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What's Missing in Northwest Arkansas?


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Maybe the condo movement will hit Rogers after some of these other development are done in the near future. There are some nice developments taking place in Rogers now but I don't think everything is going to happen overnight. I think what Rogers has going now is pretty impressive in itself. For that matter sometimes things go in cycles. We've had some slow periods here in Fayetteville when there wasn't a whole lot going on.

I hope so.

The problem with the development up here is that it is so spread out.

Maybe when the Light Rail is implimented or so, or construction begins on it, urban development will surge around there, and condo's will be a hit.

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I hope so.

The problem with the development up here is that it is so spread out.

Maybe when the Light Rail is implimented or so, or construction begins on it, urban development will surge around there, and condo's will be a hit.

Not even considering the light rail possibility. I just think Rogers will need to get some of it big developments finished and wait to see how things pan out. Rogers has had some amazing growth taking place but it's not going to all happen at once. But I can see a Rogers with a little more of an urban feel and some condos eventually being developed in the future. Fayetteville has had some advantage at being a bit bigger than everyone in the area for quite a while. It's also been the focus and in many ways the center of this area for a long time. I think that's helped it in some ways where Rogers hasn't had that advantage.

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Being Afro-American myself I would never step foot in Benton County. Are you kidding me. Benton County is Arkansas' example of the Eastern Memphis suburbs. In the few times I have been there I've yet to see another Black individual. The Police do not help the situation out either. Don't tell me if you live in Benton County you would not look twice if a Black individual was driving around one of your pleasant little gated communities. Fayetteville is the only town with even the slightest hint of being excepting of a race or culture other than the status quo. And don't act like you are accepting the overcrowding Hispanic culture either. You maybe able to live with them but as with the Blacks you would never step foot in the Hispanic part of town.

Oops somehow I overlooked this post. While there haven't been any big problems with race here in northwest Arkansas that doesn't mean there are people who aren't racist. I think this will not be a problem that goes away overnight. Northwest Arkansas is typical in some ways of much of the Ozarks in that it has mainly all white for a long period of time. In many ways I think Fayetteville has been the exception because of the university. College towns first of all tend to be more liberal. And liberal towns I think are more likely to attract minorities. Second of all the U of A had a program started by Senator Fulbright increasing international students which has also helped increase ethnic diversity here in Fayetteville. But Fayetteville still isn't overly diverse, because many of our foreign students go elsewhere for jobs. I also think Fayetteville is hurt in some ways because it is still part of the Ozarks and still associated with a 'white' area. I think increased ethnic diversity has upset some people. Except for the younger generations I think many people were used to being in an all white community and people fear what they don't understand. I have some older coworkers who obviously feel uncomfortable with hispanics. They have a much different culture than what they are accustomed to. Unfortunately all of this isn't going to be fixed overnight, but I do think things will get better. And not all of us fear other cultures and races. I personally would love to have more cultural and ethnic diversity in the area. For one thing it's a sign of a typical larger urban area. I also personally have great interest in the hispanic community. As some of our older forumers can attest to. I do go to hispanic parts of town because I enjoy hispanic food and go there to buy ingrediants you can't find elsewhere. I've noticed that many hispanic and Afro-American people in out area are quite friendly people. But these people are used to not feeling accepted by the general white population and they keep to themselves. I've noticed a lot of times a greeting and a smile gets people to open up. Sorry for the long post but this is something I'm glad NWAboom brought up. I'd like to hear more about this subject and don't this this is something that should be swept under the rug and ignored.

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I guess while we havn't had a lot of racial problems that I know of here that still doesn't mean acceptance. But hopefully more education and some time will help turn tolerance into acceptance. This area will benefit with a more ethnically and culturally diverse background.

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I guess while we havn't had a lot of racial problems that I know of here that still doesn't mean acceptance. But hopefully more education and some time will help turn tolerance into acceptance. This area will benefit with a more ethnically and culturally diverse background.

I hope so too. There are some people up here that do despise having minorities simply due to the history of th ozarks and such.

I think in a matter of 10-15, the area will be a lot more culturally diverse. I wish that a lot of people would see some of the benefits of having a culturally diverse area, instead of despising it.

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I hope so too. There are some people up here that do despise having minorities simply due to the history of th ozarks and such.

I think in a matter of 10-15, the area will be a lot more culturally diverse. I wish that a lot of people would see some of the benefits of having a culturally diverse area, instead of despising it.

