436 replies to this topic

[skirby]

thewizard16, on 18 November 2011 - 03:42 PM, said:

According to an article in the Democrat Gazette today, the Residences at Park Avenue (202 apartments) are supposed to open next year. Seeing as how construction hasn't even started on them yet, that seems a bit optimistic to me, but it does indicate that some serious construction on the rest of the Park Avenue development will be getting underway next year.

Today the ADG is reporting that building permits for the apartments have been issued. The total for the construction is $16 million.There will be two five story buildings and one four story building with some ground floor retail.

[thewizard16]

skirby, on 22 February 2012 - 12:50 PM, said:

Today the ADG is reporting that building permits for the apartments have been issued. The total for the construction is $16 million.There will be two five story buildings and one four story building with some ground floor retail.

That's good to hear. They've been pushing dirt around and doing some ground work for some time now so I'll be excited to see steel going up. I wish the development had played out more according to the original plan, but it'll still be a nice development overall for Midtown. I'm pretty confident Cheddar's is happy with that location too, that place has been swamped since it opened!

[Architect]

skirby, on 22 February 2012 - 12:50 PM, said:

Today the ADG is reporting that building permits for the apartments have been issued. The total for the construction is $16 million.There will be two five story buildings and one four story building with some ground floor retail.

Wow...excellent.  Glad to see that the "mixed-use" concept is still at play, even though it seems a bit watered down given the more typical retail layout (so far).

[thewizard16]

More specifics were in the ADG today: http://www.arkansaso...0120225/?latest

The earlier cost mention was under apparently:

Quote

A Dallas apartment developer will spend more than $30 million to build 261 upscale apartments there, executives with the Dallas firm of Lang Partners say.

Also another building not mentioned earlier this week:

Quote

Lang will build two four story apartment buildings and a five-story building in the middle of Park Avenue, plus a four-story building on McKinley Street, north of the Target store. The three adjacent buildings will have 202 units and the fourth building will have 59 units, Ausburn said. ... The apartments will rent for $800 to $1,750 a month. They will range from 600 square feet to 1,500 square feet. ... The apartments should be completed by early next year, he said.

And more good news for future residents/people wanting a gym in midtown (I think we'd heard about this previously, but it's been a while):

Quote

[planned]athletic club

[adman0468]

thewizard16, on 25 February 2012 - 01:17 PM, said:

More specifics were in the ADG today: http://www.arkansaso...0120225/?latest

The earlier cost mention was under apparently:


Also another building not mentioned earlier this week:


And more good news for future residents/people wanting a gym in midtown (I think we'd heard about this previously, but it's been a while):

So the buildings are just apartments, not retail on the first floor and offices and apartments above? What a disappointment. And who wants to live in an apartment where they look out their window and see Staples and Mattress King? This shopping center had so much potential, but I think they've veered off course.

[Arkanzin]

adman0468, on 27 February 2012 - 08:12 AM, said:

So the buildings are just apartments, not retail on the first floor and offices and apartments above? What a disappointment. And who wants to live in an apartment where they look out their window and see Staples and Mattress King? This shopping center had so much potential, but I think they've veered off course.

That was my thought as well when I read the article in the paper.  My other thought was "What is the purpose of the multilevel parking deck?"  261 apartments need that much parking?  Seems like a waste of space.

[Architect]

adman0468, on 27 February 2012 - 08:12 AM, said:

So the buildings are just apartments, not retail on the first floor and offices and apartments above? What a disappointment. And who wants to live in an apartment where they look out their window and see Staples and Mattress King? This shopping center had so much potential, but I think they've veered off course.

I didn't see where it was specific in that regard.  Surely these are being developed as originally proposed to the Planning Commission.  I doubt these are just apartments.  If so, this is a total failure and waste of prime urban real estate.

[adman0468]

Architect, on 27 February 2012 - 10:42 AM, said:

I didn't see where it was specific in that regard.  Surely these are being developed as originally proposed to the Planning Commission.  I doubt these are just apartments.  If so, this is a total failure and waste of prime urban real estate.

Arch, take a look at this link from the development's website. Of the buildings in the center of the development, two are shown to be apartment-only, one is retail only and one is retail on the first floor with apartments above. Yesterday's article didn't mention that last building, just the apartment-only ones. And also, the one on the NW corner that was slated to be a hotel, office or apartments is now apartment-only. Unless things turn out differently when it's built.

http://parkavenuelr....g-site-plan.pdf

[thewizard16]

Hmm. It does seem like a waste not to have retail on the ground floor of the apartment building across from Staples and Radio Shack since the one next to it will have shops and such. It's also a shame they aren't putting apartments above LA Fitness, a 2-story building there seems like a waste of expensive real estate.

[Architect]

thewizard16, on 27 February 2012 - 08:10 PM, said:

Hmm. It does seem like a waste not to have retail on the ground floor of the apartment building across from Staples and Radio Shack since the one next to it will have shops and such. It's also a shame they aren't putting apartments above LA Fitness, a 2-story building there seems like a waste of expensive real estate.

