Maumelle

[ndark]

I was pulling out of the Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot on Maumelle Blvd today and noticed a new sign at the strip center being constructed next to the new Sonic. The sign read something along the lines of "now leasing- join tenants Dollar Tree and Russell Cellular". Hopefully something a little more exciting is still to come. A Lowes somewhere along Maumelle Blvd would be nice!

A Home Depot has long been rumored to be coming to Maumelle (or just outside of it in NLR). The land between McDonalds and the new Riverpoint Plaza was the rumored location. There has been talk of it since the first talk of the Wal-Mart started a long time ago. Not sure whatever happened to the plans.

I have also seen the sign for Russell Cellular and Dollar Tree and was disappointed. I am curious as to what happened to the plans for a Coltons, Ruby Tuesday, and other chain restaurants that were supposed to follow Wal-Mart. Probably on hold due to the economy.

[ndark]

I read that Walgreens was back on and should begin moving dirt soon. The city had denied Walgreens their permit for their standard red LED sign that is at all of the stores. Walgreens threatened to move up the Boulevard to NLR but it looks like they decided they had spent to much time and money on the location at Odom and Maumelle Blvd.

http://www.nlrtimes.com/articles/2008/12/1..._news/nws04.txt

[LauraW]

I read that Walgreens was back on and should begin moving dirt soon. The city had denied Walgreens their permit for their standard red LED sign that is at all of the stores. Walgreens threatened to move up the Boulevard to NLR but it looks like they decided they had spent to much time and money on the location at Odom and Maumelle Blvd.

http://www.nlrtimes.com/articles/2008/12/1..._news/nws04.txt

Construction of the new Walgreens in front of Kroger is definitely moving forward. I'm curious what the new carwash and car lot are going to look like next to Walmart. I'm surprised somebody saw the need for another carwash since there's already one just on the other side of Burger King, lol. Does anybody know what's being built next to the Walmart car care center?

[ndark]

Construction of the new Walgreens in front of Kroger is definitely moving forward. I'm curious what the new carwash and car lot are going to look like next to Walmart. I'm surprised somebody saw the need for another carwash since there's already one just on the other side of Burger King, lol. Does anybody know what's being built next to the Walmart car care center?

Tropical Smoothie Cafe and an AT&T store. Here is the clip from the Monitor. What is Cates?

Hogue asked for information about the new businesses going in on Maumelle Boulevard next to Wal-Mart in North Little Rock. Watson told her a Cascade Car Wash and a Christian Brothers Automotive store were being built west of the Wal-Mart Supercenter while an AT&T store and a Tropical Smoothies were being built south of the Supercenter next to Burger King. He also said a Dollar Tree store and a Cates store were being constructed next to Sonic east of the Supercenter.

[LauraW]

Tropical Smoothie Cafe and an AT&T store. Here is the clip from the Monitor. What is Cates?

Hogue asked for information about the new businesses going in on Maumelle Boulevard next to Wal-Mart in North Little Rock. Watson told her a Cascade Car Wash and a Christian Brothers Automotive store were being built west of the Wal-Mart Supercenter while an AT&T store and a Tropical Smoothies were being built south of the Supercenter next to Burger King. He also said a Dollar Tree store and a Cates store were being constructed next to Sonic east of the Supercenter.

I'm suspecting the "Cates" mentioned in the Monitor was a typo and was meant to say "Catos". I couldn't find a new store announcement on their website for our area but noticed that many of the Catos stores here in Arkansas are mentioned as being in very close proximity to a Walmart Supercenter. For more info on this store you can check them out at - www.catofashions.com .

Edited January 14, 2009 by LauraW

[cozmosis]

Trees have been cleared and some machinery is on site at the old location of the I-40 Restaurant in Morgan. This will be the site of a new Holiday Inn Express. The hotel is supposed to sit deep on the lot with a restaurant planned for highway frontage.

Edited January 15, 2009 by cozmosis

[LRU1967]

Arkansas Business is reporting that Target is closing its Maumelle distribution center. Beside the loss of 500 jobs what does this say about a possible Target in Park Avenue?

[Architect]

Arkansas Business is reporting that Target is closing its Maumelle distribution center. Beside the loss of 500 jobs what does this say about a possible Target in Park Avenue?