Exactly, this are won't be considered a serious metro until it's more diverse. And it can affect growth, this area could be losing a lot of people because many of them don't feel comfortable living in an area that has a reputation for being 'white'. Some of the people could have good degrees and well educated but not feel like they are welcome because they are not white. Hopefully people aren't associating minorities with low income stereotypes.

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Exactly, this are won't be considered a serious metro until it's more diverse. And it can affect growth, this area could be losing a lot of people because many of them don't feel comfortable living in an area that has a reputation for being 'white'. Some of the people could have good degrees and well educated but not feel like they are welcome because they are not white. Hopefully people aren't associating minorities with low income stereotypes.

I can see conditions up here getting better and better ever so slightly. I see Punjabi Indians, Asian-Americans, and Latino's all the time in the Home office. I agree that we won't be a serious metro unless we become more diverse. A Diverse population results in a diversified economy.

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I can see conditions up here getting better and better ever so slightly. I see Punjabi Indians, Asian-Americans, and Latino's all the time in the Home office. I agree that we won't be a serious metro unless we become more diverse. A Diverse population results in a diversified economy.

I just hope it happens sooner rather than later. I want people like NWAboom to feel a part of the community up here. I know not all the people up here, especially those working with Wal-mart are necessarily here for good. Some of them will be here a while and move on. I just hope that many of them, especially the people who happen to be minorities don't feel they need to get out of here as soon as possible. I also hope they feel at home enough here to stay and help diversify our area.

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I hope anybody would feel welcome in this area.

On another note, a friend recently told me that both Downtown Bentonville and Downtown Fayetteville are planning on building parking garages. Obviously for Fayetteville due to the entertainment district, and all the new housing projects and restaurants and retail. The Bentonville one is planned because of the Crystal Bridges Art Museum. I can help but ask, do you think that these parking garages are going to spark more development?

Sorry I ask a lot of questions. :rofl:

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I hope anybody would feel welcome in this area.

On another note, a friend recently told me that both Downtown Bentonville and Downtown Fayetteville are planning on building parking garages. Obviously for Fayetteville due to the entertainment district, and all the new housing projects and restaurants and retail. The Bentonville one is planned because of the Crystal Bridges Art Museum. I can help but ask, do you think that these parking garages are going to spark more development?

Sorry I ask a lot of questions. :rofl:

I have no problems with questions. I know I will ask quite a few myself. Parking decks and such can certainly be useful. Parking around Dickson or the Square can be problematic. To keep people coming into the area you have to have places for them to park or they might stop coming. Some areas of the fayetteville Downtown Master Plan really go into detail about this. They mention trying to have parking away from the street as much as possible and not having parking areas on corners. That was one thing they suggested doing near the Walton Art Center, changing the parking there. Put shops along the street and since more parking is needed anyway put in a parking deck to occupy most of where the parking lot is now, minus the areas along the streets.

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I've seen those plans on the Master plan.

If they could put an art gallery or something in a shop near the Walton Arts Center, I would be estatic. I really wish that Alice Walton would have decided to put her art museum near the Walton Arts Center, so that we would have a centralized art area, but it is nice to have it up here in Benton County.

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I've seen those plans on the Master plan.

If they could put an art gallery or something in a shop near the Walton Arts Center, I would be estatic. I really wish that Alice Walton would have decided to put her art museum near the Walton Arts Center, so that we would have a centralized art area, but it is nice to have it up here in Benton County.

I'm a little surprised to hear someone from Benton County making a statement like that. Sure I'd love to have Crystal Bridges here, but I imagine many people in Benton County feel that they should have something too. In some ways the Walton Art Center is already becoming less centralized. Most of the art gallery space has been moved down and across West St. I noticed the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan mentioned having a museum would be very good and mentioned having it a little further south of the Walton Art Center would be a good idea. There are some small offices that are basically converted houses and some parking taking up land in that particular area. I really like the potential for West St. For that matter Block St too, the street that basically connects Dickson St to the Square.

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I'm a little surprised to hear someone from Benton County making a statement like that. Sure I'd love to have Crystal Bridges here, but I imagine many people in Benton County feel that they should have something too. In some ways the Walton Art Center is already becoming less centralized. Most of the art gallery space has been moved down and across West St. I noticed the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan mentioned having a museum would be very good and mentioned having it a little further south of the Walton Art Center would be a good idea. There are some small offices that are basically converted houses and some parking taking up land in that particular area. I really like the potential for West St. For that matter Block St too, the street that basically connects Dickson St to the Square.

