Comments on: Committee recommends theater site for downtown parking deck

By: Archs

Archs — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:29:15 +0000

Oh look, a study!! We couldn’t get one of these over the past 12 months to approve money to build this thing, but here’s a nice one to help show how to spend it.

And… right out of the gate it’s incorrect. The “Background” section referencing the 2005 study states in that a 1,200 space deck is “required”. This is false. The study actually states that a 1200 space deck to help ease UofA student parking in the Dickson area would be “financially viable from development related demand”, at the current time, which is a very different thing. Especially since the 2005 study was conducted to a large degree to provide more campus parking relief during daylight hours on Dickson, and 2 new hi-capacity parking decks have been built on campus, 2 new private parking decks have been added in the Dickson area, the parking system has been completely revamped, and the proposed development (including the expanded WAC) fell through.

Here is a fact, though, the study in 2005 found that at the time there was actually a surplus of 850 parking spaces in Dickson street. Hmmm….., so that’s an 850 spot surplus, plus 4 new parking decks, minus the deck expansion that didn’t happen, and that leaves us with: a parking shortage?

Whew, Good Jorb, Team!!! My faith is restored. Please proceed.

By: vandelay

vandelay — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 04:20:32 +0000

What’s going on in Little Rock? What kind of talent are they drawing that we don’t get here in Fayetteville?

By: FML

FML — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 01:48:52 +0000

I seem to remember that the reason the city’s 2007 proposed public/private dream of having a private concern build everything for the city on the west lot went south was a memorandum from the city attorney saying it was unconstitutional. Am I mistaken, or has that changed?

By: David Franks

David Franks — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 01:12:08 +0000

Much better. A true god need not tell people to bow before him.

What will your next miracle be?

By: THE GOD OF INFILL

THE GOD OF INFILL — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:37:57 +0000

I give it to you that the eclecticism is there for the most part, but seriously: for any real draw George’s even with the recent improvements is still too little to be the biggest game in downtown. Today in Fayetteville, you have the choice of: big tent in the middle of a field, or tiny tiny underequipped stage with a college kid working the board. Rogue has the concept right: big stage and dance area with good seating, larger than George’s, put they can’t pull the talent. Smoke and Barrel is terrible for sound, the layout’s no good and the stage is incredibly tiny–even if you think today is fine, we can do better. Look at what Little Rock is doing downtown in the Market area–a lot of the successful owners and promoters down there are ex-Dickson owners (Stickyz, for instance ).

A larger city-owned space for Georges-or-bigger draws downtown lined with retail or something might be just the ticket. It probably wouldn’t work, but marketing it alongside the Amp with the WAC might be a great plan for maximizing the vitality of Dickson and day-to-day use in that half of downtown. It might just also be adaptable enough to be that “black box” theatre the WAC initially promised in the parking arrangement. Target it for music, though, please…

A portion of the success of more meaningful development of the left over spaces after this deck begs some public as to what might be next.

By: THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME

THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:24:08 +0000

Honestly, even having a long, obnoxious all-caps name is preferable to a mistake on Gravatar’s service end causing me to show up with your name and icon. The server would melt down from the traffic. “Hey everybody, that Franks dude stopped trying to be a condescending a-hole when setting people straight, check it out before they take it down!”

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 06:21:37 +0000

I miss Dave’s on Dickson

By: vandelay

vandelay — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 02:42:37 +0000

I am a huge fan of live music, and was here throughout the 90′s, loving our awesome music scene. I still frequently see local shows. Georges has the big room now and they still book the same quality of touring acts they always have. The front stage in George’s is today’s Chesters. Smoke and Barrel consistently books amazing local, regional, and national touring acts of all genres, including punk, rock, indie, hiphop, country, folk….everything. Rogue has a kickass outdoor stage and brings in an eclectic mix of bands. And of course there are a ton of other stages in bars and restaurants downtown, several of them quite nice. Now, I’m not saying that the music scene is as vibrant as it could (or should) be, I just think that if there’s a weakness in our local music scene, it is not caused by a lack of performance space. Fayetteville has WAY more venues than we had 15 years ago. I think, if anything, we have a lack of adventurous promoters in this town.

