Fayetteville, Arkansas

[Sequoia Payroll]

I've seen some work being done at the old Aldi location on college. Does anyone know what is going on there?

also, it appears that Posta Plata on Mall ave has closed...

[comreguy]

I've seen some work being done at the old Aldi location on college. Does anyone know what is going on there?

also, it appears that Posta Plata on Mall ave has closed...

Goodwill will take the former Aldi's

Posta Plata closed about 3 weeks ago and it has been leased by a Japanese Steakhouse

[strmchsr77]

Goodwill will take the former Aldi's

Posta Plata closed about 3 weeks ago and it has been leased by a Japanese Steakhouse

I saw a Kobe sign in front of the old Northern Exposure building today. I'm guessing they are moving to a larger location?

[comreguy]

I saw a Kobe sign in front of the old Northern Exposure building today. I'm guessing they are moving to a larger location?

Correct. They are purchasing the building and adding several grills. That's an awful lot of Sushi/Hibachi/Teppan restaurants fighting for business.

Edited August 8, 2012 by comreguy

[mzweig]

Correct. They are purchasing the building and adding several grills. That's an awful lot of Sushi/Hibachi/Teppan restaurants fighting for business.

I once heard that hibachi steakhouses are the single most profitable type of restaurant you can have. There's little menu variety, everyone gets the same salad, soup, and sides, and the cook is the primary server. Ticket prices are high, and people don't tend to linger at the tables when they are eating wih strangers.....

Could explain why so many of them!

M

[zman9810]

I've seen some work being done at the old Aldi location on college. Does anyone know what is going on there?

also, it appears that Posta Plata on Mall ave has closed...

I guess it isn't really funny but Posta Plata still has an ad before movies at the Malco. They must have taken out a longer term ad than they needed.

[aerotive]

That spot is shaping up to be a kiss of death location...

[Mith242]

That spot is shaping up to be a kiss of death location...

It's sorta ironic. Seems like a lot of restaurants have trouble in that area. Yet the top restuarant by sales tax revenue in the city, the Olive Garden, is right there.

[zman9810]

If the flyover from College to Shiloh would be built it would do wonders for that area as will the Asche extension when it is built. Extending Joyce to I540 would also do wonders but I imagine that is many years away.

[Trough]

An engineer once told me that a Joyce I540 exit would never happen because the interstate system requires at least 1 mile between exits. He said there is less than 2 miles between the Fayetteville Business exit and the Johnson exit, leaving no room for a Joyce exit. Google Maps has the distance very close to 2 miles.

I don't know if any of this is true, but I always saw a Joyce exit as an obvious solution and always wondered why it hadn't been built. Anyone know for certain?

If it is true, the best solution would be to build an access road (which are common everywhere except here) in between the Business and Johnson exits with access to Joyce and Van Asche. That huge red mound of dirt in Johnson might make that difficult.

[zman9810]

An engineer once told me that a Joyce I540 exit would never happen because the interstate system requires at least 1 mile between exits. He said there is less than 2 miles between the Fayetteville Business exit and the Johnson exit, leaving no room for a Joyce exit. Google Maps has the distance very close to 2 miles.

I don't know if any of this is true, but I always saw a Joyce exit as an obvious solution and always wondered why it hadn't been built. Anyone know for certain?

If it is true, the best solution would be to build an access road (which are common everywhere except here) in between the Business and Johnson exits with access to Joyce and Van Asche. That huge red mound of dirt in Johnson might make that difficult.

I believe the exit hasn't been built due to a lack of money and other priorities. I remember at one time a developer suggested extending Joyce to Greathouse Springs Rd. and that plan was met with resistance from Johnson although I'm not sure why. I don't think the 1 mile between exits rule is a hard and fast one- I-630 in Little Rock has exits that are closer than that- it just takes special permission. Edited August 15, 2012 by zman9810

[strmchsr77]

An engineer once told me that a Joyce I540 exit would never happen because the interstate system requires at least 1 mile between exits. He said there is less than 2 miles between the Fayetteville Business exit and the Johnson exit, leaving no room for a Joyce exit. Google Maps has the distance very close to 2 miles.

I don't know if any of this is true, but I always saw a Joyce exit as an obvious solution and always wondered why it hadn't been built. Anyone know for certain?

If it is true, the best solution would be to build an access road (which are common everywhere except here) in between the Business and Johnson exits with access to Joyce and Van Asche. That huge red mound of dirt in Johnson might make that difficult.

I don't think that is true. Most cities have exits that are much closer than a mile away. The numbered exits just use a letter at the end of the number. For example It would be exit 67A and 67B etc.

[Mith242]

The one mile for exits rule I believe applies to what are classified as 'rural interstates', which is what I-540 is classified as. An 'urban interstate' is allowed exits under one mile. Not really sure why I-540 in NWA is classified as a rural interstate. Unless there's some sort of advantage you'd think someone would reclassify it. The only other difference I can think of offhand is speed limits tend to be lower on urban interstates compared to rural interstates.

