Growth in Springdale SW of I-540/U.S. 112

[KJW]

This will be interesting, as is everything else about this place.

I had a .net user group meeting at the Holiday Inn in Springdale yesterday...before going there I gassed up at the new AmeriStore just south of Har-Ber Village.

Looking south while fueling my vehicle I realized I was looking at pasture land extremely close to where a AA Texas league stadium was about to be built...but right now it's just pasture. Amazing, IMO, with Tontitown immediately west building so many industrial structures, and a power plant on the way as well (though I think that will be NORTH of 112?). Indeed, when one travels I-540 at night looking west (on the land south of 112) there's a sea of blackness.

That's about to change.

I wonder what we're going to see go up around the stadium? My guess is that this structure will not stand alone...

[edensfall]

believe me, i live in tontitown and all around me used to be pasture, now across the street they are building 230 homes, tontitown, once it gets sewer, will boom like crazy all along 412 out towards the county line

[CellarDoor135]

believe me, i live in tontitown and all around me used to be pasture, now across the street they are building 230 homes, tontitown, once it gets sewer, will boom like crazy all along 412 out towards the county line

I've always thought Tontitown had alot of potential. I just hope it retains it's identity and with all this growth, not just become a suburb of Springdale.

[mcheiss]

I'm expecting restaurant development to happen in this area of town. May'be even some nice stores around the stadium.

[Aporkalypse]

I'm expecting restaurant development to happen in this area of town. May'be even some nice stores around the stadium.

I kind of doubt it has much impact, at least not any more than development would occur already in that area. I don't think developers are going to opt for that site instead of prime real estate in Benton Co or Fayetteville just because the stadium's there. It's not as if a de novo downtown will spring up around it. There was a lot of development headed that way before, though, and that will continue.

I'm no big fan of the site. The impact could've been much greater at a different location.

This Tontitown talk is making me hungry for spaghetti and fried chicken.

[mcheiss]

I kind of doubt it has much impact, at least not any more than development would occur already in that area. I don't think developers are going to opt for that site instead of prime real estate in Benton Co or Fayetteville just because the stadium's there. It's not as if a de novo downtown will spring up around it. There was a lot of development headed that way before, though, and that will continue.

I'm no big fan of the site. The impact could've been much greater at a different location.

This Tontitown talk is making me hungry for spaghetti and fried chicken.

Well Springdale is long overdue for some nice family restaurants. Situating them near 412 with close proximity to the stadium might be just what developers are looking for. Anyway, I believe that's what Mr. George wanted to do with the remaining parts of his land.

[Aporkalypse]

Well Springdale is long overdue for some nice family restaurants. Situating them near 412 with close proximity to the stadium might be just what developers are looking for. Anyway, I believe that's what Mr. George wanted to do with the remaining parts of his land.

Family restaurants, sigh. I'm starting to think in a way it would've been better if the vote had failed and Benton Co stepped forward. I think the Pinnacle idea was a good one - that's what Frisco did when they put their ballpark near the heart of the city's commercial development.

I still think George should donate the land for naming rights.

[mcheiss]

Family restaurants, sigh. I'm starting to think in a way it would've been better if the vote had failed and Benton Co stepped forward. I think the Pinnacle idea was a good one - that's what Frisco did when they put their ballpark near the heart of the city's commercial development.

I still think George should donate the land for naming rights.

I know. I would have much rather seen sports bars and such.

I can see it now...John George Chicken Park.

[Aporkalypse]

I know. I would have much rather seen sports bars and such.

I can see it now...John George Chicken Park.

I just hope they get rid of the chickenhouses in the park.

The nicest park in Arkansas is and will continue to be Baum. That's a beautiful stadium.

[Mith242]

It's not right next to southwest Springdale but between that area and it's future growth and so much going on in northwest Fayetteville. Seems like that's going to be a hot spot for Washington County.

[KJW]

It's not right next to southwest Springdale but between that area and it's future growth and so much going on in northwest Fayetteville. Seems like that's going to be a hot spot for Washington County.

Mith, 10 years from now a nighttime drive from Jane (or Pineville) MO to West Fork may seem like a wonderland of sorts. (And the daytime drive will probably seem like a nightmare. )

[edensfall]

I've always thought Tontitown had alot of potential. I just hope it retains it's identity and with all this growth, not just become a suburb of Springdale.

i strongly agree with you, my family and i (pretty much half of tontitown) are all very deep in our italian heritage.

[Mith242]

i strongly agree with you, my family and i (pretty much half of tontitown) are all very deep in our italian heritage.

Yeah it would be great to see Tontitown somehow be able to do more with it's Italian roots. It's certainly unique in Arkansas.

[edensfall]

many people think of springdale as run down and over crowded or even the "ghetto" of nwa, but the west and northwest sides of springdale are very nice and mostly affordable, not to mention one of the most important intersections on this side of the state besides 540 and 40, is 540 and 412, the stadium will be highly accessible due to this, not only that, but think of all the undeveloped land right there surrounding the stadium, offices, deprartment stores, resteraunts, it realy looks like each city will now have their own little "downtown area" along the interstate, that is as long as alot of development will occur, but only time can tell, and people that cant keep secrets, like this one

[Mith242]

Yeah it's true, Springdale does get a lot of negative press but it's certainly not all bad. As you mentioned there are nice areas of the city. I hate to get this off topic here, but mentioning Tontitown made me think about the Italian immigrants who came here. I know they started off around Lake Chicot in southeast Arkansas before coming here. Does anyone know what part of Italy they came from?

