Little Rock Projects List

[skirby]

That's stupid.

I hope this can be resolved quickly.

This is just another example of the people in charge of LR messing things up. They lost the Travs to NLR. Then the Curran Hall deal appeared followed by the way Andina's Cafe is being forced to moved out of its space in the River Market. And now this. The city should have known about the air rights when the plans first came out. This is the second condo project up in the air due to the city. The other one is being held up because the city does not want to sell a parking deck to the developers of the Donaghey Building.

[Aporkalypse]

That's stupid.

I hope this can be resolved quickly.

I agree. "Air rights" over those little balconies? This is completely retarded. I'm sure Canada won't opt to develop anything in Little Rock after this debacle. What a nice job our city government does in encouraging downtown development!

I'm ready for a new system of government in LR and I hope the mayor we elect this year (well, not "we" as I'll still be in Dallas) can make a difference. It's probably worth starting a thread over the mayor's race and LR city government, so I'll do that.

[NewTowner]

I am personally stunned at the level of incompetence revealed by this "design." All of the blank-face portions of this building--appropriately highlighted in red in this image--are unbelievably awful. Who is behind this oderous project, and why did they not try to create a building with transparency and detail as befits an urban structure? I hope the "air-rights" permit never materializes, and that this whole thing has to be torn down. Somebody somewhere has unbelievably low expectations, and absolutely no regard for the public realm. I know this is an expansion project, not a totally new structure, but please--please, please, please, Little Rock: start getting the basics right. Parking garages and concrete slabs do not make appropriate ground levels. They create dead streets. People need doors and windows, holy crap.

[skirby]

I am personally stunned at the level of incompetence revealed by this "design." All of the blank-face portions of this building--appropriately highlighted in red in this image--are unbelievably awful. Who is behind this oderous project, and why did they not try to create a building with transparency and detail as befits an urban structure? I hope the "air-rights" permit never materializes, and that this whole thing has to be torn down. Somebody somewhere has unbelievably low expectations, and absolutely no regard for the public realm. I know this is an expansion project, not a totally new structure, but please--please, please, please, Little Rock: start getting the basics right. Parking garages and concrete slabs do not make appropriate ground levels. They create dead streets. People need doors and windows, holy crap.

The red portions of the building are the remains of the Law School. The new part is the lighter color. I think the plaza above the parking garage could use a redesign but most of the parking deck is below ground. I would like to see the building completed. Do you also want to tear down the hotel and what about the Robinson Center?

Street view of the building.

[Aporkalypse]

I am personally stunned at the level of incompetence revealed by this "design." All of the blank-face portions of this building--appropriately highlighted in red in this image--are unbelievably awful. Who is behind this oderous project, and why did they not try to create a building with transparency and detail as befits an urban structure? I hope the "air-rights" permit never materializes, and that this whole thing has to be torn down. Somebody somewhere has unbelievably low expectations, and absolutely no regard for the public realm. I know this is an expansion project, not a totally new structure, but please--please, please, please, Little Rock: start getting the basics right. Parking garages and concrete slabs do not make appropriate ground levels. They create dead streets. People need doors and windows, holy crap.

It's clear from your post you've never seen the site this is being built on. There is no option for streetscape to occur because of the context, surrounding hotels, and slope of the property. The Doubletree hotel next to the building, which will utilize its parking, has an entirely underground garage which actually minimizes its visibility to the street.

I don't like the aesthetics of the building but it was built to resemble the pre-existing structure below it. If you visited this street, you would be shocked at how pedestrian-friendly and walkable it actually is. The backside facing the River is not on a streetscape.

Edited July 17, 2006 by Aporkalypse

[skirby]

Judge gives ok for construction to resume on the Residences at Building 5.

[Aporkalypse]

Judge gives ok for construction to resume on the Residences at Building 5.

Good. This whole thing was weird, looking at the picture that was posted here it seems really petty of the city.

