College Avenue Developments

[strmchsr77]

Thanks for the updates. Even when things were going well with the economy there were still places closing. Things were going great here when Service Merchandise closed.

I think that Service Merchandise closed all of their locations instead of just some of them. Circuit City is closing around 155 stores across the county.

[comreguy]

I think that Service Merchandise closed all of their locations instead of just some of them. Circuit City is closing around 155 stores across the county.

Circuit City is days away from going Bankrupt. It is a recent phenomenon to have so many stores close at once. There are 7,000 total retail locations across the country that will close this year and next.

[Mith242]

Sorry for keeping us off topic here. I've talked to a number of my friends and coworkers and I haven't come across many that frequented Circuit City to be honest. It's always great to have multiple options. But to be honest I sorta felt that Circuit City was going to have problems here just being right down the road from Best Buy. I don't think I would have been too surprised if it had closed sooner. I'm not saying Circuit City is bad or anything. But it just seems that everybody I know prefers Best Buy.

[strmchsr77]

Sorry for keeping us off topic here. I've talked to a number of my friends and coworkers and I haven't come across many that frequented Circuit City to be honest. It's always great to have multiple options. But to be honest I sorta felt that Circuit City was going to have problems here just being right down the road from Best Buy. I don't think I would have been too surprised if it had closed sooner. I'm not saying Circuit City is bad or anything. But it just seems that everybody I know prefers Best Buy.

Well, if I am going to buy a blu ray or game, I always went to best buy. But I did think that Circuit City always had a better selection of home theater equipment such as speakers and receivers. Both places had about the same on HDTVs.

[jllive]

Well, if I am going to buy a blu ray or game, I always went to best buy. But I did think that Circuit City always had a better selection of home theater equipment such as speakers and receivers. Both places had about the same on HDTVs.

Last night Circuit City had a huge crowd. It was probably the biggest crowd they've had all year. Circuit City was always second on my list for buying electronic devices. Sometimes they were third or fourth. That particular store just wasn't the gadget wonderland that Best Buy is. In my opinion, Best Buy has always had a better overall selection.

[butttrumpet]

I got a letter today telling me that Bank of America at Evelyn Hills is going to be closing its doors. I'm sure its part of their nationwide downsizing for the recession.

Lined up there now you have B of A, EZ Mart which shuttered its windows a month ago, the former Acropolis (Korean BBQ) for sale, and the old Sonic for sale.

If someone was redevelopment minded, there's a pretty good line up of midtown real estate that is prime for the taking. The prices will probably come down a bit on them considering how retail real estate has been going.

I'd really like to see some kind of Midtown district form in this part of College Avenue. For now, it appears we just have increasingly vacant real estate. I wish someone with more money was as visionary as me.

[Mith242]

I got a letter today telling me that Bank of America at Evelyn Hills is going to be closing its doors. I'm sure its part of their nationwide downsizing for the recession.

Lined up there now you have B of A, EZ Mart which shuttered its windows a month ago, the former Acropolis (Korean BBQ) for sale, and the old Sonic for sale.

If someone was redevelopment minded, there's a pretty good line up of midtown real estate that is prime for the taking. The prices will probably come down a bit on them considering how retail real estate has been going.

I'd really like to see some kind of Midtown district form in this part of College Avenue. For now, it appears we just have increasingly vacant real estate. I wish someone with more money was as visionary as me.

That's disappointing to hear. To me it really seems like BoA really seems to be diminishing it's presence here in Fayetteville. But that area of College Ave does seem to be having more problems than other sections. Heading a little further north there are some buildings that have been vacant for a while now as well. I'm hoping the improvements further south will help and we can revitalize that section of College Ave and then expand from there eventually.

[zman9810]

That's disappointing to hear. To me it really seems like BoA really seems to be diminishing it's presence here in Fayetteville. But that area of College Ave does seem to be having more problems than other sections. Heading a little further north there are some buildings that have been vacant for a while now as well. I'm hoping the improvements further south will help and we can revitalize that section of College Ave and then expand from there eventually.

Yeah, BOA has been doing that for a several years now. I do most of my banking online but when I need to use counter services or a atm it isn't as convenient as it used to be. I guess they know what they are doing though- they are one of the few healthy financial institutitons these days. They also are widespread across the country so that's a plus.

Some of those closed businesses suffer from the size of their lots I think. Long John Silver's didn't have room to add a drive through, Sonic was hemmed in without expansion room and the EZ Mart was too small for the way gas stations do business now days. Evelyn Hills seems to be doing better these days.

With the new Veterans Hospital ( they've got a new name but I'm not sure exactly what it is) addition coming soon maybe it will help spark some redevelopment in that area.

[Mith242]

I didn't have time to mention it but I noticed on my way out before Christmas that the car lot on College and Township near Walgreens is now gone as well. Not sure if they moved or if they closed because of the bad economy. Either way now there's another empty spot.

