143 replies to this topic

[mcheiss]

Arkansawyer, on Oct 19 2005, 03:06 PM, said:

Reread my post; I actually said the opposite.

Regarding the lack of huge condos, there are actually several large projects going up along Lake Hamilton. Property values have gotten so high, and land so scarce, that this is the trend. I've actually heard that speculators from Texas are snatching up much of the lake property.

how big of projects, like multi-story condos?

[Arkansawyer]

mcheiss, on Oct 19 2005, 03:08 PM, said:

how big of projects, like multi-story condos?

I'm just speaking off the top of my head, but there are new condos around three, four, or five stories. Of course, there are already some a bit taller than that. I'm not an expert on the Hot Springs condo market, but I'm just reporting what I've seen when I've been down there.

[Mith242]

Arkansawyer, on Oct 19 2005, 03:06 PM, said:

Reread my post; I actually said the opposite.

Regarding the lack of huge condos, there are actually several large projects going up along Lake Hamilton. Property values have gotten so high, and land so scarce, that this is the trend. I've actually heard that speculators from Texas are snatching up much of the lake property.

Oops you're right, guess I got in too big of a hurry reading, sorry.  I hadn't heard of any condo projects down there.  Where's Johnny, why isn't he keeping us up to date?      It doesn't surprise me about Texas.  In some ways I guess I'm a little surprised they haven't made their influence known more here in northwest Arkansas.  I know similar things have happened out in New Mexico.  I think a lot of people in New Mexico resent their neighbors to the east.

[arkansas_buff]

I voted Conway, but I think it's a shot in the dark.  A lot of it will depend on incorporation over the next decade or so.  Jonesboro is already the 2nd largest city in land area, which is one of the reasons the population in near 60K.  Despite it's slightly slower growth rate (and I emphasize slightly), Ft. Smith has a great shot at hitting this mark.  I rule out Fayetteville, Rogers, et al, because of the fact that their city limits touch, limiting the amount of occupied land each city can incorporate.  At nearly 80K residents, Ft. Smith is awefully close already.  So many factors...

[Mith242]

arkansas_buff, on Oct 19 2005, 11:51 PM, said:

I voted Conway, but I think it's a shot in the dark.  A lot of it will depend on incorporation over the next decade or so.  Jonesboro is already the 2nd largest city in land area, which is one of the reasons the population in near 60K.  Despite it's slightly slower growth rate (and I emphasize slightly), Ft. Smith has a great shot at hitting this mark.  I rule out Fayetteville, Rogers, et al, because of the fact that their city limits touch, limiting the amount of occupied land each city can incorporate.  At nearly 80K residents, Ft. Smith is awefully close already.  So many factors...

Very good points.  You may very well be right.  A lot of land has already been taken up by cities in northwest Arkansas.  Eventually these cities might have to build up if they want to continue growth.  I think Fayetteville is helped by the fact they are at the end of the metro.  It's certainly not flat land that's not easily developed but there is still options to the south and southeast.  But I still question just how much growth Fayetteville will try to allow.

[johnnydr87]

Mith242, on Oct 19 2005, 03:23 PM, said:

Oops you're right, guess I got in too big of a hurry reading, sorry.  I hadn't heard of any condo projects down there.  Where's Johnny, why isn't he keeping us up to date?      It doesn't surprise me about Texas.  In some ways I guess I'm a little surprised they haven't made their influence known more here in northwest Arkansas.  I know similar things have happened out in New Mexico.  I think a lot of people in New Mexico resent their neighbors to the east.

I haven't ventured out of this building for 2 months!

[mcheiss]

arkansas_buff, on Oct 19 2005, 11:51 PM, said:

I voted Conway, but I think it's a shot in the dark.  A lot of it will depend on incorporation over the next decade or so.  Jonesboro is already the 2nd largest city in land area, which is one of the reasons the population in near 60K.  Despite it's slightly slower growth rate (and I emphasize slightly), Ft. Smith has a great shot at hitting this mark.  I rule out Fayetteville, Rogers, et al, because of the fact that their city limits touch, limiting the amount of occupied land each city can incorporate.  At nearly 80K residents, Ft. Smith is awefully close already.  So many factors...

That's why I left out Rogers out of the poll. The city is surrounded by cities on practically every side of it's borders. Lowell to the South, Bentonville to the Northwest, Little Flock to the North, and Cave Springs to the Southwest. Unless Rogers starts to build up more, than the only way I could see them beating cities like Conway or Jonesoboro is incorporating with other cities. There's still plently of land to develop in Rogers and land out near Cave Springs and Highfill that could be annexed by the city, but a lot has to happen if Rogers will ever be first. 47% of the land in Rogers is still zoned as agricultural, so there could be a chance for Rogers to zone all that land into Single and Multi Family Housing, yet other cities in NW Arkansas are also growing in Housing, so it makes for one city in NWA to reach 100,000 a little bit harder.

