College Avenue Developments

[headcheese]

I guess its considered College Ave. Does anybody know what is going on at the Big Lots location in Fiesta Square? It looks like they are building a new storefront between Big Lots and Hastings.

Chuck E Cheese is moving from Evelyn Hills.

[Mith242]

I drove by the World Gym spot at lunch today and they have planted dozens of trees there. Looks like some Maples and several Pines as well as shrubs. Looks like they'll have quite a forest if they all survive this heat! I hope they plan on watering them some to get through this hot spell.

In a few years when those things mature a little, they'll really improve that side of College Avenue.

Speaking of which, looks like they're going to be putting in some bamboo and honeysuckle as well. They'll be putting in some outdoor basketball courts with a fence. But the city wasn't keen on a fence right in front of the building along the street. So they're compromising and adding some greenery to go along with it. Not a huge deal, but as mentioned before. A little bit of greenery does help. Especially when we're talking about College Ave.

[wmr]

I noticed that the old Bill & Tony's and the Sugar Mountain building SEC of College and Township are showing signs saying they are "Under Contract" again. This was where Kum & Go was considering building. Anybody know anything about the buyer on these tracts?

[comreguy]

I noticed that the old Bill & Tony's and the Sugar Mountain building SEC of College and Township are showing signs saying they are "Under Contract" again. This was where Kum & Go was considering building. Anybody know anything about the buyer on these tracts?

Kum N Go is back under contract. They needed Bill and Tony's to get the access to the site. It will be some time before they close, i've heard, as they are trying to renegotiate the price down on the Sugar Mountain building with the Bank of Fayetteville. So, the jury is still out on this corner being cleaned up.

[wmr]

Kum N Go is back under contract. They needed Bill and Tony's to get the access to the site. It will be some time before they close, i've heard, as they are trying to renegotiate the price down on the Sugar Mountain building with the Bank of Fayetteville. So, the jury is still out on this corner being cleaned up.

Thanks for the information. I hope this turns out nice. I think that the site may be best suited for the kind of site plan that the city now claims to prefer, where the actual building would occupy the hard corner, with the gas pumps being located near the back of the property. But using a design like that, the ingress/egress options, which will likely need to be on the far ends of the property both on Township and College, will be more usable.

I have looked for the type of design I am describing but I can't find a good example. Imagine the corner of the building being almost flush with the actual intersection corner, and the entrance (from the gas pumps) being directed towards the South East. While a Kum & Go isn't a high use, any new development with added landscaping and trees to break up that entire stretch of paved over mess in that part of town will be an improvement.

[Mith242]

Thanks for the info. I'm like wmr and I'm curious to see how the layout will look like and work out. I also agree that while this isn't the typical development you'd usually get excited about. It's still good to see and will be an improvement to that section of College Ave.

[mzweig]

Thanks for the info. I'm like wmr and I'm curious to see how the layout will look like and work out. I also agree that while this isn't the typical development you'd usually get excited about. It's still good to see and will be an improvement to that section of College Ave.

I'm still wondering when McDonald's is gonna close and what the new one going there will look like.

M

[wmr]

I'm still wondering when McDonald's is gonna close and what the new one going there will look like.

M

Yeah, I never saw or found any information about it. I saw the LSD Public Notice picket out front, but there's nothing online about it going through the city and it was never discussed at any planning meetings that I am aware of.

Either they chose to pull the project or it was administratively approved via meeting every pre-condition to infill/redevelopment without comment.

[wmr]

Something may be happening at the corner of Sycamore and College. I noticed that the For Sale signs were down at the old Long John Silver's building, and Friday night, the lights were on inside the building.

Did someone buy it? Anybody know whats up there?

[thewizard16]

Something may be happening at the corner of Sycamore and College. I noticed that the For Sale signs were down at the old Long John Silver's building, and Friday night, the lights were on inside the building.

Did someone buy it? Anybody know whats up there?

That sounds promising. I hope that someone did buy that site- it seems like a prime location (albeit a very small spot) and it's been an eye sore for years.

[Mith242]

Something may be happening at the corner of Sycamore and College. I noticed that the For Sale signs were down at the old Long John Silver's building, and Friday night, the lights were on inside the building.

Did someone buy it? Anybody know whats up there?

Thanks for that insight. Hopefully we'll hear something soon about it.

