Renaissance Tower Development in Fayetteville

[Aporkalypse]

Like you said there's a lot of factors involved. At lot of cities built up in some areas just to try to show that they're a 'real' city. Of course Fayetteville doesn't fit that pattern. Overall I think it has more to do with real estate prices. I think that's the main reason developments to build up. When it just gets too expensive to buy land to have a spread out development.

We're running out of areas to redevelop in downtown Fayetteville and I think going upwards is inevitable.

[masons_dad1]

If Fayetteville keeps building outwards and waits until they run out of room to build up it may be too late. This kind of growth in NWA isn't going to last forever so it's better to think ahead and build upwards even if there's still room to build outwards. I'd rather see a smaller more developed city than a large mostly undeveloped city.

[mcheiss]

I think a 20-story cap is reasonable. A couple of large hotels would be nice but you don't want to replace the existing streetscape in Fayetteville with high rises.

I agree.

This is just enough to capp the landscape with a nice urban feel, and still maintain the certain "Fayetteville" feel with the hills.

[Mith242]

I agree.

This is just enough to capp the landscape with a nice urban feel, and still maintain the certain "Fayetteville" feel with the hills.

Yeah I also think that sounds like a good idea to me. Keeping it to 20 stories might keep at least some of the people happy.

[strmchsr77]

Here we go again! The Renaissance hotel project is needing to add just 2 stories (total of 18) to ensure that Marriott will get the amount of rooms needed, and the idiots at the city have denied the request. It has been mentioned earlier in this thread that if a modification of less than 20% comes up, then it would still be under the origonal approval (this is just 13%).

Here is the story from the Times:

Renaissance Tower

[mcheiss]

Damn City Board Members.

[Mith242]

Here we go again! The Renaissance hotel project is needing to add just 2 stories (total of 18) to ensure that Marriott will get the amount of rooms needed, and the idiots at the city have denied the request. It has been mentioned earlier in this thread that if a modification of less than 20% comes up, then it would still be under the origonal approval (this is just 13%).

Here is the story from the Times:

Renaissance Tower

From what I gathered they haven't denied the two floors but the plans will have to be resubmitted again. I've heard some mixed reactions on the extra two stories. I don't think people are quite as concerned about building height as with the Divinity Development. It's more downtown location doesn't seem to both people as much. I think the developers themselves are frustrating the city. It doesn't sound like the city thinks the developers were totally straightforward when they bought the land. They thought construction would have already taken place long ago. Apparently the developers also gave the city the impression they had already set up a deal with a hotelier beforehand.

[strmchsr77]

Believe it or not...the city council finally approved the additional two stories for the Marriott Hotel and Condos. So I would expect alot of building to begin on the former Mountain Inn site very soon. The 18 story hotel will be the first building started. The vote from the council was not unanimous. Kyle Cook was the only member to vote against the additional 2 stories. Big surprise there.

[mcheiss]

Believe it or not...the city council finally approved the additional two stories for the Marriott Hotel and Condos. So I would expect alot of building to begin on the former Mountain Inn site very soon. The 18 story hotel will be the first building started. The vote from the council was not unanimous. Kyle Cook was the only member to vote against the additional 2 stories. Big surprise there.

Yeah, isn't he the one that helped create the 6th Floor Limit on Dixon Street?

Good to see that the Mountain Inn will start soon.

[Mith242]

Believe it or not...the city council finally approved the additional two stories for the Marriott Hotel and Condos. So I would expect alot of building to begin on the former Mountain Inn site very soon. The 18 story hotel will be the first building started. The vote from the council was not unanimous. Kyle Cook was the only member to vote against the additional 2 stories. Big surprise there.

Yeah surprise surprise where the one vote against came from. But I got the impression it will still be a while before serious work starts. I think I read it still won't happen till August. Not sure why thinks are taking so long. You'd think now that the city has agreed for the extra floors things would start moving sooner than that. Here I thought the one thing slowing this down was waiting to get approval from the city. I was certainly surprised there wasn't more outcry against the extra height. Although there was some apparently. But I think overall the city felt it had gone this far and they just want to see the project move forward instead of the developers having to look for another hotelier. It doesn't sound like that particular area falls under any of the height restrictive areas also.

[razorbackfan]

Yeah surprise surprise where the one vote against came from. But I got the impression it will still be a while before serious work starts. I think I read it still won't happen till August. Not sure why thinks are taking so long. You'd think now that the city has agreed for the extra floors things would start moving sooner than that. Here I thought the one thing slowing this down was waiting to get approval from the city. I was certainly surprised there wasn't more outcry against the extra height. Although there was some apparently. But I think overall the city felt it had gone this far and they just want to see the project move forward instead of the developers having to look for another hotelier. It doesn't sound like that particular area falls under any of the height restrictive areas also.

