[HSVTiger]

[QUOTE=HSVTiger]First section of river bridge blown, this will be a several week process one section at a time
from WAFF

QUOTE]

a neat pic of the third section coming down

http://www.al.com/images/newshp/clay.jpg

[Rail Claimore]

yikes, that can't be good. any idea what else might go there? i hope this isn't a sign that madison square mall and the area around it are on the decline.

University Drive retail east of Research Park Blvd has been stagnant for at least the past 5 years, if not longer. All the action is now west.

[Exodus]

My wife told me they are building a couple fairly largr buildings in the jones valley area, dose any one here have any info on that ?

[HSVTiger]

City may stretch across river

The City Council unanimously passed a resolution Thursday night on behalf of several property owners on the Morgan County side of the river.

City Planning Director Dallas Fanning said the request is motivated largely by plans for a large subdivision that could be jeopardized by a proposed rock quarry.

The measure asks Morgan County Probate Judge Bobby Day to set a referendum that would add nearly 1,000 acres to Huntsville if a majority of the property owners agree.

The council approved the measure with no discussion.

Mayor Loretta Spencer said another developer and petitioning property owner, Dr. John Wisda, has been pushing the city for annexation for two years. A message left at Wisda's home late Thursday was not returned.

Referendum annexations are often used when landowners are sharply divided. Gurley residents two years ago stopped a company from developing a rock quarry on the outskirts of town by annexing the land by referendum. Under special legislation, the town's residents voted to annex 240 acres owned by M&N Materials Co. The city zoned the newly annexed land with a zoning law that doesn't allow quarries.

Residents in about a dozen subdivisions voted in a 1998 referendum to be annexed into Madison.

Annexations that follow underwater pathways to reach new land are not unprecedented. Guntersville reached across the Tennessee River in the 1980s to annex Guntersville State Park so alcohol could be sold at the lodge's restaurant. The annexation was needed because Guntersville has legalized sales of alcohol, but Marshall County does not.

If it happens Huntsville city limits will extend into Limestone, Morgan and Madison counties.

[HSVTiger]

My wife told me they are building a couple fairly largr buildings in the jones valley area, dose any one here have any info on that ?

the best answer is to try and go there and take a look, she is correct.
She may be talking about, Rave Theater, Hobby Lobby, Super Target, several large churches or a number of housing developments:shrug:

[HSVTiger]

University Drive retail east of Research Park Blvd has been stagnant for at least the past 5 years, if not longer. All the action is now west.
true, the new Comfort Inn that is planned next to Hooters should cause
a renewed interest in this area between, Research Park and Sparkman.
Plus with all the major upgrades at UAH it would be a prime area for
condo's, restaurants and revamped shopping centers.

[neilson]

true, the new Comfort Inn that is planned next to Hooters should cause
a renewed interest in this area between, Research Park and Sparkman.
Plus with all the major upgrades at UAH it would be a prime area for
condo's, restaurants and revamped shopping centers.
I'd like to see the old Hills/Winn Dixie Shopping Center have yet a Third ReBirth.

It could happen.

[HSVTiger]

The new ATC tower at the airport looks to be at least 150' tall at this point.

The 219-foot tower will not be the highest one in the United States — Memphis, for example, has a 325-foot tower — but it was the highest possible under FAA regulations, said William Wertz, who supervises airport hub development for Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. The new tower's height will give air traffic controllers line-of-sight observation not just of the existing runways, but of those in the airport's 20-year master plan. The old tower did not provide line-of-sight observation for all of the existing runways.

[HSVTiger]

I'd like to see the old Hills/Winn Dixie Shopping Center have yet a Third ReBirth.

It could happen.


Absolutely, that is such a great location, hey Cabela's take a look see;)

[HSV79]

Well the title might be a little miss leading but Triad the builders of the Summit have yet to have anyone signed up to put a restaurant on the top floor of the building. And the Condos are yet to be built and their option if I'm not mistaken to build a second phase runs out in December. Mighty funny they can build all these skyscrapers in other cities but can't afford to build another 7-9 storey building here. I just hate to see the potential of downtown wasted. Hopefully more big projects are in the works.

