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The next downtown LR high rise


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  • 9 months later...

Could the next high rise be a new hotel? A vacant lot at the corner of Scott and Markham is in play. Block 2 Development is working to sell the lot to CSK Hotels of Ft. Smith. CSK has mentioned it wants to build a Starwood Hotel brand on the site. But the LR Adverstising and Promotion Commission also wants the lot. They plan to put a parking deck on the site. They also say it might be possible that a city owned hotel would be built. The LRAPC has a parking deck just one block south on Main. I don't think another parking deck in this area would be a wise use of this property.

The Westin, Sheraton and W Hotels are some of Starwood's brands.

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Could the next high rise be a new hotel? A vacant lot at the corner of Scott and Markham is in play. Block 2 Development is working to sell the lot to CSK Hotels of Ft. Smith. CSK has mentioned it wants to build a Starwood Hotel brand on the site. But the LR Adverstising and Promotion Commission also wants the lot. They plan to put a parking deck on the site. They also say it might be possible that a city owned hotel would be built. The LRAPC has a parking deck just one block south on Main. I don't think another parking deck in this area would be a wise use of this property.

The Westin, Sheraton and W Hotels are some of Starwood's brands.

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Could the next high rise be a new hotel? A vacant lot at the corner of Scott and Markham is in play. Block 2 Development is working to sell the lot to CSK Hotels of Ft. Smith. CSK has mentioned it wants to build a Starwood Hotel brand on the site. But the LR Adverstising and Promotion Commission also wants the lot. They plan to put a parking deck on the site. They also say it might be possible that a city owned hotel would be built. The LRAPC has a parking deck just one block south on Main. I don't think another parking deck in this area would be a wise use of this property.

The Westin, Sheraton and W Hotels are some of Starwood's brands.

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Wow. VERY interesting. The time is about right as the market has matured to the point (development wise, perhaps not economy wise) for a third/fourth full-service convention hotel downtown. As far as a deck, the structure could be mixed-use with retail & parking on the lower levels with the hotel rooms above, not unlike 300 Third, River Market Tower, etc.

I'm interested to see what happens here!

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Wow. VERY interesting. The time is about right as the market has matured to the point (development wise, perhaps not economy wise) for a third/fourth full-service convention hotel downtown. As far as a deck, the structure could be mixed-use with retail & parking on the lower levels with the hotel rooms above, not unlike 300 Third, River Market Tower, etc.

I'm interested to see what happens here!

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I'm not what exactly sure what would be best for the corner. If its a parking deck intended for public use, I doubt they'd really want to conceal it in a manner that it wouldn't appear as one from the markham st side. You obviously would want it to load from the Scott St side. If it were just a deck like the other River Market deck that would be AWFUL! Part of the point of the River Market is promoting an attractive pedestrian environment, nobody wants to walk in front of a parking deck.

If it were a hotel/deck/retail, I don't know how high you'd have to go to make it feasible. It would be unfortunate if it did not have massing similar to the other buildings on the strip.

Just a hotel probably wouldn't be bad. It'd provide an anchor and probably make redevelopment down Main St. more attractive.

Something needs to be done with that dead space though to encourage more pedestrians to head west.

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I am assuming they are talking about the parking lot next to Block 2 and On The Rocks? That is a pretty prime location. It seems like a very good spot for a hotel. Why would someone want to waste that spot on parking. I am no city planner but a parking deck in such a high visibility spot would not be the way to go IMO. A parking deck would probably be profitable but it would not do as much for the area as a nice mid-rise hotel like a Westin would.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=U...477693995347161

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Its emblematic of the LRAPC not uderstanding why the River Market is special. The accomdation of automoblies should not be the highest priority. I realize you have to accomodate for those persons driving in from outside the area. But, I don't think the current deck is even being utilized that well. Good directional signage, parking resource maps, and altered pricing strategies that promote deck usage might be a better alternative.

