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After having lived in NYC for 3 years, I arrived in downtown LR last year and, to my surprise, have actually fallen for this city.
In no way to I aspire to turn LR into NYC (I left the east coast for a reason), but when I walk up and down Main St and see all these beautiful old buildings and homes sitting EMPTY, all I see is opportunity.
The River Market has given us a very good start, but lets keep going! First priority is that we NEED MORE RESIDENTS! And in order to get them here, we need to have distinct competitive advantages (or at least basic conveniences) to ATTRACT and HOLD the population. This includes attracting both existing LR residents AND those moving to the area for the first time (the latter is in large part up to help from city planning and attracting more businesses).
So lets do our part by at least identifying a comprehensive list of what downtown still needs to make it a more enjoyable place to live. Who knows, maybe it exists and some of us don't even know about it yet!
I'll start...obviously a grocery or convenience store. Some more idea kickers...mainly to keep people out on the streets after 7pm...in no particular order
1) less parking lots that are saturated only by daily commuters burning up fuel from a 30-minute commute
2) more dog runs and/or park spaces. Who thinks the big parking lot bordered by Lafayette, 6th St, Center St, and 7th St should be turned into a park? It could be enjoyed by residents and downtown workers alike.
3) More places open on Sundays
4) Anchor shopping boutiques that would be a great match for some of these empty old buildings (J Crew...did downtown even pitch to get them here over west little rock suburbs?)
5) Small movie theater...why does the Rep not show more films for us down here?
6) More affordable loft-style living...they don't have to turn all these places into luxury condos. A great downtown needs diversity, which means we need places for starving artists, and more dive type bars (like vinos) for those people to feel comfortable. Don't turn Little Rock into the uppity/trendy lopsided demographic that Fayetteville and NW Arkansas has become.
I could go on and on, but post some thoughts and lets get some POSITIVE discussions going. Got a great idea for a business? Post it here, and tell us WHERE you would put it! Maybe someone knows someone who can help make it happen.
Lets make this forum a plethora of information for us to work from! Thanks to all of you in advance for your thoughts!
A lot of your ideas are actually already in motion, to some degree. The Main Street revitalization plan has been active for some time, but the economy hit and drastically slowed the momentum. I feel it is likely to get going again shortly (there should be a couple nice development announcements for that section of town later this year , and the K-Lofts will hopefully be completed or nearing completion by the end of the year), but will of course take time and money to be done right. The Lafayette Square development as originally envisioned would have done wonders for that part of town, but fell victim to the dry up of the lending market and the impatience of Tower Investments. I'll try to go through and add or address some of your comments.
More residents- Downtown actually has the lowest vacancy rate for rental units anywhere in the metro area. The real issue so far isn't lack of interest- it's lack of space. Your downtown rental options are very limited right now (as I'm sure you know) and they stay pretty full. Residential options are a bit more plentiful, but tend to be expensive (The Lafayette Square condos are actually pretty affordable for what they are, but that immediate area currently lacks amenities and the complex has parking issues, so it hasn't done very well on the market thus far) and are sometimes located in odd places. I think the addition of more rental residential space and the likely future addition of more "affordable" (not cheap, but under $350,000) condos will help boost the diversity and volume of downtown residents. The K-Lofts are a good, albeit small, start to a better residential market on Main, and I keep hoping another of the empty buildings will get new life as an apartment or condo project soon.
Grocery or convenience- The Copper Grocery sort of served this niche (as does the green grass bodega or whatever it's called in the River Market), but suffered from tiny selection and extremely inflated prices. There's a bit of a catch-22 going on downtown in the grocery scene right now- grocers are waiting for more residents, residents are waiting for a grocer (according to surveys). I'm sure it will happen eventually, but I too would like to see a real downtown grocery store (like the Culinaria in St. Louis) in the near future.
Parking- Good lord yes. Little Rock has WAY too many surface parking lots that are essentially commuter lots. Most of them exist due to dilapidated or small old buildings being torn down and people wanting to turn a short term profit on the now empty space. The one plus to these lots is it makes it much, much easier for a larger scale development that may be interested in downtown to find a suitable site and acquire relatively affordable land. There have been some interesting transactions and land accumulations going on downtown, so I have a gut feeling that something interesting is in the works, but these things can take years to develop.
