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Proposed Dickson/Walton Arts Center Deck

OnDickson

By OnDickson
in Northwest Arkansas

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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As a regular patron of WAC, I dearly hope the parking deck proposal is a step towards an expanded main theater. I was under the impression that the area south of WAC was planned for expansion of the current facilty. If this isn't true, then the only area available is the current parking lot, which would actually be much better. A 2500- 3000 seat main theater is needed to attract the larger shows that WAC needs to remain the premier regional arts center that it is now.

I also hope there isn't any regional dispute of where WAC should be located. The Fayetteville Arts and Entertainment District ( what it should be promoted as) can't be duplicated elsewhere. It's the only remotely urban area in NWA. With the existing arts community and the proximity of the University of Arkansas, it's value to the region is immeasurable. Please don't let local rivalries disrupt a thriving A&E scene.

For anyone living in that area- remember how life was before WAC was built. It wasn't pretty, to say the least. Anyone else remember the bonfire at the corner of Dickson and School after the 1981 victory over Texas in football? That was fun, but a lot of less fun things occured during that period. Be thankful that it has turned around and support future improvements.

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strmchsr77 Burg

strmchsr77

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As a regular patron of WAC, I dearly hope the parking deck proposal is a step towards an expanded main theater. I was under the impression that the area south of WAC was planned for expansion of the current facilty. If this isn't true, then the only area available is the current parking lot, which would actually be much better. A 2500- 3000 seat main theater is needed to attract the larger shows that WAC needs to remain the premier regional arts center that it is now.

I also hope there isn't any regional dispute of where WAC should be located. The Fayetteville Arts and Entertainment District ( what it should be promoted as) can't be duplicated elsewhere. It's the only remotely urban area in NWA. With the existing arts community and the proximity of the University of Arkansas, it's value to the region is immeasurable. Please don't let local rivalries disrupt a thriving A&E scene.

For anyone living in that area- remember how life was before WAC was built. It wasn't pretty, to say the least. Anyone else remember the bonfire at the corner of Dickson and School after the 1981 victory over Texas in football? That was fun, but a lot of less fun things occured during that period. Be thankful that it has turned around and support future improvements.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I couldn't agree more with you. Before the WAC, Dickson was not the greatest place to hang out. They will eventually have to do something with that large parking lot. I know that the city wants to do infill as much as possible along Dickson, so after the new faciltiy behind the WAC gets built, I would expect to see either a new larger Theater or some sort of mixed development.
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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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They can keep the building there as is and use it for the smaller venues. Then once the parking deck gets built over the next year or two. They can use the existing WAC parking lot for a new larger theater. That corner lot will not be a parking lot as soon as they get the large garage done. That way it is in the same area and they can just have a skybridge to connect the small theaters to the newer larger one.

This is just an idea, and I have not heard anyone say anything about it. But it might be able to work. I just don't want to see the WAC move off of Dickson street.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I can't remember where at the moment, but I've been to an arts venue in another city where the parking was underneath the arts center. That would be an ideal solution here in NWA, but would probably take a joint effort of public and private concerns. I could see the City of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas and the Walton Foundation joining together to create a new Walton Arts Center that would make the Northwest Arkansas region the premier arts destination in this area of the country. With the Crystal Bridges venue in the north and a new Walton Arts Center in the south, Northwest Arkansas would have bipolar assets that would help continue the prosperity that it enjoys today. :yahoo:

Did I mention I love living in NWA and want to see the area prosper?

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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I can't remember where at the moment, but I've been to an arts venue in another city where the parking was underneath the arts center. That would be an ideal solution here in NWA, but would probably take a joint effort of public and private concerns. I could see the City of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas and the Walton Foundation joining together to create a new Walton Arts Center that would make the Northwest Arkansas region the premier arts destination in this area of the country. With the Crystal Bridges venue in the north and a new Walton Arts Center in the south, Northwest Arkansas would have bipolar assets that would help continue the prosperity that it enjoys today. :yahoo:

Did I mention I love living in NWA and want to see the area prosper?

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Underground parking is extremly expensive in NWA due to the rocky soil. That's why you don't see a whole lot homes with below ground basements. Still, I'd like to see a cost analysis for such an idea. It could prove cheaper than an entirely new garage.
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  • 2 months later...
cowbreath Hamlet

cowbreath

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Looks like Fayetteville has decided to reject the Dickson parking deck proposal that they had chosen over one other proposal. As suspected, the stall in the Renaissance project looks to be a factor. Apparently there will be payments to the city in September unless significant progress on the Renaissance occurs. So sad news because the design looks nice, but good news because it is better to get them to focus on the Renaissance. I would hope they can find a good replacement proposal for it that was as nice as this one.

NWANEWS.com - Rejected Parking Deck

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strmchsr77 Burg

strmchsr77

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Looks like Fayetteville has decided to reject the Dickson parking deck proposal that they had chosen over one other proposal. As suspected, the stall in the Renaissance project looks to be a factor. Apparently there will be payments to the city in September unless significant progress on the Renaissance occurs. So sad news because the design looks nice, but good news because it is better to get them to focus on the Renaissance. I would hope they can find a good replacement proposal for it that was as nice as this one.

NWANEWS.com - Rejected Parking Deck

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  • 3 weeks later...
cowbreath Hamlet

cowbreath

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I was disappointed to hear this as well. I have not seen the design of it but I thought that it sounded great. I don't want just a parking garage, I would like for it to include commercial, residential and museum space. It still sounds like the Ren Tower will start sometime soon. That is kind of what I got from the article, I just don't understand why it is taking so long to secure the Renaissance brand.
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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

Posted
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Looks like Fayetteville has decided to reject the Dickson parking deck proposal that they had chosen over one other proposal. As suspected, the stall in the Renaissance project looks to be a factor. Apparently there will be payments to the city in September unless significant progress on the Renaissance occurs. So sad news because the design looks nice, but good news because it is better to get them to focus on the Renaissance. I would hope they can find a good replacement proposal for it that was as nice as this one.

NWANEWS.com - Rejected Parking Deck

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cowbreath Hamlet

cowbreath

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I still have heard nothing on this. I am hoping it is true because if it is not then it is just going to add more time until they do something. They should have started this kind of project as soon as Dickson became what it is today.
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strmchsr77 Burg

strmchsr77

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Yeah, I hope it is true too. I think the architect had been working on the project long hours for a week, saying that the parking deck was rejected and now they are doing it again. I don't know which firm he is working for, but I know he is a reliable source.

Anyways, shouldn't you be out chasing storms this weekend?

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cowbreath Hamlet

cowbreath

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I would be but I was out of town all week and my wife would not be thrilled if I took off to Kansas even for the day. I really wanted to go yesterday, I knew it would be big day but I thought better of it. Hopefully they will make their way into the Tulsa area later today and I won't have to go far. My friends were on them in western OK and they have some amazing video on CNN.
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cocothief Hamlet

cocothief

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The city needs to figure something out on this parking structure ASAP.

When I look at the municipal parking lot, and the incredible investment going on around it, the city stands to make a lot of money by selling the front half of the muni-lot for redevelopment. Its open land. Surely a developer would be willing to come in and create a huge mixed use development on the Dickson frontage, and incorporate a parking structure in the middle or rear of the parcel.

The sooner an alternate parking area is created to alleviate the temporary loss of the parking in the municipal parking lot, the sooner the city can cash in by selling or leasing their parking lot land to a developer who can create a mixed use building on that lot. This would increase tax revenues and do wonders for creating a seamless pedestrian environment down there.

There aren't any other opportunities in the Dickson street area which are as prime for development as that parking lot.

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