Texarkana-Boom Town

[Mith242]

Tim2462 you're right! The northern part of the city is growing like gangbusters as it continually spreads to the north. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that soon Texarkana will spread all the way to the Little River County line. Growth in this area will be further fueled by the construction of the new arena and the retail and hotels surrounding it. Hey Mith242! I was the one who started that thread. I certainly wasn't expecting that many posts. I just thought someone would answer and that would be that.

Yeah I know you were, I've been waiting for you to come back. Luckily Tim2462 seems familiar with the area also and is helping us learn some more. One of your topics in the northwest Arkansas forum took off too, although I'm afraid we got off the main topic on it.

[tim2462]

A group promoting the historic nature of downtown Texarkana wants businesses to take down coverings that mask the original looks of their buildings.

Main Street Texarkana director Bethany Hanna wants the downtown area to become a National Register Historic District. Building owners would get incentives to rehab their buildings if the designation is granted. But Hanna says too many buildings have covered their old facades. She's asking building owners to reveal the original storefronts to the buildings so the district better reflects its history.

[mcheiss]

A group promoting the historic nature of downtown Texarkana wants businesses to take down coverings that mask the original looks of their buildings.

Main Street Texarkana director Bethany Hanna wants the downtown area to become a National Register Historic District. Building owners would get incentives to rehab their buildings if the designation is granted. But Hanna says too many buildings have covered their old facades. She's asking building owners to reveal the original storefronts to the buildings so the district better reflects its history.

Were having the same issue up here in Rogers with our Main Street Program.

[Aporkalypse]

A group promoting the historic nature of downtown Texarkana wants businesses to take down coverings that mask the original looks of their buildings.

Main Street Texarkana director Bethany Hanna wants the downtown area to become a National Register Historic District. Building owners would get incentives to rehab their buildings if the designation is granted. But Hanna says too many buildings have covered their old facades. She's asking building owners to reveal the original storefronts to the buildings so the district better reflects its history.

I think that would be excellent and would do a lot for Texarkana's image.

Were having the same issue up here in Rogers with our Main Street Program.

I could probably do all 3 buildings in one weekend by myself.

(just kidding)

[mcheiss]

I think that would be excellent and would do a lot for Texarkana's image.

I could probably do all 3 buildings in one weekend by myself.

(just kidding)

Ha ha Aporkalypse.

The Downtown District has around 30+ buildings all together in it.

[Mith242]

Speaking of downtowns, I've always heard nice things about El Dorado's downtown. I haven't ever seen it myself but I was wondering how it might compare to Texarkana's.

[Aporkalypse]

Speaking of downtowns, I've always heard nice things about El Dorado's downtown. I haven't ever seen it myself but I was wondering how it might compare to Texarkana's.

I spent a year there one month. Just kidding.

I live in Eldo one month for a rotation in med school a few years ago. They have the quintessential downtown square with the courthouse in the center surrounded by bookstores, restaurants, boutiques, etc. It's all been redone in quite classy fashion. It's quite a bit bigger and more nicely done than B'ville's square.

Speaking of, I'd like to see Bentonville's square get a facelift. I think it's ironic that even in the boomtown at Wal-Mart's HQs the big box retail has largely depleted downtown, save the Wal-mart museum.

[Mith242]

I think that would be excellent and would do a lot for Texarkana's image.

I could probably do all 3 buildings in one weekend by myself.

(just kidding)

Hey Aporkalypse, I think your finger got stuck on the enter key while ducking that drive by shooting down there in Dallas.

Just kidding also.

Edited December 12, 2005 by Mith242

[Mith242]

But anyway back to business. I haven't seen either Bentonville's or El Dorado's downtown. I don't have any excuses for Bentonville's, it's not that far away and I really should at least see it. Just out of curiousity would you consider El Dorado's downtown worth a drive from Pine Bluff one day to go see? I'm not sure how far away that it, maybe more than I think. Does anyone have anything to say on Texarkana's downtown? I'd like to find out a little more about some southern Arkansas cities downtowns.

[Aporkalypse]

But anyway back to business. I haven't seen either Bentonville's or El Dorado's downtown. I don't have any excuses for Bentonville's, it's not that far away and I really should at least see it. Just out of curiousity would you consider El Dorado's downtown worth a drive from Pine Bluff one day to go see? I'm not sure how far away that it, maybe more than I think. Does anyone have anything to say on Texarkana's downtown? I'd like to find out a little more about some southern Arkansas cities downtowns.

That's a long drive. For me, it wouldn't be.

Warren has a great little downtown square with brick streets as well.

[Mith242]

That's a long drive. For me, it wouldn't be.

Warren has a great little downtown square with brick streets as well.

Okay thanks for the info. Just trying to keep open some possibilities for future places to take pics. Since I have family in Pine Bluff I'll have to see what's more easily accessable from there. But seeing some southern Arkansas cities might be interesting.

[Enique]

...and it's about time!!!

Since I have alot of family in Texarkana, I visit about three times a year. I even lived there for a few years, so I'm familiar with the area.

I was REALLY impressed with the 549 loop. Now if they could finish I-49 from Shreveport it would be great. It would make my trip alot better.

I remember when Texarkana seemed like it was at a growth standstill, my family would complain that the ARK side would be neglected while all the growth would seem to be around the mall on the Texas side.

