Links of Fayetteville

[Mith242]

I agree, if the other cities and states don't want to make Lindsey build better apartments then he can go make his money off those places. But I do think Fayetteville needs to hold him to a higher standard to try to help keep Fayetteville a nice place.

[cocothief]

what do you think about the new Park West community not far from the links?

[itk]

In a lesser planned community, that area and its proximity to major highways could have easily become all commercial and industrial. Given the environmental sensitivity of the terrain and concerned citizenry, the area is going to have a nice urban fabric to it and only expand Fayetteville's livable environment.

[bagelw]

The Rupple/Wedington intersection is going to become very busy in the next few years. The development group that built the houses along Rupple towards the Boys and Girls Club are also wanting to build a low rise shopping/condo development across from the houses. They have preliminary drawings of the development in the model home on Rupple. It looked similar to Park West but not as large. Looking at the Fayetteville road plan it doesn't look like the city is planning on widening Rupple to four lanes. Looks like it's going to be two lanes with a center turn lane. Please someone tell me I'm wrong.

[Mith242]

Yeah I haven't really heard the details, but there seems to be some sort of issue of widening Rupple. I'm not sure what the holdup is. Is there someone over there opposed to it?

[itk]

The Rupple/Wedington intersection is going to become very busy in the next few years. The development group that built the houses along Rupple towards the Boys and Girls Club are also wanting to build a low rise shopping/condo development across from the houses. They have preliminary drawings of the development in the model home on Rupple. It looked similar to Park West but not as large. Looking at the Fayetteville road plan it doesn't look like the city is planning on widening Rupple to four lanes. Looks like it's going to be two lanes with a center turn lane. Please someone tell me I'm wrong.

[strmchsr77]

The Rupple/Wedington intersection is going to become very busy in the next few years. The development group that built the houses along Rupple towards the Boys and Girls Club are also wanting to build a low rise shopping/condo development across from the houses. They have preliminary drawings of the development in the model home on Rupple. It looked similar to Park West but not as large. Looking at the Fayetteville road plan it doesn't look like the city is planning on widening Rupple to four lanes. Looks like it's going to be two lanes with a center turn lane. Please someone tell me I'm wrong.

[bagelw]

Aren't they going to eventually make Rupple go from 6th street northward to around Howard Nickle Rd and make it 4 or 5 lanes?

[strmchsr77]

The Links came through the Planning Commission last night and big surprise it did not pass. I believe it came out as a 3-3 vote. They need 5 yes votes to have approval from the PC. So now it will be going to the Council and we all know that it will have an even harder time getting approval from them. Even after making all of the changes the city required it still does not get approval. Kind of makes you wonder what the point of bring developments through the Planning Commission when they really don't have to. Sounds like just a waste of time to me but that is the "proper" way to do it.

[cowbreath]

The Links came through the Planning Commission last night and big surprise it did not pass. I believe it came out as a 3-3 vote. They need 5 yes votes to have approval from the PC. So now it will be going to the Council and we all know that it will have an even harder time getting approval from them. Even after making all of the changes the city required it still does not get approval. Kind of makes you wonder what the point of bring developments through the Planning Commission when they really don't have to. Sounds like just a waste of time to me but that is the "proper" way to do it.

[Mith242]

I've heard some question if the Planning Commission is judging developments on city code or on their own personal preferences on projects. Although in this case I can see the concern. I still think Lindsey is having a hard time grasping this New Urbanism concept. He's thrown in some ideas but the whole development still isn't really what most would call New Urbanism.

[strmchsr77]

I wonder if it is to get the kinks worked out before they have the Council take their time with it.

[strmchsr77]

I've heard some question if the Planning Commission is judging developments on city code or on their own personal preferences on projects. Although in this case I can see the concern. I still think Lindsey is having a hard time grasping this New Urbanism concept. He's thrown in some ideas but the whole development still isn't really what most would call New Urbanism.

[Mith242]

Well, my concern is that all greenfield projects in Fayetteville cannot be New Urbanism. NU is a concept that is not going to work for every development. Especially if someone wants to do more affordable housing. It does cost more to follow all or even most of the 13 principles of NU.

Personal preferences are certainly not something that projects can be judged on and I think that you are right. They are doing this with most new developments.

[cowbreath]

Maybe I'd be more sympathetic if it was someone else than Lindsey.

[Thia]

Well, my concern is that all greenfield projects in Fayetteville cannot be New Urbanism. NU is a concept that is not going to work for every development. Especially if someone wants to do more affordable housing. It does cost more to follow all or even most of the 13 principles of NU.

Personal preferences are certainly not something that projects can be judged on and I think that you are right. They are doing this with most new developments.

[Mith242]

It may be all in titles... the developer is asking for approval for a massive apartment complex (with some percentage of townhouse ownership) vs a real new urbanism or traditional neighborhood development. Everything I've read, or seen on local channel 16, about this development so far has been closer to a variation on a typical Lindsey apartment complex with a par three golf course, than a development that actually approaches the concept of the 2025 plan.

