100 replies to this topic

[Aporkalypse]

Since I'm living in Dallas I miss things that are going on at times.  I was really quite impressed when I drove down Broadway from the I-630 exit into downtown how much it's cleaned up.  It always seemed a bit dirty and fast-food oriented.  The renovation (and re-rebranding) of the old Holiday Inn, Radisson for a while and now La Quinta helped and the new Mosaic Templars building looks like it's coming along nicely.  I hate to say it but somehow a nice new Starbucks there seemed to spruce it up (though that makes me suburban as hell).  I can't remember what was there before the Starbuck's but that and the Mosaic Templars renovation have just completely lifted that end up.  I suspect it was an old auto garage or parking lot.

The old YMCA building needs to be converted to something but it's still beautiful and impressive.

There really are getting to be very few areas of downtown LR that need fresh coats of paint and teardowns.  There's a pocket over by the train station on E Markham where the Salvation Army mission is that could use it.  Most of the core downtown actually has been revitalized.

South Broadway will never be an entertainment district but it no longer seems like an eyesore, either.  Seeing that made me feel good about Little Rock.

Now it's time to really get to working on Main.  It's almost the hole in the donut right now.

[theman]

Aporkalypse, on Apr 15 2007, 10:14 PM, said:

Since I'm living in Dallas I miss things that are going on at times.  I was really quite impressed when I drove down Broadway from the I-630 exit into downtown how much it's cleaned up.  It always seemed a bit dirty and fast-food oriented.  The renovation (and re-rebranding) of the old Holiday Inn, Radisson for a while and now La Quinta helped and the new Mosaic Templars building looks like it's coming along nicely.  I hate to say it but somehow a nice new Starbucks there seemed to spruce it up (though that makes me suburban as hell).  I can't remember what was there before the Starbuck's but that and the Mosaic Templars renovation have just completely lifted that end up.  I suspect it was an old auto garage or parking lot.

The old YMCA building needs to be converted to something but it's still beautiful and impressive.

There really are getting to be very few areas of downtown LR that need fresh coats of paint and teardowns.  There's a pocket over by the train station on E Markham where the Salvation Army mission is that could use it.  Most of the core downtown actually has been revitalized.

South Broadway will never be an entertainment district but it no longer seems like an eyesore, either.  Seeing that made me feel good about Little Rock.

Now it's time to really get to working on Main.  It's almost the hole in the donut right now.

What used to be on site where the Starbucks is now was a check cashing place.  

I agree that Broadway looks better.  Even the Radisson becoming a LaQuinta seems to be working out.  They painted the outside of the building as part of their $7 million spuce up.  

That Starbucks, though, is going to add to the bad traffic on Broadway in the mornings.  People coming in out of there for coffee is going to make it as bad a going in out of Wendy's and McDonalds during lunch.  I wouldn't be suprised if another Starbucks pops up in the River Market District.

[Aporkalypse]

theman, on Apr 16 2007, 12:31 AM, said:

What used to be on site where the Starbucks is now was a check cashing place.  

I agree that Broadway looks better.  Even the Radisson becoming a LaQuinta seems to be working out.  They painted the outside of the building as part of their $7 million spuce up.  

That Starbucks, though, is going to add to the bad traffic on Broadway in the mornings.  People coming in out of there for coffee is going to make it as bad a going in out of Wendy's and McDonalds during lunch.  I wouldn't be suprised if another Starbucks pops up in the River Market District.

I agree but Starbuck's always beats a check-cashing place.  Those things always trash up a neighborhood.

[db909]

Aporkalypse, on Apr 15 2007, 10:14 PM, said:

Since I'm living in Dallas I miss things that are going on at times.  I was really quite impressed when I drove down Broadway from the I-630 exit into downtown how much it's cleaned up.  It always seemed a bit dirty and fast-food oriented.  The renovation (and re-rebranding) of the old Holiday Inn, Radisson for a while and now La Quinta helped and the new Mosaic Templars building looks like it's coming along nicely.  I hate to say it but somehow a nice new Starbucks there seemed to spruce it up (though that makes me suburban as hell).  I can't remember what was there before the Starbuck's but that and the Mosaic Templars renovation have just completely lifted that end up.  I suspect it was an old auto garage or parking lot.

