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Renaissance Tower Development in Fayetteville

Mith242

By Mith242
in Northwest Arkansas

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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Does anybody know if theres any kind of deadline the city set for the developers to start? Is it in the contract that if building doesn't start by such and such a date then the developers must pay a fine for every day late, or maybe the city gets the land back and the contract is void? Anybody know? You'd think the City would put something like that in to cover their behinds. They have to feel right now they are getting made fools of.

There might be a deadline for starting on construction. I've seen developers in Rogers that have to request for an extension on a proposal. The only way I feel that we can help get this project going is to call the developer and/or call the media about the project.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I'm not sure if there's any type of deadlines or how that's set up. I do know the city isn't happy about it and some city officials have made that known publicly. I believe one of them mentioned he wished they had gone to someone else now knowing this was going to take so long.

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OnDickson Whistle-Stop

OnDickson

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I'm not sure if there's any type of deadlines or how that's set up. I do know the city isn't happy about it and some city officials have made that known publicly. I believe one of them mentioned he wished they had gone to someone else now knowing this was going to take so long.

There actually was (is?) a deadline that was spelled out by the city for completion of the project to be before Sept 2007. At the time the developers acted as if that wasn't any issue. Now obviously that isn't going to happen--heck we may not have even had a real groundbreaking by that time. It's time for someone in the city to start asking some tough questions about this project. At one time the city even said that there were a couple of other 'major' developers that were interested in developing that land if the Rennaissance fell through. Something smells very, very fishy about this project. The city gave the developers a sweetheart deal on the land and demolition, not to mention the tiff district. It's time for some answers here.

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masons_dad1 Town

masons_dad1

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I have to agree with you. As you said the city gave them a good deal here. I'd really hate to have some controversy here but I mean come on let's get something going here. The city didn't tear it down so it could be an ugly empty lot for years.

Someone call the Fayetteville Garden Club... maybe they can at least plant a garden there until something else comes along. The Renaissance was such a beautiful looking building and it would really suck if it doesn't get built.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Someone call the Fayetteville Garden Club... maybe they can at least plant a garden there until something else comes along. The Renaissance was such a beautiful looking building and it would really suck if it doesn't get built.

No I wouldn't suggest that. The last time something like that happened everyone made a big fuss and then the park stayed even though it was just something temporary. Granted I guess a garden or something like that wouldn't be too bad for the downtown area. But I think a nice hotel is more appropriate for that location.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I went by the construction site. Can't say I was impressed. I had a hard time trying to figure out if they were going anything. Some of the dirt looks like it might have been 'disturbed' and slightly moved but it didn't really look like much groundbreaking was going on. Has anyone heard if they've mentioned yet another dtae on when construction would start?

I'll go ahead and include a pic, but the biggest change I've seen in that area is the Old Courthouse undergoing renovation.

ren01if7.jpg

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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It looks like there's construction materials there. Possibly they might be starting soon?

I'd really like to think so but I'm not holding my breath. I think those have been there a while. Most times I just don't bother taking a pic or don't bother posting a pic because I figure there's not enough to warrant posting it. They've already got building materials for the Divinity even though they haven't broken ground. The Barber Group seem to be the only ones who really get in there and build things. I just wish we knew what the big holdup was. Are they having finance problems? Could adding two stories really have caused this massive of a delay? Just seems like something odd is going on because they keep setting construction dates and they keep going by.

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OnDickson Whistle-Stop

OnDickson

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It looks like there's construction materials there. Possibly they might be starting soon?

From what I've been told: because of the lack of space around the Bank of America Building, they are just using the Renaissance site to store materials that are being used for the BofA project and no construction on Renaissance in imminent. In much the same way, the Barber Group is using the Divinity site to store materials that will be used for the Legacy project.

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CellarDoor135 Whistle-Stop

CellarDoor135

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From what I've been told: because of the lack of space around the Bank of America Building, they are just using the Renaissance site to store materials that are being used for the BofA project and no construction on Renaissance in imminent. In much the same way, the Barber Group is using the Divinity site to store materials that will be used for the Legacy project.

Oh, Construction will be imminent or they are looking at a big ol' lawsuit. People forget that 3 million came from the city for this project through the TIF created. If no construction takes place, AMA's name is gone from the scene in Fayetteville. This is a nerve they do not want to hit with the residents.

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OnDickson Whistle-Stop

OnDickson

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Oh, Construction will be imminent or they are looking at a big ol' lawsuit. People forget that 3 million came from the city for this project through the TIF created. If no construction takes place, AMA's name is gone from the scene in Fayetteville. This is a nerve they do not want to hit with the residents.

That's exactly why I maintain that someone needs to be answering some serious questions about this project. Not only are we dealing with the TIF district here, but people also forget that AMA was given a sweetheart of a deal on the old Mountain Inn property to begin with. The city actually purchased the land temporarily, razed the existing structure and then sold the land to AMA for development.

It is painfully obvious that something is very, very wrong with this project. I get frustrated with the slow pace of projects in downtown Fayetteville moving from conception to construction. But this one's really got me steamed because of the City's deep involvement in a project that is seemingly going nowhere. Maybe it's just me, but I think I'd rather have the 'eyesore' that was the Mountain Inn back rather than the eyesore left by the razing of the structure that we've been stuck with for a year and a half now.

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thewizard16 Hamlet

thewizard16

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Someone should call the developer, may'be they'll have some explanation.

I sent an email to AMA just moments ago asking about the development and inquiring as to causes for the delays, etc. I was of course polite, but I think the way I worded it will cause some kind of reply. I'll let you all know what I hear. Also, I plan on contacting some people I know in local media to see if they've heard anything.

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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Thanks for the article. Honestly, I think some editors do look at this site for content and articles. Several of us have posted info about developments that seems to end up in the papers in the next few days. Some of the Promenade info. that was only released here was mentioned in The Morning News. I wish these editors would at least cite us for our work. Technically it's plaigerism, but I have no prove of it.

Anyways, Nock says that a groundbreaking ceremony is tentatively planned for late November or early December.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Yes thanks for the update. I suppose it is possible that other people could be looking to us. Even if we don't get mentioned I would still consider that a success if people involved with the papers are checking us out. Of course some recognition would be nice as well. Wasn't it the Grand Rapids forum that got some media attention and really took off? I wonder if it was newspaper or tv media that mentioned them.

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cowbreath Hamlet

cowbreath

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The Grand Rapids section has been mentioned several times in their newspapers. Providence and Charlotte as well. I wonder how long it will take for us to be mentioned...

I kind of wonder what happens when those forums really take off. Does that enhance the info that the forum brings or does it clutter up the forums with too many messages? Or maybe just does it bring more readers not posters?

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