Little Rock Underrated? (Conway, Benton, Cabot: restaurants, pollution, public transportation)

[northbound74]

^^I'd agree with that for the most part, except Springfield, MO has more in the way of stuff to do, and places to eat and shop, I'd say, even though it's a little smaller. Little Rock's only advantage in the stuff to do catagory is the state capital and the Clinton Library.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

Here's a generality I've observed (both in person and on this board) --

If you're from a smaller place, LR is going to seem quite urban and busy.

If you're from a bigger place, not so much.

Somewhat. Anybody who thinks Little Rock is "urban" and "busy" hasn't spent much time outside of Arkansas. I used to live in Fort Smith, but before that I lived in some truly urban areas (Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Los Angeles). Little Rock is a little larger than Fort Smith, a little less redneck, a little more cosmopolitan, but overall it very much is Fort Smith on a larger scale, meaning it has the feel of a very large small sleepy southern town. The only thing even remotely "big city" about it is the crime rate.

Originally Posted by strumpeace

LR has significantly more to do than many Southern cities with comparable populations -- think Jackson MS, Mobile AL, Springfield MO.

Disagree here. Little Rock is significantly ahead of these places in terms of downtown revitalization, but Jackson and Springfield wipe the floor with Little Rock in terms of retail, restaurants, and nightlife. Haven't spent enough time in Mobile to really make a statement about life there, but they have the beach nearby so that counts for something. Little Rock has some serious demographic advantages over these places, but for some reason they have been able to do more with what they have.

Originally Posted by strumpeace

LR has significantly less to do than larger cities in the region -- Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis, New Orleans.

Agree

Originally Posted by strumpeace

For some people, it works. For others, it doesn't. Some insist on staying in a place where they're miserable and proclaiming their misery constantly. Some think life is too short for that. You find all kinds here.

Not everybody gets to live in their dream city. Packing up and moving is much easier said than done. I had the chance to do that last year, but got a good job offer in Little Rock (which I then lost because of the economy) and also thought Little Rock would be more urban, more vibrant, and more exciting than Fort Smith, and it is....a little bit. Now I am just waiting out the bad economy. The one saving grace of this town....the natural beauty. Few other cities of decent size are as so well integrated into their natural landscape as Little Rock.

[akafish77]

I think that there is one basic thing that could turn the city around really quickly, that has not been addressed very much, and that is UALR. Right now it is nothing but a small commuter school. While it actually has decent academics and has done quite a bit of research, it has not changed its perception as a institution. If the place were to move from a commuter/international bent, to a normal university, the culture and nightlife in the city as a whole would skyrocket. There is obviously some demand here already, there are just not enough people who are willing to go out and do it.

The good thing is this. It appears that UALR is trying to become a normal university and bring more people on campus, i.e. the new dorms and apartments across the street. The more campus focussed that the university gets, the better that part of town will be, encouraging more to come there. Hopefully that will be able to purge the rest University(the street) all the way to the interstate. That would then serve as a better core for the city as it is centrally located. Hopefully that would also bring out more young adults from west of 430.

Make UALR better, and Little Rock gets better. At least, those are my two cents.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by akafish77

I think that there is one basic thing that could turn the city around really quickly, that has not been addressed very much, and that is UALR. Right now it is nothing but a small commuter school. While it actually has decent academics and has done quite a bit of research, it has not changed its perception as a institution. If the place were to move from a commuter/international bent, to a normal university, the culture and nightlife in the city as a whole would skyrocket. There is obviously some demand here already, there are just not enough people who are willing to go out and do it.

The good thing is this. It appears that UALR is trying to become a normal university and bring more people on campus, i.e. the new dorms and apartments across the street. The more campus focussed that the university gets, the better that part of town will be, encouraging more to come there. Hopefully that will be able to purge the rest University(the street) all the way to the interstate. That would then serve as a better core for the city as it is centrally located. Hopefully that would also bring out more young adults from west of 430.

Make UALR better, and Little Rock gets better. At least, those are my two cents.

I agree. Many people refer to UALR as "University of Last Resort" because that is its perception. A larger student population in Little Rock would definitely help liven things up a little bit as well as keep more young people here after graduation. It will also help change the perception of the town east of I-430, where many today don't venture unless they have to. What Little Rock needs is more unique restaurants, entertainment, and nightlife options, NOT more Chili's and Applebees. I don't blame young people for not sticking around, that stuff gets boring fast, and people used to big cities laugh that it is our "nightlife" here. There is really no reason a town of almost 200,000 should be this dead.

UALR needs to split from the U of A system. They will never allow the school to grow to anything but a local commuter school because they don't want anything competing with the flagship in Fayetteville.

[strumpeace]

UALR is a commuter school by design. Many universities and colleges are moving away from the old dorm-type on-campus apartments. Perhaps UALR and other metropolitan universities are simply ahead of the curve.