The old YMCA building needs to be converted to something but it's still beautiful and impressive.

There really are getting to be very few areas of downtown LR that need fresh coats of paint and teardowns.  There's a pocket over by the train station on E Markham where the Salvation Army mission is that could use it.  Most of the core downtown actually has been revitalized.

South Broadway will never be an entertainment district but it no longer seems like an eyesore, either.  Seeing that made me feel good about Little Rock.

Now it's time to really get to working on Main.  It's almost the hole in the donut right now.

Tower owns the old Y. http://www.towerinv....states#Arkansas

[jcaruth]

db909, on Apr 16 2007, 10:06 AM, said:

Tower owns the old Y. http://www.towerinv....states#Arkansas

Tower was going to convert the Y to condos but the numbers havent come out right yet.  Hopefully it will get done, but for now it is dead.

[Aporkalypse]

jcaruth, on Apr 16 2007, 10:47 AM, said:

Tower was going to convert the Y to condos but the numbers havent come out right yet.  Hopefully it will get done, but for now it is dead.

The original drawings looked very expensive and involved a lot of modern additions to the structure.

I think a more moderate renovation into apartments geared at young professionals would do very well.

[db909]

Aporkalypse, on Apr 16 2007, 01:15 PM, said:

The original drawings looked very expensive and involved a lot of modern additions to the structure.

I think a more moderate renovation into apartments geared at young professionals would do very well.

Apartments would be good there.

[skirby]

The Union Station area might be in line for condos. The Arkansas DG reports that a proposal for the development of 22 loft style condos plus some office space will be going before the Capitol Zoning District Commission today. The project will be located across from the station on the north side of Markham. There will be six three story buildings that make up the project. They will range from 2,050 to 2,450 sq. ft. and cost around $145 per square foot.
Also, there is a small townhome development under construction at the corner of 13th and Louisiana.

[Aporkalypse]

skirby, on May 31 2007, 11:18 AM, said:

The Union Station area might be in line for condos. The Arkansas DG reports that a proposal for the development of 22 loft style condos plus some office space will be going before the Capitol Zoning District Commission today. The project will be located across from the station on the north side of Markham. There will be six three story buildings that make up the project. They will range from 2,050 to 2,450 sq. ft. and cost around $145 per square foot.
Also, there is a small townhome development under construction at the corner of 13th and Louisiana.

I saw that, too.  A few historic but dilapidated home would have to be torn down to make room for it.

That area on West Markham near the train station has a lot of potential but needs some eyesores cleared out.  The Union Rescue Mission there is a major negative influence, lots of vagrants loitering pretty much all day waiting for it to open.

[skirby]

Construction on the Vertical  Townhouses across the street from the Train Station.

[Architect]

skirby, on Feb 28 2008, 09:08 PM, said:

Construction on the Vertical  Townhouses across the street from the Train Station.

There was a USGBC lunch-n-learn last week that I (unfortunately) missed.  From the people I talked to who attended, it was very interested.  This project incorporates a lot of "green" initiatives and technology.

[bchris02]

skirby, on Feb 28 2008, 09:08 PM, said:

Construction on the Vertical  Townhouses across the street from the Train Station.

I see this construction every day headed to and from work.  They are going to be very nice, modern, and urban.  LR needs more of this kind of development.

[johnnydr87]

I don't know....maybe I need to see the final product, but that design looks like it will go out of style fast.

[turboturtle]

johnnydr87, on Feb 29 2008, 02:45 PM, said:

I don't know....maybe I need to see the final product, but that design looks like it will go out of style fast.

I can see George Jetson flying out of one of those garages.  I looked at the floor plans... the 3 bedroom 3.5 bath ($429K on a train track) with larger kitchens have liveability.  I want to know if you can have rooftop garden and what the view will be from up there.

[hogwash]

bchris02, on Feb 29 2008, 12:05 AM, said:

I see this construction every day headed to and from work.  They are going to be very nice, modern, and urban.  LR needs more of this kind of development.

You never quite know, but I have to agree with you. I'm not really sure what amenities those lofts will have to draw on. I give them the life expectancy of garden apartments.

