Fayetteville, Arkansas

[Mith242]

Looks like some people are trying to get some changes made to the city's Master Plan. They're trying to get an area south of Dickson changed from Downtown General zone to Main Street Center zone. Basically this boils down to getting the height restriction brought down even more in this area from 6 stories to around 3 or 4 stories.

[cowbreath]

Looks like some people are trying to get some changes made to the city's Master Plan. They're trying to get an area south of Dickson changed from Downtown General zone to Main Street Center zone. Basically this boils down to getting the height restriction brought down even more in this area from 6 stories to around 3 or 4 stories.

Do you suppose that those asking for that are ones that live downtown? I gotta think that they should expect people to build more vertically as the property values get higher.

[Mith242]

Do you suppose that those asking for that are ones that live downtown? I gotta think that they should expect people to build more vertically as the property values get higher.

Yeah it's people living and working in that area. A number of sections of the neighbrohoods south of Dickson are businesses that are in the old homes. But basically they don't like the 6 story building limit in their area and don't think the current classification fit's the area. Although city officials did say the current zones aren't neccessarily showing what's there now but more of what they want the city to grow in the future. While I understand their concernes I'm worried that everyone will eventually want to cut back any height growth in the future and we'll end up just having to push all developments to the edge of the city because there will be too many height restrictions after everyone cuts down the current building heights even more.

[mzweig]

Yeah it's people living and working in that area. A number of sections of the neighbrohoods south of Dickson are businesses that are in the old homes. But basically they don't like the 6 story building limit in their area and don't think the current classification fit's the area. Although city officials did say the current zones aren't neccessarily showing what's there now but more of what they want the city to grow in the future. While I understand their concernes I'm worried that everyone will eventually want to cut back any height growth in the future and we'll end up just having to push all developments to the edge of the city because there will be too many height restrictions after everyone cuts down the current building heights even more.

Amen to that, Mith. I am 100% opposed to height restrictions. They are counter to making us the urban center and encourage strip development with parking out front.

[Mith242]

Amen to that, Mith. I am 100% opposed to height restrictions. They are counter to making us the urban center and encourage strip development with parking out front.

I won't say that I don't understand why they are put in place. To be honest I'm not totally against having them. But what does bother me is the way it's done. I think they have them set too low in most areas of the city. While the neighborhoods to the south of Dickson are nice I think there comes a point where some of that needs to be redeveloped. I'm not saying we need to tear down every older neighborhood. But at some point you have to be willing to change some areas so allow the city to develop into a larger city like the population is showing. You obviously don't go tearing down neighbrohoods like Washington-Willow. So that means there are going to have to be some other areas that eventually need to be redeveloped at some point in the future. I personally think you try to save the best and then allow some of the others to changed. I just don't think you can try to save all those quaint neighborhoods south of Dickson and west of the Square. Being located that close to the downtown area it just makes sense that that eventually needs to be an area that becomes more urban. I think the Dover-Kohl Group explained it very well at the City Plan 2025 meetings. They were talking about two particular buildings but the message is still the same I think. In regards to the Hillcrest Towers and the Fayetteville City Hospital. Both have important roles and functions in the city. But there comes a point where that particular land is better utilized for other functions. You don't have to get rid of either one, simply move them to another part of the city where they can keep fulfilling their functions.

[Mith242]

In other news looks like Fayetteville is going to be pretty busy this weekend. Not only id the big hyped up football game going on but the Fayetteville Arts Festival is going on this weekend and the next weekend as well. I had wondered whether I should get out and do much on gameday but I do want to check out the Fayetteville Arts Festival. Might be nice to go take some pics as well. I'd like to get out to some of the festivals more. I've never tried taken any pics to the few festivals I've been to. It might even be interesting to get out and take some pics of the BBB as well next month.

[jcaruth]

In other news looks like Fayetteville is going to be pretty busy this weekend. Not only id the big hyped up football game going on but the Fayetteville Arts Festival is going on this weekend and the next weekend as well. I had wondered whether I should get out and do much on gameday but I do want to check out the Fayetteville Arts Festival. Might be nice to go take some pics as well. I'd like to get out to some of the festivals more. I've never tried taken any pics to the few festivals I've been to. It might even be interesting to get out and take some pics of the BBB as well next month.

Hmmmm....I'd go to the game. Save art for next weekend.

