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Ruskin Heights

CellarDoor135

By CellarDoor135
in Northwest Arkansas

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strmchsr77 Burg

strmchsr77

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I didn't know they had anything going on. Wish I could have seen it. It would have been interesting to get some pics as well. Now if I can just get back to posting some again.

Well, they have updated their website some. It is not too impressive but it does have some pictures on it now as well as a site plan.

Ruskin Heights

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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Well, they have updated their website some. It is not too impressive but it does have some pictures on it now as well as a site plan.

Ruskin Heights

This development reminds me some of Brodie Creek in Little Rock. Those homes had beautiful exteriors, designed to look like turn of the century San Francisco but in a way more like Seaside, FL. The problem was that people didn't want to pay more per SF for homes just to have that trendy look. They were a little slow to sell so after the first phase subsequent phases were converted to a more typical style and that neighborhood, Woodland's Edge, is probably doing a little better.

That said, I like the look of it and it's the kind of place I'd want to live. The website is a little excessively fluffy.

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cocothief Hamlet

cocothief

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I have to agree about the website being a bit... much. It's attractive, but it reminds me of something advertising a museum or native american art exhibit. That said, it's nice to see updated information, etc.

Haha. I like it.

But then again, I am an Arts & Crafts dork.

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Ruskin Unincorporated Area

Ruskin

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The web site is VERY preliminary at this point (basically a working draft) since we are a pretty long way from hard-core marketing. That being said, I appreciate the feedback. We WILL have a skip intro button.

Aporkolypse - I know I am a New Urbanism snob, but the comparison to Brodie Creek is pretty painful. That project is a prime example of putting small lots and alleys in what is basically another sprawl neighborhood - wide streets, poor pedestrian orientation, no mixed use, no diversity of unit types (or inhabitants for that matter), and I think the architecture and home quality are not great on top of that. Most importantly, there is nothing about Brodie Creek to give it a sense of "Place." Right now, before anything is built, we have a lot of folks trying to compare Ruskin Heights to other new neighborhoods in Arkansas. Truthfully, Ruskin Heights will be a lot more like Hillcrest than Brodie Creek in Little Rock.

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mzweig Hamlet

mzweig

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The web site is VERY preliminary at this point (basically a working draft) since we are a pretty long way from hard-core marketing. That being said, I appreciate the feedback. We WILL have a skip intro button.

Aporkolypse - I know I am a New Urbanism snob, but the comparison to Brodie Creek is pretty painful. That project is a prime example of putting small lots and alleys in what is basically another sprawl neighborhood - wide streets, poor pedestrian orientation, no mixed use, no diversity of unit types (or inhabitants for that matter), and I think the architecture and home quality are not great on top of that. Most importantly, there is nothing about Brodie Creek to give it a sense of "Place." Right now, before anything is built, we have a lot of folks trying to compare Ruskin Heights to other new neighborhoods in Arkansas. Truthfully, Ruskin Heights will be a lot more like Hillcrest than Brodie Creek in Little Rock.

What's going on, Ward? Update the board here on Ruskin Heights and when dirt will start getting moved around.

M

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Does anyone have any updates on this development? Haven't heard anything in a while. I checked their website, I don't remember the opening video quite being like that. I don't know if I'd forgotten it or if it's something new. Otherwise, their site seems pretty much the same.

http://www.ruskin-heights.com/

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mzweig Hamlet

mzweig

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Does anyone have any updates on this development? Haven't heard anything in a while. I checked their website, I don't remember the opening video quite being like that. I don't know if I'd forgotten it or if it's something new. Otherwise, their site seems pretty much the same.

http://www.ruskin-heights.com/

My understanding is that they just got their financing for the project and have a few details left to get through engineering before construction can start. Pre-production activities will start any day, with equipment moving on-site.

M

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thewizard16 Hamlet

thewizard16

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Our contractor, Northwest Excavation (a division of Nabholz), begins mobilization, demolition, tree preservation, and erosion control on Monday (October 1). We will have a ground breaking party in the next month or so, but will be well under way by then.

Ward

Good to hear that! Considering the anti-growth attitude a lot of people in that area of town have, there's a considerable amount of support for that project over there, whether it's outspoken or not.