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Its emblematic of the LRAPC not uderstanding why the River Market is special. The accomdation of automoblies should not be the highest priority. I realize you have to accomodate for those persons driving in from outside the area. But, I don't think the current deck is even being utilized that well. Good directional signage, parking resource maps, and altered pricing strategies that promote deck usage might be a better alternative.
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Its emblematic of the LRAPC not uderstanding why the River Market is special. The accomdation of automoblies should not be the highest priority. I realize you have to accomodate for those persons driving in from outside the area. But, I don't think the current deck is even being utilized that well. Good directional signage, parking resource maps, and altered pricing strategies that promote deck usage might be a better alternative.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow. Just got this week's edition of Arkansas Business, and in the "Whispers" section they have two sub-articles on the planned W Aloft Hotel at the corner of Scott and Markham. The writer seemed almost as dumbfounded as we have been over why the city would hold a 12-15 story hotel development hostage over some ill-fated idea of a parking deck along the most prime urban real estate in Arkansas. The article went on the quote the developer, who had actually already met with current mayor Mark Stodola, former mayor Jim Dailey, and members of the Advertising and Promotion Commission, and it clearly came off as if the city was opposed to the development, even talking about imminent domain over his purchase!

Wow. Just wow. This is inept beyond comment.

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Wow. Just got this week's edition of Arkansas Business, and in the "Whispers" section they have two sub-articles on the planned W Aloft Hotel at the corner of Scott and Markham. The writer seemed almost as dumbfounded as we have been over why the city would hold a 12-15 story hotel development hostage over some ill-fated idea of a parking deck along the most prime urban real estate in Arkansas. The article went on the quote the developer, who had actually already met with current mayor Mark Stodola, former mayor Jim Dailey, and members of the Advertising and Promotion Commission, and it clearly came off as if the city was opposed to the development, even talking about imminent domain over his purchase!

Wow. Just wow. This is inept beyond comment.

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just devils advocate here...

Could the City have an ulterior motive? A parking deck is justification for imminent domain because of the public use. Might there be some other development interest that is in conflict with the Hotel? If this were the case, it would warrant a lawsuit.

This is probably quasi-conspiratorial, but I suspect there is a vision (shared by a few) for this area that precludes the hotel.

I agree that a replication of the public parking deck in the River Market in this spot would represent grossly incompetent use of space.

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Wow. Just got this week's edition of Arkansas Business, and in the "Whispers" section they have two sub-articles on the planned W Aloft Hotel at the corner of Scott and Markham. The writer seemed almost as dumbfounded as we have been over why the city would hold a 12-15 story hotel development hostage over some ill-fated idea of a parking deck along the most prime urban real estate in Arkansas. The article went on the quote the developer, who had actually already met with current mayor Mark Stodola, former mayor Jim Dailey, and members of the Advertising and Promotion Commission, and it clearly came off as if the city was opposed to the development, even talking about imminent domain over his purchase!

Wow. Just wow. This is inept beyond comment.

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I will be very surprised if the hotel actually happens - I think the parking deck will win out. Suburban minded people (as a whole) in this part of the country just dont understand whats so appealing about a walkable urban district downtown with these kinds of amenities. Its not just Little Rock; OKC and Tulsa make silly decisions in their downtowns as well. Tulsa was supposed to get a new baseball stadium but instead decided on a Wal-Mart Supercenter right in the middle of downtown.

As for the hotel, if we end up getting it that would be exciting. Is there any possible location other than Markham and Scott?

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I'm not opposed to a parking deck here if it is part of a larger multi-use project that incorporates ground-floor retail. I'm only opposed to a regular old parking deck like what the City constructed in the River Market. Just think if ground floor retail had been included in the River Market parking deck.

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Wow. Just got this week's edition of Arkansas Business, and in the "Whispers" section they have two sub-articles on the planned W Aloft Hotel at the corner of Scott and Markham. The writer seemed almost as dumbfounded as we have been over why the city would hold a 12-15 story hotel development hostage over some ill-fated idea of a parking deck along the most prime urban real estate in Arkansas. The article went on the quote the developer, who had actually already met with current mayor Mark Stodola, former mayor Jim Dailey, and members of the Advertising and Promotion Commission, and it clearly came off as if the city was opposed to the development, even talking about imminent domain over his purchase!

Wow. Just wow. This is inept beyond comment.

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A parking deck on this location is not a good fit. There is only a quarter block that is open and I don't think this is large enough for a deck. I don't think the renters of Block 2 would like to look out of their windows and see a deck. Why would the city want to exclude a tax paying development on this spot? Past planning for the River Market area called for decks to be placed outside the area and transit used to transport the users. The River Market Deck went against this and now they want to do it again. With the requirement that the city lease 175 spaces for one dollar a year revenue would be restricted. The city or should I say the LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU would be the operator of the deck. I think they should do some work on their Main Street Deck first.

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