[edensfall]

Yeah it's true, Springdale does get a lot of negative press but it's certainly not all bad. As you mentioned there are nice areas of the city. I hate to get this off topic here, but mentioning Tontitown made me think about the Italian immigrants who came here. I know they started off around Lake Chicot in southeast Arkansas before coming here. Does anyone know what part of Italy they came from?

my family is from the southern tip of the "boot".

i know alot of families came from central and southern italy to south eastern arkansas in the mid to late eighteen hundreds, in the earlier years alot of irish and italians were persecuted for being of the catholic faith so many left the bigger cities in search of a more peace full place, henry de tonti and father pietro bandini and several families settled in what is now tontitown, and father bandini helped build the first catholic church in nwa.

[Mith242]

my family is from the southern tip of the "boot".

i know alot of families came from central and southern italy to south eastern arkansas in the mid to late eighteen hundreds, in the earlier years alot of irish and italians were persecuted for being of the catholic faith so many left the bigger cities in search of a more peace full place, henry de tonti and father pietro bandini and several families settled in what is now tontitown, and father bandini helped build the first catholic church in nwa.

Yeah southern Italy is poorer and it does seem most Italian immigrants have come from that area of the country. I think I read that they didn't get along real well with the plantation that they worked on down around Lakle Chicot and that the Father stepped in and helped them move up here to NWA. Thanks for the info.

[mcheiss]

Yeah it's true, Springdale does get a lot of negative press but it's certainly not all bad. As you mentioned there are nice areas of the city. I hate to get this off topic here, but mentioning Tontitown made me think about the Italian immigrants who came here. I know they started off around Lake Chicot in southeast Arkansas before coming here. Does anyone know what part of Italy they came from?

I always thought they were from Sicily.

I'd really like to see an Italian District in Tonitiown.

[edensfall]

no problem mith, i also would love to see a better looking and more indepth in culture little italy in tontitown, if they built a little square with authentic shops and restaurants and little cafes all surrounding an italian market that i would go over very well.

[slyder1]

This will be interesting, as is everything else about this place.

I had a .net user group meeting at the Holiday Inn in Springdale yesterday...before going there I gassed up at the new AmeriStore just south of Har-Ber Village.

Looking south while fueling my vehicle I realized I was looking at pasture land extremely close to where a AA Texas league stadium was about to be built...but right now it's just pasture. Amazing, IMO, with Tontitown immediately west building so many industrial structures, and a power plant on the way as well (though I think that will be NORTH of 112?). Indeed, when one travels I-540 at night looking west (on the land south of 112) there's a sea of blackness.

That's about to change.

I wonder what we're going to see go up around the stadium? My guess is that this structure will not stand alone...

You have to remember that the ballpark won't be going all year long, only about 7-8 months. Of course you will see some hotels and resturants go up around the ballpark but its not like it will be a mecca for new development in Springdale. I too, think the ballpark would have fit better around pinnacle, maybe not right in the mix of all that there is in pinnacle, but around the outer parts of all the new development there.

Of course every developer has his or her own mind and you never know what could end up around the ballpark....maybe some office buildings along with hotels, res., stores......or maybe just a taco bell!

[Mith242]

I always thought they were from Sicily.

I'd really like to see an Italian District in Tonitiown.

Yeah I think the thing is to walk the fine line between trying to have some Italian influence there and not make it seem cheesy.

You have to remember that the ballpark won't be going all year long, only about 7-8 months. Of course you will see some hotels and resturants go up around the ballpark but its not like it will be a mecca for new development in Springdale. I too, think the ballpark would have fit better around pinnacle, maybe not right in the mix of all that there is in pinnacle, but around the outer parts of all the new development there.

Of course every developer has his or her own mind and you never know what could end up around the ballpark....maybe some office buildings along with hotels, res., stores......or maybe just a taco bell!

I am curious to see what else Springdale will have around that area of the city.

[itk]

^You know it might not be so bad the more I think about it. The Har-Ber area is just N-NW of the future ballpark about 1/2 mile away. That area could still posibility develop into something decent. That area between there and Hwy 412 and the ballpark I think would be a gold-mine for commercial development. But, then again, it is Springdale...

[Mith242]

^You know it might not be so bad the more I think about it. The Har-Ber area is just N-NW of the future ballpark about 1/2 mile away. That area could still posibility develop into something decent. That area between there and Hwy 412 and the ballpark I think would be a gold-mine for commercial development. But, then again, it is Springdale...

Yeah that's the whole thing. To be honest I've seen some positive signs from Springdale. The biggest problem has been all the years of no planning that seems to be haunting them. But yes there does seem to be a lot of potential around the west side of Springdale from Har-Ber to the future ballpark. But it's potential will hinge on how the city decides to continue developing this area.

[Aporkalypse]

You have to remember that the ballpark won't be going all year long, only about 7-8 months. Of course you will see some hotels and resturants go up around the ballpark but its not like it will be a mecca for new development in Springdale. I too, think the ballpark would have fit better around pinnacle, maybe not right in the mix of all that there is in pinnacle, but around the outer parts of all the new development there.

Of course every developer has his or her own mind and you never know what could end up around the ballpark....maybe some office buildings along with hotels, res., stores......or maybe just a taco bell!

5 months, the Texas League schedule is about 5 months

I agree about Pinnacle.

[razorbackfan]

Bad news for Springdale and NWA....Tyson is laying off some 140 employees in NWA, and not re-fillling several hundred more positions....here is the link

http://arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?a...94.13781.107039