I would really love to see a Bohemianesque arts-music district, maybe along the 7th St corridor - Chester to Broadway. But you've got a church and Blue Cross Blue Shield that would break it up in the middle. I just think it would be so cool to have a entire strip of places like Starving Artist Cafe and Veno's.

[ArkansasTraveler]

For those following the goings on in SoMa and Quapaw, the neighborhood is apparently getting closer to having a Walgreens — on its own terms, no less.  Arkansas Times is reporting that the northeast corner of 17th & Main (north of Harvest Foods, east of Main Street), where Walgreens has tried to locate a store for a while, will likely build on that block with design specs to conform to those of the Capitol Zoning District.  That means a store which will be built to meet the sidewalk, rather than set back from the street.

[Architect]

ArkansasTraveler, on May 5 2008, 02:57 PM, said:

For those following the goings on in SoMa and Quapaw, the neighborhood is apparently getting closer to having a Walgreens — on its own terms, no less.  Arkansas Times is reporting that the northeast corner of 17th & Main (north of Harvest Foods, east of Main Street), where Walgreens has tried to locate a store for a while, will likely build on that block with design specs to conform to those of the Capitol Zoning District.  That means a store which will be built to meet the sidewalk, rather than set back from the street.

Excellent.  I'm of the opinion that it need not adhere (or even attempt) to be "historic" per se, but reinforcing the street edge (vis a vis the UU zone) is timeless and appropriate.

[ArkansasTraveler]

I know what you mean about the idea of new construction in an historic area not needing to necessarily fully emulate all of its neighbors.  The key is for it to be a good complement to everything around it.  There's a newly constructed house south of Parris Towers on Broadway on the east side of the street, and it sticks in my mind because it has certain architectural details that echo much older homes.  The house itself, with its brick exterior and curving roofline, would never be confused with some of the more historic homes surrounding it, but it has a look which fits the neighborhood.  And its lawn is in keeping with the size of other residential lawns around it.

That said, I'd be somewhat surprised to see a Walgreens that looked almost exactly like every other area store, with the exception of its proximity to the street and sidewalk (and probably a resulting lack of extraneous signage).  I'm thinking brick is almost guaranteed to figure into the exterior, possibly a red brick like the one used for the Benton store.

[Aporkalypse]

ArkansasTraveler, on May 6 2008, 08:52 AM, said:

I know what you mean about the idea of new construction in an historic area not needing to necessarily fully emulate all of its neighbors.  The key is for it to be a good complement to everything around it.  There's a newly constructed house south of Parris Towers on Broadway on the east side of the street, and it sticks in my mind because it has certain architectural details that echo much older homes.  The house itself, with its brick exterior and curving roofline, would never be confused with some of the more historic homes surrounding it, but it has a look which fits the neighborhood.  And its lawn is in keeping with the size of other residential lawns around it.

That said, I'd be somewhat surprised to see a Walgreens that looked almost exactly like every other area store, with the exception of its proximity to the street and sidewalk (and probably a resulting lack of extraneous signage).  I'm thinking brick is almost guaranteed to figure into the exterior, possibly a red brick like the one used for the Benton store.

Weird.  I was visiting an office at the 2100 block of Broadway yesterday and noticed the same house and  thought the exact same thing.

[abdintp]

ArkansasTraveler, on May 6 2008, 07:52 AM, said:

I know what you mean about the idea of new construction in an historic area not needing to necessarily fully emulate all of its neighbors.  The key is for it to be a good complement to everything around it.  There's a newly constructed house south of Parris Towers on Broadway on the east side of the street, and it sticks in my mind because it has certain architectural details that echo much older homes.  The house itself, with its brick exterior and curving roofline, would never be confused with some of the more historic homes surrounding it, but it has a look which fits the neighborhood.  And its lawn is in keeping with the size of other residential lawns around it.

That said, I'd be somewhat surprised to see a Walgreens that looked almost exactly like every other area store, with the exception of its proximity to the street and sidewalk (and probably a resulting lack of extraneous signage).  I'm thinking brick is almost guaranteed to figure into the exterior, possibly a red brick like the one used for the Benton store.

I'm pretty sure the Walgreens will look just as any of the others, just not set back as far.  At least, that's the case for almost all the Walgreens in Chicago: still ugly, but at least more pedestrian accessible.