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Little Rock vs. NWA

bchris02

By bchris02
in Little Rock Metropolitan Area

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turboturtle Hamlet

turboturtle

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While it will never come close to the status of UA, UCA is closing in on the number of enrolled students and is drawing more and more from locations other than Arkansas. If UCA had not run into infrastructure problems they would still be growing at a rapid pace but since they outgrew very quickly what they had built the pace has slowed while new buildings are being constructed like the new business building. It will never be better than number two in the state but it is still a good thing for CentArk.

And something bchris said earlier struck me as a good point. When the growth began in NWA I think they would have been better served building around Fayetteville. This would have created a more urban environment like in CentArk and would have made it a growing city than an entire region. The area skipped steps and went straight for a suburban feel. Usually there is an urban area before that happens. Like I said in a previous post, after not having been to NWA in a few years I expected from all the talk that everything was grown together. I was surprised to find everything spread out with miles of farmland in between.

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ndark Whistle-Stop

ndark

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Here is some perspective for you ndark...

UA Fayetteville completed a $1 billion capital campaign 3 years ago. It was their first major campaign. The total UA Fayetteville endowment is just south of $1 billion. There annual fund is bringing in $100 million annually. UAF will embark on another major campaign (at least $1 billion) in a year, that will span approx. 7 years (3 year silent phase, 4 year public phase).

UAMS is in the public phase of a $350 million campaign. I'm not sure about their annual fund.

Fall of 2007, UCA entered the public phase of its first comprehensive campaign that will span another 4 years with a goal of $35 million dollars. I am not sure what UCA's annual fund does, but the goal set for their major campaign should be a good indicator.

Fall of 2008, UALR will enter the public phase of a $75 million major campaign that should end by 2011; also a first for UALR.

UALR's 2007 annual fund was shy of $10 million (a record).

I suspect that the closest that UCA or UALR will come to closing the gap on UA Fayetteville enrollment is now. UA Fayetteville is in a league of their own.

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Architect Town

Architect

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We agree. One of my beefs with the LR City leadership is that they are very under-involved with UALR.

On a different note, a mistake that I see repeated by some UALR folks is defining themselves in relation to UA Fayetteville. The only outcome of this will be shortcomings.

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CentralArkansas Whistle-Stop

CentralArkansas

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I lived in LR for my entire life and moved to NWA about three years ago. I absolutely love NWA, but I love Little Rock as well. The thing I have most noticed about NWA is that the people here tend to have a geniune distaste for Little Rock that I cannot understand. The only thing I can contribute it to is ignorance.

Yes, NWA is growing. But, it has a long way to go. Hell, it only has one interstate, and it is only 4-lanes. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it's going to keep growing. But, people, it has nothing on Little Rock. People are always talking about crime in Little Rock. Well, unless you are dealing drugs or in a domestic violence situation, you couldn't be safer than you are in Little Rock. None of the crime is random.

People in Fayetteville love to talk about the growth engine that is the University of Arkansas. And, I completely agree - it is astonishing what they are accomplishing and as an Alum I am extremely proud. But, Little Rock has UAMS that has a HUGE economic impact on Little Rock. I can't imagine how many doctors work there making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Beyond that, LR is the seat of the state government, and between those two I promise there is more of an effect than the UA has.

Anyway, I love both areas and will probably be in NWA for life. But I get so sick of seeing people in NWA roll there eyes and talk about what a bad place Little Rock is. It is very rare for people in Little Rock to have such an attitude towards NWA. Like I said before, it's nothing but pure ignorance and I almost laugh to myself whenever people try to tell me how much better NWA is. Be proud of where you live, but don't bash other parts of the state simply because you don't live there.

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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Here is some perspective for you ndark...

UA Fayetteville completed a $1 billion capital campaign 3 years ago. It was their first major campaign. The total UA Fayetteville endowment is just south of $1 billion. There annual fund is bringing in $100 million annually. UAF will embark on another major campaign (at least $1 billion) in a year, that will span approx. 7 years (3 year silent phase, 4 year public phase).