In this case I'm proud of the planning commission for expecting more for what will ultimately be a big chunk of acreage at a premium location (and potentially part of the city's core decades from now.) What may be an interesting apartment complex now could easily end up being a questionable community in a decade or so if more ownership, both residential and commercial, isn't blended at the beginning and doesn't continue to appear attractive to future independent investment.

I was driving through Memphis this week

[mzweig]

It may be all in titles... the developer is asking for approval for a massive apartment complex (with some percentage of townhouse ownership) vs a real new urbanism or traditional neighborhood development. Everything I've read, or seen on local channel 16, about this development so far has been closer to a variation on a typical Lindsey apartment complex with a par three golf course, than a development that actually approaches the concept of the 2025 plan.

In this case I'm proud of the planning commission for expecting more for what will ultimately be a big chunk of acreage at a premium location (and potentially part of the city's core decades from now.) What may be an interesting apartment complex now could easily end up being a questionable community in a decade or so if more ownership, both residential and commercial, isn't blended at the beginning and doesn't continue to appear attractive to future independent investment.

I was driving through Memphis this week

[strmchsr77]

Lindsey met with neighbors last night for his Links project last night. After the PC did not pass the project he will be forwarding it to the Council tonight. He has revised the project several times trying to do what the PC wanted and they still did not pass the project. I think that he will continue to have problems tonight knowing how non efficient and against growth the Council can be. Overall the neighborhors seemed to be more accepting of the development this time but I don't think that will matter to the Council.

Here is a little more info from the Morning News: Links of Fayetteville

[andrewjensen]

from talking to the planners in Fayetteville last week, I found it very interesting that Lindsey could start building tomorrow if he wanted to use the WellSpring plan, which is the master plan approved for that plot.

it was very interesting looking at the site plans side by side. You can see what they are talking about as far as connectivity. There are standard city blocks in WellSpring with a more regular town, grid format. The green spaces are for use by all, not just golfers. In contrast, the Links only has a couple actual streets with the remainder of the connectivity through parking lots, which apparently are not subject to the same standards of maintenance or traffic calming as a street would be.

I can see where they are coming from as far as the idea of a town as big as Prairie Grove or Farmington having just three streets to get around. I can see how that would be difficult when you're trying to put in a golf course, but when you look at the state of The Greens nowadays I could see city planners having reservations about another similar project.

[cowbreath]

from talking to the planners in Fayetteville last week, I found it very interesting that Lindsey could start building tomorrow if he wanted to use the WellSpring plan, which is the master plan approved for that plot.

it was very interesting looking at the site plans side by side. You can see what they are talking about as far as connectivity. There are standard city blocks in WellSpring with a more regular town, grid format. The green spaces are for use by all, not just golfers. In contrast, the Links only has a couple actual streets with the remainder of the connectivity through parking lots, which apparently are not subject to the same standards of maintenance or traffic calming as a street would be.

I can see where they are coming from as far as the idea of a town as big as Prairie Grove or Farmington having just three streets to get around. I can see how that would be difficult when you're trying to put in a golf course, but when you look at the state of The Greens nowadays I could see city planners having reservations about another similar project.

[cocothief]

The Links is Tabled Another 2 Weeks

This is kind of bad news for me, I just don't think it should be approved and this gives it some hope. If you read the article it talks about the jobs that the project will create and without it how rent in other places may go up. I hope they can see through his plan to marginalize the expectations of the council so that he can build another dream project of apartments (throw in a little retail and homes this time).

[bagelw]

I wished I hadn't of missed this meeting with the projects neighboring people. Anyone know if and when they would have another one? If anyone else was involved with this project besides Lindsey it would probably be nice and well laid out. Does Lindsey still have his family members come up with the designs or does he actually hire a firm to do it now?

[cocothief]

I wished I hadn't of missed this meeting with the projects neighboring people. Anyone know if and when they would have another one? If anyone else was involved with this project besides Lindsey it would probably be nice and well laid out. Does Lindsey still have his family members come up with the designs or does he actually hire a firm to do it now?

[cowbreath]

Apparently he has hired a firm to do the design for this one.

Obviously creativity is not Lindsey's strongest suit as we have multiple monuments to his lack of creativity standing all over NWA.

I can't help but get the feeling that there is a heavy political hand at play when Lindsey is developing a project.

Members of the council appear very willing and ready to appease Mr. Lindsey, while they seemed downright hostile to Ruskin Heights ( a far superior project ) at times.

I also didn't like the way thinly veiled threats were tossed about by the pro-Lindsey side.

"Rents will go up if this project doesn't go through.." etc. etc. et al. Another speaker questioned whether NU would even be being practiced 20 years down the road and basically dismissed good planning as a "fad".

Given that they could have denied it last night, my bet is this will go through.

Its better than another Greens, but its not hugely better, and its much, much larger.

Lets bear this in mind in the future when we get impatient with other developers like Nock and House and others. Although they don't have the ability to "crank out" projects at the speed we would like, its apparent that they CARE about improving Fayetteville. Other developers seem only interested in making a quick buck.