Bentonville, Arkansas

[wmr]

The city and Wal-Mart announced plans for the "Midtown Center", which is where the Harps is/was near the square. The plan includes a three-level building with a 31,000-square foot Neighborhood Market, offices on the second and third levels and a three-level parking garage.

Its nice that Wal-Mart is doing this, perhaps they could do a more urban-style development in other NWA cities. How great would it be to see the Marvin's IGA in downtown Fayetteville redeveloped in a similar manner?

[Mith242]

The city and Wal-Mart announced plans for the "Midtown Center", which is where the Harps is/was near the square. The plan includes a three-level building with a 31,000-square foot Neighborhood Market, offices on the second and third levels and a three-level parking garage.

Its nice that Wal-Mart is doing this, perhaps they could do a more urban-style development in other NWA cities. How great would it be to see the Marvin's IGA in downtown Fayetteville redeveloped in a similar manner?

I knew that lease in Bentonville wasn't going to be renewed for Harp's. I had wondered what Walmart had in store for there. It would be interesting to see the Marvin's IGA remodeled. But I just don't think they have the funds for anything like that. Any remodel would probably be pretty minor. The grocery business in this area is pretty much dominated by Walmart and Harps.

[KJW]

I searched 11 pages back on this forum and didn't find a "Medical" related one, so I'll add this here since both these tragic events occurred in Bentonville. A few weeks ago, a 17-year-old Bentonville High student was hit by a school bus and eventually was airlifted with critical injuries to Mercy Hospital (formerly St. John's - a HUGE hospital) in Springfield, MO. This week, a Washington Junior High student was hit by a car near the school, and he, too, was airlifted to Mercy / Springfield with life-threatening injuries.

There have been notable changes in the hospital scene here in the past 10 years, but in a metro area of half a million people it's sad that there's apparently not a local facility equipped for traumatic cases as these two young people.

I hope that is able to change, as soon as possible.

[Mith242]

I searched 11 pages back on this forum and didn't find a "Medical" related one, so I'll add this here since both these tragic events occurred in Bentonville. A few weeks ago, a 17-year-old Bentonville High student was hit by a school bus and eventually was airlifted with critical injuries to Mercy Hospital (formerly St. John's - a HUGE hospital) in Springfield, MO. This week, a Washington Junior High student was hit by a car near the school, and he, too, was airlifted to Mercy / Springfield with life-threatening injuries.

There have been notable changes in the hospital scene here in the past 10 years, but in a metro area of half a million people it's sad that there's apparently not a local facility equipped for traumatic cases as these two young people.

I hope that is able to change, as soon as possible.

I've also noticed things like this. I guess it takes a while for some things to catch up despite the booming population here. I've wondered if the metro being made up a number of cities rather than one dominant city has also hindered some of this as well. But it would be nice to see a more established medical presence here.

[bubba72704]

By chance, this article was in the paper this morning regarding trauma centers. Here's a quote:

"Northwest is seeking a Level III Trauma Center designation, Stewart said. There are five Level I centers in Arkansas’ system, two in Little Rock, two in Memphis and one in Springfield, Mo. The out-of-state hospitals treat many Arkansas residents and are part of the system.

Washington Regional Medical Center is the only Level II center in Northwest Arkansas. Mercy Hospital in Rogers and Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville are Level III centers, according to the state Health Department website."

Here's the difference between levels:

Trauma Center Classifications

Levels are based on national standards from the American College of Surgeons

Level I — Highest level of care. Requires general and specialized surgeons at the hospital 24 hours a day. These centers also have to do research, outreach and safety education.

Level II — Also requires general and specialized surgeons but doesn’t require research.

Level III — Doesn’t have as many specialists on hand, but must be able to provide emergency resuscitation, surgery and intensive care to most trauma patients.

Level IV — Must have trauma-trained nurse on hand 24 hours a day and an emergency physician on call.

Hard to believe Northwest Arkansas doesn't have any Level 1 centers. This should be a goal for our civic leaders...

http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2012/oct/22/work-adds-beds-space/

[Mith242]

By chance, this article was in the paper this morning regarding trauma centers. Here's a quote:

"Northwest is seeking a Level III Trauma Center designation, Stewart said. There are five Level I centers in Arkansas’ system, two in Little Rock, two in Memphis and one in Springfield, Mo. The out-of-state hospitals treat many Arkansas residents and are part of the system.

Washington Regional Medical Center is the only Level II center in Northwest Arkansas. Mercy Hospital in Rogers and Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville are Level III centers, according to the state Health Department website."

