in the downtown area but also didn't want historic buildings hidden by other buildings.

Edited January 24, 2006 by Mith242

[mcheiss]

Well don't look for any more buildings the size of the Renaissance Tower around downtown Fayetteville. The Planning Comission has now set building heights around the general downtown area set aside in the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan. The downtown core limits are 3-12 stories. Main Street Center, 2-6 stories. And the rest of the general downtown area 1-4 stories. Sounds like this will also set the future Lofts at Underwood Plaza as the tallest buildings on Dickson St since nothing else will be allowed above 4 stories after this. Not unless there's some future changes in the building codes or the planning comission.

That's going to kill some projects. I'd really like to see Dickson allowed up to 9 floors.

[Mith242]

That's going to kill some projects. I'd really like to see Dickson allowed up to 9 floors.

I suppose it might just move some projects. I've gotten the impression that someone could still take their case to the Planning Comission and that they could make an exception for a particular development. But I have my doubts that it would be allowed very often. I can see where they're coming from and not wanting to 'hide' historic buildings. But I wish they would have allowed just a little bit taller buildings in each area.

[masons_dad1]

I suppose it might just move some projects. I've gotten the impression that someone could still take their case to the Planning Comission and that they could make an exception for a particular development. But I have my doubts that it would be allowed very often. I can see where they're coming from and not wanting to 'hide' historic buildings. But I wish they would have allowed just a little bit taller buildings in each area.

Looks like Fayetteville might just lose some developments to Rogers and Bentonville.

[Mith242]

Looks like Fayetteville might just lose some developments to Rogers and Bentonville.

It's possible. But they did mention that people argued that case when they first started implimenting stricter building codes and the strict sign codes and then with the smoking ban too. People can still build stuff of course but maybe not quite to the height they might want. Of course looking around I don't see a lot of developers pushing it hardly at all anyway. The Renaissance Tower and the Lofts at Underwood Plaza are I think the only buildings that aren't going to meet those height restrictions.

[DickSonstreetDFW]

I personally don't have a problem with it.

The charm and appeal of Fayetteville is the "mountain town" feel. I don't know if you can preserve that, particularly in the older, hillier parts of town if there are a lot of huge towers.

Perhaps they could make the height restriction an overlay district instead of the whole city, as I don't see it really affecting the overall feel of town in areas around Joyce or even the northside areas of 540.

There's plenty of development that can and will happen all over Fayetteville that doesn't have to be high rise. There are a lot of holes to fill in downtown and on Dickson to create a coherent street scene and add to the "urban" vibe, even if its on a more human scale than many cities. (SF even has restrictions, some to preserve the character of the city, others for seismic reasons, and I believe they're better for it).

And College Avenue hasn't even begun the renaissance I believe it will undergo over the next ten years.

I'd actually prefer the bigger, taller buildings head north to Rogers. I hope Fayetteville never becomes, as my older brother in Wyoming used to call Denver, a "high altitude Dallas".

I'd add that the things Fayetteville is working to preserve are what are going to set it apart from the rest of NWA and make it a more desireable place to live and work in the future, whereas I see Springdale and Rogers heading towards being just like any other midsized towns anywhere in the country.

Edited January 22, 2006 by DickSonstreetDFW

[Mith242]

Yeah so far it's just 'talk' of them possibly looking into putting height restrictions for the rest of the city. I do hope they'll let north Fayetteville develop some nice towers up there. I wouldn't mind seeing some taller buildings around some areas of the downtown area, but I can understand trying to not only trying to save some of the historic buildings but also not have them hidden by tall or massive developments.

[DickSonstreetDFW]

Yeah so far it's just 'talk' of them possibly looking into putting height restrictions for the rest of the city. I do hope they'll let north Fayetteville develop some nice towers up there. I wouldn't mind seeing some taller buildings around some areas of the downtown area, but I can understand trying to not only trying to save some of the historic buildings but also not have them hidden by tall or massive developments.

I think its more preserving the overall landscape. Just like pole signs are restricted, if you allow super tall buildings, you lose the horizon and the curve of the hills that make Fayetteville what it is.