664 replies to this topic

[Mith242]

The Northwest Arkansas Times has reported that demolition of the old Mountain Inn is now complete and the city has sold the property to developers for $300,000.  Fayetteville used the only working  TIF district in the state to pay for the demolition.  The 16 story luxury hotel will include 154 rooms, five floors of condos and a rooftop observatory.  The project also includes a 350 space parking structure with retail storefronts along Mountain St.  A restaurant is being planned for the thirs floor and a health spa will also be included in the project.  Three floors of condos are already spoken for.  The project is expected to spur growth in Fayetteville's Square area just like the Walton Art Center did along Dickson St.  Negotiations are still in the way for a hotelier to be partners.  Unfortunately I've still had no luck finding any drawings or renditions or the project yet.

[tombarnes]

I can certainly understand destroying the larger, more modern part of the Mountain Inn.  Still, I had hoped that the smaller, older part of the hotel which was once the Oriental Hotel might have been spared the wrecker's ball.  Too bad.

[Aporkalypse]

tombarnes, on Aug 24 2005, 03:12 PM, said:

I can certainly understand destroying the larger, more modern part of the Mountain Inn.  Still, I had hoped that the smaller, older part of the hotel which was once the Oriental Hotel might have been spared the wrecker's ball.  Too bad.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto, there's not much tradition amidst the sprawl up there.  Knocking down a structure like that with historical significance was criminal. I was hoping it could be incorporated into the new structure, as had been planned at one point.

[Mith242]

Aporkalypse, on Aug 24 2005, 05:49 PM, said:

Ditto, there's not much tradition amidst the sprawl up there.  Knocking down a structure like that with historical significance was criminal. I was hoping it could be incorporated into the new structure, as had been planned at one point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I admit I look forward to this new project, although I do wish we could also do more to preserve the past.  I'm not positive on the whole building, but they had let most of the Mountain Inn really go.  It was in pretty bad shape and was one of the few 'eyesores' of Fayetteville.  Although maybe more could have been done to preserve at least some of the structure.

[Mith242]

Well I have to admit, despite living here for 12 years I haven't heard anything about the Oriental Hotel.  Anyone have any info on it.  I take it the Mountain Inn had incorporated it into it's structure?

[NickR78]

Wow, a sixteen story building in downtown fayetteville will begin to establish a downtown skyline.  Does anyone have any pics of the site?  Or of the downtown fayetteville area in general.  I was a UofA student for one year in 1998, but haven't been back since.  It sounds like the area is really changing.

[Mith242]

Another article in theNorthwest Arkansas Times today about the project.  There's a picture of a sign near the property that shows the building.  But I still haven't had any luck finding anything on the internet.  Apparently it's going to be called Renaissance Tower.  The article also mentions there is going to be a slight delay until they finalize all the plans with the parking deck.  From what I can tell in the picture in the paper it looks pretty nice.  Sorta hard to give very much detail since it's a picture of a sign.  Sorta a slightly modern take on a more traditional building.  It looks as if the bottom three stories will have a particular style with most of the rest of the building a bit different.  Both being of red brick or reddish stone.  The top two stories look a bit more modern and look to be made of a white or tan stone.  The building looks like a square except one corner looks to have a rounded 'tower' attached to it.  Sorry it's sorta hard to describe very well.  
There's also some renovation of buildings along Center St between College Ave and East Ave.  It will be called 'Smoky Row', no explaination on the reason behind the name.  Work should also soon begin on the condos on the top of the Bank of American building.  Which will give the whole block a new look.

[Mith242]

Well I had to go do it myself but here's a picture of what the development will look like.



Now if I just could find where I had posted more updated info on this project.

[NCB]

^Renaissance Tower looks great!

Edited by NCB, 16 October 2005 - 07:28 PM.

[Aporkalypse]

Mith242, on Oct 16 2005, 07:50 PM, said:

Well I had to go do it myself but here's a picture of what the development will look like.



Now if I just could find where I had posted more updated info on this project.

Very cool building, it will fit in well with the historic buildings around it.

[Mith242]

I've been slowly going through Fayetteville downtown master plan.  I was a bit surprised to see that whoever they had got to do the study had recommended demoilishing the old Mountain Inn.  Although they did recommend saving other buildings.  I don't know if the Old Mountain wasn't saved because it had so badly deteriorated or what.  But thought I'd mention that since there was some mention of it not being saved earlier in the topic.

