Rogers, Arkansas

[Aporkalypse]

That building is also one of my favorite buildings in Rogers. In my opinion, Downtown Rogers will not have a major remodel take place until the Pinnacle Hills area is built out. I think that day is not in the near future.

I think it's apples and oranges, Pinnacle's suburban strip centers and national chains wouldn't fly in a downtown anyway. The type of developments you would expect to see in a successful downtown would be greatly different. Local rather than chain restaurants and coffeeshops, loft apartments, art galleries, etc would be the mix I would go for with little or no national retail or restaurants. The problem is getting the community interested in doing it, especially when few people grew up in the area. An organization like the Quapaw Quarter Association or Argenta Community Development Foundation that are nonprofits that use private donations to fund renovating buildings and then sell or lease them and use the profits to continue the process is what the area really needs.

[Mith242]

I think it's apples and oranges, Pinnacle's suburban strip centers and national chains wouldn't fly in a downtown anyway. The type of developments you would expect to see in a successful downtown would be greatly different. Local rather than chain restaurants and coffeeshops, loft apartments, art galleries, etc would be the mix I would go for with little or no national retail or restaurants. The problem is getting the community interested in doing it, especially when few people grew up in the area. An organization like the Quapaw Quarter Association or Argenta Community Development Foundation that are nonprofits that use private donations to fund renovating buildings and then sell or lease them and use the profits to continue the process is what the area really needs.

Yeah and I also think there hasn't been enough interest in the downtown area compared to Fayetteville. I suppose all the new 'exciting' stuff going on around the Pinnacle area doesn't help and draws attention away from the downtown area. But I still think people will eventually realize they have a nice downtown and decide to do more with it.

[cocothief]

With all the new property tax payments coming online from Pinnacle Hills, now is the perfect time to initiate a TIF district downtown to stimulate redevelopment.

Edited November 3, 2006 by cocothief

[Aporkalypse]

With all the new property tax payments coming online from Pinnacle Hills, now is the perfect time to initiate a TIF district downtown to stimulate redevelopment.

I don't know about that. The Rogers School District is already getting shafted out of funds by that silly TIF along I-540, an area that needed no help being developed.

[mcheiss]

I don't know about that. The Rogers School District is already getting shafted out of funds by that silly TIF along I-540, an area that needed no help being developed.

I'm not sure that TIF is still happening. The controversy was that the city couldn't freeze the school district's funds (Thanks to Mike Beebe), which would only allow for half of the $40 million planned for the TIF.

[cocothief]

Well if there ever is a good time to start a TIF district downtown, its now.

The RSD isn't going to stop growing anytime soon, and will soon get accustomed to all of the new tax $ it will start getting this year.

I think the Pinnacle Hills area finally getting off the ground will allow Rogers city leaders to maybe think about their downtown a little bit more.

All you heard for years from Rogers city government was the need for more retail sales tax $.

A trickle started with Scottsdale, now there should be a flood with the Promenade. Rogers has accomplished its goal of becoming the "second city" of NWA.

Maybe now that the west side has momentum, downtown will get some of the attention from the city leaders whether that be in the form of a TIF district or just investment in infrastructure improvements.

Edited November 3, 2006 by cocothief

[Aporkalypse]

Well if there ever is a good time to start a TIF district downtown, its now.

The RSD isn't going to stop growing anytime soon, and will soon get accustomed to all of the new tax $ it will start getting this year.

I think the Pinnacle Hills area finally getting off the ground will allow Rogers city leaders to maybe think about their downtown a little bit more.

All you heard for years from Rogers city government was the need for more retail sales tax $.

A trickle started with Scottsdale, now there should be a flood with the Promenade. Rogers has accomplished its goal of becoming the "second city" of NWA.

Maybe now that the west side has momentum, downtown will get some of the attention from the city leaders whether that be in the form of a TIF district or just investment in infrastructure improvements.

I guess I don't really want to start a TIF argument but it's exactly when the schools are growing that you DON'T want a TIF because Rogers will continue to have to build new facilities including at some point in the near future a new high school. All of this will have to be financed with debt and decreasing the school district's income will mean it will take much longer to pay off this debt.

Now with all of the new development the RSDs income from property taxes will increase but most of the income will be in the form of sales taxes that won't benefit the school district, though they will generate some property taxes as well.

TIFs are really designed to aid in development of downtrodden areas and Rogers' downtown would be a consideration. The River Market district in Little Rock was originally going to be part of a large TIF-zone until the LRSD strongly objected and convinced the city not to create a TIF. Despite this, developers can't line up fast enough to build new projects there. Downtown Rogers doesn't need a TIF as much as it needs imagination and investors. When people take an interest, it will do VERY well. There's not much there, in fact, to develop and once a couple of projects are proposed in 5 years the whole area will look like new.

If I were an investor, I'd put money into downtown Rogers and Bentonville. I can't think of a better place to invest.

[mcheiss]

I guess I don't really want to start a TIF argument but it's exactly when the schools are growing that you DON'T want a TIF because Rogers will continue to have to build new facilities including at some point in the near future a new high school. All of this will have to be financed with debt and decreasing the school district's income will mean it will take much longer to pay off this debt.

I don't think the TIF is going to affect school district money whatsoever. Mike Beebe ruled against allowing communities to using school district money in TIF's, that's why Rogers isn't pursuing the I-540 one. They'd only be raking in half of what was projected.

[cocothief]

I guess I don't really want to start a TIF argument but it's exactly when the schools are growing that you DON'T want a TIF because Rogers will continue to have to build new facilities including at some point in the near future a new high school. All of this will have to be financed with debt and decreasing the school district's income will mean it will take much longer to pay off this debt.

