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Growth and it's results in Northwest Arkansas.

Mith242

By Mith242
in Northwest Arkansas

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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I've been reading this (and a lot of these Arkansas forums) lately and have been somewhat amazed. I've only pretty recently discovered this website, so I've been catching up a bit. I'm from Fort Smith (a great place to leave) and spent a few symesters in Fayettville before heading out to Dallas and eventually, Minneapolis. Anyway I've always said that Fayettville was the only place in the state I'd ever move back to (no slam on the state or the people, I just like much bigger cities than the natural state has to offer) because I just loved the cool, mountian, college town feel of the place and thought it was very unique. Now, I'm amazed reading about all the growth. 25 story condos? 8 lane highways? Light rail?

So, you guys have to tell me since I'm not there, are they ruining the place? I'd hate to see a town that had such a genuine sense of identity turned into a giant surburb that looks like everywhere else. Maybe most of the developement is up towards Rogers or something. I just like the place so much and don't want to see anything bad happen to it.

Also, is Artist point still kicking on old 71?

Fayetteville is still pretty much the same and hasn't been ruined at all. The thing you would like if you haven't been around is all of the downtown area has been completely refurbished and Dickson is packed with restaurants and bars.

Judging from your posts, you're probably not likely to enjoy the rest of the area. Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville (and really the rest of Washington and Benton Cos) are sprawl defined. For the most part, though, the people up there like it. It hasn't really affected Fayetteville proper in a bad way, though.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I've been reading this (and a lot of these Arkansas forums) lately and have been somewhat amazed. I've only pretty recently discovered this website, so I've been catching up a bit. I'm from Fort Smith (a great place to leave) and spent a few symesters in Fayettville before heading out to Dallas and eventually, Minneapolis. Anyway I've always said that Fayettville was the only place in the state I'd ever move back to (no slam on the state or the people, I just like much bigger cities than the natural state has to offer) because I just loved the cool, mountian, college town feel of the place and thought it was very unique. Now, I'm amazed reading about all the growth. 25 story condos? 8 lane highways? Light rail?

So, you guys have to tell me since I'm not there, are they ruining the place? I'd hate to see a town that had such a genuine sense of identity turned into a giant surburb that looks like everywhere else. Maybe most of the developement is up towards Rogers or something. I just like the place so much and don't want to see anything bad happen to it.

Also, is Artist point still kicking on old 71?

Fayetteville may have changed in some aspects but I don't think too many people would be disappointed in it. If anything many areas are much better now. Some of the rundown areas along Dickson and near the Square area is now pretty hot property. Fayetteville has grown but not so much as the rest of the area it seems. There is a lot of stuff going on in Benton County. The light rail was mentioned more or less to get things started now for when people believe it will be needed in the future. Northwest Arkansas is still one of the faster growing areas of the country. Fayetteville has a rather strict building code too so that has helped keep Fayetteville's 'feel' overall. Although I guess the area near the Northwest Arkansas Mall in the north of town has a suburb type feel to it. I've taken quite a few pics around Fayetteville. Maybe some of them will stir some memories for you.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...opic=17072&st=0

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SoMplsGuy Unincorporated Area

SoMplsGuy

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Glad to hear Fayettville had maintained it's identity while still growing. I was floored at the latest populations I read in one of these forums - seems to have pretty much doubled since I was around much. But all these pictures I'm seeing look great. Mith 242, those pictures rock and there isn't an inch of that town that doesn't inspire memories - some a little fuzzier than others if you know what I mean.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Glad to hear Fayettville had maintained it's identity while still growing. I was floored at the latest populations I read in one of these forums - seems to have pretty much doubled since I was around much. But all these pictures I'm seeing look great. Mith 242, those pictures rock and there isn't an inch of that town that doesn't inspire memories - some a little fuzzier than others if you know what I mean.

Thanks, yeah some of the areas I went to weren't exactly major areas of town. Some I didn't even know existed till I just happened to come across them. But yes this is a pretty fast growing area and just about everyone doesn't see it slowing down anytime soon. You should see some of the population predictions. I don't remember the exact time period but I think someone was predicting northwest Arkansas to surpass the Tulsa metro in 30 years or something like that.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I really don't know how to word a title for this so I'll just stick it in this topic. I've thought about this before but wasn't sure how to bring it up without it seeming wrong. I do know there have been some regular forumers banned in other areas of UP. One for making homophobic remarks. It made me think of this topic again so I thought I'd bring it up. I remember when I first moved up here before the big boom happened and how there was a rather high percentage of homosexuals in northwest Arkansas. Now I don't know if any of this was true but I recall hearing people say northwest Arkansas actually had a higher percentage than San Francisco. But later all the growth occurred and you don't hear too much about it anymore. I do imagine that the percentage has dropped just for the fact that so many people have moved in. I guess I was a bit impressed because I don't recall too many people making that big a deal of it. Not something you might expect in Arkansas in general. Now I myself am not gay, but I do like the fact of us having an open minded society here in northwest Arkansas. I guess I was just wondering if anyone else remembers any of this and had anything to say on it. I guess I'll probably direct this to Matt since he grew up here in northwest Arkansas and posts more frequently. Hopefully no one will be offended by me bringing this subject up.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I'll agree with you Mith. I'm glad we have such an open minded society here in NWA. I myself am not gay, and like you I do enjoy an open minded society.