Park/dog park- Another common desire downtown. Part of the Historic Arkansas museum's grounds end up being used as a dog park, but that's not really what they're for and they're not well suited for that. There are several empty lots that I wouldn't mind seeing the city turn into a small downtown park area. MacArthur park is very nice but isn't close enough for most downtown residents and the Riverfront park is not a dog park.
Sundays- Weekend hours in general are limited downtown. I too would like to see things open more/later.
Shopping- J Crew was never going to entertain the idea of downtown. Downtown used to have a strong retail scene but the death of M.M. Cohn and a couple other downtown based retailers pretty much decimated any traditional retail life there. I think there will be more interest in a downtown retail scene once again as resident numbers increase and the economy picks up. LR is willing to make deals to see that happen, but there's not much interest yet. My dream to get the ball rolling would be one of the new urban-format Targets or Walmarts (nothing special, but they'd certainly anchor a downtown retail corridor), or the return of a downtown Walgreens or similar to offer some necessities and groceries to the area.
Movie Theater- Also used to exist and died with retail. I don't see it returning anytime soon considering the number of choices in the area, but it would be nice to have a more unique 2 or 3 screen nice theater downtown (I would love a theater that served alcohol and food with nice couch/chair/etc. seating- they exist in larger markets and I think could work here too).
More affordable lofts- I don't see the loft apartments being added to the market in the future being any cheaper than the existing ones (they're a little high, but the market seems willing to pay it), but I do foresee more affordable permanent housing (non-rental) being added to the market in the future as downtown becomes a more viable housing market for full time residents. Right now, a lot of the high end market is owned by part time residents and I'd love to see an upper middle class market get a stronger foothold in downtown too. The Lafayette Square development represented a huge opportunity for this market, but the location isn't ideal for quick absorption. Surely in the next few years it will fill up as that area's appeal grows.
I like your line of thinking, and hope you will enjoy Little Rock and watching downtown grow and evolve. Welcome!
welcome to downtown! I like your ideas. (and still mourn the loss of the old theater on Main Street earlier this year. it could have been restored into something awesome!)
I would love to see more development on Main Street and look forward to the extension of the trolley all the way down Main to Roosevelt. it's only a matter of time, but first an extension will be built in North Little Rock. (details: Metroplan | Little Rock, Arkansas) I think an extended trolley line will do a LOT to enhance development all the way down this corridor.
I'm also excited about all the activity in the Pettaway neighborhood. very interesting new structures are being built there in addition to some wonderful restorations!
welcome to downtown! I like your ideas. (and still mourn the loss of the old theater on Main Street earlier this year. it could have been restored into something awesome!)
I would love to see more development on Main Street and look forward to the extension of the trolley all the way down Main to Roosevelt. it's only a matter of time, but first an extension will be built in North Little Rock. (details: Metroplan | Little Rock, Arkansas) I think an extended trolley line will do a LOT to enhance development all the way down this corridor.
I'm also excited about all the activity in the Pettaway neighborhood. very interesting new structures are being built there in addition to some wonderful restorations!
I think their far north NLR extension options are completely pointless and will do more to put the future of River Rail at risk than move it closer to financial stability, and I told them as much when I filled out that survey. A moderate expansion in NLR and an expansion down the Main Street (or at least parallel to) corridor in downtown LR is the most economically sensible plan, but we'll see what they do.
they're trying to encourage commuters, not just tourists, to ride the trolley. so I think a link to the community center/library/etc. complex on Pershing could be useful and desirable. I'm not so sure about extending it on down JFK, at least for now.
an extension down Main to Roosevelt will eventually tie into the desired link to the airport, in addition to enhancing Main Street, so there's really no downside to that proposal. (and I'm not just saying that because it will bring it within a few blocks of my house! I will be all over that.)
More residents- Downtown actually has the lowest vacancy rate for rental units anywhere in the metro area.