[NewTowner]

It's clear from your post you've never seen the site this is being built on. There is no option for streetscape to occur because of the context, surrounding hotels, and slope of the property. The Doubletree hotel next to the building, which will utilize its parking, has an entirely underground garage which actually minimizes its visibility to the street.

I don't like the aesthetics of the building but it was built to resemble the pre-existing structure below it. If you visited this street, you would be shocked at how pedestrian-friendly and walkable it actually is. The backside facing the River is not on a streetscape.

I live in North Little Rock. I visited this street yesterday, just as I have done every day for the last month. This design is a failure, and the bottom half should have been undone and then redone.

When I knocked on the parking garage, it was in reference to 300 3rd Tower. This building gets a lot more right than the "Residences," but it still should have either put the parking underground or taken its cue from Nashville's Viridian. I apologize, though--I was so frustrated with Little Rock's overall pattern of low expectations on the street level of new projects (Axciom, anyone?) that I failed to distinguish which of the many failures I was jabbing at in reference to the parking garage.

The River Market has come a long way. I am optimistic about my hometowns of Little Rock and North Little Rock...but am disappointed by the big boo-boos currently getting slung around the city. We need a bloody design seminar in town, and quick!

[jcaruth]

As of today there construction has still not resumed on the project...

[skirby]

I live in North Little Rock. I visited this street yesterday, just as I have done every day for the last month. This design is a failure, and the bottom half should have been undone and then redone.

When I knocked on the parking garage, it was in reference to 300 3rd Tower. This building gets a lot more right than the "Residences," but it still should have either put the parking underground or taken its cue from Nashville's Viridian. I apologize, though--I was so frustrated with Little Rock's overall pattern of low expectations on the street level of new projects (Axciom, anyone?) that I failed to distinguish which of the many failures I was jabbing at in reference to the parking garage.

The River Market has come a long way. I am optimistic about my hometowns of Little Rock and North Little Rock...but am disappointed by the big boo-boos currently getting slung around the city. We need a bloody design seminar in town, and quick!

I don't think 300 3rd Tower is all that bad. The ground floor will have retail with the parking deck starting on the 2nd floor. If Moses Tucker would redo the parking deck between 300 3rd Tower and the Arkansas Capital Commerce Center with ground floor retail the street level would improve. I agree with you on the Axciom building. With the development along Third and Commerce it would have been nice that the River Market Parking Deck would have also included ground floor store fronts. At one time LR had a vision plan that included street level retail for downtown parking decks. Capitol Ave. is another example of development not enhancing an active street level. The Bank of America Building is a prime example. One cannot even enter the lobby extension of the building from Capitol Ave. I would like to see them tear this part of the building down and replace it with a five or six story mixed use building. The street level would have store fronts with condos above.

[NewTowner]

I don't think 300 3rd Tower is all that bad. The ground floor will have retail with the parking deck starting on the 2nd floor. If Moses Tucker would redo the parking deck between 300 3rd Tower and the Arkansas Capital Commerce Center with ground floor retail the street level would improve. I agree with you on the Axciom building. With the development along Third and Commerce it would have been nice that the River Market Parking Deck would have also included ground floor store fronts. At one time LR had a vision plan that included street level retail for downtown parking decks. Capitol Ave. is another example of development not enhancing an active street level. The Bank of America Building is a prime example. One cannot even enter the lobby extension of the building from Capitol Ave. I would like to see them tear this part of the building down and replace it with a five or six story mixed use building. The street level would have store fronts with condos above.

300 3rd Tower could be better, but you are right--at least one side of the building will have some life. As for the rest of what you write, I couldn't agree more. What can be done to encourage better architecture?

[Aporkalypse]

I live in North Little Rock. I visited this street yesterday, just as I have done every day for the last month. This design is a failure, and the bottom half should have been undone and then redone.

