Little agreement found on future of Tyson complex
Posted on Friday, March 28, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/63572/
In theory, Fayetteville’s Tyson building ad hoc committee was discussing appraisal costs and choices Thursday. However, police presence downtown and differences about whether to sell the property were the hot topics.
“ I’ve said this before: I do not think we should sell any of this property. I think when you do that it paints us into a corner, ” police Chief Greg Tabor said.
A new police station, at some unspecified time in the future, is a possibility for the city-owned property near the intersection of Happy Hollow and Huntsville roads. An art complex with gallery and studio space is another possibility, or it could be sold as commercial property to bring it back onto tax rolls.
The committee directed City Engineer Ron Petrie to ask for price quotes from area firms for three appraisal options on the property.
That direction did not come easy.
Ward 1 Alderman Brenda Thiel, who chairs the committee, asked for a motion about which police station concept — one building or two — should be considered. She was met with silence.
When she tur ned to Adella Gray, the other Ward 1 alderman, Gray said, “ You need a motion from me ?”
She went on, “ You know my feeling. I don’t want to sell any of it. ”
Thiel said the motion was only about which option. Gray agreed to make a motion for the one-building concept, which passed after a slight delay in getting a second to the motion.
“ In the spirit of compromise and being it’s not binding, I’ll support that, ” said Ward 3 Alderman Bobby Ferrell, who wants to sell all the property.
The first option for which Petrie will get appraisals is for the property as a whole with separate values for the building and property so the council can determine if demolishing the building will provide a greater value to the land.
The second option would be the same as the first except the appraisal would not include that part of the property identified for possible use by the Northwest Arkansas Community Creative Center.
Option three would be for all of the property except for what could be used for a future police station on the property. That appraisal option would also include identifying a value for a separate two-and-ahalf acre tract.
Mayor Dan Coody described that tract as a relief valve.
“ The reason I thought it might be a good idea to carve out a small piece was because … the majority of the City Council is hellbent-for-leather to sell some of this, ” he said. “ This would allow that contingent to sell something and get some money out of it and still allow us to at least fill the near-future needs of the Police Department. ”
Tabor used a Power-Point presentation to make his point that police stations should be on major roads, should have room to expand, may need auxiliary buildings nearby, are often in residential areas and should not be on the edge of town or in secluded areas.
A series of images showed department objections to other city-owned properties. These included location too near the edge of town, access, concentrated traffic such as during Razorbacks games, and being in an industrial area.
One property would place the Police Department in a Springdale address area; another was in a flood plain, Tabor said.
At least one council member did not appear to be impressed. After the meeting, Ferrell “ congratulated” the chief on being able to come up with the presentation despite being short staffed and short of money.
Committee member and Ward 2 Alderman Nancy Allen said she wants to keep a police presence downtown.
“ I just don’t want us to lose the things that bring people downtown to the out-of-town because I don’t want it to be that kind of gradual deterioration of downtown by not having it be vibrant, ” she said.
Allen said the Police Department is not the hub of a city, but it is part of it.
“ When I found out that about six (police ) cars are circulating at one time, it seemed to me like it wouldn’t be unreasonable to maintain a satellite station, a presence in downtown Fayetteville, ” she said.
Tabor said if the police move away from downtown, he thinks there will need to be some police presence on Dickson Street. How much will depend on cost and manpower, he said.