...
grocers are waiting for more residents, residents are waiting for a grocer (according to surveys).
...
There have been some interesting transactions and land accumulations going on downtown, so I have a gut feeling that something interesting is in the works, but these things can take years to develop.
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get the info for these three parts of your post? I like learning about all things Little Rock and would be interested to see that survey and the vacancy rates across the city.
they're trying to encourage commuters, not just tourists, to ride the trolley. so I think a link to the community center/library/etc. complex on Pershing could be useful and desirable. I'm not so sure about extending it on down JFK, at least for now.
an extension down Main to Roosevelt will eventually tie into the desired link to the airport, in addition to enhancing Main Street, so there's really no downside to that proposal. (and I'm not just saying that because it will bring it within a few blocks of my house! I will be all over that.)
I'm all for the Main to Roosevelt route!
Quote:
Originally Posted by hines
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get the info for these three parts of your post? I like learning about all things Little Rock and would be interested to see that survey and the vacancy rates across the city.
Thanks
The first was a vacancy survey done by rental property owners last year (I believe it's an annual survey), but I honestly can't recall where it was published online. It may be on urbanplanet somewhere, I do remember us discussing it in the past. It was mentioned again in the Dem Gazette when the K-Lofts were announced since that was part of the information the new property owner there used when deciding to pursue an apartment project downtown. I assume it's something that city planners and various committees like to have on file when trying to secure new developments.
The second was from similar surveys and community input meetings for the Main Street revitalization plan and the business side of things was provided by a couple of reputable investors and realtors I've spoken with.
The third is public knowledge pieced together over the past several months. Most major acquisitions downtown are monitored and published by Arkansas Business, and a few of us have kept an eye on things and noticed the same few people buying properties lately, as well as a couple new faces paying what seemed like a lot for a parking lot. Then there's Stephens (of course) who owns a significant number of properties downtown but has yet to tip his hand as to any plans for them (he has claimed in the past there's no plan, but if that's the case, why keep buying property and just holding on to it?).
speaking of grocery stores, there is the Food Giant on Main. I'm sure what you mean is north of I-630 but I don't really see that happening except for the bodega/kiosk-type places. though I'd love to see something like the Argenta Market in the River Market area.
Hi everyone. I grew up in LR but now live in Georgia, and am new to this forum. I am an architect and developer, currently working to bring loft apartments to downtown Augusta, GA.
The challenges facing LR are common in cities thoughout the nation, but the good news is that suburban sprawl is slowly losing steam and urban infill and repopulation are growing trends in cities throughout the country. I visit LR periodocally, and have been impressed with progress their in the last decade. Keep up the good work!
Like Little Rock, Augusta's downtown development has focused on condos downtown, and they have mainly been successful. The demand for condos, however, is not particularly strong, and the greater demand for rental housing has not been addressed.
The key to urban renewal is a vibrant street life which requires residents who desire a live/work/play environment. Approiximatley 75% of Gen Y members fit the bill, according to polling data. IMO the right move is to increase rental opportuities, thereby breathing more vitality into the area. Other development will then follow.
And by all means discourage surface parking lots--they are heat islands that absolutely kill the urban fabric.
The key to urban renewal is a vibrant street life which requires residents who desire a live/work/play environment. Approiximatley 75% of Gen Y members fit the bill, according to polling data. IMO the right move is to increase rental opportuities, thereby breathing more vitality into the area. Other development will then follow.
Agreed. Gen Y wants hip, dense, and walkable. They don't want that McMansion in the suburbs. Why developers are hung up on condos that only wealthy investors can afford I don't know. This problem isn't unique to Little Rock. Where I live now most of the downtown urban renewal that has occurred over the last decade has been luxury condos with very little rental properties.
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, and the K-Lofts will hopefully be completed or nearing completion by the end of the year), but will of course take time and money to be done right. The Lafayette Square development as originally envisioned would have done wonders for that part of town, but fell victim to the dry up of the lending market and the impatience of Tower Investments. I'll try to go through and add or address some of your comments.