When I knocked on the parking garage, it was in reference to 300 3rd Tower. This building gets a lot more right than the "Residences," but it still should have either put the parking underground or taken its cue from Nashville's Viridian. I apologize, though--I was so frustrated with Little Rock's overall pattern of low expectations on the street level of new projects (Axciom, anyone?) that I failed to distinguish which of the many failures I was jabbing at in reference to the parking garage.

The River Market has come a long way. I am optimistic about my hometowns of Little Rock and North Little Rock...but am disappointed by the big boo-boos currently getting slung around the city. We need a bloody design seminar in town, and quick!

I understand a bit better, it really wasn't clear. The Acxiom building and the 3rd and Main and River Market parking decks would all be better fits with ground level retail. I don't understand why these designs were incorporated into that area. I always prefer underground parking but cost along makes it difficult in many cases. I still am excited about the 300 3rd project in that it is such a large residential project but it's not the design I would've chosen. I think we will all realize the mistake of not building ground level retail 5 years too late. I certainly think we all realize what a mistake it is not to have it in the 3rd and Main garage at this point as it basically creates a huge break in Main for pedestrians.

[skirby]

Construction has started on the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center at the corner of Broadway and 9th. The orginal building burned last year and it is being replaced by the Department of Arkansas Heritage. It will be a Museum about the develoment of Little Rock

[skirby]

Federal Courthouse Expansion

[skirby]

The Residences at Building 5

[johnnydr87]

Weird.

Doubletree is an ugly, ugly building.

[Aporkalypse]

Weird.

Doubletree is an ugly, ugly building.

Do you remember when it used to be the Camelot Hotel?

It was designed to look like a castle and the gates to the garage entrance were designed to look like the iron gates made of crossed bars you see in some castles in Europe but more often in the movies. It was cool when I was a kid but looking back on it the whole thing is kind of weird.

[skirby]

Do you remember when it used to be the Camelot Hotel?

It was designed to look like a castle and the gates to the garage entrance were designed to look like the iron gates made of crossed bars you see in some castles in Europe but more often in the movies. It was cool when I was a kid but looking back on it the whole thing is kind of weird.

When it was built it was a big deal.

[hartford]

I heard today that the Holiday Inn Select in WLR will be changing to a Crowne Plaza at the beginning of next year. They are going to put about $6 million into the project and they said it will include work on the exterior and interior. The rooms will have plasma tvs and fine bedding. They said you will not even recognize the hotel after they finish the work. This will be a much needed improvement to a hotel that has seen its better days. Other than the Embassy Suites on Chenal, there is not really another nice hotel in WLR. Do you think the area could support another quality hotel (beyond the improved Holiday Inn Select)?

[Aporkalypse]

I heard today that the Holiday Inn Select in WLR will be changing to a Crowne Plaza at the beginning of next year. They are going to put about $6 million into the project and they said it will include work on the exterior and interior. The rooms will have plasma tvs and fine bedding. They said you will not even recognize the hotel after they finish the work. This will be a much needed improvement to a hotel that has seen its better days. Other than the Embassy Suites on Chenal, there is not really another nice hotel in WLR. Do you think the area could support another quality hotel (beyond the improved Holiday Inn Select)?

Interesting news. The "Holiday Inn Select" label has really dwindled from what it was a decade ago. Most of the ones in DFW really aren't that nice. The West LR hotel always has been pretty nice and I'm glad to see it's being redone.

[jcaruth]

anyone know what is going on next to the Clinton Museum in the Rivermarket? I notice a crain there today.

[CentralArkansas]

anyone know what is going on next to the Clinton Museum in the Rivermarket? I notice a crain there today.

How large of a crain?

[jcaruth]

How large of a crain?

30-40 feet...

[Aporkalypse]

30-40 feet...

???

On the near side or far side? Was it near the bridge?

[jcaruth]

???

On the near side or far side? Was it near the bridge?

right next to the museum on the far side of the bridge.