Did Splitting the Forum Kill Little Rock?

[nandle]

I think splitting the forum has been detrimental to the entire forums. I certainly have reduced my viewing, and hence posting here. One of the things I personally enjoyed was seeing all of the topics together- statewide. Regional views are nice, however I think the juxtaposition of the dominant Little Rock and NWA issues created a synergy now missing. This synergy in turn led to browsing other threads concerning development statewide. I find in my limited time I have to view the forums I would prefer a single place to view all threads. I instead now head straight to the Little Rock Forum, poke around then onto something else. Suppose its only my user habits, but I have noticed its a bit slow around here, Just my 2 cents.

[monsoon]

We have noticed this on other parts of UrbanPlanet. Going from a statewide forum to a state forum based on metro subforums does change how participants deal with the forum. However, on our two oldest forums to do this, North Carolina & South Carolina, it led to growth that we would not have seen otherwise as the smaller cities would have been drowned out by the larger ones.

[Mith242]

I do think it'as hurt to a certain degree. But keeping everything in one really big forum also has it's problems too. I've gotten the impression that some of the forumers that frequent these topics tend to not care for a lot of 'frivilous' topics not dealing development. That and the fact that not a lot of development tends to take place at this time of the year has made it rather slow. I also think the foumers that frequent these topics also tend not to post as much as some of us in NWA. I think the biggest thing needed is to attract new people. Does anyone have any suggestions on things they'd like to see in the Little Rock subforum?

[skirby]

I do think it'as hurt to a certain degree. But keeping everything in one really big forum also has it's problems too. I've gotten the impression that some of the forumers that frequent these topics tend to not care for a lot of 'frivilous' topics not dealing development. That and the fact that not a lot of development tends to take place at this time of the year has made it rather slow. I also think the foumers that frequent these topics also tend not to post as much as some of us in NWA. I think the biggest thing needed is to attract new people. Does anyone have any suggestions on things they'd like to see in the Little Rock subforum?

I think the Little Rock subforum could use a section along the lines of a coffee house or NWA's skybar.

[mcheiss]

^If you guys would like a Coffee Shop style thing, may'be we can work something out.

Also, I think it has died off a bit here in LR, but it seems you guys just aren't posting about LR or Central Arkansas for that matter. The main forum was getting too clogged and for future growth opportunities, the forum had to be split.

[Mith242]

Hopefully we're just going through a slow period and we'll pick back up again shortly. A coffeeshop type topic does sound interesting.

[johnnydr87]

I've reduced my posting here quite a bit.............

Maybe we should kill the LR forum.

[Aporkalypse]

Part of it is there just hasn't been as much going on in terms of announced projects lately.

I had to curtail a lot of my posting because my workload went up quite a bit. Next month won't be much better.

[Mith242]

Part of it is there just hasn't been as much going on in terms of announced projects lately.

I had to curtail a lot of my posting because my workload went up quite a bit. Next month won't be much better.

Overall it sounds like it's just a lot of bad things happening at once. It sounds like a number of people have been busy and as was mentioned earlier this isn't the busiest time for developments. It's always seemed like the Arkansas forum in general has gone through cycles. Just seems like this cycle of inactivity has been a little worse than usual.

[monsoon]

Sometimes a subforum doesn't work out and we have to collapse it out of existance. It may have been a bit premature to have created one here.

[Aporkalypse]

Overall it sounds like it's just a lot of bad things happening at once. It sounds like a number of people have been busy and as was mentioned earlier this isn't the busiest time for developments. It's always seemed like the Arkansas forum in general has gone through cycles. Just seems like this cycle of inactivity has been a little worse than usual.

There's an ebb and flow to things. Right now the Heifer Project's finished but that's fairly played out because we've been talking about it for several years. The condo tower at 300 3rd is under construction and that'll be exciting once the steel goes up. The big thing, though, is the waiting for Main to take off as well as downtown NLR near the new ballpark. There will be a lot of new projects announced and a lot of excitement once these projects are announced. When Lafayette Square breaks ground I'll feel a lot better about Main's progress. We still don't know what Stephens is going to do on Main and that's part of the excitement.