Here's the difference between levels:

Trauma Center Classifications

Levels are based on national standards from the American College of Surgeons

Level I — Highest level of care. Requires general and specialized surgeons at the hospital 24 hours a day. These centers also have to do research, outreach and safety education.

Level II — Also requires general and specialized surgeons but doesn’t require research.

Level III — Doesn’t have as many specialists on hand, but must be able to provide emergency resuscitation, surgery and intensive care to most trauma patients.

Level IV — Must have trauma-trained nurse on hand 24 hours a day and an emergency physician on call.

Hard to believe Northwest Arkansas doesn't have any Level 1 centers. This should be a goal for our civic leaders...

http://www.nwaonline...dds-beds-space/

I saw that as well. But certainly agree with you. If Springfield can have a Level 1 center I don't see why NWA couldn't as well.

[KJW]

(To your above quote, Mith, I agree.)

 

I used to joke when first moving here that NWA was a major metro area that didn't really know (at the time) it was one.

 

Now, Bentonville seems like a city that's really trying to show it's becoming one even as it's not quite there (by itself) yet.  As of January 2013, driving south on Walton Blvd you'll notice:

 

1.  That building across from WM headquaters on 5th Street, the one that's the "tallest in Bentonville", now has on the west and north sides lit flourescent letters for TATA Consultancy Services, a worldwide firm based out of India.  Who would have thought 30 years ago that would have been the tallest advertisement in Bentonville in 2013?

 

2.  Driving farther south, you can see the I Street corridor all lit up, reminiscent of lights on a bridge or a major corridor.  What makes this strange is that on the east side is the Bentonville airport runways so there will be little lighting, and on the west side there is still a lot of vacant land although heavy development has occurred in all directions less than a quarter mile away.  The city is anticipating a lot of growth on I street and I'd concur...it looks like an emtpy jug that has just been dropped into a pool.

[zman9810]

Bentonville is making great strides towards being a world class site for all sorts of ventures. I am concerned that the India based firm didn't do their research by using a name that will be a source of double entendre jokes in this country.

Edited January 13, 2013 by zman9810

[RemusCal]

Bentonville is Big Time now.  We are going to continue this momentum with so many things to come.

 

Here is a link from Huffington Post on the new hotel.  Great addition to the city and sounds like a great restaurant, The Hive.  Can't wait to try it out!

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/21c-museum-hotel-opens-in_n_2670340.html

[UrbanArkie]

The 5&10 needs to stay open until 10. Downtown Bentonville is such an interesting "square". It is somewhat ironic as Walmart is to blame for most smaller town's vacant "square" in the nation.

[bubba72704]

Just noticed a new "Future home of Walmart Neighborhood Market" sign on the N.W. Corner of Hwy 12 and Hwy 112 in southwest Bentonville.  Glad to see that area getting new commercial construction.

[TheyLookUpToMe]

Just noticed a new "Future home of Walmart Neighborhood Market" sign on the N.W. Corner of Hwy 12 and Hwy 112 in southwest Bentonville.  Glad to see that area getting new commercial construction.

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext-news/?nxd_id=407012

[TRB]

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext-news/?nxd_id=407012

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext-news/?nxd_id=407012

I think this kills any talk of a centerton supercenter for the time being.

[zman9810]

Centerton will probably get it's own Neighborhood Market. After all- they have a Harp's and and it seems like that is often what drives WM's decision on where to site a new store.

[Mith242]

Centerton will probably get it's own Neighborhood Market. After all- they have a Harp's and and it seems like that is often what drives WM's decision on where to site a new store.

True, they do seem to like to putting in a store after Harp's puts in a new store.  

[KJW]

Mith,

 

Now THAT's a fascinating picture from Bentonville.  I honestly don't know what the heck it signifies, but...(EDIT: perhaps they were releasing them to fly directly over "Store 100" a few blocks to the south?)

 

Edited March 21, 2013 by KJW

[Mith242]

Mith,

 

Now THAT's a fascinating picture from Bentonville.  I honestly don't know what the heck it signifies, but...(EDIT: perhaps they were releasing them to fly directly over "Store 100" a few blocks to the south?)

 

I missed the part with the doves.     I do know Harp's put a lot of effort into that particular store and have a lot of hopes for it.  It's a pretty nice store, wish I lived a little closer to it.  

[Mith242]

Thanks for the pics zman. It will be nice to have a hotel like this in the area. But I also have to admit it is a bit underwhelming on the exterior. When you hear 21c, this just isn't really what I have pictured in my mind. I hate to come off like I'm complaining about the hotel. It will still be a good asset for the area.

