Master List: Major Northwest Arkansas Construction

[jiggyK]

this is jiggyk's girl and he's been keeping me informed on the devo in f-town with this forum.

i think this building in the mill district is a step in the wrong direction! it is another typical brick and glass atrocity that in no way jives with the mill district's feel. i had high hopes for that area of town (and not just because i'm in the neighborhood). now, i see that the same tasteless generic buildings are going to start going up around here. it was bad enough when they put in the walgreens.

oh boy.

[mcheiss]

Wasn't there something special about the Superior in Bentonville? Like something about how big it is or something?

Yes, square footage wise it will be the largest office building in Arkansas, or one of the largest.

[strmchsr77]

this is jiggyk's girl and he's been keeping me informed on the devo in f-town with this forum.

i think this building in the mill district is a step in the wrong direction! it is another typical brick and glass atrocity that in no way jives with the mill district's feel. i had high hopes for that area of town (and not just because i'm in the neighborhood). now, i see that the same tasteless generic buildings are going to start going up around here. it was bad enough when they put in the walgreens.

oh boy.

What kind of structures would you like to see in the area? More like the steel buildings that are currently there instead of the more common brick and glass or something entirely different. I am just glad that this older area of Fayetteville is not being left out of development and revitalization.

[CellarDoor135]

this is jiggyk's girl and he's been keeping me informed on the devo in f-town with this forum.

i think this building in the mill district is a step in the wrong direction! it is another typical brick and glass atrocity that in no way jives with the mill district's feel. i had high hopes for that area of town (and not just because i'm in the neighborhood). now, i see that the same tasteless generic buildings are going to start going up around here. it was bad enough when they put in the walgreens.

oh boy.

I have to disagree, while this may be generic, I would have to say it will be done in good taste. This is in Fayetteville, not one of the sister cities with horrible city planning.

Steel or some other metal would have been much better for the "Jive"

[mcheiss]

this is jiggyk's girl and he's been keeping me informed on the devo in f-town with this forum.

i think this building in the mill district is a step in the wrong direction! it is another typical brick and glass atrocity that in no way jives with the mill district's feel. i had high hopes for that area of town (and not just because i'm in the neighborhood). now, i see that the same tasteless generic buildings are going to start going up around here. it was bad enough when they put in the walgreens.

oh boy.

How is this building a tasteless generic building? I would be beyond excited if something like this was built in my downtown. This building is quite modern, IMO. It's like a building straight out of Austin or something. It's very electic and funky. This is a step in the right direction, and is certainly much better than that eye sore of a mill.

[mcheiss]

Here's an update on the Embassy Suites Expansion in Rogers.

And here's shots of the Hospital.

[masons_dad1]

I have to disagree, while this may be generic, I would have to say it will be done in good taste. This is in Fayetteville, not one of the sister cities with horrible city planning.

Steel or some other metal would have been much better for the "Jive"

Nice jab at Bentonville and Rogers. I'd include Springdale if there was anything being built there.

[cocothief]

this is jiggyk's girl and he's been keeping me informed on the devo in f-town with this forum.

i think this building in the mill district is a step in the wrong direction! it is another typical brick and glass atrocity that in no way jives with the mill district's feel. i had high hopes for that area of town (and not just because i'm in the neighborhood). now, i see that the same tasteless generic buildings are going to start going up around here. it was bad enough when they put in the walgreens.

oh boy.

I can see your point. The Mill District is named what it is for a reason and I too would prefer a more historic, realistic nod to the area's history.

With development just beginning in this area, I don't think we can be too choosy about architectural styles, et al.

I think if the area develops to its potential there will be an eclectic mix of architectural styles and that this area can be a little more funky than what is going downtown or on Dickson.

I'm happy to see the development as south Fayetteville is the area of town most in danger of becoming ghetto'd out. If things are rolling in south Fayetteville, the entire city will be healthy.

[CellarDoor135]

Nice jab at Bentonville and Rogers. I'd include Springdale if there was anything being built there.

Not so much a jab as is the truth. I study urban Planning. Not to sound cocky, but anyone could tell you this!

[jiggyK]

i think what my girlfriend meant in her small tirade against the mill district project is that it doesn't fit in with the "theme" of the area. in her opinion, the structure should be more mill-like -- similar to the condo building -- instead of something straight off miami beach. personally, i would like to see a bit more classical-looking. you know, early twentith century architecture in the way of renaissance tower. i have to admit that i'm a bit baffled as to what the "funky" and "ecclectic" qualities are in this development that some of you write about. please describe them to me, if you'd be so kind.

[mcheiss]

Just look at it, the smaller windows makesit appear as tall, urbanized building. Then there's the cool urban features on it as well.

[masons_dad1]

Not so much a jab as is the truth. I study urban Planning. Not to sound cocky, but anyone could tell you this!

You're entitled to your personal opinions. I've studied Bentonville's urban planning as well as Fayetteville's and they're both well laid plans. Pinnacle Hills in Rogers is also a well laid plan, as many of the urban mixed-use developments in Rogers and Bentonville as well as Fayetteville. But go ahead and jab away.

[nwa_479]

It is just so amazing to see how much Rogers is booming. Two years ago, all of this was just nothing but fields and etc.

