Arkansas Blog

Those trees certainly are a blight on our efforts at commercial development.

When we drive down our freeways we need to savor the asphalt vista of parking lots, bricks and mortar and a sea of light reflecting off of car windshields in the parking lot.

Time for a new state motto - the Natural State is wearing a little thin.

What is that going to be?

Perhaps the new development should be named Submit Mall.

Is that where the new Super Walmart is supposed to be going?

So, what's going up there, another holy temple of hubris or a string of retail outlets? In any event, think of that "fringe of vegetation" as auxillary dumpsters--the patrons certainly will.

So does anybody actually know what is being built there?

What's going there: http://arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=95150.54507.107285

"So does anybody actually know what is being built there?"

a JC penney's among other useless Big Box excretions - seen one ...etc. How come Max let this go thru without a word? Last time he at least muttered a little....And where was Jim Lynch and that Coulter-lawyer guy?

We should've just built the Summit Mall. Now we're doing the exact same thing to the hillside, just without having a state of the art mall - instead we get a Penney's and Wal-Mart. Great.

Nothing was hidden. This went through the LR Planning Commission and LR BOD. It was even held over seperate meetings to make certain that Aldersgate was happy with the development {they were not opposed). In addition, this development is less intense than the Summit Mall and less intense than the proposed mall that was stopped in court. Less intense being defined as fewer acres developed and office instead of intense commercial. And, the developer is spending more on infrastructure than any other previous development in this location.

Pay attention! No surprise. You just fell asleep.

" . . . among other useless Big Box excretions - seen one ...etc."

Ralph, I'm beginning to think I'm as old as dirt and you may be too. I can remember shopping on Main Street and finding all sorts of pretties, different pretties. And maybe you remember someone in your family who never wore an outfit again if she saw it on someone else.
Now kindred spirits recognize each other because they are all wearing the same thing. And the poor thing who can't afford what all his/her friends are wearing is deprived.
On a trip to visit family, I hit the Mall of America in Minneapolis not long after it opened. What treasures did I find? With one major exception, I "enjoyed" the very same stores I saw in Little Rock. The only difference? There were two or three of them in the SAME mall. Makes sense . . . I guess.
Come on developers. Let's denude every hillside in west Little Rock so we can enjoy the delights of . . . Penney's?

Nothing really changes. The developer knew that he could go through the motions of approval by the city and the result would be the destruction of another part of our city. I'm a conservative republican but I am apalled on this wonton destruction. A little talent by a developer could develop an area that was pleasing and didn't rape our community but that is too much to ask of the red neck developers. They can get away with murder and they know it. Sorry LR but you got screwed again by your city and your neighbors.

Wow, seems like a lot of people who are ordinarily up on the news were asleep on this one. Go figure. It couldn't possibly be that our planning commission rolled over quickly and quietly for another developer. Nope, we were all asleep.

Summit Mall was put to rest because of the devastation to the land, traffic, yada yada yada. Now, we have J.C. Penney anchoring a space that could have held stores with more national recognition? Oh, well, we got a rabbit in the River Market. Guess that is a fair trade.

How ignorant are some of you people on this blog? This land was approved for a mall 20 years ago. What has occured pover the last 20 years is a less intense use? In addition, 20 years ago, the city board made the developer construct ZERO infrastructure improvements. In addition, I would remind my conservation Republican that the original development approved over 20 years ago had no requirements for landscaping or preservation. The city placed some of the most stringent set aside requirements than any city ion Arkansas since the first project was approved in 1986. What is taking place now will require more than $10 million worth of streets, drainage, curbs, gutters and traffic signals. LR has to have retail development. If not it goes somewhere else. Do not think for a minute that the hell given to the Simeon people over Summit Mall did not play a role in developers looking to Bryant, Cabot and Conway rather than sites in Little Rock.

Oh here is another interesting piece of fact to chew on...

Since Summit Mall was tied up in court and Simeon eventually sold its property, not only did this property develop, but two additional retail projects on Highway Ten and Chenal have been approved. Had Summit Mall gone forward, a retail development approximately 1 million square feet would have been establsihed. Now, you have three developments in three different locations totaling nearly 1.5 million square feet. Did the city really win by defeating Summit Mall?

Rockwatcher, explain to me why we have to have retail development? Why is must the city of LR be about making the rich richer?

Tell me you are kidding.

Retail development means increased value of property and sales tax revenues that stay in the city of Little Rock. In addition, if you offer the right mix of retail development you will attract people to visit your city and you will bring peope to live in your city. Furthermore, you will provide additional employment opportunities for people. Retail development is a major benfit to the city government and the citizens of the city.

How will this effect home property values in nearby neighborhoods like Sandpiper and Sanpiper West? Should I sell?