[CentralArkansas]

There's an ebb and flow to things. Right now the Heifer Project's finished but that's fairly played out because we've been talking about it for several years. The condo tower at 300 3rd is under construction and that'll be exciting once the steel goes up. The big thing, though, is the waiting for Main to take off as well as downtown NLR near the new ballpark. There will be a lot of new projects announced and a lot of excitement once these projects are announced. When Lafayette Square breaks ground I'll feel a lot better about Main's progress. We still don't know what Stephens is going to do on Main and that's part of the excitement.

I think things are much better now than before. Things will pick up, like you said, there is just nothing new going on currently in Little Rock.

I almost quit coming to the board before Little Rock was split off, I could barely find the Little Rock topics in between all the NWA topics.

[Arkansawyer]

Part of it is there just hasn't been as much going on in terms of announced projects lately.

I had to curtail a lot of my posting because my workload went up quite a bit. Next month won't be much better.

I've also been busy lately and haven't had as much time to post.

I almost quit coming to the board before Little Rock was split off, I could barely find the Little Rock topics in between all the NWA topics.

I agree that the Little Rock forum makes things much better than before the split. I grew tired of sifting through topics that didn't interest me.

If the forum goes through slow periods, what does it matter? It's here for our enjoyment to read and post information about Little Rock. It doesn't hurt anything if there's a slow period in terms of development, or if people don't have much time to post.

[Mith242]

Well at least it doesn't sound like people have lost interest. I think that was the biggest concern, or at least it was to me. We've had some dry spells even before there were subforums for the Arkansas forum. Hopefully things will pick back up.

[mcheiss]

It looks like things are back up a bit.

Hopefully we can keep this up, I wouldn't want to see this subforum shrinked back into the Arkansas subforum.

[nandle]

Well it seems like I'm in the minority here, but at least I generated some dialogue regarding the forums. I think that although my general interest is in Little Rock, it is the evolving "Tale of Two Cities" that the former forum structure better revealed. NWA and Little Rock are both on distinct paths toward different types of urbanization, and the juxtaposition of these was just something I found more interesting as it allowed me a different perspective, and created a different synergy on the board- IMHO. Alas I'm happy to have a place to hit in my surfing that touches on things I find exciting and interesting and that are indeed in my backyard.

[Aporkalypse]

It looks like Little Rock has picked up fairly well, with far more posts than Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, etc. It was worth doing.

Of course, half of that is probably me since I live out of state and like to stay up on what's going on, but that's fine.

[mcheiss]

Yes, posting is picking up.

Give it time and I assure you the subforum will be busting with posts.

Just remember, If you post it, they will come. That's how every forum grew.

[nandle]

Hmm, think the last time I posted was here on this thread I started. I agree the sub-forum seems to getting plenty of action, however I will stick to my original thoughts, that for me personally it has also divided the overall forum. I really enjoyed being able to compare the current development issues of both regions, central ar and nwa side by side if you will.

I think that even though the two regions have distinct qualities and issues, the overall state of progress in Arkansas is best illustrated by juxtaposing the posts regarding these two regions. This synergy, in my opinion, will work to better enhance the perceptions of those visiting these forums. Of course that is just my little opinion, and the reality of the matter is as it stands is that we likely don't get that many out of state visitors here. Unfortunately I rarely check out the postings in the other regions now, I usually just hop on this sub-forum and cruise around a while.

[mcheiss]

Hmm, think the last time I posted was here on this thread I started. I agree the sub-forum seems to getting plenty of action, however I will stick to my original thoughts, that for me personally it has also divided the overall forum. I really enjoyed being able to compare the current development issues of both regions, central ar and nwa side by side if you will.

I think that even though the two regions have distinct qualities and issues, the overall state of progress in Arkansas is best illustrated by juxtaposing the posts regarding these two regions. This synergy, in my opinion, will work to better enhance the perceptions of those visiting these forums.

Divinding the forum is the only way to allow growth. If we were still on one forum, most people from other places would feel left out and more than likely leave. With more room to grow, there's more potential. All you have to do is post, and things will get moving along.

If we get a Coffeeshop Subforum, I'll allow for comparison topics against NW Arkansas and LR if you wish, as long as it doesn't become city bashing.

[Mith242]

Divinding the forum is the only way to allow growth. If we were still on one forum, most people from other places would feel left out and more than likely leave. With more room to grow, there's more potential. All you have to do is post, and things will get moving along.

If we get a Coffeeshop Subforum, I'll allow for comparison topics against NW Arkansas and LR if you wish, as long as it doesn't become city bashing.

That might be interesting.