Branson/Springfield

[slyder1]

Slyder, I saw in another post that you said you didn't know if NWA could handle such developments as the condos...but they are building them in Springfield...NWA is going to be more equipped to handle them than Springfield...the population in NWA is growing 20 times that of Springfield and condos they have and are building are being sold before construction begins. Springfield might be the bigger city, but NWA has several key cities that add up to more than that of Springfield. Not counting surburbs...just key cities....Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville... app. pop. - 215,000. Springfield is the only key city in that metro, and it's about 150,000. NWA is growing more than I think you realize.

I do realize how much NWA is growing as I have been there 4 times in the last 2 years and have a friend from Springfield going to UA. I don't think I ever said that Springfield is growing faster than that area but it seems like you think I do from what you say in your posts. I see what your saying about the pop. in NWA with all the cities combined but you have to include that fact that they are annexing ALOT of land to those cities whereas Springfield has not for probably 10 years now. If Springfield was to annex all of the much urbanized land outside of the true city limits we would have easily been up to 180,000 people in the city. With Nixa and Ozark (which are cities with downtown's) to the immediate south we would be at over 200,000, not including the other suburbs. Of course this is not the case but when this happens, and it will, the cities populations will be over that of what I mentioned becasue of the amount of poeple moving to the area.

I don't know when you last visited Springfield but the city is not "sprawled out." Of course it does take up a large area of land, but that is evenly distributed throughout the city. Of course there are more developed area's around the city, that is just like any other big city. Springfield is much more urbanised than NWA as you could see in the previous posts. In the last 5 years Springfield has changed drastically and with all the road projects and developments in the area it will continue to do so for years to come. I am not trying to harp on NWA but Im just stating the facts.

[Mith242]

Either way both areas are growing quite a bit and I'm looking forward to the future of both areas. I'm also curious to see how the differences in our metros might play out in the future as well.

[tim2462]

NWA is not annexing large areas of land...the bigger cities have barely added anything in the last several years. Most residents fight it. Fayetteville has only gone from 38 sq. miles to 45 in 16 years. When they do annex, they aren't getting very much population in it. The population is coming from all of the people moving into the already developed areas. Annexation plays almost no role in NWA's growth. As a matter of fact, some cities, such as Rogers say they aren't annexing anything else until they fill in what they have. Also, you talked about Nixa and Ozark, those are suburubs...In my post, I said, not counting suburubs, just key cities. You have to remember...Springfield is the only key city there...NWA has 4 key cities plus many suburbs. NWA is only annexing when they have to, to accomodate growth and developments...they are not annexing to increase population...they don't need help in that department. Either way, both Springfield and NWA are great areas and will continue to grow. NWA will have the edge, because of the influx of business and corporate headquarters. Also, remember that Springfield has twice the land of Fayetteville or Springdale, and had to annex to get the population of today. NWA is just doing the same thing, and at the same slow pace.

[johnnydr87]

Density of Springfield: 952.1/mi

[Mith242]

Density of Springfield: 952.1/mi

[johnnydr87]

Cool.

Here's the statistics for both metros from 2000-2004:

Metropolitan/Metropolitan Area 2000 Rank 2004 Rank Change Rank % Rank

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 347,045 124 390,881 118 43,836 56 12.6% 18

Springfield, MO 368,374 117 390,986 117 22,612 92 6.1% 123

By the 2010 census, NWA will officially be larger.

[tim2462]

Springfield - 2,058 per square mile.

So, they still have a little higher density.

Fayetteville / Springdale combined - 1,600

So, it's not by much.

I suspect that once the new Fayetteville Census is out in a few months,

they will be neck and neck...I wouldn't be surprised if NWA pulled ahead then,

due to the anticipated population increase.

[johnnydr87]

Apparently you have a different source.

This is the source that says your number: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/reference...gfield_missouri ....

But others (wikipedia, about.com, reference.com) say 952.

[mcheiss]

Springfield - 2,058 per square mile.

So, they still have a little higher density.

Fayetteville / Springdale combined - 1,600

So, it's not by much.

I suspect that once the new Fayetteville Census is out in a few months,

they will be neck and neck...I wouldn't be surprised if NWA pulled ahead then,

due to the anticipated population increase.