For folks who are determined to be miserable and beat up on LR as much as possible, UALR is an easy target. Nevertheless, the school has some great programs--particularly at the graduate level. It is graduate-level, research-driven academics that separates the 'good' metro universities from the 'bad' ones. UALR with its up-and-coming law school, public health partnership with UAMS, niche grad programs in things such as blind rehabilitation and technical writing, and partnership with the Clinton School is clearly moving more in the 'good' direction.

UA-Fayetteville, UCA, and ASU are not metro universities. UALR is not supposed to be anything like them. Look at the U of Memphis, Wayne State University, Cleveland State, UTEP, and other metro universities for a more fair comparison of what campus life at a metro is supposed to be like.

[akafish77]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

UALR is a commuter school by design. Many universities and colleges are moving away from the old dorm-type on-campus apartments. Perhaps UALR and other metropolitan universities are simply ahead of the curve.

For folks who are determined to be miserable and beat up on LR as much as possible, UALR is an easy target. Nevertheless, the school has some great programs--particularly at the graduate level. It is graduate-level, research-driven academics that separates the 'good' metro universities from the 'bad' ones. UALR with its up-and-coming law school, public health partnership with UAMS, niche grad programs in things such as blind rehabilitation and technical writing, and partnership with the Clinton School is clearly moving more in the 'good' direction.

I am not saying that the school is a bad school, indeed as you pointed out, academically, it is doing quite well and moving in the right direction. It just has very little to offer an undergrad. Students still want a college culture and that is one thing that appears to be lacking at UALR.

And I disagree that universities are moving away from having students on campus, they are just changing the way in which students live there. They are moving to much smaller "residence halls" instead of the sardine can style dorms. UALR also has a significantly smaller number of on-campus students (6%)than other commuter schools (Memphis 15%). And those schools are in much larger cities, where it is possible to have a vibrant social life apart from being on-campus. I just think that it would be better for the university and the city for the institution to have a broader student base. It does not have to change what it is, just make itself more appealing to more students.

[PurpleLove08]

Originally Posted by akafish77

I am not saying that the school is a bad school, indeed as you pointed out, academically, it is doing quite well and moving in the right direction. It just has very little to offer an undergrad. Students still want a college culture and that is one thing that appears to be lacking at UALR.

And I disagree that universities are moving away from having students on campus, they are just changing the way in which students live there. They are moving to much smaller "residence halls" instead of the sardine can style dorms. And UALR has a significantly smaller number of on-campus students (6%)than other commuter schools (Memphis 15%). And those schools are in much larger cities, where it is possible to have a vibrant social life apart from being on-campus. I just think that it would be better for the university and the city for the institution to have a broader student base. It does not have to change what it is, just make itself more appealing to more students.

I plan on transferring to UALR and I already know student life won't be what it is at say UCA, Fayettville, or even Arkansas Tech. I'm pretty used to it though, I attend a community college right now so there is even less student involvement and student activities.
I hope to try to get more student events on campus and make it appeal to future college kids.
The main reason I'm going there is for financial reasons. I plan on getting a transfer scholarship and it goes further than one I would have received at UCA.

I wish the area around UALR had more activities for students and one wouldn't have to hop in the car or on the bus to go downtown or even North Little Rock to find something to do.
Hopefully in the future we will see more things for students to do.

[jenni-b]

It will also help change the perception of the town east of I-430, where many today don't venture unless they have to. What Little Rock needs is more unique restaurants, entertainment, and nightlife options, NOT more Chili's and Applebees.

There is plenty of that. IF you venture east of I-430. (Where, by the way, there ARE NO Chili's or Applebees.)

[talbet]

I like Little Rock, and think there are a lot of neat places to eat, especially on Market st. The town is still growing and coming into its own. 10 years ago I was told Market st. was only busy on week days by people working down town. Now it is getting busy even on Sunday now with the state change on alcohol sales. I think Little Rock has to possibilty to really grow in the next 20 years, especially if people get to understand what it has to offer.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by talbet

I like Little Rock, and think there are a lot of neat places to eat, especially on Market st. The town is still growing and coming into its own. 10 years ago I was told Market st. was only busy on week days by people working down town. Now it is getting busy even on Sunday now with the state change on alcohol sales. I think Little Rock has to possibilty to really grow in the next 20 years, especially if people get to understand what it has to offer.

If Little Rock sees job growth, most of the population growth will come to Sheridan, Conway, Cabot, and Benton/Bryant. In order for Little Rock to achieve it's potential, the "black hole" perception of anywhere east of I-430, west of I-440, and south of I-40 MUST change. The River Market area is headed in the right direction but things still close way too early and businesses still open and close rather frequently. In addition on a weekend night you will find places like TGI Fridays and Chili's far more packed than anywhere downtown. In a real city, those chain bar n grills are considered to be pretty lame.