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Midtowne Little Rock


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  • 3 weeks later...

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports this morning that Strode Properties has sold the Midtowne center to Miller Capital Advisory of Skokie, Illinois. The center is 85% leased. The individual sale price was not disclosed, but sources say that Strode sold Midtown (120,633SF) along with another Dallas shopping center (205,812SF) for $73M.

It will be interesting too see how this impacts both Midtowne and the new Park Avenue (still owned by Strode).

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Evolve is moving this year from Midtowne Shopping Center to Cantrell Rd. in the old Floral Express building next to Casa Manana. It doesn't seem like a good idea to me, especially with the upcoming construction, but their current location may not be perfect either. Of course, not charging $75 for a tee shirt might help.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Was eating a Pei Wei yesterday and noticed that Alfred Angelo Bridal has moved next to the Evolve Store. It looks temporary. Maybe they are going to take the Evolve space in as well. So, what do you think is happening? That leaves a large chunk empty —former Lewis & Clark space and Alfred Angelo space. Hopefully someone is considering taking over the entire space... (Fingers crossed.)

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  • 1 month later...

I'm really impressed with how the Midtown Health and Rehab project came out. For those of you unfamiliar with the name, it's the redevelopment of that formerly run down, prison-like looking building next to Midtowne on Markham that was purchased and redone by another healthcare company. They replaced all the windows, removed all the screens, cleaned up the exterior and added a nice new stone retaining wall and decks, put in a new (very attractive) multi story lobby... Did a pretty good job overall and it really makes that corner more appealing. The two story colonial house just a block away is also looking much nicer after an insurance company bought it and fixed it up and re-landscaped. With that and the apartment development at Park Avenue, and impending redevelopment of the old Bennigan's, Midtown is doing pretty well right now it seems.

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I'm really impressed with how the Midtown Health and Rehab project came out. For those of you unfamiliar with the name, it's the redevelopment of that formerly run down, prison-like looking building next to Midtowne on Markham that was purchased and redone by another healthcare company. They replaced all the windows, removed all the screens, cleaned up the exterior and added a nice new stone retaining wall and decks, put in a new (very attractive) multi story lobby... Did a pretty good job overall and it really makes that corner more appealing. The two story colonial house just a block away is also looking much nicer after an insurance company bought it and fixed it up and re-landscaped. With that and the apartment development at Park Avenue, and impending redevelopment of the old Bennigan's, Midtown is doing pretty well right now it seems.

I totally agree. It looks quite nice.

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Arkansas Business reports that two stores should soon occupy the space formerly occupied by Lewis & Clark Outfitters. They are Romeoville, IL based Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc and Charlotte, NC based Versona Accessories. The president and CEO of Midtowne’s owner, Miller Capital Advisory, believes the center should be 100% leased by the end of the year.

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Arkansas Business reports that two stores should soon occupy the space formerly occupied by Lewis & Clark Outfitters. They are Romeoville, IL based Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc and Charlotte, NC based Versona Accessories. The president and CEO of Midtowne’s owner, Miller Capital Advisory, believes the center should be 100% leased by the end of the year.

What a disappointment! I was hoping for something more. Oh well...

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With that and the apartment development at Park Avenue, and impending redevelopment of the old Bennigan's, Midtown is doing pretty well right now it seems.

Wait, did I miss something? Bennigans is being redeveloped? I've driven down University several times lately and been stopped at one of those stop lights near Bennigan's. I have wondered why someone doesn't do something with that place. It's been empty FOREVER. So, what's the plans?

What a disappointment! I was hoping for something more. Oh well...

Yeah, a nail salon and a "Claire's"-type store doesn't impress.

More weeping and wailing for Trader Joe's or Aldi for crying out loud.

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Wait, did I miss something? Bennigans is being redeveloped? I've driven down University several times lately and been stopped at one of those stop lights near Bennigan's. I have wondered why someone doesn't do something with that place. It's been empty FOREVER. So, what's the plans?

That's where the new McDonald's is going. I can't find the article right now, but it's supposed to be a new/modern design with two full drive-throughs. Should be interesting, but probably not going to excite too many people. That's a tough spot to get in and out of though, it will be interesting to see how they redevelop the lot.

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That's where the new McDonald's is going. I can't find the article right now, but it's supposed to be a new/modern design with two full drive-throughs. Should be interesting, but probably not going to excite too many people. That's a tough spot to get in and out of though, it will be interesting to see how they redevelop the lot.

I was thinking the same thing about ease of access. I wonder if there is room to connect to Park Avenue, but i think there is a nursing school (or something like that) in between the two.

Edited by ndark
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That's where the new McDonald's is going. I can't find the article right now, but it's supposed to be a new/modern design with two full drive-throughs. Should be interesting, but probably not going to excite too many people. That's a tough spot to get in and out of though, it will be interesting to see how they redevelop the lot.