[masons_dad1]

i think what my girlfriend meant in her small tirade against the mill district project is that it doesn't fit in with the "theme" of the area. in her opinion, the structure should be more mill-like -- similar to the condo building -- instead of something straight off miami beach. personally, i would like to see a bit more classical-looking. you know, early twentith century architecture in the way of renaissance tower. i have to admit that i'm a bit baffled as to what the "funky" and "ecclectic" qualities are in this development that some of you write about. please describe them to me, if you'd be so kind.

That's exactly what I thought it looked like... something straight off Miami Beach only with less pizzazz.

[masons_dad1]

It is just so amazing to see how much Rogers is booming. Two years ago, all of this was just nothing but fields and etc.

Both Rogers and Bentonville are filling up a lot of land that was just fields a couple years ago. At the rate that land is filling up those two cities will be the most urban area of NWA by 2020.

[jiggyK]

Just look at it, the smaller windows makesit appear as tall, urbanized building. Then there's the cool urban features on it as well.

yes, i've looked. to me it looks like the old sixties dorms on u of a campus, except shorter and with red brick instead of cream colored. the small windows make it look like an asylum, and the "cool urban features" make it look like a modernist-style asylum where the patients are allowed to get a tan. and what's up with the totally solid white wall at the ground-floor level? that would look way better with some grafitti, for sure.

[thewizard16]

yes, i've looked. to me it looks like the old sixties dorms on u of a campus, except shorter and with red brick instead of cream colored. the small windows make it look like an asylum, and the "cool urban features" make it look like a modernist-style asylum where the patients are allowed to get a tan. and what's up with the totally solid white wall at the ground-floor level? that would look way better with some grafitti, for sure.

It's not as bad as the dorms, but it reminds me of an upscale hotel from the 60's that was styled to be "from the future" kind of thing... I don't like it all that much, but it's not terrible.

[Mith242]

Thanks for the pics Matt. Nice to see what's happening since I was up there.

[Mith242]

What kind of structures would you like to see in the area? More like the steel buildings that are currently there instead of the more common brick and glass or something entirely different. I am just glad that this older area of Fayetteville is not being left out of development and revitalization.

I agree with you there. At first I wasn't sure if that design was what I was expecting for the Mill District. It doesn't have the metal mill look but after thinking about it I do think this design would fit in as well.

[Mith242]

How is this building a tasteless generic building? I would be beyond excited if something like this was built in my downtown. This building is quite modern, IMO. It's like a building straight out of Austin or something. It's very electic and funky. This is a step in the right direction, and is certainly much better than that eye sore of a mill.

Maybe this is going to be a divergence in personal taste. I know not everyone likes the 'mill look' of some of the current buildings. I admit at first when they were beginning to fix up this area I was a bit shocked they were going to go with that 'mill look' and wasn't crazy about it. But it didn't take long for it to grow on me. It is something that's rather unique and stands out.

But I do wonder though if it's realistic to expect every building that will be designed to look like a converted mill. Maybe the developer was worried about developing condos in a building that would look like a converted mill and whether they could actually sell them. Or maybe it's just the fact that developers have different visions of how they want an area to look.

[Mith242]

yes, i've looked. to me it looks like the old sixties dorms on u of a campus, except shorter and with red brick instead of cream colored. the small windows make it look like an asylum, and the "cool urban features" make it look like a modernist-style asylum where the patients are allowed to get a tan. and what's up with the totally solid white wall at the ground-floor level? that would look way better with some grafitti, for sure.

We might need to keep in mind what's happened with past renderings that were put in the newspaper. I know the Divinity caused an uproar when the first rendering was published in the same way. I'm wondering if some of that white in the rendering could actually be metal. The Divinity came out in the newspaper as having a weird yellow exterior that wasn't right. Some metal in the design would seem to make it fit in better since it's just across the street. The red brick would also fit into the La Maison des Tartes. Anyway I guess I'm more in the middle on this development. I do think maybe more could be done to have it fit in but I don't hate it either like some do.

[masons_dad1]

Maybe this is going to be a divergence in personal taste. I know not everyone likes the 'mill look' of some of the current buildings. I admit at first when they were beginning to fix up this area I was a bit shocked they were going to go with that 'mill look' and wasn't crazy about it. But it didn't take long for it to grow on me. It is something that's rather unique and stands out.

But I do wonder though if it's realistic to expect every building that will be designed to look like a converted mill. Maybe the developer was worried about developing condos in a building that would look like a converted mill and whether they could actually sell them. Or maybe it's just the fact that developers have different visions of how they want an area to look.

Maybe they could just rename it the Mill and More District.

[Sneaky Snake]

Below is the developer's website. There is a drawing of the front of the proposed building. Check it out

www.milverinvest.com

[strmchsr77]

Below is the developer's website. There is a drawing of the front of the proposed building. Check it out

www.milverinvest.com

Thanks for the info Sneaky and welcome to Urban Planet. The rendering on the developer's site looks quite a bit different than that in the Times.

[masons_dad1]

Below is the developer's website. There is a drawing of the front of the proposed building. Check it out

www.milverinvest.com

Now we're talking about a Mill, albeit a quite artsy mill.