Edited by mcheiss, 20 October 2005 - 12:45 PM.

[Mith242]

johnnydr87, on Oct 20 2005, 12:40 PM, said:

I haven't ventured out of this building for 2 months!

Wow, Johnny are they keeping you chained up or something?      Just kidding, I know you've been busy with school I was just joking around.  

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 20 2005, 01:36 PM, said:

That's why I left out Rogers out of the poll. The city is surrounded by cities on practically every side of it's borders. Lowell to the South, Bentonville to the Northwest, Little Flock to the North, and Cave Springs to the Southwest. Unless Rogers starts to build up more, than the only way I could see them beating cities like Conway or Jonesoboro is incorporating with other cities. There's still plently of land to develop in Rogers and land out near Cave Springs and Highfill that could be annexed by the city, but a lot has to happen if Rogers will ever be first. 47% of the land in Rogers is still zoned as agricultural, so there could be a chance for Rogers to zone all that land into Single and Multi Family Housing, yet other cities in NW Arkansas are also growing in Housing, so it makes for one city in NWA to reach 100,000 a little bit harder.

What if they went east towards Beaver Lake, granted you can't go too far that way.  But also what about northeast towards the Grandview Heights in the Coose Hollow of Beaver Lake?  If there's one thing to all of this is that the lack of land for some cities here in northwest Arkansas might end up pushing for some of the cities to build up and help create more of an urban area.  But I still think there quite a bit of land around to develop.  Hopefully they won't waste it all on sprawling developments.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 20 2005, 02:52 PM, said:

What if they went east towards Beaver Lake, granted you can't go too far that way.  But also what about northeast towards the Grandview Heights in the Coose Hollow of Beaver Lake?  If there's one thing to all of this is that the lack of land for some cities here in northwest Arkansas might end up pushing for some of the cities to build up and help create more of an urban area.  But I still think there quite a bit of land around to develop.  Hopefully they won't waste it all on sprawling developments.

Beaver Lake is somewhat rocky and mountainous in this area. I could see more homes and condo's being built out there, but land is a little more to develop out there. Our best option is to build up and use up what land we do have and annex land out near Centerton and Cave Springs. There is a lot of land that still can be developed, but you still have to think about the future and annexing and such.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 20 2005, 02:55 PM, said:

Beaver Lake is somewhat rocky and mountainous in this area. I could see more homes and condo's being built out there, but land is a little more to develop out there. Our best option is to build up and use up what land we do have and annex land out near Centerton and Cave Springs. There is a lot of land that still can be developed, but you still have to think about the future and annexing and such.

I know everyone wants to take the flat easy to develop land but I think everyone has been ignoring areas just because they aren't flat.  Granted I guess it would be more expensive to do so everyone will wait to look into those areas last.  But I'd like to see some of the hilly areas get some developments.  I think it could be done if you had the right mindset.  Not just try to go in and bulldoze the area flat.  But as I said I imagine it is more expensive to develop these areas so it might be a while before any of this happens.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 20 2005, 03:05 PM, said:

I know everyone wants to take the flat easy to develop land but I think everyone has been ignoring areas just because they aren't flat.  Granted I guess it would be more expensive to do so everyone will wait to look into those areas last.  But I'd like to see some of the hilly areas get some developments.  I think it could be done if you had the right mindset.  Not just try to go in and bulldoze the area flat.  But as I said I imagine it is more expensive to develop these areas so it might be a while before any of this happens.

There are some nice sub-divisions out in Rogers on Beaver Lake. And there are plenty under construction. I think that development with condo housing and even single family housing will continue thanks to the Grandview Condos. Is there much housing development in Washington County near Beaver Lake?
I thought I heard about a developer who wanted to put condos in down near Fayetteville on the lake or something a little while back.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 20 2005, 03:08 PM, said:

There are some nice sub-divisions out in Rogers on Beaver Lake. And there are plenty under construction. I think that development with condo housing and even single family housing will continue thanks to the Grandview Condos. Is there much housing development in Washington County near Beaver Lake?
I thought I heard about a developer who wanted to put condos in down near Fayetteville on the lake or something a little while back.