[HSVTiger]

Well the title might be a little miss leading but Triad the builders of the Summit have yet to have anyone signed up to put a restaurant on the top floor of the building. And the Condos are yet to be built and their option if I'm not mistaken to build a second phase runs out in December. Mighty funny they can build all these skyscrapers in other cities but can't afford to build another 7-9 storey building here. I just hate to see the potential of downtown wasted. Hopefully more big projects are in the works.

Triad (developer) dropped the ball early on. First there was no restaurant now they change their mind. The condo has been kept so secret and poorly designed how can anyone respond to it other than negative.
If they had several concepts (creativity) and presented them publically it would have created interest and excitement. Hard to sell crappy architecture.
The market is very strong for downtown living but what they want does not fit the market. Why not build a nice apt/condo complex that is affordable?
Every major city in the south is doing it. There are big projects in the works
besides this may actually force a good solution.

[Huntsville_secede]

Council approves TIF; focus shifts to county
School board gets more flexibility on spending $10M
Friday, August 25, 2006
By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com

The Madison County Commission now largely controls the fate of the rebuilding of Lee High School and $25 million worth of other public improvements in Huntsville.

The City Council gave its unanimous approval Thursday night to a proposed tax district that would use property-tax revenue gains in the district to pay off the city's debt for the improvements.

The County Commission will consider the measure at its meeting next Friday. The city school board also must approve the tax plan.
Advertisement





The council passed the plan with little discussion. Mayor Loretta Spencer unveiled the plan a couple of months ago, and several council hearings on it followed.

The Tax Increment Finance plan, or TIF, would pay for $35 million worth of improvements, including $10 million toward a new Lee High and $3 million for extensive renovations to Butler High. Others include $4 million each for an new downtown fire station and a police precinct office complex, a parking garage on Green Street, and Von Braun Center improvements; $5 million for a new access road over Chapman Mountain; $2 million each for Madison County Courthouse renovations and an expansion of the Huntsville Museum of Art; and $1 million for the restoration of Councill School.

The law requires the money to be spent within five years.

A related agreement approved with the TIF on Thursday night requires Huntsville City Schools to spend at least $10 million for repairs to south Huntsville schools. City Planning Director Dallas Fanning said language in the companion agreement was tweaked to satisfy a concern that it limited the school system's discretion on where and how to spend the money.

"We attempted to give as much freedom and flexibility to the school board in terms of whether they would like to spend the money on repairs, reconstruction or rehabilitation," Fanning said. "It's their call."

Councilman Richard Showers asked what happens if the money isn't spent within five years. Fanning said the requirement is specific. The TIF-obligated money would revert to the city's general coffers if the city or school system fails to meet the project spending deadline, he said.

"Under the statute, you have five years to spend the money. If you're not far enough along in the fourth year, you may be a day late and a dollar short. It can be a challenge," Fanning said. "We faced that with the North Huntsville Industrial Park where we were trying to get roads and sewers done. I think we made it in 15 days."

Past city TIFs helped pay for a new Huntsville High and the construction of Columbia High and Providence schools in west Huntsville. TIFs also provided millions of dollars for repairs to eight northwest Huntsville schools, improved the North Huntsville Industrial Park and paid for roads used to win commercial development.

[Exodus]

the best answer is to try and go there and take a look, she is correct.
She may be talking about, Rave Theater, Hobby Lobby, Super Target, several large churches or a number of housing developments:shrug:OK, Thanks.

[HSVTiger]

City may stretch across river

The City Council unanimously passed a resolution Thursday night on behalf of several property owners on the Morgan County side of the river.

City Planning Director Dallas Fanning said the request is motivated largely by plans for a large subdivision that could be jeopardized by a proposed rock quarry.

The measure asks Morgan County Probate Judge Bobby Day to set a referendum that would add nearly 1,000 acres to Huntsville if a majority of the property owners agree.

The council approved the measure with no discussion.

Referendum annexations are often used when landowners are sharply divided. Gurley residents two years ago stopped a company from developing a rock quarry on the outskirts of town by annexing the land by referendum. Under special legislation, the town's residents voted to annex 240 acres owned by M&N Materials Co. The city zoned the newly annexed land with a zoning law that doesn't allow quarries.