Yes, along with Bentonville's, Springdale's, Rogers's, and Centerton's. I think there's a few more cities in NWA doing census's for more turnback funds.

[tim2462]

150.000 ppl divided by 73 sq milles. you get the figure I provided.

[masons_dad1]

I knew this topic could lead to some competitive debating, but I'm glad it's been pretty friendly so far. I'm trying to remain unbiased about NWA compared to Springfield. I never said NWA is smaller than Springfield or NWA is less urban than Springfield, but Springfield just has a more central city plan and the density maps I posted only proves that Fayetteville by itself is smaller and less dense than Springfield. As a metro NWA is bigger, more dense, more urban and growing at a much faster rate than the Springfield metro.

This topic is after all a friendly place to keep updated as to what's going on with our friendly neighbor to the north.

[johnnydr87]

My bad, you're right. I was looking at a different figure. Springfield is definitely more urban.

It has a higher density than LR too.

[tim2462]

Yeah, it's a bit more than Little Rock as well. But, more density does not always mean it's more urban. Little Rock and Nashville have about the same density, and we know that Nashville is a lot more urban than Little Rock. Also, Springfield has higer density than Nashville, but much less urban. Oklahoma City's population is 524,000...but it has 607 sq. miles...so that's a density of only 870 ppl. per sq. mile. Oklahoma City of course is MUCH more urban than springfield, even though Springfield's density is much higer.

[mcheiss]

I never would have thought that Springfield is more dense than Little Rock and Nashville.

[slyder1]

I finally found the HEERS TOWER website. Here is some info and photos of the renovation project.

www.heerstower.com

Located in the heart of Springfield

[Mith242]

Looks like a nice development. I'm also glad they're going to restore a building instead of just tearing it down and building something new. Any idea what kind of time period we're talking about here?

[masons_dad1]

^

Thanks for the update Slyder! That says a lot about how much stronger and more urban Springfield's Downtown is compared to Northwest Arkansas. Having 4 Downtowns vying for a piece of the pie in NWA really takes away a lot of the potential for a very popular and thriving city center.

[slyder1]

I'm almost positive the renovation will be complete this fall but you can visit the website for more info.

www.heerstower.com

Yes, there hasn't been much demolition of old buildings. Developers want to keep the great history and character downtown already has.

I remember someone asking what is there to do in downtown. The Heerstower website actually says a good amount of info on what there's to do in downtown Springfield.

[mcheiss]

Great Development!

Good to see Springfield making good use out of an old building.

On the other note, I've decided to thread this topic, it has become quite active these past days.

[slyder1]

I wanted to post the website for the Tower Club, which is a restuarant at the top of Hammons Tower. To be able to eat there you have to be a club member, does'nt make much sense but it is the nicest restuarant in the city with panoramic views of Springfield.

Here's the link: The Tower Club

[slyder1]

Yesterday Simon Malls Inc. announced it's plans for a multimillion dollar renovation at the Battlefield Mall on Springfield's southside. They will be taking traditional in-line retailers and bringing them to the exterior of the building, resulting in vibrant curb appeal for its users. This means that there will be entrances from the outside and the inside of the mall. Don't get me wrong, they are only doing this to the part of the mall facing Glenstone Ave. In addition to the new stores, the inside of the mall will get a new face lift by replacing the floors, cieling, lighting and much more. Mall officials said they want to make the experience at the mall as best as it can be.

These are some of the finished stores at the mall and depicts what the others would look like

Here is a link for more info on what they will actually be doing and some more renderings of what the mall will look like when completed: Battlefield Mall Renovation

[mcheiss]

Has that Lifestyle Center feel to it. Good to see Springfield getting a Jos. A Banks and Ann Taylor Loft, to stores that NWA doesn't have.

[Mith242]

It's an interesting change to the mall. I know some of the urban planners at the open house I went to tonight were also talking about wanting to change the mall and that surrounding area of Fayetteville.

[slyder1]

Did anyone see my post about the 2,000 acre housing development in southern Greene and northern Christian Counties on page 4 called Terrel Creek? What are your thought's? Does fayetteville have any new housing developments this big?

[slyder1]

I was wondering what the Anchor tenants were at the Fayetteville Mall? Springfield's are Dillard's, J.C. Penny's, Sears, and Famous Barr (which will soon become Macy's). I'll try to stop going off topic now.