Arlington Asked to Bid for Bush Library

[jtstang]

If they did that, the entirety of Yale Blvd. would almost certainly have to be bought out and either redeveloped (which I'm for) or incorporated into the library. I've always thought that area could be a nice mixed-use area with restaraunts shops and apts., regardless if the library is there or not.

Just don't f--- with Milo Butterfinger's (est. 1974, I think).

[Eddie P]

I think you would be eyeing the areas on SMU boulevardon the southside where we have the track workout fields. SMU owns the old UA Theater and could probably get some more land there. They do not own either of the office buildings near there, however. (Gaedeke Group & Prescott Realty)

I don't know why people keep saying the Mrs. Baird's factory. That's become something of an urban legend and completely false for so many reasons, starting with the practical.

[jtstang]

I think you would be eyeing the areas on SMU boulevardon the southside where we have the track workout fields.

That's the area I was referring to, if you include the land taken up by the condo's even further south which I guess SMU now owns.

[couch 'em]

SMU just kicked everyone out of the large aparment complex across from Moody (south of the track/tennis area) because they needed "too many renovations".....translation: "Area needed for Bush library"

[NavyCrimson]

obviously we don't have this library thing sowed up after all -

in other words, the white house doesn't like smu's proposal -

i checked the reagan library's acreage & its 100 -

http://www.reaganlibrary.net/intro.html

"The Ronald Reagan Library is one of nine Presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Like the other libraries, it was built with private funds and then donated to the United States, to be operated thereafter by the government.

The library's purpose is to collect, preserve, and make available to the public the historical materials that tell the story of the presidency of Ronald Reagan. The White House materials of President and Mrs. Reagan and their staffs form the core of the library's resources.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum Bookstore covers 153,000 square feet on 100 acres. The library's holdings include more than 50 million pages of documents, 1.5 million photo graphs and 75,000 gifts.

The museum also includes an exact replica of the Oval Office. Other highlights include a brilliantly graffitied section of the Berlin Wall, a Cossack saddle from Mikhail Gorbachev, a nuclear missile the First Lady's Gallery and memorabilia such as movie posters and jelly bean jars.

The library's four theaters screen videos tracing Reagan's life from his small town roots through his eight years as president.

The Library Museum and Bookstore also features American history exhibits.

Hours are daily, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m."

[RE Tycoon]

Thanks for the info P. I had heard that we owned one of those office buildings but I was not sure. I think we could say this is in the bag...only if we had a large plot of land somewhere around campus. 15-20 acres would probably do. If we do get the library it will have a small footprint and be quite dense. This isn't good or bad in my opinion, just different from what others have done. It could serve to make this library very dramatic or do the opposite and take away from the seriousness and monument like approach of say the LBJ library. I'm not an architect so I'll leave the design parameters to the Pro's.

[NavyCrimson]

what is the LBJ acreage?

[Bergermeister]

We may not have it "sowed" up, but we've got it "sewed" up. The "invitation to bid" is just formality so the administration can say "it was a difficult decision because all of the locations and all of the presentations were clearly outstanding. SMU is the winner... by a nose."

[Dooby]

I mentioned this before, if you take the condos, mow them down and then move north to Binkley, you can create a parcel big enough to put another Ford Stadium. That ought to be big enough. Heck, you could even go as far as or SMU boulevard, nothing would be missed that couldn't easily be relocated.

Best way to see it is to look at the master plan

http://www.smu.edu/campus_planning/Master_Plan2001.asp

[Hoop Fan]

I'll say this, it will be a major disappointment if SMU does not get it. It makes sense for too many reasons. I still think we will get it, but nothing can be taken for granted.

[WildHorse]

Since SMU plays at Ford Stadium, FC Dallas is moving to Frisco and (just my guess) the Oklahoma/Texas game will move to the JerryJonesBowl when it's built, maybe they could put the library in the Cotton Bowl! There certainly won't be anyone inconvenienced by the construction.

[Go_UTA]

SMU is the clear front runner for this Library. The Bushes have apparently expressed the desire to re-locate to Dallas after the presidency, and Laura is an SMU alumna. Also, SMU and the Highland Park area offer very nice settings, a large population base for visitations, and easy access to Love Field. Also, although the funding campaign for construction is national, plenty of Dallas/HP money would jump aboard. It is SMU's to lose.

Places on the list that Bush probably won't choose: Midland (being nice to his boyhood roots by including them), College Station (will want to make his own mark which is distinct from his father, and it's isolated), and probably not even Austin, although UT Austin is a positive (LBJ is there, and it is a liberal bastion).

Baylor is a contender. Plenty of room, decent university affiliation (and I believe the Bushes are baptist), and close to the ranch. However, a down-side is visitation. It is fairly remote.

I have to rate Arlington as a reasonable contender, but a long-way back from SMU. Pluses for Arlington are: Bush's Ranger ties and a tax-payer-financed stadium that made him big money, a very high visitation area, and close proximity to DFW.

[CalallenStang]

According to this website, the current Bushes are Methodist:

http://www.adherents.com/adh_presidents.html

[Hoop Fan]

well, I wouldnt want to label anyones religion since I dont know for sure, but I recall that the reverand at Highland Park United Methodist Church gave the prayer at the inauguration of Bush and is said to be his personal advisor and pastor. Seems to me the prez is Methodist.

[Go_UTA]

Thanks for the clarification. He's Methodist, so there's another reason for locating it at Southern METHODIST University.

It is hard to see how SMU will lose this.

He ought to locate it in Arlington, as the citizens of the city made him stinkin' rich (instead of merely rich) by providing him a stadium which sky-rocketed the value of his stake in the Rangers. But, that's just the former Arlingtonite in me talking.

As I understand it, Arlington will submit two proposed locations: one in the entertainment district, and one adjacent to the university. Conceivably, the UT System could get involved with a location neighboring the university. Long-shots, but Arlington has pulled-in some surprising long-shots before. Nobody thought little Arlington could lure the Washington Senators baseball team in the very early 1970s, much less the Cowboys (although the latter is probably less surprising now-days). Also, they pulled-off the new baseball stadium project in order to keep the Rangers.