This is quickly turning into one of the more inept developments I've ever seen...this is so typical of this market...a complete waste of an opportunity...watered down to a tasteless, visionless what-if.

[thewizard16]

Architect, on 27 February 2012 - 10:37 PM, said:

This is quickly turning into one of the more inept developments I've ever seen...this is so typical of this market...a complete waste of an opportunity...watered down to a tasteless, visionless what-if.

I just don't understand the logic/fiscal sense behind the changes they've made to this development over time. The market itself hasn't really changed. If anything, Little Rock was more resilient during the recession that most areas. They have a very unique, very valuable piece of property that is a once a century kind of opportunity (if that) to have such a large piece of property in such a busy, developed corridor. I don't understand why Strode didn't just slow things down a bit if financing was an issue, instead of cheaping out and building a greatly reduced development. It's still better than a decaying mall and should be pretty nice, but it's not a game changer in any way for that part of town, which is what we were originally promised.

[Architect]

thewizard16, on 28 February 2012 - 12:26 AM, said:

I just don't understand the logic/fiscal sense behind the changes they've made to this development over time. The market itself hasn't really changed. If anything, Little Rock was more resilient during the recession that most areas. They have a very unique, very valuable piece of property that is a once a century kind of opportunity (if that) to have such a large piece of property in such a busy, developed corridor. I don't understand why Strode didn't just slow things down a bit if financing was an issue, instead of cheaping out and building a greatly reduced development. It's still better than a decaying mall and should be pretty nice, but it's not a game changer in any way for that part of town, which is what we were originally promised.

You've much more eloquently, and objectively summarized my feelings on this...sorry for my more emotional response above.

I think you make a great point.  What would precipitate this project being watered down?  If anything, LR has weathered the economy better than most and by all accounts has grown beyond and continues to offer more sophisticated amenities than before.

[LIT uPP]

The store directory page of the Park Avenue website lists Panera Bread as coming in the summer of 2012.  It also lists two tenants opening in the fall of 2012: Jered Jewelers and Dos Margaritas (whose only other stores appear to be in the Nashville, Tennessee area).  There is no mention of the once-listed LA Fitness, although it still may be on the horizon.

[thewizard16]

LIT uPP, on 10 May 2012 - 08:52 PM, said:

The store directory page of the Park Avenue website lists Panera Bread as coming in the summer of 2012.  It also lists two tenants opening in the fall of 2012: Jered Jewelers and Dos Margaritas (whose only other stores appear to be in the Nashville, Tennessee area).  There is no mention of the once-listed LA Fitness, although it still may be on the horizon.

Where are they going to put the Panera to have it done by Summer 2012? Work on the Jared site has already begun, so that I can imagine (will still be relatively quick construction). I am pleased about the Panera though, I was worried when they announced the one on Shackleford that they may have been giving up on Park Avenue, which I felt was a mistake since that type of development (and part of town) is perfect for that sort of place. I'm glad that wasn't the case. I have been pretty impressed with how quickly visible construction got underway once the site work was done, and I am looking forward to seeing how this project turns out even if it isn't what we'd originally been promised.

[Arkanzin]

Good to hear about Panera!  

Also on the Park Avenue website is listed DosMargaritas.  The link attached, takes you to Dos Margaritas, a restaurant with three locations in the middle Tennessee area, Gallatin, Hendersonville, and Clarksville.  The menu looks like the menu from Senor Tequila or El Porton.  Is there a Mexican restaurant that doesn't have a Speedy Gonzales dish and 28 combination options?  

While on the topic of Mexican restaurants, I can highly recommend Santo Coyote in North Little Rock.  The place seems to be a step-up from the typical Mexican restaurants.  They are in the process or have just opened a location in West Little Rock in the shopping center behind Carino's.

[Arkanzin]

The Park Avenue website map shows there are three available spaces.  The first is a space between Carter's and Radio Shack.  The second space is just to the west of the Verizon store.  The third space is just west of that space and is 15,000 square feet.

Jared's is an outparcel near University Avenue.  That space, in my opinion, should have been a restaurant and Jared's should have been in the third available space listed above, subdivided to the smaller footprint Jared's requires.  But they didn't ask me, did they?!

[comreguy]

Arkanzin, on 14 May 2012 - 01:51 PM, said:

The Park Avenue website map shows there are three available spaces.  The first is a space between Carter's and Radio Shack.  The second space is just to the west of the Verizon store.  The third space is just west of that space and is 15,000 square feet.

Jared's is an outparcel near University Avenue.  That space, in my opinion, should have been a restaurant and Jared's should have been in the third available space listed above, subdivided to the smaller footprint Jared's requires.  But they didn't ask me, did they?!

Jared's, more often than not, requires an outparcel and won't go inline.