Building in Little Rock (Hope: home, to move, metro area)

[850_branded]

Originally Posted by Old Fossil

Next time in L.R. take a trip south down Main Street and east out 6th Street. Of course not knowing how it was, you really can't see the great changes that have been made, and continue. We will have a new mayor next year and that will help. Unfortunately, our public schools are the biggest negative, and it is not the fault of the schools and staff. "The Suits" and "Big Money" are trying to destroy our public schools by pushing for Charter Schools at the detriment of the P.S. The state has taken over the schools and they are being run by one man who has put in a "puppet" superintendent after firing the one they first put in place, because he was doing too good and placed students before the dictates of the state.

That's good information to know...thanks!

I actually did make it downtown when I was there a few days ago--though I'm not sure if I was in the area you mentioned (Main out past 6th--I really wasn't paying attention to the street signs too much). Like you say, having no point of reference to what DTLR was previously, I can't really ascertain the level or impact of build-up down there. But I CAN say I was pretty impressed by what I saw...that riverfront is really something. And y'all have a streetcar circular! (Even Nashville can't claim that--neither can Indianapolis. Or Des Moines IA. And there's a reason I bring those places up.)

That is such a shame re: the plight of the public school system. I'm not an education major, nor expert by any means, but as one who came through the public school system and turned out pretty alright (okay, I attended a magnet program in middle school, but elementary and high were straight public), I can see why and how some make cases for charter schools. Here's my major point of contention with that, though: more often than not, it ain't an accurate representation of the "real world" outside those walls. Plus, some not-as-well-to-do families may have genuinely smart kids, but cannot afford to enroll them in charter or magnet schools...then what? Why must that child them suffer the consequences and not be able to receive a quality education via the public system? (Ask me why I believe this... I'm living evidence... thankfully, the magnet program I attended was free, just like public schools.)

I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but without a quality investment in our children today, we won't--or probably more appropriately, they won't--truly see or want to seed a change for tomorrow. I mentioned I made it downtown last time I was there...my lasting take from my walk down there from Little Rock Central High (which I made a point to visit) was the memorial to the Little Rock Nine. I had no idea it was there until I got there... and the thing that's still with me is that the Nine are positioned as if they're walking straight to the State Capitol. That was a powerfully symbolic and poetic moment for me to see that. And to think, those same nine kids initially weren't even allowed into certain public schools just due to skin color, yet even with all they endured due to what they believed was right in their hearts, loo at the lasting impact it had. (And as it happens, some of those kids eventually did make it into high levels of government--most notably Ernest Green, IIRC Minniejean Brown, as well.)

Anyway, that's my major takeaway from that.

[Old Fossil]

850, next time in L.R. go south on Main Street, on over/past I-630. That stretch is called SOMA, South On MAin [Street]

[850_branded]

Originally Posted by Old Fossil

850, next time in L.R. go south on Main Street, on over/past I-630. That stretch is called SOMA, South On MAin [Street]

I may have walked UP that stretch getting into downtown, but nevertheless, next time I'm out there I'll be sure to check that out. Thanks!

[tastes_like_chicken]

My comment:


When I lived in west LR, this was predictable even then. LR is now perceived outside the region as "southern" but not like a Jackson, or Memphis....and the ills that they have at present. Keep in mind, my old friend Fred Smith CEO of Fedex started his company in Arkansas, and Arkansas has always attracted powerhouses in bond-trading such as Stephens, and lesser known firms such as Crews, Amuni and several others, and the average incomes of these employees or principals are far and well above 150k annually. The money made in the bond trading business in Little Rock and Memphis is staggering and most people that are long time residents never had a clue...and still don't...lol

[Old Fossil]

Originally Posted by tastes_like_chicken

My comment:


When I lived in west LR, this was predictable even then. LR is now perceived outside the region as "southern" but not like a Jackson, or Memphis....and the ills that they have at present. Keep in mind, my old friend Fred Smith CEO of Fedex started his company in Arkansas, and Arkansas has always attracted powerhouses in bond-trading such as Stephens, and lesser known firms such as Crews, Amuni and several others, and the average incomes of these employees or principals are far and well above 150k annually. The money made in the bond trading business in Little Rock and Memphis is staggering and most people that are long time residents never had a clue...and still don't...lol

I remember Fred Smith and his goal for air freight, but I really remember the hard headed negative attitude of the Little Rock leadership at the time who would not listen to him, so he moved his "dream" to Memphis, and as they say; "the rest is history".

[850_branded]

Wow... that is super unfortunate.

I see I got some research to do on this Fred Smith guy, FedEx...and as you say, the hard-headed negative leadership of LR at that time. Because if those same mindsets--and really, heartsets--persist today, that may explain a lot about the current climate there...

Perhaps one of y'all can chime in on this some more?

[BMW335i]

Originally Posted by 850_branded

Wow... that is super unfortunate.

I see I got some research to do on this Fred Smith guy, FedEx...and as you say, the hard-headed negative leadership of LR at that time. Because if those same mindsets--and really, heartsets--persist today, that may explain a lot about the current climate there...

Perhaps one of y'all can chime in on this some more?

That was a LONG time ago, and it's certainly inaccurate at best to try and correlate leadership then with leadership now. That being said, who knew it would turn into a huge thing? There were people who thought Sam Walton was crazy for taking on Sears and K-Mart. They were all wrong.

So regardless of whether the board (or was it the airport commission?) lacked vision or not, the REALITY is that it was one of the most significant miscalculation/missed opportunities in the history of the city - probably only second to the black eye from 1957. I read a recent article that estimated that the presence of FedEx has contributed more than 100,000 people to the Memphis metropolitan area.

[850_branded]

I guess that's the double-edged sword of venturing out into business territory that's never been platted before, especially something so new (at that time--I did look up the history behind this). Many may think one is nuts...but should that one succeed, history will call that one a "genius".

As they say, "you live and you learn"...just don't let another one get away! ��

[Old Fossil]

Originally Posted by 850_branded

I guess that's the double-edged sword of venturing out into business territory that's never been platted before, especially something so new (at that time--I did look up the history behind this). Many may think one is nuts...but should that one succeed, history will call that one a "genius".

As they say, "you live and you learn"...just don't let another one get away! ��

They did let another get away several years ago . While "Little Rock" was procrastinating, North Little Rock jumped in there and the new base ball park was built there and the one in L. R. was abandoned.

[DougStark]

Is it possible that NWA and all of it's growth has taken the attention away from LR metro area?

Could NWA eventually surpass the LR metro's population?