Renaissance Tower Development in Fayetteville

[Mith242]

The Northwest Arkansas Times has reported that demolition of the old Mountain Inn is now complete and the city has sold the property to developers for $300,000. Fayetteville used the only working TIF district in the state to pay for the demolition. The 16 story luxury hotel will include 154 rooms, five floors of condos and a rooftop observatory. The project also includes a 350 space parking structure with retail storefronts along Mountain St. A restaurant is being planned for the thirs floor and a health spa will also be included in the project. Three floors of condos are already spoken for. The project is expected to spur growth in Fayetteville's Square area just like the Walton Art Center did along Dickson St. Negotiations are still in the way for a hotelier to be partners. Unfortunately I've still had no luck finding any drawings or renditions or the project yet.

[tombarnes]

I can certainly understand destroying the larger, more modern part of the Mountain Inn. Still, I had hoped that the smaller, older part of the hotel which was once the Oriental Hotel might have been spared the wrecker's ball. Too bad.

[Aporkalypse]

I can certainly understand destroying the larger, more modern part of the Mountain Inn.  Still, I had hoped that the smaller, older part of the hotel which was once the Oriental Hotel might have been spared the wrecker's ball.  Too bad.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto, there's not much tradition amidst the sprawl up there. Knocking down a structure like that with historical significance was criminal. I was hoping it could be incorporated into the new structure, as had been planned at one point.

[Mith242]

Ditto, there's not much tradition amidst the sprawl up there.  Knocking down a structure like that with historical significance was criminal. I was hoping it could be incorporated into the new structure, as had been planned at one point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I admit I look forward to this new project, although I do wish we could also do more to preserve the past. I'm not positive on the whole building, but they had let most of the Mountain Inn really go. It was in pretty bad shape and was one of the few 'eyesores' of Fayetteville. Although maybe more could have been done to preserve at least some of the structure.

[Mith242]

Well I have to admit, despite living here for 12 years I haven't heard anything about the Oriental Hotel. Anyone have any info on it. I take it the Mountain Inn had incorporated it into it's structure?

[NickR78]

Wow, a sixteen story building in downtown fayetteville will begin to establish a downtown skyline. Does anyone have any pics of the site? Or of the downtown fayetteville area in general. I was a UofA student for one year in 1998, but haven't been back since. It sounds like the area is really changing.

[Mith242]

Another article in theNorthwest Arkansas Times today about the project. There's a picture of a sign near the property that shows the building. But I still haven't had any luck finding anything on the internet. Apparently it's going to be called Renaissance Tower. The article also mentions there is going to be a slight delay until they finalize all the plans with the parking deck. From what I can tell in the picture in the paper it looks pretty nice. Sorta hard to give very much detail since it's a picture of a sign. Sorta a slightly modern take on a more traditional building. It looks as if the bottom three stories will have a particular style with most of the rest of the building a bit different. Both being of red brick or reddish stone. The top two stories look a bit more modern and look to be made of a white or tan stone. The building looks like a square except one corner looks to have a rounded 'tower' attached to it. Sorry it's sorta hard to describe very well.

There's also some renovation of buildings along Center St between College Ave and East Ave. It will be called 'Smoky Row', no explaination on the reason behind the name. Work should also soon begin on the condos on the top of the Bank of American building. Which will give the whole block a new look.

[Mith242]

Well I had to go do it myself but here's a picture of what the development will look like.

Now if I just could find where I had posted more updated info on this project.

[NCB]

^Renaissance Tower looks great!

[Aporkalypse]

Well I had to go do it myself but here's a picture of what the development will look like.

Now if I just could find where I had posted more updated info on this project.

Very cool building, it will fit in well with the historic buildings around it.

[Mith242]

I've been slowly going through Fayetteville downtown master plan. I was a bit surprised to see that whoever they had got to do the study had recommended demoilishing the old Mountain Inn. Although they did recommend saving other buildings. I don't know if the Old Mountain wasn't saved because it had so badly deteriorated or what. But thought I'd mention that since there was some mention of it not being saved earlier in the topic.

[Mith242]

I'm really looking forward to this project getting started. It will certainly give the area a new look. And it will give me something to take pictures of also.

[mcheiss]

I'm really looking forward to this project getting started. It will certainly give the area a new look. And it will give me something to take pictures of also.

It could spark a whole wave of mid-rises and potentially a few high rises in Fayetteville or in that area?

As soon as I can get out, I'll try to get some pictures of the Pinnacle Area or Downtown Rogers, but for some reason, I can't get pictures to post on here.

[Mith242]

It could spark a whole wave of mid-rises and potentially a few high rises in Fayetteville or in that area?

As soon as I can get out, I'll try to get some pictures of the Pinnacle Area or Downtown Rogers, but for some reason, I can't get pictures to post on here.

Yeah I had that problem at first. I checked to see where Skirby had his pics located. Which is at Image Shack by the way. And then I opened up an account there also. It's a bit annoying having to go through their process and them wanting to send you junk mail. But I can now put pics on here. I had a friend recommend another place after I already went there but I can't think of it right now. But if you right click on one of the pics you can get the address for the place where we have the pics to upload to here. I'm curious to see some areas of Rogers. I've been trying to think of other areas to take pics around here.

And back to the Renaissance Tower, I am hoping it will have the effect the Walton Art Center did on Dickson. It could also be another thing to help revitalize areas of College Ave.