.

Will this cause at least two more counties to be added to HSV's MSA?

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
1 Morgan owner has already filed annexation petition

Huntsville is poised to stretch across the Tennessee River into Morgan County even without a successful annexation referendum in Morgan County.

And an extension of Huntsville's city limits into Marshall County may not be far behind.

An annexation petition approved by the Huntsville City Council on Thursday night asks Morgan County Probate Judge Bobby Day to schedule a vote of residents within the proposed annexation tract. But Day apparently is not required to call the referendum.

City Planning Director Dallas Fanning confirmed Friday that a large property owner in the proposed 984-acre tract will independently seek annexation if a referendum isn't held.

"I would recommend to the City Council that we annex it," Fanning said, referring to Dr. John Wisda's 400 acres in Morgan County. Wisda and several neighboring property owners in Lacey's Spring are seeking annexation.

The request is motivated by plans for some large residential developments that could be jeopardized by a proposed rock quarry. Backers say they want to be served by Huntsville City Schools and other city services and that they believe Huntsville has the authority to block the quarry.
Wisda said annexation of his land would increase the value and appeal of his planned residential development. It would offer as many as 1,200 lots, among them 10- to 12-acre mini-farms with river frontage on one side and horse pasture on the other, he said.

Wisda said his 400 acres in Morgan County is part of his more than 1,000 acres extending along the riverfront into Marshall County. (toward Lake Guntersville)

[neilson]

Will this cause at least two more counties to be added to HSV's MSA?

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
1 Morgan owner has already filed annexation petition

Huntsville is poised to stretch across the Tennessee River into Morgan County even without a successful annexation referendum in Morgan County.

And an extension of Huntsville's city limits into Marshall County may not be far behind.

An annexation petition approved by the Huntsville City Council on Thursday night asks Morgan County Probate Judge Bobby Day to schedule a vote of residents within the proposed annexation tract. But Day apparently is not required to call the referendum.

City Planning Director Dallas Fanning confirmed Friday that a large property owner in the proposed 984-acre tract will independently seek annexation if a referendum isn't held.

"I would recommend to the City Council that we annex it," Fanning said, referring to Dr. John Wisda's 400 acres in Morgan County. Wisda and several neighboring property owners in Lacey's Spring are seeking annexation.

The request is motivated by plans for some large residential developments that could be jeopardized by a proposed rock quarry. Backers say they want to be served by Huntsville City Schools and other city services and that they believe Huntsville has the authority to block the quarry.
Wisda said annexation of his land would increase the value and appeal of his planned residential development. It would offer as many as 1,200 lots, among them 10- to 12-acre mini-farms with river frontage on one side and horse pasture on the other, he said.

Wisda said his 400 acres in Morgan County is part of his more than 1,000 acres extending along the riverfront into Marshall County. (toward Lake Guntersville)
Don't forget with the Growth pushing east of Hampton Cove, we could even see Jackson County have a bit of Huntsville in the coming years too.

[HSVTiger]

Military high life

From staff reports
Huntsville Times
City's No. 1 overall, makes top 10 in 10 of 12 categories

For people in the armed forces, Huntsville has the best quality of life of any military town in the country, according to a new study by Expansion Management magazine.

Huntsville ranked No. 1 in overall quality of life in the magazine's 2006 supplemental publication, "Military Communities of Excellence," released this month. Huntsville, which is home to 14,479 active duty service members, according to the study, was compared to other communities with military populations between 10,000 and 19,999.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/115658382285980.xml&coll=1

[HSVTiger]

not surprising a delay in this project..

Q. August was the last projected date for the Five Points Improvements project to begin. Can you please give us an update on when the work will start and what improvements are planned?

A. Final state approval for the design and property appraisals was the main culprit for earlier delays. The stall now is because of two property owners who declined money offers for needed easements. One is a landscaping easement for a strip of land about 5 feet wide. The other is for a utility easement involving a small patch of land, planners say. Condemnation actions are now in court. The $400,000 project calls for wider sidewalks in the business district, benches, street lanterns, tree planters and some utility relocation. Officials say the project can't begin until all property issues are resolved. Once that occurs, the work must be bid. That takes about 60 days to advertise for bids, review proposals and get City Council approval.