To me, it just seems like it would fit Fayetteville a little more. I am glad it's here, but in many ways, a centralized arts area will never exist if large projects do not work together.

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To me, it just seems like it would fit Fayetteville a little more. I am glad it's here, but in many ways, a centralized arts area will never exist if large projects do not work together.

Having a centralized arts and culture area would certainly work better. But I don't think other cities are going to want to be told they can't have something nice like a museum and that it has to go to another city. I obviously would like for everything to be here in Fayetteville. It would really benefit my city and would be convenient for me. But I do want to see the rest of the metro improve itself also. I guess this is probably going to become more of a problem as time goes by and people start considering building more museums and art centers and such.

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Having a centralized arts and culture area would certainly work better. But I don't think other cities are going to want to be told they can't have something nice like a museum and that it has to go to another city. I obviously would like for everything to be here in Fayetteville. It would really benefit my city and would be convenient for me. But I do want to see the rest of the metro improve itself also. I guess this is probably going to become more of a problem as time goes by and people start considering building more museums and art centers and such.

Probably, which is why if we were one city, we wouldn't have to deal with these issues.

Another comment on Parking Garages in the future.

Parking Garages need to be built in several areas in NW Arkansas and in particular Benton County. Parking Garages are tax-exempt from building and can help save valuable real-estate in the Area.

NWACC is planning on building three or four parking garages in the future by 2009. Anywhere from 3 to 5 stories, which should help solve a lot of the parking problems there.

I think Mercy Health was looking into one at their new site in Rogers.

Pinnacle should be planning one if they are going to be building 16 story buildings there in the future. On top of those, 3 and 4 story buildings have been flocking there by the dozen. More development is bound to come there, and the real-estate is so valuable, that it makes since to build a parking garage there.

Also, Wal-Mart shoud consider building a parking garage near the Home Office. With 10,000+ employees working in the city, not to mention thousands of vendors in town, and the new 9 story office tower built right next to the HO, a big parking garage just makes since. Sometimes, it can take almost 20 minutes to park and get to the office, since you have to park far out. Hopefully with that land swap that Wal-Mart did with the Benton County Fair, a parking garage is being planned. It would be an asset to the company, and they could use all of that wasted parking space on future development.

If you have any places that you can think that parking garages need to come in NW Arkansas, please express your comments.

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Probably, which is why if we were one city, we wouldn't have to deal with these issues.

Another comment on Parking Garages in the future.

Parking Garages need to be built in several areas in NW Arkansas and in particular Benton County. Parking Garages are tax-exempt from building and can help save valuable real-estate in the Area.

NWACC is planning on building three or four parking garages in the future by 2009. Anywhere from 3 to 5 stories, which should help solve a lot of the parking problems there.

I think Mercy Health was looking into one at their new site in Rogers.

Pinnacle should be planning one if they are going to be building 16 story buildings there in the future. On top of those, 3 and 4 story buildings have been flocking there by the dozen. More development is bound to come there, and the real-estate is so valuable, that it makes since to build a parking garage there.

Also, Wal-Mart shoud consider building a parking garage near the Home Office. With 10,000+ employees working in the city, not to mention thousands of vendors in town, and the new 9 story office tower built right next to the HO, a big parking garage just makes since. Sometimes, it can take almost 20 minutes to park and get to the office, since you have to park far out. Hopefully with that land swap that Wal-Mart did with the Benton County Fair, a parking garage is being planned. It would be an asset to the company, and they could use all of that wasted parking space on future development.

If you have any places that you can think that parking garages need to come in NW Arkansas, please express your comments.

You are correct on parking. It is going to become more of an issue in the future. There really needs near Dickson St here in Fayetteville. I really like the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan's idea on parking. Locate it off the street behind retail or restaurants. Having these located right on the street front makes the area much nicer. A parking garage where most of the current Walton Art Center parking lot makes a lot of sense. The only problem I see if that it would really cause parking problems in the short term till it was built. I also hope most of these places put some effort into their parking garages. I prefer them to look more aesthetically pleasing or not even be able to tell that it is a parking garage. The Fayetteville Public Library made theirs look nice. I've seen some in other cities that I would have never guessed it was a parking garage from the outside.

