Everything Conway

[skirby]

Buffalo Wild Wings will be located on Amity Rd south of the Hilton Garden Inn between Target and I-40.

Also, Crazy Hibachi from Lakewood Village in NLR is looking to locate in Conway.

[skirby]

Covington Towers is a former concrete plant turned into living spaces.

[cozmosis]

Covington Towers is a former concrete plant turned into living spaces.

I've driven by there several times and always wondered what that building was. Is it occupied now? I ask only because it still appears to be surrounded by a barbed-wire fence. Of course, I can't help but thinking those ramps would be fun when it snows. :-)

Edited April 13, 2011 by cozmosis

[Mith242]

Covington Towers is a former concrete plant turned into living spaces.

Oh wow, I think that even outdoes the old grain tower turned in apartments in Fayetteville's Mill District.

[thewizard16]

Covington Towers is a former concrete plant turned into living spaces.

Personally I think those are hideous, but I respect the creativity of that re-purposing and the roof is quite interesting. Not sure I understand the point of the huge ramps (I wouldn't want to look out the window of my apartment/condo at the back of that) or why the rest of the property doesn't appear to be being cleaned up yet, but I assume it's a work in progress?

[Hyacinth]

Forgive me if someone has previously mentioned this but Dick's Sporting Goods is coming to Conway. The company already has a Central Arkansas presence with a store in Hot Springs.

[skirby]

Wetland park at Hendrix Village.

Southwestern Energy had opened their headquarters.

People placing their order at the Green Cart Deli.

Also work has started on the new airport. It will be built with a 5,500 ft. runway which can be expanded to 7,000 ft. Now the question will be what will happen to the old airport property? It fronts I-40 across from the Commons and there is already talk that an overpass will be built to connect the two.

[skirby]

It has been announced that Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen will locate in the long vacant Village Inn building at Skyline and I-40. From what I understand Russo's is a chain out of Texas. Has anyone eaten at one of their locations?

[skirby]

Metroplan has released their estimates for 2012 population and they put Conway at 61,684.

A few shots of Hendrix Village.

[Architect]

Metroplan has released their estimates for 2012 population and they put Conway at 61,684.

A few shots of Hendrix Village.

Wow. It seems more than plausible that Conway could pass both Ft. Smith and North Little Rock in the 2020 census. Nice shots of Hendrix Village as well!

[ndark]

Wow. It seems more than plausible that Conway could pass both Ft. Smith and North Little Rock in the 2020 census. Nice shots of Hendrix Village as well!

With the widening of I40 having 3 lanes to LR will make the commute that much easier.

[Architect]

With the widening of I40 having 3 lanes to LR will make the commute that much easier.

Long term, no doubt. But it's being phased such that the widening starts in Conway, then will narrow to 4 lanes before widening to six lanes again as you approach LR. That "merge" area is going to be a (temporary) nightmare.

[skirby]

When I posted the pictures of Hendrix Village last week I failed to mention the completion of the Row Houses. These are one and two bedroom apartments in the light colored brick building in the picture below.

Other news about progress at Hendrix Village. The Arkansas Democrat--Gazette reported Sunday that a portion of the Mabee Center will be demolished so another building can be constructed for Market Square. They are working to put a bank and a restaurant in the new building.

[skirby]

Big news for downtown Conway today with the announcement that a local startup PrivacyStar will relocated its headquarters to the Federal Plaza building. Not only will it relocate 24 employees but will be looking to hire 121 new employees at an average salary of 75k. PrivacyStar is backed by Charles Morgan, a founder of Acxiom.

Federal Plaza is the old post office building that has been redone and now has a post office branch along with the offices of the local newspaper The Log Cabin Democrat.

[skirby]

A permit has been issued for Conway's first Dunkin Donuts. It will be located on Oak were the old Hardee's was located before it moved. Across the street the Oak Street location for McDonald.s has been demolished so a new McDonald's can be built.

[skirby]

Hendrix College has announced that the Mabee Center will be demolished to make room for a third building to be constructed for Market Square at Hendrix Village. This building will include retail on the ground floor, Delta Bank and the Purple Cow resturant are in the final stages of signing on, with student apartments on the top two floors.

The above mentioned McDonald's is completed and open for business while work has started on Dunkin Donuts.