[mzweig]

Lou Lou's Fish Shack is now closed. The power is shut off and there is a notice on the front door from SWEPCO stating it was turned off due to lack of payment. I am sorry to see them go even though the food wasn't that great. Another business on College gone....

M

[Mith242]

Lou Lou's Fish Shack is now closed. The power is shut off and there is a notice on the front door from SWEPCO stating it was turned off due to lack of payment. I am sorry to see them go even though the food wasn't that great. Another business on College gone....

M

Unfortunately the current economy probably isn't going to helping College Ave. On another note I heard the 'pocket park' on Spring and College has opened recently. I haven't been by to see it yet.

[jim9251]

As I was driving down College the other day from Rock Street to Joyce I noticed how many businesses had closed. You drive a highway every day and don't really pay attention to things I guess.

[Mith242]

As I was driving down College the other day from Rock Street to Joyce I noticed how many businesses had closed. You drive a highway every day and don't really pay attention to things I guess.

Yeah and after a while you just get used to a lot of those places being closed. I think it's been a few years now since some of those places have closed.

[butttrumpet]

Yeah and after a while you just get used to a lot of those places being closed. I think it's been a few years now since some of those places have closed.

I hope the Jordan administration focuses some energy on improving North College Avenue. Its our "Main Street" now and its a shame to see it going downhill.

[mzweig]

I hope the Jordan administration focuses some energy on improving North College Avenue. Its our "Main Street" now and its a shame to see it going downhill.

Me, too, though I would not count on it. He has been openly critical of the curb/sidewalk/tree improvements going in between Rock and Maple right now. My fear with Lioneld is we will have no improvement initiatives at all and kind of be in a holding pattern here. That said, I think he is a decent guy, however, and may surprise some of us.

[Snaple4]

http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2009/01/1...y-in-the-works/

Like the Dickson St. Book, we will now get one for B71. Kind of cool I think.

[Mith242]

http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2009/01/1...y-in-the-works/

Like the Dickson St. Book, we will now get one for B71. Kind of cool I think.

Cool, to hear. Thanks for the info. I wonder how long it will be till it's out.

[jtoddgill]

Cool, to hear. Thanks for the info. I wonder how long it will be till it's out.

When I spoke with the author, he said he originally advertised a request for help with the Once Upon Dickson book in the early 90s in the NWA Times. Hopefully it'll be a quicker process for this book!

[butttrumpet]

Didn't know if this should go in the College Ave topic or the restaurant topic. I noticed today that the former Oseguera's/Fazolis on north College avenue is being demo'd.

Does anybody know who bought it what their plans are?

[Mith242]

Didn't know if this should go in the College Ave topic or the restaurant topic. I noticed today that the former Oseguera's/Fazolis on north College avenue is being demo'd.

Does anybody know who bought it what their plans are?

I haven't heard anything about that. I guess it's nice to see someone doing something with it instead of it just sitting empty. Although it just make you wonder what kind of plans they have. For all we know they might just be demolishing it so that it might be more appealing to other developers for future use and may be an empty lot for a while.

[jllive]

You know, if Fayetteville would ever take the initiative to develop a true urban core around College Ave from say North to just south of Rolling Hills, it would feed much needed business to that stretch of College and create a vibrancy that would last a long time. Of course, College Ave would need some serious street improvements to change its pedestrian-unfriendly design to a safer and more appealing environment. Also, if these improvements ever took place, access to I-540 would have to be improved to accommodate the increased population living along College. Dense population growth would also create an ideal situation for bus and/or trolley service. I think the possibilities are endless and it is fun to speculate, but College is in serious need of improvements to stimulate growth and spur development.

[strmchsr77]

The old Curry's video building on North College has been sold and will be the home to a new Roller Rink according to the NWA Business Journal. I guess the old one off of Gregg closed quite a few years ago. I wonder if this will be a better, more visable location.

[zman9810]

The old Curry's video building on North College has been sold and will be the home to a new Roller Rink according to the NWA Business Journal. I guess the old one off of Gregg closed quite a few years ago. I wonder if this will be a better, more visable location.

This is great - reusing another vacant building along a stretch of College that needs some a spark.

The Veterans Hospital project dirtwork is coming along further north of here. Combined with the UAMS reuse of the old Washington Regional building it seems College might have turned the corner and will revive some. There's more peopel in the area at least- that shoud help the businesses that are still there.

[Mith242]

Yeah I don't skate or anything, but still nice to see that building being reused for something. Maybe it will also help bring more people which will also attract more business to College Ave.

[Mith242]

It's certainly a big hassle right now, but when the medians and sidewalks are finished on the stretch of College Ave near Dickson St will pretty nice looking. I'm curious once they're finished with this section if they'll try renovating another stretch of College Ave.