[Mith242]

The one mile for exits rule I believe applies to what are classified as 'rural interstates', which is what I-540 is classified as. An 'urban interstate' is allowed exits under one mile. Not really sure why I-540 in NWA is classified as a rural interstate. Unless there's some sort of advantage you'd think someone would reclassify it. The only other difference I can think of offhand is speed limits tend to be lower on urban interstates compared to rural interstates.

After looking around and trying to do a little research I'm still a bit confused. Seems that I came across a couple of sites that claim I-540 was reclassified to an urban interstate a year or two ago. But I also came across another website that seemed rather up to date showing speed limits on urban and rural interstates in every state. This site showed the speed limit in Arkansas for rural interstates was 70 and urban 55. But I don't recall any stretch of I-540 being 55. But if I-540 is indeed now an urban interstate then exits under a mile should be allowed. The bigger problem I would imagine would be getting the money for the exit.

[wmr]

Mith, I think the reclassification to an urban interstate is why the exits are mostly re-named for their streets instead of the cities. Now the exits read, Sunset Ave, Greathouse Springs Road, etc instead of Springdale and Johnson.

Not sure how that impacts the spacing of exits, but I think its true that the reclassification occurred recently.

I read that Panda Express is coming to MLK. There was a bit about it one of the city agendas. Its supposed to go between Taco Bell and the new Starbucks.

[thewizard16]

After looking around and trying to do a little research I'm still a bit confused. Seems that I came across a couple of sites that claim I-540 was reclassified to an urban interstate a year or two ago. But I also came across another website that seemed rather up to date showing speed limits on urban and rural interstates in every state. This site showed the speed limit in Arkansas for rural interstates was 70 and urban 55. But I don't recall any stretch of I-540 being 55. But if I-540 is indeed now an urban interstate then exits under a mile should be allowed. The bigger problem I would imagine would be getting the money for the exit.

I believe that site is incorrect. I-540 was switched to the urban interstate classification after the 2010 census, which opened up the avenue for new signs and improvements to it, which a lot of people were talking about at the time. The urban interstate 55 speed limit rule is incorrect too, 630, 430, 440, and the stretches of 30 and 40 in Little Rock proper all have speed limits of 60 or higher aside from the end of the interstate or road construction zones.

[Mith242]

I believe that site is incorrect. I-540 was switched to the urban interstate classification after the 2010 census, which opened up the avenue for new signs and improvements to it, which a lot of people were talking about at the time. The urban interstate 55 speed limit rule is incorrect too, 630, 430, 440, and the stretches of 30 and 40 in Little Rock proper all have speed limits of 60 or higher aside from the end of the interstate or road construction zones.

Thanks, I couldn't remember the speed limits down in Little Rock. If there's any urban interstates in the state they'd certainly be down there.

[cdj00]

The I540 widening project is ahead of schedual and hopefully will encourage support to widen the lanes to the Missouri border.

The Crossover Rd. widening project is coming along.

A new Goodwill store has replaced the old Aldi on College Avenue.

The Domain Apartment complex near Baum Stadium is coming up quickly. They are adding a short turn lane off MLK.

I hope they decide to teardown that awful fence and replace the Bradford Pear trees with something more appealing.

Dirtwork has started where a vacant lot once was near the Hill-Place apartements, near the Mill District. Does anyone know what the will be?

The new Academy Sports and Outdoors is coming along nicely.

Also, a new fitness gym and Mexican resturant are going up just off Wedington.

Numerous University athletic projects passed the board and will start soon.

[strmchsr77]

CDJ00 If you are referring to the hill just west of the Hill Place apartments then that will be The Vue. It's another huge apartment complex aimed at students. Multiple 5 story apartment buildings and 3 story townhouses. Should be interesting to see what it looks like and what kind of Views they will have there.

[Todd Gill]

Are you referring to the dirt work at MLK and Hill Avenue? If so, I believe that is the site of a new Kum & Go. I've put in a request to Kum & Go, but haven't heard back yet.

[zman9810]

Great to see some new contributors on UP-NWA.

Kum&Go did finally get approval at the that site. It will be nice to have left-turn signals there at last. That should become a very busy intersection.

I realize that the state can't put traffic lights up for private developments but a signal for The Domain is going to be needed. Without it that will become a very dangerous section of street.

Edited September 23, 2012 by zman9810

[wmr]

Is there some action at the former Divinity site at Dickson and Block Avenue? I have just noticed that the plans for that hotel re-appeared on the city's public ftp. Is someone requesting a rezoning, or is there another developer moving forward with plans there?

[comreguy]

Is there some action at the former Divinity site at Dickson and Block Avenue? I have just noticed that the plans for that hotel re-appeared on the city's public ftp. Is someone requesting a rezoning, or is there another developer moving forward with plans there?

That site is owned by the Alley family that invested in the Chancellor hotel. Wonder if they have plans to restart a project? Paid a ton of money for the dirt...

[Mith242]

Very interesting. Although seems odd that someone who invested in the Chancellor would now look to possibly build another hotel so close to it. That property seems prime for some sort of development. Is it certain that the plans are for a hotel and not some other type of development?

[zman9810]

That site is owned by the Alley family that invested in the Chancellor hotel. Wonder if they have plans to restart a project? Paid a ton of money for the dirt...

They got it for a steal compared to what Barber paid for it.