Yeah, I saw that. Ouch! I know some people in management there....500 jobs is not inconsequential.

[cozmosis]

Yeah, I saw that. Ouch! I know some people in management there....500 jobs is not inconsequential.

I believe Target is the second largest employer in Maumelle behind electronic component manufacturer Molex.

[LauraW]

Target announced yesterday that they will be shutting down the distribution center on Carnahan by the end of the year. Scholastic departed and now this...it's sad.

[Architect]

Target announced yesterday that they will be shutting down the distribution center on Carnahan by the end of the year. Scholastic departed and now this...it's sad.

This is bad news...being discussed in another thread (though it really belongs here...I may move it).

Interestingly, in today's DemGaz article, officials from Target reiterated that this would have no impact on Target's planned retail expansion in central Arkansas, with the article then expounding upon the planned midtown Park Avenue devleopment.

[Gavdog28]

Target announced yesterday that they will be shutting down the distribution center on Carnahan by the end of the year. Scholastic departed and now this...it's sad.

This one hits home for me, because my mother has worked there for over 25 years (since it was opened), and come April, she won't have a job.

[Aporkalypse]

The net job loss won't affect LR much as the Caterpillar plant and windmill jobs will offset it but we haven't been hit by big economy-related layoffs yet. This one hurt.

[ndark]

The new Maumelle high school is a go after some trouble recently.

The PCSSD voted to approve it a few weeks ago then after that the State Board of Education shot it down because of concerns over the financing and lobbying by Jacksonville. The PCSSD went back to the Board yesterday and won 5-2.

http://arkansasnews.com/2009/05/11/state-b...melle-sherwood/

[cozmosis]

Academics Plus Charter School voted a couple of weeks back to purchase the old Kroger store at Commerce Drive & Maumelle Boulevard as the site for a new campus. They're on the agenda at this week's Planning Commission meeting to seek a conditional use permit for that purpose. It is my understanding that Kroger will remove the fuel pumps for anyone buying the property. The charter school is reportedly planning to use the large parking lot as a playground.

The charter school currently occupies an old strip mall and multiple modular buildings near Edgewood Drive & Lake Point Drive. They started a non-profit foundation to help them eventually construct a permanent home for the school. I am not sure if the purchase & remodel of the Kroger store will be that permanent home or if it will just act as a step in that direction.

Personally, I'm glad to see the charter school get a better home than it has now... But you have to be disappointed that one of the most visible commercial lots in town hasn't already been sold to a developer or other potential tenant. I guess that's the sign of the current times.

[skirby]

Academics Plus Charter School voted a couple of weeks back to purchase the old Kroger store at Commerce Drive & Maumelle Boulevard as the site for a new campus. They're on the agenda at this week's Planning Commission meeting to seek a conditional use permit for that purpose. It is my understanding that Kroger will remove the fuel pumps for anyone buying the property. The charter school is reportedly planning to use the large parking lot as a playground.

The charter school currently occupies an old strip mall and multiple modular buildings near Edgewood Drive & Lake Point Drive. They started a non-profit foundation to help them eventually construct a permanent home for the school. I am not sure if the purchase & remodel of the Kroger store will be that permanent home or if it will just act as a step in that direction.

Personally, I'm glad to see the charter school get a better home than it has now... But you have to be disappointed that one of the most visible commercial lots in town hasn't already been sold to a developer or other potential tenant. I guess that's the sign of the current times.

Maybe it is a good thing for charter schools to be taking over old buildings not in use. In Little Rock E-Stem is located in the old Arkansas Gazette building and is also moving into the old Federal Reserve building across the street. In North Little Rock LISA Academy-North has taken over the old Best Buy building on 67/167.

[cozmosis]

-> Maumelle Boulevard at South Odom is the place to be right now... The new Walgreens is open and crews are installing the city's sixth traffic light at that intersection, also. The addition of traffic lights has certainly cut down on the boulevard's original design as a suburban expressway, but there is a definite reduction in serious accidents as a result.

-> You can now see the Holiday Inn Express from the road without a problem in the Morgan area of Maumelle. They've had a couple of work stoppages due to water mains & such but word on the street is that they are shooting for a February opening. There is plenty of room in front of the hotel for a restaurant. No idea what type, however.

