41 replies to this topic

[strmchsr77]

I had mentioned this in the Fayetteville topic when I first heard of this development last week but now I have a little more information on the project.  

It will be located on Wedington across from the Salem Road intersection.  I would guess this includes the old driving range there.  The proposal includes 560 residences mostly made up of apartments, townhomes, and garden homes.  The project also includes around 250,000 sq ft of commercial space.  (According to the info from the city it had 1.25 million sq ft, but .25 million sounds more realistic).  The Morning News mentions another Walgreens and a Walmart neighborhood market as possible tenants on the commercial side of the development.

Large west Fayetteville mixed use project currently under development include:  The Links, Woodstock, Westside Village, as well as numberous tradional subdivisions.

[Mith242]

Thanks for the added info Colby.  I said it before, but I really wonder what west Fayetteville is going to be like in 5-10 years.

[jdevers]

That "old driving range" is open and seems to be doing OK, at least on the weekends...  It re-opened about three months or so ago as, I kid you not, Stroke It!.  Batting cages and driving range...

[strmchsr77]

jdevers, on Oct 29 2007, 04:54 PM, said:

That "old driving range" is open and seems to be doing OK, at least on the weekends...  It re-opened about three months or so ago as, I kid you not, Stroke It!.  Batting cages and driving range...

Interesting.  This project may not even include that place, I had heard maybe a year ago that it was going to be developed.  This could be another project entirely.  I guess we will find out as it goes through the city's planning process.

[strmchsr77]

Mith242, on Oct 29 2007, 02:23 PM, said:

Thanks for the added info Colby.  I said it before, but I really wonder what west Fayetteville is going to be like in 5-10 years.

Hopefully the traffic problem will be fixed before too long out there.  It is crazy trying to get onto Wedington during rush hours.  I can't imagion how it will be in 10 years.  The area should become more self supporting by then with all of the mixed use developments.  I also wonder when that huge tract of land (around 80 acres) will be developed on the SE corner of Wedington and I-540.
Also the commercial area around Harps is rapidly growing as well.  The only thing that I know is going in out there is another Liqour store but I am sure there will be some other services and restaurants joining that area soon.

[Mith242]

strmchsr77, on Oct 29 2007, 05:21 PM, said:

Hopefully the traffic problem will be fixed before too long out there.  It is crazy trying to get onto Wedington during rush hours.  I can't imagion how it will be in 10 years.  The area should become more self supporting by then with all of the mixed use developments.  I also wonder when that huge tract of land (around 80 acres) will be developed on the SE corner of Wedington and I-540.
Also the commercial area around Harps is rapidly growing as well.  The only thing that I know is going in out there is another Liqour store but I am sure there will be some other services and restaurants joining that area soon.

Yeah I'm trying to imagine how much longer it will be before people west of I-540 won't have to cross over for too many things.

[cowbreath]

Mith242, on Oct 30 2007, 05:08 AM, said:

Yeah I'm trying to imagine how much longer it will be before people west of I-540 won't have to cross over for too many things.

There's still a big problem during rush hour there.  The criss-cross traffic is pretty dangerous because of all of the little entrances between the light at the 540 exit and the light at Salem Dr.  I've seen so much negligent driving there.  It was poorly designed for the area, as much strip-malling shopping-center places are, but this one is a little more frustrating.  If they don't complete the small road they have running behind the sonic/hunan manor all the way to the road next to McDonalds it will be a HUGE shame.

[Mith242]

cowbreath, on Oct 30 2007, 11:06 AM, said:

There's still a big problem during rush hour there.  The criss-cross traffic is pretty dangerous because of all of the little entrances between the light at the 540 exit and the light at Salem Dr.  I've seen so much negligent driving there.  It was poorly designed for the area, as much strip-malling shopping-center places are, but this one is a little more frustrating.  If they don't complete the small road they have running behind the sonic/hunan manor all the way to the road next to McDonalds it will be a HUGE shame.

Here's where you'd hope they'd learn the lesson from College Ave, and not ending up repeating that over on Wedington.