Downtown needed a major revitalization, maybe except for an occasional parade, it would seem so dead. I remember when they still had a few department stores.

[bigboyz05]

Enique there is still a lot of work that needs to be done downtown but, it's starting to make a turn around finally. There are some people who want Texarkana to stay small but, I'm glad the city is growing at the rate it is! Although the city population of both the Texas and Arkansas sides is around 70,000 there are thousands of people who live right outside the city limits and I estimate the population of the area to actually be around 81,000.

[mcheiss]

Enique there is still a lot of work that needs to be done downtown but, it's starting to make a turn around finally. There are some people who want Texarkana to stay small but, I'm glad the city is growing at the rate it is! Although the city population of both the Texas and Arkansas sides is around 70,000 there are thousands of people who live right outside the city limits and I estimate the population of the area to actually be around 81,000.

Do you know how many live inside the Downtown?

[bigboyz05]

There is little if any population downtown. After 5 it's pretty much dead. That will soon change because a lot of the loft projects have just started. With the new loop freeway having an exit directly into downtown it will certainly breathe more life downtown since several projects are currently being discussed such as hotels.

[mcheiss]

That will soon change because a lot of the loft projects have just started. With the new loop freeway having an exit directly into downtown it will certainly breathe more life downtown since several projects are currently being discussed such as hotels.

That's good to hear. I had no idea that Texarkana was growing as fast as it is. I guess I'm just so caught up in NWA.

[Mith242]

That's good to hear. I had no idea that Texarkana was growing as fast as it is. I guess I'm just so caught up in NWA.

I had no idea either. It's sometimes hard to hear about other corners of the state over here.

[bigboyz05]

I had no idea either. It's sometimes hard to hear about other corners of the state over here.

I know what you mean. For a long time Texarkana was pretty much ignored. When I use to read the Arkansas Democrat's Business section they would have stats listed for every metro in the state except Texarkana. Now that the city's experiencing faster growth, I notice we've become more recognized aroud the state. Anyway, have any of you heard of a town about 14 miles south of Texarkana called Fouke? Well, it's right off the path of the Arkansas 549 freeway. About 1,000 people live there. There are plans to build a truck stop, shopping center and hotel near the freeway. More and more people have inquired about housing down there and if it grows the way city leaders think it will, It may one day grow steadily to the north and meet Texarkana as it grows south.

[bigboyz05]

Another thing I wanted to say is as much as I'm glad Texarkana's growing I can't stand the traffic. I mean I-30 has always been busy especially since we sit right in between Dallas and Little Rock. The traffic lately has become unbearable. Since so many shopping and business opportunities have come here, the daytime population of the city has swelled. Our population like I've said before is 70,000 but on a typical weekday the population is closer to 200,000. What's worse is that you have people who drive like they're still in a small town. The loop freeway was supposed to relieve traffic on I-30 but, if anything it's gotten worse as traffic on the loop has increased as well. Our public transportation called the "T-Line" is in desperate need of bigger and newer buses since the ones we have now are overcrowded and it's not uncommon to see people standing on the bus. Mith242 and Mcheiss, I know you guys in the quadplex, Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville, know exactly what we're going through down here. I don't even want to think about how traffic will be when I-49 is officially finished.

[mcheiss]

Mith242 and Mcheiss, I know you guys in the quadplex, Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville, know exactly what we're going through down here. I don't even want to think about how traffic will be when I-49 is officially finished.

Yeah, we have some places that reach 80,000 cars a day near the Interstate.

What are some of the numbers down there?

[Mith242]

I know what you mean. For a long time Texarkana was pretty much ignored. When I use to read the Arkansas Democrat's Business section they would have stats listed for every metro in the state except Texarkana. Now that the city's experiencing faster growth, I notice we've become more recognized aroud the state. Anyway, have any of you heard of a town about 14 miles south of Texarkana called Fouke? Well, it's right off the path of the Arkansas 549 freeway. About 1,000 people live there. There are plans to build a truck stop, shopping center and hotel near the freeway. More and more people have inquired about housing down there and if it grows the way city leaders think it will, It may one day grow steadily to the north and meet Texarkana as it grows south.

I'm a little familiar with Fouke. Although I can't say I know too much about it.

[bigboyz05]

The latest traffic counts from I-30 are at 79,000. Our worst interchanges are the Summerhill and Richmond Road exits where traffic backs up all the way to the main lanes of the freeway. There have been proposals to widen the freeway but actual construction probably won't start until 2007. The loop has increased from 22,000 to over 44,000 thousand cars and trucks daily. At that rate I expect the loop to be just as clogged as I-30.

[mcheiss]

The latest traffic counts from I-30 are at 79,000. Our worst interchanges are the Summerhill and Richmond Road exits where traffic backs up all the way to the main lanes of the freeway. There have been proposals to widen the freeway but actual construction probably won't start until 2007. The loop has increased from 22,000 to over 44,000 thousand cars and trucks daily. At that rate I expect the loop to be just as clogged as I-30.

Most places up here only have around 55,000 or so a day. Some go as high as 86,000. I don't even want to think what it's going to be like once I-40 opens up.

[Mith242]

Most places up here only have around 55,000 or so a day. Some go as high as 86,000. I don't even want to think what it's going to be like once I-40 opens up.

I-49 you mean.

[mcheiss]

I-49 you mean.

Whoops!!

I guess I was typing too fast.

Edited December 16, 2005 by mcheiss