-> The police and fire headquarters buildings are coming right along and are supposed to be ready sometime in October.

-> There is a construction dumpster outside of the old Kroger building. Last I heard, Academics Plus Charter school had made an offer on the building. I haven't heard if that offer was accepted and don't know if the dumpster is due to renovations or Kroger cleaning the place up.

-> Speaking of schools, the land was cleared for the new Maumelle High School (to replace Oak Grove) seemingly overnight. I believe it's roughly 100 acres that went from forest to nothing in a hurry. It's good to see progress on this project. With more than 15,000 residents... It's time for Maumelle to have a high school.

-> The city's oldest school, Pine Forest Elementary, has brought in another portable classroom for this school year. It is my understanding that the school will receive a new addition next year to increase the amount of permanent classroom space.

[cmatthews40510]

IHOP is opening a location on the North Little Rock side of Maumelle Blvd.

The plans for Academics Plus to purchase the old Kroger location have fallen apart and they are no longer pursuing that property.

[lowarkhog]

Last I heard A+ is negotiating the purchase of land adjacent to their current location in order to build.

[LIT uPP]

If all goes according to plan, tomorrow Dillard's will announce plans to renovate the old Target distribution center and employ 400 people.

[thewizard16]

If all goes according to plan, tomorrow Dillard's will announce plans to renovate the old Target distribution center and employ 400 people.

This is good news. It's a shame Target ever closed that center, it would have been really nice to have both, haha.

[cmatthews40510]

Maumelle, technically the NLR side of the Blvd, just recently saw the opening of Shipley Donuts and Papa John's pizza will be opening soon as well.

Academics Plus Charter School has started construction on its new 2 story elementary campus adjacent to the Community Center.

[cmatthews40510]

A new Taco Bell restaurant is being advertised for the Maumelle area just east of the Walmart Supercenter by the IHOP.

Hampton Inn & Suites is now open in Maumelle.

Also, there are lots of rumors about the newly opened Kroger store (already the largest at 80,000 sqft) is going to be expanded to the east by the Pharmacy side and will be made into a Kroger Marketplace. Kroger said they would bring several Marketplace formats to the state. WLR, Conway, and now possibly Maumelle.

Maumelle is also in the midst of a street resurfacing/overlay on major routes throughout the city.

Edited March 23, 2011 by cmatthews40510

[cmatthews40510]

Maumelle has completed resurfacing work on Club Manor, Millwood, and North/South Odom.

Academics Plus Charter School's new elementary building is progressing rapidly and promises to be complete in time for the next school year. Which is great because my son will be in 2nd grade there! Although the city is requiring A+ to build a '$65 thousand hole" .. .i.e. a water retention collection site.

More Info: http://maumellemonitor.com/articles/2011/04/17/maumelle_monitor/local_news/nws01.txt

Some developers are trying to get land along Maumelle Boulevard in front of the Country Club rezoned for commercial so they can build more "upscale" strip malls in Maumelle proper. This isn't going over very well with neighbors who have already started filing out petitions against it.

[cozmosis]

Some developers are trying to get land along Maumelle Boulevard in front of the Country Club rezoned for commercial so they can build more "upscale" strip malls in Maumelle proper. This isn't going over very well with neighbors who have already started filing out petitions against it.

The argument seems to be directed against development in general than the specific type of development proposed. It appears to me that many citizens see trees on a lot and think that means the piece of land is green space. What some folks don't realize is that everything in the city is zoned for something. The piece of land in question, which is located between the NLR city limit & Orleans Drive, has been zoned residential for decades. Half of the property is zoned in such a way to allow multi-family dwellings. So, right now, the owner would be well within his/her rights to start development with houses and apartments. I imagine most citizens opposing the commercial development would be against that, too.

This issue is good fodder for the discussion of commercial development in the city and there are a lot of smart voices to be heard. The people I do not understand, however, are those that moved in within the last 5-7 years & seem to oppose all new development. How can you move to a city that is among the fastest growing in the state and (a) not expect others to want to do the same and (b) want the city to stop growing now that you are there?