The "dead" University Mall

[Aporkalypse]

I didn't really pay attention to the square footage, but I should've mentioned that most of the parking was underground (hey, what a concept) leaving more surface space for the development.

[skirby]

There is a sign up at the corner of Markham and University that shows what it will look like.

[Hyacinth]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but is a Chic-Fil-A being built across from Park Plaza Mall? I drove by there recently and construction is coming along nicely but I can't tell what it is.

[jcaruth]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but is a Chic-Fil-A being built across from Park Plaza Mall? I drove by there recently and construction is coming along nicely but I can't tell what it is.

[cozmosis]

There is a sign up at the corner of Markham and University that shows what it will look like.

[Aporkalypse]

If you'll notice, the St. Vincent's Infirmary expansion project includes space for Women & Children's Services, which is currently housed across University at Doctors Hospital. This makes me wonder what the future holds for Doctors Hospital. I've heard varying rumors about its demise, but nothing concrete.

[cozmosis]

They won't close it. It might be converted to offices but it won't sit vacant. They also have a big psych unit there.

[Architect]

I imagine that without the women & children's center there anymore, Doctors will close as a "real" hospital and probably do the pysch thing exclusively. As I understand it now, if you need admission to the hospital and you don't fall into the women/children or pysch categories, they ship you across the street to SVI anyway. If you think about it, having two emergency rooms across the street from each other is sort of silly.

[Aporkalypse]

The ED's? Not necessarily. Remember, UAMS' ED is also down the street. But two malls across the street from each other? Not that was silly!

[turboturtle]

The sign for St. Vincent's expansion.

[cozmosis]

Exactly, having 3 EDs in midtown LR decreases the wait. One of my good friends is an ER physician and from what he tells me UAMS traffic outnumbers SVI 3:1 and SVI outnumbers Doctor's 3:1. Of the three, I bet Doctor's is actually the most profitable.

[Aporkalypse]

UAMS is busy because it's a state hospital. I work on an ambulance part-time and I can tell you that the folks without money or insurance ask to go to UAMS 7 times out of 10. I don't know if they have a reputation for writing off bills easier than the other hospitals, but it's popular among the destitute. And if you want something that resembles an ER from TV, go there... It's complete with people in beds in the hallway, metal detectors, armed cops and the occasional real, live trauma.

As for ER traffic at Doctors, its lower because they don't get the ambulance traffic that SVI, Baptist & UAMS get. And to the poster that said having two ERs across the street from each other was akin to having UAMS just down the street from the two St. Vincents... At least UAMS is a separate hospital. If you show up at Doctors and need to be admitted to the hospital in an area other than Psych or Women/Children, you get an ambulance ride across the street to St. Vincent Infirmary. So, its essentially the same hospital with two ERs.

[cozmosis]

Even weirder to understand, though, is the ER setup at Ark Heart or the Surgical Hospitals. To call yourself a hospital you have to have an ER so the Heart Hospital has to have one, though they don't take ambulance traffic for non-cardiac stuff that should go to the big 3 hospitals.

[Aporkalypse]

Actually, the Heart Hospital does take some non-cardiac traffic. I know of one industry in Maumelle that requires all of its employees to be transported to the heart if they become ill on the job -- even if it has nothing to do with their heart. I've seen many paramedics say, "The Heart? Are you sure?"

You are right -- to an extent. The serious ambulance cases get in immediately and so do the iffy ones. However, Big Baptist and UAMS specifically do a good job of screening for BS cases and will send those patients to triage. Want to talk about angry? I've transported people who wanted to go by ambulance because they thought it would be faster only for us to pull up to the ER, get them a wheelchair and roll them into the waiting room with the three-dozen other folks waiting their turn.

I completely think we need to revamp how we provide medical care today. The dependence on emergency rooms needs to be shifted to some sort of clinic format and emergency beds needs to be saved for just that -- emergencies. Of course, all of those opinions should probably be reserved for a thread that isn't about University Mall. Heh.

[turboturtle]

Federal Judge George Howard dies

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog..._howard_di.aspx

This is the judge that had yet to decide on the lawsuit between Simon Properties and the property owners.

[Aporkalypse]

Federal Judge George Howard dies

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog..._howard_di.aspx

This is the judge that had yet to decide on the lawsuit between Simon Properties and the property owners.

[dookmaster]

Holy crap. What happens now?

[Cru Jones]

This is starting to look like a John Grisham book.

[turboturtle]

I wonder if the whole trial has to start over?

[Aporkalypse]

If the landowners want to continue the case, then the case will be assigned to the judge who replaces Judge Howard. This will delay the trial until after the new judge is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. The trail would probably not start over, but that would be up to the new judge. It is also possible that the case could be dropped or settled. A case may be dropped by a plaintiff at anytime.

[LRU1967]

If the landowners want to continue the case, then the case will be assigned to the judge who replaces Judge Howard. This will delay the trial until after the new judge is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. The trail would probably not start over, but that would be up to the new judge. It is also possible that the case could be dropped or settled. A case may be dropped by a plaintiff at anytime.

[turboturtle]

Are you sure the case would be assigned only to the judge who replaces Judge Howard? I'm not sure that's the correct procedure. Judge Wilson, who was already on the bench, took over the LR school case when Judge Woods died. Judge Wright is the Chief Judge of the Eastern District of Arkansas and I believe it will be up to her who gets Judge Howard's cases.

[

[dookmaster]

You are correct. It is possible for a case to be reassigned to another district. But, it is my understanding that doing so is not the norm.

[turboturtle]

Everything going on at that center is years and years away anyhow.

[dookmaster]

I agree. I believe the lost opportunity cost are very high. If Simon properties had recommitted to University Mall after they lost the Summit Mall, a redeveloped University Mall site could be coming online today. It could have reduced some of the confusion that prospective tenants, like Borders, encounter when attempting to assess the market.

On a positive note, there are two speculative scenarios related to Midtown. The first one is more of a when/than if. 1) The Sears and Doctors Hospital Site (same owner) will be redeveloped regardless of the progress of the University Mall site. 2) Simon is likely negotiating with the land owners. If they come up with enough money, the landowners could settle.

If the area south of University Mall redevelops first, the UM property will become surrounded by redevelopment, save the MF and SF in the Briarwood Neighborhood to the immediate west.