[DruidCity]

From the "Military high life" article :

Huntsville placed in the top 10 in 10 of the 12 categories, ranking second in child-care costs and community standard of living and third in health-care costs, affordable housing and spouse employment opportunities. The city ranked 11th in crime and safety and 19th for recreation and leisure.

How many cities were included in the study ?

This study seems consistent with the way I feel about Alabama as a whole - inexpensive, comfortable place to live, yet in need of improvement in the recreation/entertainment/tourism sector.

[HSVTiger]

From the "Military high life" article :



How many cities were included in the study ?

This study seems consistent with the way I feel about Alabama as a whole - inexpensive, comfortable place to live, yet in need of improvement in the recreation/entertainment/tourism sector.


Expansion Management's "2006 Military Communities of Excellence" study compares the quality of life in 126 metro areas that are home to an active duty military installation.
http://www.expansionmanagement.com/smo/articleviewer/default.asp?cmd=articledetail&articleid=17765&st=5

[DruidCity]

Thanks. I was surprised that they also gave Destin-FWB a low mark for "recreation & leisure." That shows how heavily the study took things like pro sports into account.

For this category, we looked at the presence of professional sports teams in the following leagues: Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association, Women’s National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and NASCAR. We also looked at state park acreage and visitors ...

It's a bit odd that they give points for the WNBA, but not college football, and for state parks, but not for local or national parks, but I guess they have to go with the things they can find data for most easily.

[HSVTiger]

US Air goes low cost
US Airways cuts Huntsville fares
US Airways is cutting its fares from Huntsville International Airport to 24 cities by as much as 73 percent from current walk–up rates, and up to a 58 percent discount off current comparable advance-purchase tickets.

Fares are as low as $84 each way – to Louisville – for an advance-purchase ticket and as low as $147 each way for a walk-up ticket.

The new lower-fare program includes some “pretty dramatic reductions across the board,” Travis Christ, vice president for sales and marketing with US Airways, said today at a press conference announcing the program. “This is great news for the city of Huntsville.”

The new fares, which are available immediately, should help the airport “recognize its full potential,” said Christ, standing in front of the US Airways ticket counters. US Airways, which is based in Tempe, Ariz., merged last fall with the low-cost carrier America West Airlines.

Marian Accardi HSV Times

[HSVTiger]

ahh, show us some love Morgan County

Morgan commission stands against Huntsville annexation
The Morgan County Commission unanimously passed a resolution this morning telling the City of Huntsville to stay out of Morgan County.

Several large landowners near Lacey’s Spring have signed a petition asking for a referendum for Huntsville to annex nearly 1,000 acres. The tract includes about 350 acres owned by The Rogers Group for a planned rock quarry. Petitioners believe Huntsville has the regulatory power through zoning and other laws to block the quarry.

Morgan County Commissioner Stacey George said the proposed Huntsville annexation has lots of Lacey’s Spring residents fearful the city will continue to extend its borders near their community once it gets a foothold there.

--John Peck HSV Times

[mlog]

ahh, show us some love Morgan County

Morgan commission stands against Huntsville annexation
The Morgan County Commission unanimously passed a resolution this morning telling the City of Huntsville to stay out of Morgan County.

Several large landowners near Lacey’s Spring have signed a petition asking for a referendum for Huntsville to annex nearly 1,000 acres. The tract includes about 350 acres owned by The Rogers Group for a planned rock quarry. Petitioners believe Huntsville has the regulatory power through zoning and other laws to block the quarry.

Morgan County Commissioner Stacey George said the proposed Huntsville annexation has lots of Lacey’s Spring residents fearful the city will continue to extend its borders near their community once it gets a foothold there.

--John Peck HSV Times

From the Decatur Daily:

The possibility of Huntsville annexing a portion of the east end of Morgan County has the commissioner who represents the area envisioning whiskey drinking and nightclubbing.

District 4 Commissioner Stacy George said some people don't want that in this rural setting and they have called on him to intervene.