[mcheiss]

I hope so.

If college develops into Mid-rises and a few high-rises, Fayetteville will have a skyline and downtown that will be unmatched in NW Arkansas.

[Mith242]

I hope so.

If college develops into Mid-rises and a few high-rises, Fayetteville will have a skyline and downtown that will be unmatched in NW Arkansas.

Yeah aside from revitalizing that are hopefully more along College Ave, I am also hoping that this will also help bring in some more mid-rises at least. I'm not sure if I can see Fayetteville going into high-rises, at least not for a while.

[mcheiss]

Yeah aside from revitalizing that are hopefully more along College Ave, I am also hoping that this will also help bring in some more mid-rises at least. I'm not sure if I can see Fayetteville going into high-rises, at least not for a while.

What are your specifications on high-rises?

I consider anything from 16 stories and higher to be high-rises. I think Fayetteville could attract an office high-rise or another condo high-rise or a combo of the two.

[Mith242]

What are your specifications on high-rises?

I consider anything from 16 stories and higher to be high-rises. I think Fayetteville could attract an office high-rise or another condo high-rise or a combo of the two.

I didn't have a specific number but I was thinking higher than that in general. Maybe closer to Little Rock standards. Even if Fayetteville does become more urban I just can't see them ever having a skyline like Little Rock though. I just don't know if people in Fayetteville want something like that.

[mcheiss]

I didn't have a specific number but I was thinking higher than that in general. Maybe closer to Little Rock standards. Even if Fayetteville does become more urban I just can't see them ever having a skyline like Little Rock though. I just don't know if people in Fayetteville want something like that.

I don't think this area will ever get something as big as the Metropolitan National Bank Building, but I do think that sometime in the future, high-rises will be a bigger factor. I don't think Fayetteville will ever have a skyline to Little Rock, but I could see plenty of 5-9 story developments in the downtown area, with a few going around 12-18 stories. I do see 3-4 story buildings however being the bulk of development in the downtown area in the near future.

Something like a big condo tower in Fayetteville or something, like 25+ stories is always a potential.

[Mith242]

I don't think this area will ever get something as big as the Metropolitan National Bank Building, but I do think that sometime in the future, high-rises will be a bigger factor. I don't think Fayetteville will ever have a skyline to Little Rock, but I could see plenty of 5-9 story developments in the downtown area, with a few going around 12-18 stories. I do see 3-4 story buildings however being the bulk of development in the downtown area in the near future.

Something like a big condo tower in Fayetteville or something, like 25+ stories is always a potential.

It's possible, or another hotel/condo tower is a possibility. Those are becoming more popular. I also think that that type of project is a good bet for Little Rock's next high-rise. But right now having some smaller type buildings and mid-rises are okay. I don't expect huge urban growth overnight.

[mcheiss]

That is true.

Hopefully if all of those condo projects get sold, then more can be built.

[Mith242]

That is true.

Hopefully if all of those condo projects get sold, then more can be built.

Which project you speaking about? I think there's been quite a bit of interest in the Grandview Heights on Beaver Lake. But it might be a little while for all the condos to be taken considering it sounds like it's a pretty big project and there will be quite a few condos to sell. There sounds like there's been high demand for condos in Fayetteville in general. A couple of months ago when they had some more info on the Renaissance Tower they said there were already 3 floors of condos already spoken for. So half or over half are already gone and there hasn't even been any construction done of the Renaissance Tower yet.

[mcheiss]

Which project you speaking about? I think there's been quite a bit of interest in the Grandview Heights on Beaver Lake. But it might be a little while for all the condos to be taken considering it sounds like it's a pretty big project and there will be quite a few condos to sell. There sounds like there's been high demand for condos in Fayetteville in general. A couple of months ago when they had some more info on the Renaissance Tower they said there were already 3 floors of condos already spoken for. So half or over half are already gone and there hasn't even been any construction done of the Renaissance Tower yet.

The ones in Fayetteville. I know the Legacy Building has sold 27 out of 32 condos in it's project. Once there's a great deal of demand, than more can be built.

[Mith242]

The ones in Fayetteville. I know the Legacy Building has sold 27 out of 32 condos in it's project. Once there's a great deal of demand, than more can be built.

Yeah so far things seem to be going well. From what I can tell many of these condos are already sold or spoken for before they are even built. I'm also curious to see what some of the condos are going for. I know at first many of the initial condos were for the very rich. More or less a place for people like the Tysons or Waltons to be able to stay and be conveniently close to say Dickson St. But as many as they are building and selling they must be filtering down to other people. I also hope that they filter down to the middle class. Although with the way housing and real estate prices are going around here both might end up meeting in the middle.

[mcheiss]

Yeah so far things seem to be going well. From what I can tell many of these condos are already sold or spoken for before they are even built. I'm also curious to see what some of the condos are going for. I know at first many of the initial condos were for the very rich. More or less a place for people like the Tysons or Waltons to be able to stay and be conveniently close to say Dickson St. But as many as they are building and selling they must be filtering down to other people. I also hope that they filter down to the middle class. Although with the way housing and real estate prices are going around here both might end up meeting in the middle.

I'm sure in compliance with the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan more middle class condos will be developed in the Downtown area. Also, to answer your comment on the price of the condo's, I believe that they were starting around $200,000 or so.

Also, do you know how many stories they are adding onto the Bank of America Building for condos?