UAMS is in the public phase of a $350 million campaign. I'm not sure about their annual fund.

Fall of 2007, UCA entered the public phase of its first comprehensive campaign that will span another 4 years with a goal of $35 million dollars. I am not sure what UCA's annual fund does, but the goal set for their major campaign should be a good indicator.

Fall of 2008, UALR will enter the public phase of a $75 million major campaign that should end by 2011; also a first for UALR.

UALR's 2007 annual fund was shy of $10 million (a record).

I suspect that the closest that UCA or UALR will come to closing the gap on UA Fayetteville enrollment is now. UA Fayetteville is in a league of their own.

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bchris02 Hamlet

bchris02

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I lived in LR for my entire life and moved to NWA about three years ago. I absolutely love NWA, but I love Little Rock as well. The thing I have most noticed about NWA is that the people here tend to have a geniune distaste for Little Rock that I cannot understand. The only thing I can contribute it to is ignorance.

Yes, NWA is growing. But, it has a long way to go. Hell, it only has one interstate, and it is only 4-lanes. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it's going to keep growing. But, people, it has nothing on Little Rock. People are always talking about crime in Little Rock. Well, unless you are dealing drugs or in a domestic violence situation, you couldn't be safer than you are in Little Rock. None of the crime is random.

People in Fayetteville love to talk about the growth engine that is the University of Arkansas. And, I completely agree - it is astonishing what they are accomplishing and as an Alum I am extremely proud. But, Little Rock has UAMS that has a HUGE economic impact on Little Rock. I can't imagine how many doctors work there making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Beyond that, LR is the seat of the state government, and between those two I promise there is more of an effect than the UA has.

Anyway, I love both areas and will probably be in NWA for life. But I get so sick of seeing people in NWA roll there eyes and talk about what a bad place Little Rock is. It is very rare for people in Little Rock to have such an attitude towards NWA. Like I said before, it's nothing but pure ignorance and I almost laugh to myself whenever people try to tell me how much better NWA is. Be proud of where you live, but don't bash other parts of the state simply because you don't live there.

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abdintp Unincorporated Area

abdintp

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Don't even get me started on the simplistic ideas about crime and education. I think other posters have already addressed this adequately. I believe in private college prep education and that's a lure for me to bigger metros. However, if you want a solid public school education and your kid has average intelligence suburban LR schools like Bryant, Conway, and Cabot are pretty tough to distinguish from NWA schools. They aren't churning out Ivy Leaguers but are putting out solid students that get degrees. I think if your kid is brilliant you're far better off with a private school, Central, or the Math and Science school in Hot Springs.
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EJC Whistle-Stop

EJC

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Private school is fine, but let's not forget that schools like Central and Parkview (more Central) turn out more first-tier college-admitted grads than any other school in the state. Admittedly I have no facts to prove this, and ASMS is right up there with Central/PV, but in my class alone Central '05 at least a dozen kids went to Ivys and comparable institutions (I went to UChicago).

There are a TON of problems with the LRSD, but it still turns out many of the best students in the state.

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johnnydr87 Burg

johnnydr87

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Private school is fine, but let's not forget that schools like Central and Parkview (more Central) turn out more first-tier college-admitted grads than any other school in the state. Admittedly I have no facts to prove this, and ASMS is right up there with Central/PV, but in my class alone Central '05 at least a dozen kids went to Ivys and comparable institutions (I went to UChicago).

There are a TON of problems with the LRSD, but it still turns out many of the best students in the state.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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I lived in LR for my entire life and moved to NWA about three years ago. I absolutely love NWA, but I love Little Rock as well. The thing I have most noticed about NWA is that the people here tend to have a geniune distaste for Little Rock that I cannot understand. The only thing I can contribute it to is ignorance.