I was up ion Bentonville today checking out Crystal Bridges again.  While I was there thought I'd take a walk down to the 21c Hotel and check it out as well.  While the exterior is rather underwhelming, I was a lot more impressed with the interior.  A more interesting design with a lot of artwork scattered around the first floor of the hotel.  In fact even though I know it's not as historically important as Crystal Bridges modern art.  I think I actually prefer the modern art in the 21c Hotel over Crystal Bridges.  The artwork is free to view, so if you're at Crystal Bridges, it's worth stopping at 21c as well.

[KJW]

There's a fascinating "tripleheader" of urban development stories in the business section of today's Ar-Dem-Gaz, with Bentonville (arts and dining developments), Fort Smith (U.S. Marshals' Museum and recent downtown development there in advance of that) and Little Rock (new hotels on the edge of the city's entertainment district).  The headliner is the Bennie story, and contains this quote:

 

 

 

The city's dining scene was listed on

The Washington Post's In/Out List for 2013, displacing Charleston, S.C.  In October, Southern Living asked, "Is Bentonville the South's Next Cultural Mecca?"

 

...

 

In 2012, Crystal Bridges had 600,000 visitors and is on target to meet or exceed that number in 2013, said Diane Carroll, a museum spokesman.  General admission is free.  Before the museum opened, it was estimated the visitor count for the first year would be 250,000.

 

...

 

The museum recently closed its showing of the traveling exhibit "American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell."  During its 11 weeks at Crystal Bridges, more than 121,000 visitors viewed the exhibit, the highest attendance figures from the 12 other locations the exhibit was shown, including cities like Sacramento, Calif. and Orlando, Fla.

 

 

 

The article also said that the Table Mesa cafe in downtown Bennie was started by a restaurateur who closed a successful Seattle (!) restaurant to come here and start this.  It tells of other people moving their businesses from other places to Bentonville, as well as people who have come in such as the 21c Hotel and museum.

 

I don't yet know what we have here, but it's something very interesting.  (The Fort Smith article says they, too, are excited by the heightened-above-expectations numbers at Crystal Bridges).

 

Tellin' ya, though...the thread that will link this together is a completed I-49/I-69 corridor (with, I'd add, the planned 4-lane highway to the airport, which is amazing for a metro area this size that it's still served by two-lane roads).  If it ever gets finished, I'm expecting that 1,400,000 person NWA/Fort Smith population figure. Guaranteed.

Edited June 9, 2013 by KJW

[Mith242]

There's a fascinating "tripleheader" of urban development stories in the business section of today's Ar-Dem-Gaz, with Bentonville (arts and dining developments), Fort Smith (U.S. Marshals' Museum and recent downtown development there in advance of that) and Little Rock (new hotels on the edge of the city's entertainment district).  The headliner is the Bennie story, and contains this quote:

 

 

 

The article also said that the Table Mesa cafe in downtown Bennie was started by a restaurateur who closed a successful Seattle (!) restaurant to come here and start this.  It tells of other people moving their businesses from other places to Bentonville, as well as people who have come in such as the 21c Hotel and museum.

 

I don't yet know what we have here, but it's something very interesting.  (The Fort Smith article says they, too, are excited by the heightened-above-expectations numbers at Crystal Bridges).

 

Tellin' ya, though...the thread that will link this together is a completed I-49/I-69 corridor (with, I'd add, the planned 4-lane highway to the airport, which is amazing for a metro area this size that it's still served by two-lane roads).  If it ever gets finished, I'm expecting that 1,400,000 person NWA/Fort Smith population figure. Guaranteed.

Yeah I've been seeing Bentonville mentioned a lot.  A while back ago some magazine listed Bentonville as a new hot spot for restaurants.

[krt479]

Finally, the children's museum will be built!

 

http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2013/jun/13/childrens-museum-announced-bentonville/

[UrbanArkie]

WOW.

[KJW]

WOW.

 

http://amazeum.org/

 

With the people they've got behind this, this may be a sight to see, indeed.  

1,000,000, here we come...

[Mith242]

Very interesting.  Hope to hear more about this in the near future.

[wmr]

If there was any doubt that Fayetteville has stagnated relative to her peer cities, today provided an abundance of proof.  Springdale unveiling their plans for Spring Creek through downtown, and now this amazing museum for Bentonville.

 

Fayetteville doesn't seem to want any more growth, though.