[Mith242]

Hmmmm....I'd go to the game. Save art for next weekend.

Well the game won't start till the Festival is over for the day anyway. But I don't have a ticket anyway so I'll be watching it at home. But some events will only be taking place not only this weekend but only on saturday. I haven't been to any of them for some reason even though I think I'd actually like it quite a bit. I don't want to put it off again like I have before.

[vbfl85]

Well the game won't start till the Festival is over for the day anyway. But I don't have a ticket anyway so I'll be watching it at home. But some events will only be taking place not only this weekend but only on saturday. I haven't been to any of them for some reason even though I think I'd actually like it quite a bit. I don't want to put it off again like I have before.

Apparently this game is one of three sellouts ever to occur since the stadium was expanded.

[masons_dad1]

Apparently this game is one of three sellouts ever to occur since the stadium was expanded.

I've heard there's been some bad rap about this game on a call-in radio show. Word is the Hogs don't stand a chance to win this game. Hopefully it won't be the biggest let-down to occur since the stadium was expanded.

[mcheiss]

Word is the Hogs don't stand a chance to win this game. Hopefully it won't be the biggest let-down to occur since the stadium was expanded.

USC is ranked 6th in the nation, of course the Hogs don't have a chance. It's the sheer fact that USC is coming to town. Think about it "USC"!!!!!!

[vbfl85]

If Arkansas won, it wouldnt be the biggest upset ever... crazier things have happened like when USF spanked Louisville last year.

[masons_dad1]

I guess the biggest problem the Hogs would have if they won is ever pulling it off again.

[jdevers]

The Hogs have actually pulled off bigger upsets in the past as well. In 1992 we beat then number four Tennessee AT Tennessee and we had a pretty bad team that year (finished 3-8-1). That was also midseason when a number four ranking means more than it does for the first game of the year, especially for a team that has lost as much as USC did from last year.

On ESPN this is rated as the second most likely upset this weekend, only a handful of sites are saying that we will get beaten badly. I think our defense is good enough to at least keep the score from becoming astronomical like last year. I also think that if it ends up raining, the edge will definitely shift in our favor. I'm going to the game and as much as I DON'T want it to rain on a night with the low hovering around 55, if it helps us win, I'm all for it (freezing to death and all .

[Mith242]

Mzweig, you mentioned a while back ago about working on homes around the Washington-Willow, Wilson Park, and Mt Sequoyah areas. I think most people would say those are the three most desirable neighborhoods. But I was curious if you felt there were some other neighborhoods that weren't far behind or could possibly be ranked near the others at some point in the near future? I think most times people like a lot of the older homes. Any other neighborhoods that you know of that have a somewhat high level of nice older homes?

[mzweig]

Looks like some people are trying to get some changes made to the city's Master Plan. They're trying to get an area south of Dickson changed from Downtown General zone to Main Street Center zone. Basically this boils down to getting the height restriction brought down even more in this area from 6 stories to around 3 or 4 stories.

I am interested in fighting strip malls, not highrises! Why doesn't anyone protest another bad strip mall like the ones being built on 6th street near farmington????

[mzweig]

Mzweig, you mentioned a while back ago about working on homes around the Washington-Willow, Wilson Park, and Mt Sequoyah areas. I think most people would say those are the three most desirable neighborhoods. But I was curious if you felt there were some other neighborhoods that weren't far behind or could possibly be ranked near the others at some point in the near future? I think most times people like a lot of the older homes. Any other neighborhoods that you know of that have a somewhat high level of nice older homes?

That's an interesting question, Mith. Yes--I think the Duncan street area near the HS has some reasonably -priced houses that will go up just due to their proximity to everything else. I also think the neighborhood over by Woodland Jr. High has some potential to go up in value due to its location and trees---it's still somewhat reasonable over there. Downtown B-Ville has to be good with the Crystal Bridges Museum going in. Farther out, I think Goshen is the up and coming rural suburban area. What do you think is gonna be hot?

Heard they just got their construction loan funded for the Renaissance and will start foundation work Friday.

Looks like they are already working. Yee-Haw!

[mcheiss]

I am interested in fighting strip malls, not highrises! Why doesn't anyone protest another bad strip mall like the ones being built on 6th street near farmington????

I agree. I would feel lucky to live in a city like Fayetteville, where developers want to build 16 Floor towers downtown.