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strmchsr77 Burg

strmchsr77

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Good to hear that! Considering the anti-growth attitude a lot of people in that area of town have, there's a considerable amount of support for that project over there, whether it's outspoken or not.

I noticed that there were a couple of earth moving machines already on the grounds. It is great that this kind of project is still going to move forward after the downturn in the market.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I noticed that there were a couple of earth moving machines already on the grounds. It is great that this kind of project is still going to move forward after the downturn in the market.

Yeah it is. This isn't a development like a big building, but I'm still really looking forward to seeing it completed.

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masons_dad1 Town

masons_dad1

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Yeah it is. This isn't a development like a big building, but I'm still really looking forward to seeing it completed.

Ruskin-Heights sounds even more exciting than just another big building. I just looked over their website again and if they can really pull it off the way they describe it, then it will be very nice. I have a hard time believing the homes will be even moderately affordable, but technically villages in the olden days weren't even somewhat affordable and only nobles, merchants and tradesmen could actually afford to live in the village.

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Ruskin Unincorporated Area

Ruskin

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Ruskin-Heights sounds even more exciting than just another big building. I just looked over their website again and if they can really pull it off the way they describe it, then it will be very nice. I have a hard time believing the homes will be even moderately affordable, but technically villages in the olden days weren't even somewhat affordable and only nobles, merchants and tradesmen could actually afford to live in the village.

The affordability concern is legitimate - if you have to have a 3,500+ square foot single family detached home. The homes at Ruskin Heights will not be cheap per square foot, nor would you expect them to be given the quality of design, construction, public spaces, and amenities. However, the neighborhood is designed to accommodate a wide range of lifestyles and incomes. Interestingly, only 28 percent of households in the U.S. include a couple with children, while over 50 percent of households are only one or two individuals. At Ruskin Heights we will offer a wide variety of housing choices from small condo lofts to large single family homes. Even among the single family homes there will a wide range. For instance, the first phase will include seven 1,400 square foot bungalows surrounding a fantastic shared courtyard.

If a buyer is most concerned with the amount of gross square footage they can get for their dollar, then they may want a hollow core door McMansion in Rogers. If they want to be part of an interesting and vibrant community and would prefer a smaller home with more refined details, then they might want to look at Ruskin Heights.

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cocothief Hamlet

cocothief

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Ruskin-Heights sounds even more exciting than just another big building. I just looked over their website again and if they can really pull it off the way they describe it, then it will be very nice. I have a hard time believing the homes will be even moderately affordable, but technically villages in the olden days weren't even somewhat affordable and only nobles, merchants and tradesmen could actually afford to live in the village.

I like how seamlessly you incorporate your knowledge of the European Middle Ages into a development discussion. :lol:

tidbit about the project moving forwward:

http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/57835/

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masons_dad1 Town

masons_dad1

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I like how seamlessly you incorporate your knowledge of the European Middle Ages into a development discussion. :lol:

tidbit about the project moving forwward:

http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/57835/

Thanks, I thought it was appropriate since the development is touted as "a true return to traditional village life." I believe "village life" started in the European Middle Ages. ^_^

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I like how seamlessly you incorporate your knowledge of the European Middle Ages into a development discussion. :lol:

tidbit about the project moving forwward:

http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/57835/

But of course, haven't you seen some of his Renaissance Fair stuff? :D

After reviewing that webiste again, I have no idea how anyone could be opposed to this development.

Yeah tell me about it. I'm telling you some people are just totally opposed to anything that's going to happen anywhere 'their neighborhood'. Or people are just totally in that suburban type of life they can't understand anything different.

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cowbreath Hamlet

cowbreath

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Yeah tell me about it. I'm telling you some people are just totally opposed to anything that's going to happen anywhere 'their neighborhood'. Or people are just totally in that suburban type of life they can't understand anything different.

Yeah I don't understand how anybody has a problem with the development unless their way of life is totally different than I perceive. I guess their kids won't be able to go smoke pot in the woods there any more.

Hehe...I give them too hard of a time, if I go back to when they were putting something behind my parents house I was really opposed. Of course if I had known it was going to be some new urbanist, expensive houses I might not have cared.

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