That sounds promising. I hope that someone did buy that site- it seems like a prime location (albeit a very small spot) and it's been an eye sore for years.

I agree, not the biggest site but it seems like a nice location for something. I find it a bit hard to believe that spot has sit empty for this long.

[wmr]

There were signs in front of that building as well as the old cell phone store adjacent to the north. No signs are up anymore in front of either.

It could be nothing, or something like changing realtors. Who knows. But I did see the lights on inside the Long John Silver's building, so maybe something will happen there soon.

Those two lots together are big enough for a sizeable restaurant or retail building.

[comreguy]

There were signs in front of that building as well as the old cell phone store adjacent to the north. No signs are up anymore in front of either.

It could be nothing, or something like changing realtors. Who knows. But I did see the lights on inside the Long John Silver's building, so maybe something will happen there soon.

Those two lots together are big enough for a sizeable restaurant or retail building.

A restaurant leased the old Long John's and is refurbishing/retrofitting. Heard BBQ.

[thewizard16]

A restaurant leased the old Long John's and is refurbishing/retrofitting. Heard BBQ.

Thanks! I thought there was a BBQ place in the old sonic across the street that wasn't doing so well, but hopefully this will work out for them. At any rate, it'll be nice to have that corner cleaned up a bit.

[Mith242]

A restaurant leased the old Long John's and is refurbishing/retrofitting. Heard BBQ.

Thanks for the info.

[wmr]

Thanks for the info comreguy.

[wmr]

I saw a public notice posted on the SE corner of Township and College for a Large Scale Development. It looks like the convenience store deal is about to go back in front of the planning commission.

[Mith242]

I saw a public notice posted on the SE corner of Township and College for a Large Scale Development. It looks like the convenience store deal is about to go back in front of the planning commission.

Thanks for the info. Wasn't this the same spot that was going to be a possible gas station a while back? Or am I thinking of the wrong location?

[zman9810]

Yeah, it was for Kum-N-Go. They are really trying to corner the market for convenience stores in the area. There is a one going in at Thompson and Backus in Springdale and the one in Bentonville. I think I heard of another one somewhere but can't remember where. They are doing it the WalGreens way- high traffic intersections and high dollar real estate.

[wmr]

The Kum & Go passed last night in the PC. I didn't see a rendering but it sounded like they will add lots of trees, greenspace and even a small raingarden in the development. Its going to take up the entire area now used by the old Sugar Mountain and Bill & Tony's. Somebody with a good camera should take some pictures of that stretch, including the empty car dealership across the street, because in a year or so it will all look completely different. Hopfully this spurs more investment into College Avenue.

Also, Bill and Tony's is one of those good old school Fayetteville places that will be gone forever. It was more or less out in the country when it first opened.

[zman9810]

The Kum & Go passed last night in the PC. I didn't see a rendering but it sounded like they will add lots of trees, greenspace and even a small raingarden in the development. Its going to take up the entire area now used by the old Sugar Mountain and Bill & Tony's. Somebody with a good camera should take some pictures of that stretch, including the empty car dealership across the street, because in a year or so it will all look completely different. Hopfully this spurs more investment into College Avenue.

Also, Bill and Tony's is one of those good old school Fayetteville places that will be gone forever. It was more or less out in the country when it first opened.

That's good to hear- especially if it is not going to be a typical concrete slab and store project. Between it, Walgrens and the planned Arvest Bank that should be a nice looking corner. The improved Township has helped also.

Of course- it will open a couple more vacancies- the current Arvest branch and then the EZ Mart just across College will probably close. Still- a big step in the right direction.

[Mith242]

Yeah it's nice to see that at least one section of College Ave should be looking nice in the near future. But it is too bad some of these businesses are just swapping locations on College Ave. Meaning empty buildings simply changing locations as well.

[wmr]

I noticed some activity at the old College Lube building (I think) across College Avenue from Starlight Skatium. Looks like they are repairing and maybe upgrading the facades a little bit.

[wmr]

Mark Zweig:

I just got a notice that the property at the SWC of Trenton and College was reduced from $236k to $180k. Thats a deal. Would be a great spot for the Zweig Commercial building. Gateway to Wilson Park.

[wmr]

Arby's on NCA is closed and the signage has been removed. Another one bites the dust.