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You are correct on parking. It is going to become more of an issue in the future. There really needs near Dickson St here in Fayetteville. I really like the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan's idea on parking. Locate it off the street behind retail or restaurants. Having these located right on the street front makes the area much nicer. A parking garage where most of the current Walton Art Center parking lot makes a lot of sense. The only problem I see if that it would really cause parking problems in the short term till it was built. I also hope most of these places put some effort into their parking garages. I prefer them to look more aesthetically pleasing or not even be able to tell that it is a parking garage. The Fayetteville Public Library made theirs look nice. I've seen some in other cities that I would have never guessed it was a parking garage from the outside.

I'm pretty sure Fayetteville is going to build a 400-car or so garage near or on Dixon Street. I remember hearing about it in one of the papers.

I've got to say, that Fayetteville Library is amazing. I saw the parking garage and how they incorporated it into the library, doesn't it include an Arsaga's also?

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I'm pretty sure Fayetteville is going to build a 400-car or so garage near or on Dixon Street. I remember hearing about it in one of the papers.

I've got to say, that Fayetteville Library is amazing. I saw the parking garage and how they incorporated it into the library, doesn't it include an Arsaga's also?

There has been a lot of talk of a parking garage but I wasn't aware anything was set in stone just yet. I thought the details were still being dicussed. But yes I do like the library's parking garage. And yes there is an Arsaga's ( a coffeeshop for those of you who might not know what this is) that's located to the left as you enter the library. I revived the library topic by the way.

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Maybe it's not set in stone, but I know Fayetteville city leaders are looking into it a lot. It would also be a great way for revenue for the city.

I did check out the library topic. Nic pics.

Those were one I found on the internet a while back ago.

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Since we've been talking about culture lately, I wonder why the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has not built a nature center in NW Arkansas. This is the Ozarks, and nearly every other region in the state has one, it would be a very nice project, especially if they put it in Fayetteville or somewhere near Benton County.

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Since we've been talking about culture lately, I wonder why the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has not built a nature center in NW Arkansas. This is the Ozarks, and nearly every other region in the state has one, it would be a very nice project, especially if they put it in Fayetteville or somewhere near Benton County.

Johnny and Arkansawyer will be sorry you brought this up again. I remember spouting off about this when the Arkansas forum first came about. Ft Smith will the location of the 'Ozark' nature center, which I find a joke. It would certainly make sense to have one up here because you have a large population to enjoy it. Honestly I think it's because this area of the state is already doing pretty well so they were put in other areas. Although of course Little Rock made sure to get one. I know it's the capitol and it will be very well used but one here in northwest Arkansas would be very well used too. From what I heard there aren't anymore plans for them. After the Ft Smith and Little Rock ones are built that's it. I suppose maybe another one could be built later by another governor. People of northwest Arkansas band together and let's put a local guy into the governor's seat and then maybe we can get our much deserved nature canter! :D

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Johnny and Arkansawyer will be sorry you brought this up again. I remember spouting off about this when the Arkansas forum first came about. Ft Smith will the location of the 'Ozark' nature center, which I find a joke. It would certainly make sense to have one up here because you have a large population to enjoy it. Honestly I think it's because this area of the state is already doing pretty well so they were put in other areas. Although of course Little Rock made sure to get one. I know it's the capitol and it will be very well used but one here in northwest Arkansas would be very well used too. From what I heard there aren't anymore plans for them. After the Ft Smith and Little Rock ones are built that's it. I suppose maybe another one could be built later by another governor. People of northwest Arkansas band together and let's put a local guy into the governor's seat and then maybe we can get our much deserved nature canter! :D

In Fort Smith?

There is a larger population here, and it would be much more supported up here. I can see why they would put it in areas that really need it, but Fort Smith is doing fine and I think the Ozark feel is much more felt in Fayeteville and NW Arkansas.

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In Fort Smith?

There is a larger population here, and it would be much more supported up here. I can see why they would put it in areas that really need it, but Fort Smith is doing fine and I think the Ozark feel is much more felt in Fayeteville and NW Arkansas.

Yeah I know, obviously the Arkansas River Valley should be it's focus but I think that will be more of Little Rock's that and the Ouachitas. Both of those I associate with Ft Smith not the Ozarks. Which brings me to another topic. Why is the Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock? I don't even know if they hardly have many branches in the Ozarks.

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