[Mith242]

I am interested in fighting strip malls, not highrises! Why doesn't anyone protest another bad strip mall like the ones being built on 6th street near farmington????

Good point. The bad thing is that I'm sure some city officials are happy about the strip mall because it easily fits their height restrictions.

That's an interesting question, Mith. Yes--I think the Duncan street area near the HS has some reasonably -priced houses that will go up just due to their proximity to everything else. I also think the neighborhood over by Woodland Jr. High has some potential to go up in value due to its location and trees---it's still somewhat reasonable over there. Downtown B-Ville has to be good with the Crystal Bridges Museum going in. Farther out, I think Goshen is the up and coming rural suburban area. What do you think is gonna be hot?

I'm not sure, I figured you'd be more likely to know since it might pertain more to your job.

Looks like they are already working. Yee-Haw!

Sweet, I checked on Saturday but didn't see anything happening yet. I'll probably be checking out the arts festival again this weekend so I'll have to take a short walk over and check it out over at the site.

[Mith242]

I saw an article in today's Northwest Arkansas Times about the widening of Crossover/Hwy 265. It also mentioned the possibility of it becoming a boulevard. I don't recall hearing anything about that before. The city is sharing the cost of widening the road with that state since it is a state highway. But I would imagine the AHTD would also have something to say about it becoming a boulevard or not. Just curious if anyone had heard any more info on this.

[Mith242]

I really need to find out more about when the Fayetteville City Council meetings take place. I've been watching some on of them on tv. Most are from a few weeks to a month ago. But there's one that could have taken place very recently. I keep hearing people complain that the city isn't following the Dover-Kohl's suggestions at the City Plan 2025 meetings. But I'm still not getting what some of these other people saw at these meetings that I didn't. I seemed to have gotten a different impression than some other people did. I've been seeing a number of people complaining about the zoning and that all the neighborhoods around Dickson need to be saved and such. But I simply think trying to save everything isn't really planning for the future. I just don't think you can push all growth to the edges of the city.

[mzweig]

I really need to find out more about when the Fayetteville City Council meetings take place. I've been watching some on of them on tv. Most are from a few weeks to a month ago. But there's one that could have taken place very recently. I keep hearing people complain that the city isn't following the Dover-Kohl's suggestions at the City Plan 2025 meetings. But I'm still not getting what some of these other people saw at these meetings that I didn't. I seemed to have gotten a different impression than some other people did. I've been seeing a number of people complaining about the zoning and that all the neighborhoods around Dickson need to be saved and such. But I simply think trying to save everything isn't really planning for the future. I just don't think you can push all growth to the edges of the city.

I agree with you, Mith. I think a lot of folks are real confused about what's good and what's not in the long term. As I said earlier, strip malls and bad subdivisions are the enemy, not high- and mid-rise buildings in our downtown area. I think, too, you are right about following the plan. Every development that's done should reflect our pedestrian orientation by having sidewalks and smaller/less parking lot entrances, and trees planted on consistent intervals between the sidewalk and street.

[masons_dad1]

Are there any other cities that could be viewed as an example of having saved all the historic areas of downtown with height restrictions and growth pushed to the edge of the city? I'm sure there's a city out there somewhere that followed that plan, of course it may be a dead or dying city so it may be hard to find. Maybe something Fayetteville should be looking into to see where they'd be headed by following that plan.

[mcheiss]

Are there any other cities that could be viewed as an example of having saved all the historic areas of downtown with height restrictions and growth pushed to the edge of the city? I'm sure there's a city out there somewhere that followed that plan, of course it may be a dead or dying city so it may be hard to find.

Could you be talking about downtown Rogers ?

Of course, they're have been plenty of new buildings in Downtown, infact I heard that a 4 story building on North Street that the Benchmark Group is going to make it's Headquarters. I'm not sure if it's new or not, but it sounds pretty cool since they are making it a LEED Green Building, a first for Rogers.

[Mith242]

Taking an area like some of the neighborhoods south of Dickson St. This would be a good area for future developments. But I'm not saying we need to go in and tear down every single home. There are some nice old houses there. But it's just also unrealistic that we have to keep it exactly the way it is now also. Anyway as I said I was watching what looked to be the most recent City Council meeting. Very interesting, I got to see Greg House and Mr Alexander of AMA. I need to find out when they have these meetings so I can possibly actually see one in person. Maybe even possibly say a few things.