Oh, I thought the McDonalds was going in just south of the Bennigan's site between Bennigans and the AT&T store.

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Oh, I thought the McDonalds was going in just south of the Bennigan's site between Bennigans and the AT&T store.

Nope, as ndark said, the "Eastern College of Health Professions" (whatever that is) which is there in the old Mall admin building is staying put for now at least. I'd love to see that building gone along with the old Bennigan's and a new, larger building put in, but nobody gets everything they want...

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Oh, I thought the McDonalds was going in just south of the Bennigan's site between Bennigans and the AT&T store.

Nope, as ndark said, the "Eastern College of Health Professions" (whatever that is) which is there in the old Mall admin building is staying put for now at least. I'd love to see that building gone along with the old Bennigan's and a new, larger building put in, but nobody gets everything they want...

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Arkansas Business reports that two stores should soon occupy the space formerly occupied by Lewis & Clark Outfitters. They are Romeoville, IL based Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc and Charlotte, NC based Versona Accessories. The president and CEO of Midtowne’s owner, Miller Capital Advisory, believes the center should be 100% leased by the end of the year.

Seems like there are quite a few empty places: the former site of Evolve, the former Lewis & Clark, the former alfred angelo among the ones that come to mind. Not sure they will be filled by the end of the year but there's still time I guess.

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  • 3 months later...

Seems like there are quite a few empty places: the former site of Evolve, the former Lewis & Clark, the former alfred angelo among the ones that come to mind. Not sure they will be filled by the end of the year but there's still time I guess.

Max Brantley reports on the Arkansas Blog that Big Orange will be leasing the former Alfred Angelo space next to Cantina Laredo in 2013. Based on the crowds at the Big Orange on Chenal, I think the demand is there. Will this leave just the former Evolve space empty or am I missing something?

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Max Brantley reports on the Arkansas Blog that Big Orange will be leasing the former Alfred Angelo space next to Cantina Laredo in 2013. Based on the crowds at the Big Orange on Chenal, I think the demand is there. Will this leave just the former Evolve space empty or am I missing something?

That's great news! Restaurants add good evening traffic, and Big Orange is just terrific!

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  • 4 months later...
Arkansas Business is reporting that the Hilton Midtowne will be rebranded as a Clarion Hotel.  I don't like this choice.  Seems like a downgrade to me even though Clarion is the upper most brand with Choice Hotels.

 

It's a downgrade. Choice Hotels itself is a step down in prestige and quality in my opinion, and Clarion has a mediocre reputation because so many of their properties are older full-service hotels that have been let go but still charge full service prices. The Clarion "conference center" in Fayetteville was a pit and it wasn't unique from the others I've seen on the road. That said... I always found that hotel a very poor fit for Hilton. It was too small, the location is isolated from other hotels and until recently, most restaurants too (Midtowne, Park Avenue, etc. are improving that for the area). If it had stayed within the Hilton family, I've always felt it was more fitting as a DoubleTree and the large hotel downtown could be remodeled and rebranded as a full Hilton. 

 

I do hope Hilton returns to the market soon, preferably downtown.

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It's a downgrade. Choice Hotels itself is a step down in prestige and quality in my opinion, and Clarion has a mediocre reputation because so many of their properties are older full-service hotels that have been let go but still charge full service prices. The Clarion "conference center" in Fayetteville was a pit and it wasn't unique from the others I've seen on the road. That said... I always found that hotel a very poor fit for Hilton. It was too small, the location is isolated from other hotels and until recently, most restaurants too (Midtowne, Park Avenue, etc. are improving that for the area). If it had stayed within the Hilton family, I've always felt it was more fitting as a DoubleTree and the large hotel downtown could be remodeled and rebranded as a full Hilton. 

 

I do hope Hilton returns to the market soon, preferably downtown.

The word was that the Hilton would switch brands to DoubleTree at the beginning of the year. I agree that would be a better fit for that hotel so this Clarion deal is totally out of left field. With that area redeveloping, the last thing that needed to happen was this switch.

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Back to the shopping center... Bloomberg has a job posting for a store manager for a forthcoming Soma Intimates location, slated to open in Midtowne in April 2013.  The post leads here:  http://jobs.chicos.com/us/little-rock/store-management/jobid2923150-store-manager-midtowne-shopping-center-(opens-apr.2013)-soma-little-rock-ar-soma-intimates?ss=paid

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Back to the shopping center... Bloomberg has a job posting for a store manager for a forthcoming Soma Intimates location, slated to open in Midtowne in April 2013.  The post leads here:  http://jobs.chicos.com/us/little-rock/store-management/jobid2923150-store-manager-midtowne-shopping-center-(opens-apr.2013)-soma-little-rock-ar-soma-intimates?ss=paid

There was a Soma next to the Chico's in WLR for less than a year. It closed and has never become anything else. Never shopping at that store, I don't know if they were actually physically connected or not. I guess they decided the concept could work in LR, just not there.

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