Now with all of the new development the RSDs income from property taxes will increase but most of the income will be in the form of sales taxes that won't benefit the school district, though they will generate some property taxes as well.

TIFs are really designed to aid in development of downtrodden areas and Rogers' downtown would be a consideration. The River Market district in Little Rock was originally going to be part of a large TIF-zone until the LRSD strongly objected and convinced the city not to create a TIF. Despite this, developers can't line up fast enough to build new projects there. Downtown Rogers doesn't need a TIF as much as it needs imagination and investors. When people take an interest, it will do VERY well. There's not much there, in fact, to develop and once a couple of projects are proposed in 5 years the whole area will look like new.

If I were an investor, I'd put money into downtown Rogers and Bentonville. I can't think of a better place to invest.

No one's saying RSD isn't expanding. Its been expanding for decades, and it will continue into perpetuity for all we know. Thats practically a given.

All I'm saying is that IF a TIF was EVER going to be a consideration, like in Fayetteville, that NOW would be the time because of all of the new development out west which will increase revenues to the point that the downtown property tax revenue increases over the next ten years dedicated to redevelopment won't be sorely missed.

While the land along 540 was very valuable prior to development, there's a huge difference between the property taxes from greenfield and taxes on whats being constructed there right now. If ever there is ever going to be a surplus of property tax revenue in Rogers which would allow a portion to be siphoned off of downtown and put towards improving downtown, its going to be in the next couple of years of assessments.

[Aporkalypse]

I don't think the TIF is going to affect school district money whatsoever. Mike Beebe ruled against allowing communities to using school district money in TIF's, that's why Rogers isn't pursuing the I-540 one. They'd only be raking in half of what was projected.

You can't have a TIF without impacting school district revenue by definition. In Arkansas cities property taxes go almost exclusively to the school districts in the community. TIFs by definition take property taxes and divert them away from the pool (almost all of which goes to schools) and use the funds generated to make improvements to the TIF district infrastructure (or offer a gross tax incentive for the developer).

So if school district funds are exempted, as you said, you can't have a TIF. It won't work.

[mcheiss]

You can't have a TIF without impacting school district revenue by definition. In Arkansas cities property taxes go almost exclusively to the school districts in the community. TIFs by definition take property taxes and divert them away from the pool (almost all of which goes to schools) and use the funds generated to make improvements to the TIF district infrastructure (or offer a gross tax incentive for the developer).

So if school district funds are exempted, as you said, you can't have a TIF. It won't work.

You can still have the TIF, you just won't get hardly anything. This is why Rogers and Fayetteville have both abandon plans on TIF's, except for the Mountain Inn Project in Fayetteville.

[Mith242]

You can still have the TIF, you just won't get hardly anything. This is why Rogers and Fayetteville have both abandon plans on TIF's, except for the Mountain Inn Project in Fayetteville.

It might also be good to point out that the Fayetteville school district isn't growing the way some of the other school districts in the area are. So I don't think a TIF is hurting them as much. Many parts of out city actually attend schools in our neighboring suburb towns unlike most of the other NWA cities.

[mcheiss]

The city council met with the parks Admin. about the proposed new Aquatic Center. Details are fuzzy about where it will be, but it's looking like the Lake Atlanta Pool will be bulldozed.

[mcheiss]

Anyone notice that Village on the Creeks is decorated pretty well with Christmas lights & decorations? I'm thinking about taking pics.

[nwa_479]

Yeah, that whole area is pretty well lit up. It's an amazing sight. I would love to see the pics of that area.

[masons_dad1]

Yeah, that whole area is pretty well lit up. It's an amazing sight. I would love to see the pics of that area.

Pinnacle Hills and most of Benton County has some great photo ops. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until next year to get a digital camera so I can go out and take pics. Matt is the only one up here with a digital camera and he's done a fabulous job of posting Benton County pics, but there's much more needed.

[mcheiss]

Pinnacle Hills and most of Benton County has some great photo ops. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until next year to get a digital camera so I can go out and take pics. Matt is the only one up here with a digital camera and he's done a fabulous job of posting Benton County pics, but there's much more needed.

Thanks, it means a lot when I get responses like this. I didn't have time today to take pics, but I'll try again next week. There's plenty more that I wish would get covered, like for say Bentonville projects.

[Mith242]

Yeah I'm just too lazy to get up to Benton County as much as I should to take pics. I'm surprised Matt hasn't been by already to take pics there.

[mcheiss]

Yeah I'm just too lazy to get up to Benton County as much as I should to take pics. I'm surprised Matt hasn't been by already to take pics there.

Too busy with work. Hopefully this weekend.

[nwa_479]

I'll try to help Matt out some. I can't quite take as good of photos but hey, I'll try. I just don't know where to start.

[mcheiss]

I'll try to help Matt out some. I can't quite take as good of photos but hey, I'll try. I just don't know where to start.

I've made routes that cut down on times. If you want them, I can PM them to you.

[mcheiss]

Anyone seen the housing development near New Hope Road called Aspen "something"? It looks like it has some features of NU in it.

[HiEf]

Anyone seen the housing development near New Hope Road called Aspen "something"? It looks like it has some features of NU in it.

which part of new hope?

[mcheiss]

which part of new hope?

Right where the new part takes over. It's off to the right.

[HiEf]

Right where the new part takes over. It's off to the right.

I go by there every once in a while for variety. Most of my commute takes me to East Rogers, thank goodness. Don't think I like congestion. That's why I left Atlanta.