[cdj00]

With all the road work in the Conway area is their still any interest in the proposed Conway Loop? What ever happened to this idea?

[Smith]

Conway is getting a second Chick-fil-a at Prince and Farris near the new Walmart neighbodhood market location.  This intersection will also be a new 4 lane roundabout.

[Smith]

Conway is in the process of redeveloping the old airport into something called Central Landing.  It will be 150 acres of retail, dining, hotel, and office space. Total cost is estimated at $90 million and should open in 2017.  This is a pretty big property, about twice the size of the Conway Commons on the other side of I-40 with Target, Best Buy, etc.  There are several articles online about it but here are a couple with some images.

 

http://talkbusiness.net/2013/10/conway-major-developer-announce-90-million-central-landing-project/

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/95114/conway-developer-to-rework-airport-site-as-shopping-hub-by-2017

[skirby]

Conway is in the process of redeveloping the old airport into something called Central Landing.  It will be 150 acres of retail, dining, hotel, and office space. Total cost is estimated at $90 million and should open in 2017.  This is a pretty big property, about twice the size of the Conway Commons on the other side of I-40 with Target, Best Buy, etc.  There are several articles online about it but here are a couple with some images.

 

http://talkbusiness.net/2013/10/conway-major-developer-announce-90-million-central-landing-project/

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/95114/conway-developer-to-rework-airport-site-as-shopping-hub-by-2017

From what I understand the retail section will total 750,000 sq. ft. at an investment of $90 million.  This does not include out parcels, residential development, hotels and office space. The city also owns another 50 acres that can be added to the project.

 

Other news today is that Baptist Hospital from Little Rock will build a 200,000 sq, ft. hospital in Conway. It will be a two year project with a completion date of 2016.

[ArkansasTraveler]

Conway is in the process of redeveloping the old airport into something called Central Landing.  It will be 150 acres of retail, dining, hotel, and office space. Total cost is estimated at $90 million and should open in 2017.  This is a pretty big property, about twice the size of the Conway Commons on the other side of I-40 with Target, Best Buy, etc.  There are several articles online about it but here are a couple with some images.

 

http://talkbusiness.net/2013/10/conway-major-developer-announce-90-million-central-landing-project/

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/95114/conway-developer-to-rework-airport-site-as-shopping-hub-by-2017

Looking forward to seeing what this next wave of retail will bring to Conway.  My gut tells me JCPenney will likely move here from the Towne Center, assuming the company overall is doing well enough by then.  Maybe Central Landing can draw a Dillard's, too?

[comreguy]

Looking forward to seeing what this next wave of retail will bring to Conway.  My gut tells me JCPenney will likely move here from the Towne Center, assuming the company overall is doing well enough by then.  Maybe Central Landing can draw a Dillard's, too?

JC Penney not doing anything and locked in longterm. Dillards is the lead at the Landing.

[skirby]

From the Log Cabin:

 

"Less than six months after a layoff at their Conway facility, Hewlett-Packard today announced plans to establish a “regional industry development center” that would add approximately 200 jobs to that same site during 2014.

John Herzog,  Hewlett-Packard Account Executive, said that “these new employees will fill important technical roles in software engineering, business analysis and management in support of HP’s growing government and commercial healthcare business across the United States.”

 

These positions will pay more than the salaries paid to those who were laid off. This will up the employment at the site to 1,000.

 

Also, Arkansas Business reports that Baptist Health has assembles 37.1 acres for their new Conway location.

 

The first 8 mile expansion of I-40 to six lanes, between Conway and NLR,  should be completed in the spring of 2014.

 

Metroplan's 2013 population estimate for Conway is 62,669. This is up 3,700 + over 2010.

[skirby]

Another shopping center has been announced for Conway. To be known as Lewis Crossing plans call for a Sam's Club along with another 230,000 sq.ft. to include an Academy Sports, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Ross Dress for Less, Petco, Ulta, Loft, Jos. A Banks and Chico's with others to be announced. It will be located on the east side of I-40 at Dave Ward Drive. Located on the west side of I-40 and a short distance to the north will be the announced Central Landing and to the south will be the announced Baptist Hospital. Further south work has started on the new interchange for the western loop.

[skirby]

Hendrix Village newest building. It is home to a Delta Trust branch and a Purple Cow. The top two floors are apartments for Hendrix students.