[strmchsr77]

This development was starting to come throught the planning process but did not make it very far yet.  Zman posted this in the Fayetteville topic so I thought I would just add it over here:

Zman9810:
I was surprised to see that the Forest Hills project on Wedington was recommended for denial by city staff. This is a residential planned zoned district just off I540 that is to include aproximately 600 residential units plus over 200,000 sq ft of non-residential space. Although it would add a lot of traffic to a already congested Wedington it sounded like a better addition to the city than, say, the massive Lindsey project going in off Wedington.

According to city staff the concern about Forest Hills is that it isn't consistent with the City Plan 2025 in creating a complete, compact and connected neighborhood so it's good to see the city taking a stand behind the plan. I haven't seen a published set of plans for Forest Hills so hopefully the developers will put them out for all to see. The city planning commission will discuss the project at 5:30 pm Monday at the city administration building downtown.

I would really like to see the plans as well before I make a judgement on it.  The propsed development will likely include another Walgreens and a Walmart neighborhood market.

Edited by strmchsr77, 12 April 2008 - 08:22 AM.

[zman9810]

I remember talking about it but didn't remember there was a separate topic, thanks for finding it. Yeah, I had thought the development would be a good, almost infill project but the plans must not reflect that. I plan on going to the planning commision meeting Monday night and check it out.

[CentralArkansas]

zman9810, on Apr 12 2008, 12:37 PM, said:

I remember talking about it but didn't remember there was a separate topic, thanks for finding it. Yeah, I had thought the development would be a good, almost infill project but the plans must not reflect that. I plan on going to the planning commision meeting Monday night and check it out.

I can't believe developers are still building developments like this. Are they mad? Everywhere I go in NWA there are homes and lots sitting empty. There has got to be at least a 5 year supply of lots.

Yet their development is going to be different and everyone is going to snap up all the new housing? Unlikely.

[zman9810]

CentralArkansas, on Apr 12 2008, 01:23 PM, said:

I can't believe developers are still building developments like this. Are they mad? Everywhere I go in NWA there are homes and lots sitting empty. There has got to be at least a 5 year supply of lots.

Yet their development is going to be different and everyone is going to snap up all the new housing? Unlikely.

There is actually a still strong market in NWA- there are still a lot of people moving in and buying new residences. It's more about location and type of housing. The lower priced housing market was ignored during the boom period and is now being addressed- anything under $175,000 has a good chance of being bought as it is built. Downtown Fayetteville is still a hot area for higher price properties. The speculation properties in the above $200,000 range are what are sitting unsold.

[Aporkalypse]

CentralArkansas, on Apr 12 2008, 01:23 PM, said:

I can't believe developers are still building developments like this. Are they mad? Everywhere I go in NWA there are homes and lots sitting empty. There has got to be at least a 5 year supply of lots.

Yet their development is going to be different and everyone is going to snap up all the new housing? Unlikely.

Fayetteville is holding up better than Benton Co.  Besides, by the time something like this was built the market will probably have recovered.

[mzweig]

zman9810, on Apr 13 2008, 12:13 AM, said:

There is actually a still strong market in NWA- there are still a lot of people moving in and buying new residences. It's more about location and type of housing. The lower priced housing market was ignored during the boom period and is now being addressed- anything under $175,000 has a good chance of being bought as it is built. Downtown Fayetteville is still a hot area for higher price properties. The speculation properties in the above $200,000 range are what are sitting unsold.

I understand the Lakewood row house development on Zion is very successful.  They are averaging four new units sold per month which I think is pretty good for new houses in a bad market.  And as you said, downtown Fayetteville is still strong.  I am getting inquiries daily on the house we are doing at 523 E. Rebecca, and have even gotten a few calls on the one we are starting at 204 W. South St.

M

[comreguy]

mzweig, on Apr 13 2008, 04:16 PM, said:

I understand the Lakewood row house development on Zion is very successful. They are averaging four new units sold per month which I think is pretty good for new houses in a bad market. And as you said, downtown Fayetteville is still strong. I am getting inquiries daily on the house we are doing at 523 E. Rebecca, and have even gotten a few calls on the one we are starting at 204 W. South St.

M

I'm glad to hear you are getting interest in the house on Rebecca. I live in the area and actually had the house under contract about a year ago. Looks great and another great redevelopment in the historic district.

As for Forest Hills, it is going to be at the driving range site. The development will include (if passed) a Neighborhood Market and other commercial uses, with residential and multifamily in the rear. The developer is expecting a 5 to 15 year buildout.