In the NWA News the builder says they will start the foundation in 30-45 days

[Mith242]

In the NWA News the builder says they will start the foundation in 30-45 days

That makes it sound more mid to late July. A little better than August at least. But still I had been hoping for like some serious work to start in a week or so.

[strmchsr77]

Yeah, isn't he the one that helped create the 6th Floor Limit on Dixon Street?

Good to see that the Mountain Inn will start soon.

Yeah Matt, that is the same guy. Height limits on buildings so we can't grow upward, and he is against annexation so we can't grow out. Real bright guy....

[Mith242]

Looks like Farmington is going to beat us to the punch in the annexation deal anyway. But maybe I'll mention more of that in the Fayetteville topic.

[Mith242]

Just thought I'd throw out a reminder that construction on this development is supposed to finally start sometime this month. Not sure if it's actually started yet. I'll have to make a little trip over there sometime and see if anything has started yet.

[mcheiss]

Good.

Hope to see the steel start rising.

[Mith242]

Went by the site earlier this weekend. Have to say I was disappointed. In June they said construction was going to start early July. Well here it is early Auguest and I can't tell they've done anything in the past few months, maybe longer than that. Anyway I went ahead and took a pic of the site with the Old Courthouse, under renovation, in the background.

[mcheiss]

Hopefully, this will start soon. I thought I heard that this project was going to start this fall.

[masons_dad1]

Went by the site earlier this weekend. Have to say I was disappointed. In June they said construction was going to start early July. Well here it is early Auguest and I can't tell they've done anything in the past few months, maybe longer than that. Anyway I went ahead and took a pic of the site with the Old Courthouse, under renovation, in the background.

Don't feel bad Mith... Bentonville said groundbreaking for the Crystal Bridges Museum would be done in July and it hasn't. It's hard to not think in time lapse so it seems like all these proposed and confirmed developments are being delayed when they're really just taking the normal amount of time to get them done. This isn't a megalopolis like Dallas, so normal is a bit slower than other places.

[dimebag1980]

Looks like I've never commented on this thread, so it's about time I did. That Renaissance Tower is one AWESOME looking building. I love it and can't wait to see the finished product!! If it has HALF the historic look that the rendering has, it will be quite astounding! I know I can count on Rod to provide some really good photos of the finished product as well!

And P.S.: that old courthouse is one gorgeous old building.

[mcheiss]

that area will certainly have an inner city feel to it within a few years.

[Mith242]

Don't feel bad Mith... Bentonville said groundbreaking for the Crystal Bridges Museum would be done in July and it hasn't. It's hard to not think in time lapse so it seems like all these proposed and confirmed developments are being delayed when they're really just taking the normal amount of time to get them done. This isn't a megalopolis like Dallas, so normal is a bit slower than other places.

Yeah looks like I'll just have to learn some patience. Although I'm not the only one not happy about it. City officials have been expecting something to happen long ago too. Really not sure what the holdup is now. While I certainly really like the development, so far I can't say I've been too impressed with the developer so far.

[jiggyK]

I drove by the site today and saw an excavator digging what could possibly be footings or trenches for plumbing or whatever. Either way, some sort of ground work is going on.

[Mith242]

I drove by the site today and saw an excavator digging what could possibly be footings or trenches for plumbing or whatever. Either way, some sort of ground work is going on.

Not sure why the ground work isn't finished yet. I would think even if they weren't going to start on the rest of the construction that the ground work would be finished by now. It will be a great development for the city once it's done. But I still have to wonder what the developers are doing. City officials were certainly under the impression that things would be much further along at this point. And from what I've heard the developers haven't really explained very well why everything seems to be taking so long. I'm pretty sure the city was under the impression that steel would start going up early this year, let alone in July and now August.

[mcheiss]

Not sure why the ground work isn't finished yet. I would think even if they weren't going to start on the rest of the construction that the ground work would be finished by now. It will be a great development for the city once it's done. But I still have to wonder what the developers are doing. City officials were certainly under the impression that things would be much further along at this point. And from what I've heard the developers haven't really explained very well why everything seems to be taking so long. I'm pretty sure the city was under the impression that steel would start going up early this year, let alone in July and now August.

Who knows?

It could be plumbing problems, electric problems, leveling problems, soil density problems, enviromental problems, rising cost of materials, shortage of supplies, etc.