By: glutenfree

glutenfree — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 22:00:53 +0000

This is a good idea for a liner building that maybe the WAC can support or help build. Local music showcase type place. From Goodfolk to all ages punk shows. If we’re dropping $, lets dream bigger than just a parking garage with a few fake storefronts.

By: David Franks

David Franks — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 20:47:12 +0000

I hate it when I comment in the wrong location. I’d hate it even more if I had a long screen name in all-caps.

By: THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME

THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 20:01:14 +0000

err, meant to reply to vandelay.

By: THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME

THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 20:00:59 +0000

Were you not here in the 90s? Before rising rents and taxes causing lots of places to change hands or formats, we had an insanely good local music scene. Having a dedicated music hall or outdoor-type structure for some larger acts would be fantastic, since nothing in the downtown can support that sort of thing the moment except the Arts Center itself, and it’s fairly subpar for music. Stage configuration, seating configuration, and sound all bite for anything but small acts. There’s ample room to do this in the downtown area if planned right.

By: vandelay

vandelay — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 03:08:38 +0000

what kind of permanent music venue? It seems like there are about 10 or 15 of those up and down dickson street.

By: THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME

THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:58:43 +0000

Agreed. I think folks would be willing to eat the loss of Grubs and much of the space at the front of the updated 2015 WAC (per their renders released a few weeks back) if we got a great garden-type space or genuine amphitheater back there instead of a deck.

By: THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME

THE GOD OF INFILL BWAHAHAHA BOW BEFORE ME — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:56:12 +0000

Whatever happens here, please leave space for a downtown music venue! While I’m glad they didn’t do what was projected and eat the East lot area for this deck, I was thinking that either that back area of the WAC or the West lot would be great for a permanent music venue downtown. It’d at least be better than giving some of the funds for a building like that to the U of A for building one that they can already handle themselves.

Of course, seeing as the West lot is sacred, the next best thing is probably the Mill District.

By: David Franks

David Franks — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:16:35 +0000

I agree. Paperwork regarding the land and construction can be done to insure completion of the private component, the unity of the end product, and functional independence of the city and private entities. Or perhaps the WAC could undertake to branch out into the commercial real-estate market by retaining ownership of land and offering long-term land leases to developers.

The major policy objection to the Renaissance Tower deal is that it absolutely transferred the benefit .of a piece of property from the city to a developer. That could be avoided with a public-private venture for a parking garage amidst other development.

By: Informed voter

Informed voter — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:37:13 +0000

They should have to pay taxes. All of the rest of us do. I also agree that the city should not get into the rental business, leave that to the people who want to stick their necks out for business. Also that creates other issues such as the self insurance the city does, does this extend to these sort of businesses? I think that the idea of public private partnerships is just plain stupid as is evidence with Renaissance Failure. I usually turns out bad.

While we are building a deck why not go up a few more stories and add even more spaces. Regular bus routes or trolley…?

By: glutenfree

glutenfree — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:23:25 +0000

I think this true liner-building idea would be most easily achieved by including a private entity in the planning and construction process. Proposals should be considered from private developers who could even be required to pay part of the costs associated with constructing the garage, letting residents off the hook part of the way for the costs of paying off the bonds. Does this all sound familiar?

I feel like city leadership has no flexibility with public/private cooperative projects at all, rather choosing to err on the side of extreme caution in light of RenTower.

By: David Franks

David Franks — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:33:28 +0000

Viable liner buildings– that is, multistory buildings with adequate footprints and commercially-useful total square footage– can be built and owned independently of the city’s garage structure. The proposed occupiable spaces are more problematic because they are part of the parking structure, and there is no separation of ownership. Contiguous privately-owned retail, office and residential space is made more viable by adjacent covered parking at every level, and the parking garage is made more viable by contiguous human occupancy at every level. The more that can be done to make the parking garage a destination in itself, the better it is for everybody.

Of course also having a park on the roof would be even better. Of course the WAC lot would be a better location for that.

By: faytown

faytown — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:19:38 +0000

don’t think it’s good public policy for the city of fayetteville to become a commercial real estate developer. note the u of a is currently getting a public spanking from the county tax assessor for getting into the commercial real estate business aka the garland center, campus starbucks, etc.