Walgreens will not be a part of this development and is purchasing land further west.

[strmchsr77]

comreguy, on Apr 14 2008, 12:25 PM, said:

I'm glad to hear you are getting interest in the house on Rebecca. I live in the area and actually had the house under contract about a year ago. Looks great and another great redevelopment in the historic district.

As for Forest Hills, it is going to be at the driving range site. The development will include (if passed) a Neighborhood Market and other commercial uses, with residential and multifamily in the rear. The developer is expecting a 5 to 15 year buildout.

Walgreens will not be a part of this development and is purchasing land further west.

Thanks for the update.  I had heard Walgreens was going to go into this development back last year.  I guess they decided against it.  My guess is that they are going to be on the Rupple/Weddington corner.  They love big intersections.

[zman9810]

The planning commission denied this by a 4 yes -1 no vote. Because there were 2 members absent and 2 recused themselves to avoid possible conflicts of interest, it left it up to the remaining 5 with all of them needing to support it due to the fact that it was a rezoning. The developers have 10 days to decide whether to appeal to the city council. Even though it was suggested a couple of times that the developers request it be tabled they felt they had worked with the city long enough and wanted a vote. I didn't realize it but this has been discussed for a almost a year with the city.

This was a hard one- although it doesn't completely conform to the 2025 plan it comes a lot closer than some the other developments that have been approved. It is commercial with the Neighborhood Market and it's outlots close to Wedington and mixed residential types behind that all the way to Persimmon. It will have connectivity within and to the areas around it but the residential is segregated from the commercial with the exception of one area that will have 2 floors of residential on top of 1 floor of commercial. It's not Woodstock but a it's lot better than the Links.

While I'm not a fan of the continued sprawl of Fayetteville to the west, development will occur there in some form. This particular development may be a compromise but is probably better than what will occur at that spot if it isn't approved. Although the planning comission couldn't consider it, a Wal Mart representative made a good point about the jobs, sales tax and property tax that it would bring. In the current economic climate that it a good thing to consider.

[comreguy]

zman9810, on Apr 14 2008, 08:26 PM, said:

The planning commission denied this by a 4 yes -1 no vote. Because there were 2 members absent and 2 recused themselves to avoid possible conflicts of interest, it left it up to the remaining 5 with all of them needing to support it due to the fact that it was a rezoning. The developers have 10 days to decide whether to appeal to the city council. Even though it was suggested a couple of times that the developers request it be tabled they felt they had worked with the city long enough and wanted a vote. I didn't realize it but this has been discussed for a almost a year with the city.

This was a hard one- although it doesn't completely conform to the 2025 plan it comes a lot closer than some the other developments that have been approved. It is commercial with the Neighborhood Market and it's outlots close to Wedington and mixed residential types behind that all the way to Persimmon. It will have connectivity within and to the areas around it but the residential is segregated from the commercial with the exception of one area that will have 2 floors of residential on top of 1 floor of commercial. It's not Woodstock but a it's lot better than the Links.

While I'm not a fan of the continued sprawl of Fayetteville to the west, development will occur there in some form. This particular development may be a compromise but is probably better than what will occur at that spot if it isn't approved. Although the planning comission couldn't consider it, a Wal Mart representative made a good point about the jobs, sales tax and property tax that it would bring. In the current economic climate that it a good thing to consider.

I agree. This development will pass with minor changes at the City Council level.

[Mith242]

zman9810, on Apr 13 2008, 12:13 AM, said:

There is actually a still strong market in NWA- there are still a lot of people moving in and buying new residences. It's more about location and type of housing. The lower priced housing market was ignored during the boom period and is now being addressed- anything under $175,000 has a good chance of being bought as it is built. Downtown Fayetteville is still a hot area for higher price properties. The speculation properties in the above $200,000 range are what are sitting unsold.

Exactly.  Developers really overbuilt in that $200K to $400K range.  But homes outside that range are still selling quite well.

[zman9810]

This project was approved by the Fayetteville City Council so the Wedington Road area will be getting a Neighborhood Market.There was still some negative comments about segregated housing types within the developemnt but evidently it's easier to get financing that way. It seems to be a better project than some of the others approved in the last few years.