Yeah I was pretty sure you would. I think we tend to think alike. Do you remember any of that back then? I guess it was early 90's. I guess I was just impressed that most people didn't seem to make that big of a deal about it. I don't know if I would go as far as saying northwest Arkansas is more open minded than the rest of the state. I guess that might bother some people, but I do think we tend to be so at least in certain ways or maybe the word is more liberal in certain instances. I know that term applies to Fayetteville pretty well, although not necessarily to the rest of the area. But as I said before I certainly wouldn't mind having having an open minded cosmopolitan society up here. No matter who it exists of, for that matter people of Middle Eastern heritage also. I throw that one in there too just because I know Matt's moderator over that section of UP too. And I also know that in today's society muslims and people who have heritage in that area of the world aren't always viewed in a very positive light.

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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Thanks Mith!!!

I remember in the 90's always seing Gay people up here, but I never remember hearing any criticism from any people except the hard core conservatives that seem to be everywhere. I'd say everyday that we are becoming more and more open. I can speak for my family that I appreciate your comments towards the Middle Eastern Society.

I remember after 9-11, my family was looked down upon in society, and was called terrorists and stuff. I was always told to look at people for what's inside of them and not the physical things. I'm happy I was raised in an open-mind view point.

I guess we do think alike.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Thanks Mith!!!

I remember in the 90's always seing Gay people up here, but I never remember hearing any criticism from any people except the hard core conservatives that seem to be everywhere. I'd say everyday that we are becoming more and more open. I can speak for my family that I appreciate your comments towards the Middle Eastern Society.

I remember after 9-11, my family was looked down upon in society, and was called terrorists and stuff. I was always told to look at people for what's inside of them and not the physical things. I'm happy I was raised in an open-mind view point.

I guess we do think alike.

You know I guess it never occured to me that you may have any heritage from over there. I guess I just assumed that your family had moved over there from here. But it really was a shame about 9-11. Not just the tragedy itself but the general feelings that people had to people from that area of the world or even muslims. It's really too bad that a small part of the population paints the whole society over there as 'bad' people. I remember a lot of foreign exchange students didn't come back from break because they feared retaliation. I would really hope that people wouldn't be so small minded to think that a small section of a society accurately portray everyone in that part of the world or for that matter a religion also. All this talk had reminded me that I recall back in the late 90's didn't the university get a donation from Saudi Arabia to start a Middle Eastern studies on the campus? I don't think I've heard much about it since then. I wonder if it's still there. I think even if people don't want to like or trust people from that area of the world the least they could do is still get to know people there and try to understand them. Perhaps you could make this case also for religion but no ethnic group is inheritantly bad. Anyway enough of my ranting, but our discussion reminded me of some things and I thought I'd mention them before I forget to post some of this again.

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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Yeah, the family is originally from Qatar. I myself don't look real middle eastern, but If you saw me with my family, you could tell we are middle eastern.

I pretty sure there are middle Eastern Studies at the UofA, but I'm not sure about the country who gave money to start it. Saudi Arabia sounds right, but I'm not 100% sure.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Yeah, the family is originally from Qatar. I myself don't look real middle eastern, but If you saw me with my family, you could tell we are middle eastern.

I pretty sure there are middle Eastern Studies at the UofA, but I'm not sure about the country who gave money to start it. Saudi Arabia sounds right, but I'm not 100% sure.

That's really interesting. Like I said I guess I never really though much about it. Not like it really makes a difference or anything. To be honest I guess I didn't realize there were people from that area of the world that have lived here in northwest Arkansas so long. But anyway back to the subject, I wish I'd hear more about the Middle Eastern studies here. I'd like to see it become a bigger part of the university. Seriously this part of the world really isn't understood by Americans in general. I honestly don't think you have many Middle Eastern studies at universities here in the US. That would be something great for the U of A to develop. Wouldn't it be great if the university here became one of the best places to go in the country for people wanting to study this area of the world. Whether people like it or not the people from this area aren't just going to disappear. I think maybe things could be better if there was a better dialogue between our two areas.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Yeah, the UofA could really take advantage of that, and get a Mid-East Community going in NW Arkansas. That would be cool.

Especially because I don't think there is any big area of expertise like this in the US yet. It would be really great to get it started off here. In some ways it would be a logical place, there's already a large amount of students from the Middle East here because of the Fulbright Program.

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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Especially because I don't think there is any big area of expertise like this in the US yet. It would be really great to get it started off here. In some ways it would be a logical place, there's already a large amount of students from the Middle East here because of the Fulbright Program.

I know Miami, New York, and LA all have large amounts of Muslims and Middle East People. I think NWA could take advantage of this, and create a large Middle East population here. The Fulbright Program could be expanded more, I think it would be excellent.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I know Miami, New York, and LA all have large amounts of Muslims and Middle East People. I think NWA could take advantage of this, and create a large Middle East population here. The Fulbright Program could be expanded more, I think it would be excellent.

That would be really interesting. It would certainly make the area more cosmopolitan. I also hear there's quite a few around Detroit too.

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  • 3 weeks later...
tim2462 Hamlet

tim2462

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That's amazing...over 150% growth from 2000-2005...I wouldn't be surprised if that were the fastest growing city in the entire country for that time period. That's unheard of. I'm ready to see the new figures for the rest of the cities in NWA...and Conway is also doing a special census...they're still working on it.

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