Yes, NWA is growing. But, it has a long way to go. Hell, it only has one interstate, and it is only 4-lanes. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it's going to keep growing. But, people, it has nothing on Little Rock. People are always talking about crime in Little Rock. Well, unless you are dealing drugs or in a domestic violence situation, you couldn't be safer than you are in Little Rock. None of the crime is random.

People in Fayetteville love to talk about the growth engine that is the University of Arkansas. And, I completely agree - it is astonishing what they are accomplishing and as an Alum I am extremely proud. But, Little Rock has UAMS that has a HUGE economic impact on Little Rock. I can't imagine how many doctors work there making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Beyond that, LR is the seat of the state government, and between those two I promise there is more of an effect than the UA has.

Anyway, I love both areas and will probably be in NWA for life. But I get so sick of seeing people in NWA roll there eyes and talk about what a bad place Little Rock is. It is very rare for people in Little Rock to have such an attitude towards NWA. Like I said before, it's nothing but pure ignorance and I almost laugh to myself whenever people try to tell me how much better NWA is. Be proud of where you live, but don't bash other parts of the state simply because you don't live there.

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Aporkalypse City

Aporkalypse

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Private school is fine, but let's not forget that schools like Central and Parkview (more Central) turn out more first-tier college-admitted grads than any other school in the state. Admittedly I have no facts to prove this, and ASMS is right up there with Central/PV, but in my class alone Central '05 at least a dozen kids went to Ivys and comparable institutions (I went to UChicago).

There are a TON of problems with the LRSD, but it still turns out many of the best students in the state.

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RemusCal Whistle-Stop

RemusCal

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I listed Central and the ASMS in my post for a reason, I think for bright kids they offer equal or better educational opportunities than the private schools. However, for an average kid I think private schools push them much harder. Those kids don't make the honors and AP courses at Central and couldn't get into ASMS. I think that group is better off in private school. To me it's a personal preference, I have a number of friends and family that are LRSD graduates that have excelled, most of whom graduated from Central.

Parkview and Mills (I realize it is PCSSD) do a solid job of educating kids as well. Mills usually makes the top 100 high schools and as we know Central is usually in the top 25 or so.

Now, my kids will go to private schools because I did but I guess my whole point is that I don't really agree about NWA schools. In general I think of the school situation in Central Ark to be better, at least offering more choices.

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  • 3 weeks later...
bchris02 Hamlet

bchris02

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There is a recent article in Arkansas business that proves what has been suspected for a while; that the growth in NWA has indeed slowed.

http://arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?a...ID=h&page=1

Another report shows that office space vacancy rate in NWA have soared as high as 25% by the end of 2007. Does anybody know what that number is for LR?

I am not sure how much of this is related to broader economic conditions vs. how much is related to the fact that a place cannot have the kind of boom (bubble) like NWA without an eventual correction. Slower, steady growth is generally more sustainable longterm.

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Architect Town

Architect

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There is a recent article in Arkansas business that proves what has been suspected for a while; that the growth in NWA has indeed slowed.

http://arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?a...ID=h&page=1

Another report shows that office space vacancy rate in NWA have soared as high as 25% by the end of 2007. Does anybody know what that number is for LR?

I am not sure how much of this is related to broader economic conditions vs. how much is related to the fact that a place cannot have the kind of boom (bubble) like NWA without an eventual correction. Slower, steady growth is generally more sustainable longterm.

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  • 2 weeks later...
bchris02 Hamlet

bchris02

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I personally think LR is going to do great in spite of the downturn. This area looks very attractive for people looking to escape high cost coastal areas. A modest sized and easily commutable city with just enough things to do. I think with the number of new jobs that are being created in the area we will grow quite rapidly. LR looks to be progressing well towards a knowledge based light manufacturing sector that bodes well for the future. These aren't in sectors that are attractive for offshoring so they should be here for a good while.
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