[Mith242]

I'm really looking forward to this project getting started.  It will certainly give the area a new look.  And it will give me something to take pictures of also.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 17 2005, 02:50 PM, said:

I'm really looking forward to this project getting started.  It will certainly give the area a new look.  And it will give me something to take pictures of also.

It could spark a whole wave of mid-rises and potentially a few high rises in Fayetteville or in that area?

As soon as I can get out, I'll try to get some pictures of the Pinnacle Area or Downtown Rogers, but for some reason, I can't get pictures to post on here.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 17 2005, 02:52 PM, said:

It could spark a whole wave of mid-rises and potentially a few high rises in Fayetteville or in that area?

As soon as I can get out, I'll try to get some pictures of the Pinnacle Area or Downtown Rogers, but for some reason, I can't get pictures to post on here.

Yeah I had that problem at first.  I checked to see where Skirby had his pics located.  Which is at Image Shack by the way.  And then I opened up an account there also.  It's a bit annoying having to go through their process and them wanting to send you junk mail.  But I can now put pics on here.  I had a friend recommend another place after I already went there but I can't think of it right now.  But if you right click on one of the pics you can get the address for the place where we have the pics to upload to here.  I'm curious to see some areas of Rogers.  I've been trying to think of other areas to take pics around here.  
And back to the Renaissance Tower, I am hoping it will have the effect the Walton Art Center did on Dickson.  It could also be another thing to help revitalize areas of College Ave.

[mcheiss]

I hope so.

If college develops into Mid-rises and a few high-rises, Fayetteville will have a skyline and downtown that will be unmatched in NW Arkansas.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 17 2005, 03:04 PM, said:

I hope so.

If college develops into Mid-rises and a few high-rises, Fayetteville will have a skyline and downtown that will be unmatched in NW Arkansas.

Yeah aside from revitalizing that are hopefully more along College Ave, I am also hoping that this will also help bring in some more mid-rises at least.  I'm not sure if I can see Fayetteville going into high-rises, at least not for a while.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 17 2005, 03:15 PM, said:

Yeah aside from revitalizing that are hopefully more along College Ave, I am also hoping that this will also help bring in some more mid-rises at least.  I'm not sure if I can see Fayetteville going into high-rises, at least not for a while.

What are your specifications on high-rises?

I consider anything from 16 stories and higher to be high-rises. I think Fayetteville could attract an office high-rise or another condo high-rise or a combo of the two.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 17 2005, 03:16 PM, said:

What are your specifications on high-rises?

I consider anything from 16 stories and higher to be high-rises. I think Fayetteville could attract an office high-rise or another condo high-rise or a combo of the two.

I didn't have a specific number but I was thinking higher than that in general.  Maybe closer to Little Rock standards.  Even if Fayetteville does become more urban I just can't see them ever having a skyline like Little Rock though.  I just don't know if people in Fayetteville want something like that.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 17 2005, 03:28 PM, said:

I didn't have a specific number but I was thinking higher than that in general.  Maybe closer to Little Rock standards.  Even if Fayetteville does become more urban I just can't see them ever having a skyline like Little Rock though.  I just don't know if people in Fayetteville want something like that.

I don't think this area will ever get something as big as the Metropolitan National Bank Building, but I do think that sometime in the future, high-rises will be a bigger factor. I don't think Fayetteville will ever have a skyline to Little Rock, but I could see plenty of 5-9 story developments in the downtown area, with a few going around 12-18 stories. I do see 3-4 story buildings however being the bulk of development in the downtown area in the near future.

Something like a big condo tower in Fayetteville or something, like 25+ stories is always a potential.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 17 2005, 03:33 PM, said:

I don't think this area will ever get something as big as the Metropolitan National Bank Building, but I do think that sometime in the future, high-rises will be a bigger factor. I don't think Fayetteville will ever have a skyline to Little Rock, but I could see plenty of 5-9 story developments in the downtown area, with a few going around 12-18 stories. I do see 3-4 story buildings however being the bulk of development in the downtown area in the near future.

Something like a big condo tower in Fayetteville or something, like 25+ stories is always a potential.

It's possible, or another hotel/condo tower is a possibility.  Those are becoming more popular.  I also think that that type of project is a good bet for Little Rock's next high-rise.  But right now having some smaller type buildings and mid-rises are okay.  I don't expect huge urban growth overnight.