Hmmm...not sure I know what lake they might be talking about.  I'm sure Springdale has some houses along Beaver Lake, but keep in mind Beaver Lake isn't too big by the time it gets to Washington County.  I think it basically ends on the northeast edge of Springdale or close to it.  There are houses out there but I'm not sure just how organized it is, if there are any big housing developments and so on.  In Fayetteville all we have is Lake Fayetteville and Lake Sequoyah, both very small compared to Beaver Lake.  Lake Fayetteville is not too far east of the Northwest Arkansas Mall area in the north part of town.  Lake Sequoyah is to the southeast of the city.  It's in the city limits but I don't think there's much development out that way, just some houses.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 20 2005, 03:20 PM, said:

Hmmm...not sure I know what lake they might be talking about.  I'm sure Springdale has some houses along Beaver Lake, but keep in mind Beaver Lake isn't too big by the time it gets to Washington County.  I think it basically ends on the northeast edge of Springdale or close to it.  There are houses out there but I'm not sure just how organized it is, if there are any big housing developments and so on.  In Fayetteville all we have is Lake Fayetteville and Lake Sequoyah, both very small compared to Beaver Lake.  Lake Fayetteville is not too far east of the Northwest Arkansas Mall area in the north part of town.  Lake Sequoyah is to the southeast of the city.  It's in the city limits but I don't think there's much development out that way, just some houses.

I think development will surely increase out at the lake now, since the word is out.

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 20 2005, 03:23 PM, said:

I think development will surely increase out at the lake now, since the word is out.

Yeah but our lakes aren't anything like Beaver Lake.  I always wonder how things would be if either Beaver Lake was bigger and extended further down to us or if it had been the dam had been built further upstream and  a major lake was closer to Fayetteville.  I wish we had a major lake closer to Fayetteville.  But I guess it will work out well for Rogers.

[mcheiss]

Rogers has a lot of land out there, it's just the homeowners and the land!

Beaver Lake has a lot to offer. There's a nice state park out there also called Lost Bridges or something like that, islands that offer a lots of privacy, and underwater buildings that used to be a hotel or something. There's also the views, which I think is what's going to drive developers to build large condo towers and nice homes.

Could Fayetteville ever build around Lake Fayetteville or Sequoyah?

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 20 2005, 03:31 PM, said:

Rogers has a lot of land out there, it's just the homeowners and the land!

Beaver Lake has a lot to offer. There's a nice state park out there also called Lost Bridges or something like that, islands that offer a lots of privacy, and underwater buildings that used to be a hotel or something. There's also the views, which I think is what's going to drive developers to build large condo towers and nice homes.

Could Fayetteville ever build around Lake Fayetteville or Sequoyah?

I've heard they are totally redoing the state park around Beaver Lake.  It's going to eventually become a much bigger park with more to offer.  I think they have decided part of this because of the population growth here in northwest Arkansas.  I think they are going to somehow incorperate Beaver Lake State Park and the Hobbs SMA.  But now that I think of it I think Lost Bridges is a bit southwest of Beaver Lake State Park.  I guess I had forgotten it was a state park too.
Fayetteville could build around Lake Fayetteville to a certain degree I guess.  Although part of that land is for the botonical park and there's also a city park too.  Then the north side of the lake is Springdlae land where they also have a park too.  I think the Springdale side has more houses near the lake.  I think Fayetteville has tried to keep more of it's side more natural.  But I don't know if either one is big enough that anyone would want to try to put in much of a development.  I guess it just depends on how you look at it.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 20 2005, 03:39 PM, said:

I've heard they are totally redoing the state park around Beaver Lake.  It's going to eventually become a much bigger park with more to offer.  I think they have decided part of this because of the population growth here in northwest Arkansas.  I think they are going to somehow incorperate Beaver Lake State Park and the Hobbs SMA.  But now that I think of it I think Lost Bridges is a bit southwest of Beaver Lake State Park.  I guess I had forgotten it was a state park too.
Fayetteville could build around Lake Fayetteville to a certain degree I guess.  Although part of that land is for the botonical park and there's also a city park too.  Then the north side of the lake is Springdlae land where they also have a park too.  I think the Springdale side has more houses near the lake.  I think Fayetteville has tried to keep more of it's side more natural.  But I don't know if either one is big enough that anyone would want to try to put in much of a development.  I guess it just depends on how you look at it.

I didn't hear about that, another one slid under my nose!!

[Mith242]

mcheiss, on Oct 20 2005, 03:46 PM, said:

I didn't hear about that, another one slid under my nose!!

I think it's going to be a slow process.  But at the original Beaver Lake State Park, there wasn't a lot to offer that other state parks had.  I think they realized that being so close to an up and coming population center could offer more if they did something with that area.  I think Devil's Den State Park is often helped by the fact of it's nearby location to northwest Arkansas metro.

[mcheiss]

Mith242, on Oct 20 2005, 03:55 PM, said:

I think it's going to be a slow process.  But at the original Beaver Lake State Park, there wasn't a lot to offer that other state parks had.  I think they realized that being so close to an up and coming population center could offer more if they did something with that area.  I think Devil's Den State Park is often helped by the fact of it's nearby location to northwest Arkansas metro.

The area is prime. I think they just completed a boat dock expansion in that area, and they are planning another one soon.