The County Commission will discuss the issue today during an 8:30 a.m. work session, Chairman John Glasscock said.

"I've met with constituents who don't want their quality of life lowered in this fashion," said George. "They don't want barhopping and alcohol out here. I would say the group against it is bigger than those for it."

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/060830/annex.shtml

[Rail Claimore]

^Oh yes, Huntsville, that evil place filled with "liberals" (by Alabama standards) where alcohol and a bunch of other things we take for granted are actually legal. :haha:

I think there's just sentiment in Morgan County that Huntsville's being greedy. Can a county commission prevent municipal annexation? I thought counties and municipalities were on the same level with regards to power. Besides, Morgan County does not have home rule. So can they even do this?

[neilson]

^Oh yes, Huntsville, that evil place filled with "liberals" (by Alabama standards) where alcohol and a bunch of other things we take for granted are actually legal. :haha:

I think there's just sentiment in Morgan County that Huntsville's being greedy. Can a county commission prevent municipal annexation? I thought counties and municipalities were on the same level with regards to power. Besides, Morgan County does not have home rule. So can they even do this?
Nope, which is why this is one of the few times that it's a GOOD THING that Alabama isn't too high on Home Rule.

I'd like to see Huntsville annex into Morgan, Marshall, and Jackson County, continue to Annex and Develop into Limestone County, and see the Winchester Road corridor and Monrovia-Harvest area become one with Huntsville.

If we play our cards right, we can become the Largest City in Alabama in terms of Land Area. Birmingham, Mobile, and Montgomery: Watch Out.

[Brown Duckz]

Wouldn't it just be a bunch of out of control sprawl though?

EDIT: I just now realized we were talking about actual city limits.

[HSVTiger]

Dr. Bronner giving hints??

He was in Guntersville

By DAVID BREWER
Times Staff Writer davidb@htimes.com
Marshall County needs first-class hotel, Bronner says

GUNTERSVILLE - The chief of Alabama's pension program encouraged Guntersville officials Wednesday not to give up on Conners Island Industrial Park and convert it to a residential community.

"The island is the key to jobs," said David Bronner, chief executive officer of Retirement Systems of Alabama. "You've got to have an industrial park. It's absolutely essential."

Since the completion of $8 million worth of improvements at the 550-acre park about two years ago, only one small company has located there.

Marshall County Commission Chairman Billy Cannon said the lack of a major rail system and an interstate highway is the main reason why the park has not attracted other companies.

"But we don't want to make it a retirement community," he said. "We want jobs."

At the request of state Sen. Hinton Mitchem, D-Albertville, Bronner toured the park and other areas in Guntersville before speaking to a small group of city, county and state officials at the Senior Citizens Center.

Bronner, chief of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, is recognized throughout the country for his expertise in financial investments made to support the pensions of teachers and state employees.

Bronner said the city and county need to draw on the beauty of the mountains and Guntersville Lake and its recreation potential and build a first-class hotel.

"You have a state park that you've invested $22 million in," he said. "That's good, but good doesn't make it in today's market.

"What you need is a first-class hotel that's about two notches above what you have at the state park."

Bronner also said the county's four major towns - Arab, Albertville, Boaz and Guntersville - need to work together to try to draw industry to the area.

"Think regional," he said.


Guntersville City Councilman Jim Peterson agreed.

"That old football (rivalry) mentality between cities is not productive," he said. "If Albertville gets a plant, its workers are going to buy goods in Guntersville."

Peterson said he and other officials had hoped to hear that Bronner was going to invest in some major development project in the city.

"Although we didn't hear that, we wanted to market our city to him so he'd remember it," he said. Mayor Bob Hembree said Bronner told him that "if the right (project) came along, he might be receptive."

"He feels we have tremendous potential."

[HSVTiger]

From the Decatur Daily:

The possibility of Huntsville annexing a portion of the east end of Morgan County has the commissioner who represents the area envisioning whiskey drinking and nightclubbing.

District 4 Commissioner Stacy George said some people don't want that in this rural setting and they have called on him to intervene.

The County Commission will discuss the issue today during an 8:30 a.m. work session, Chairman John Glasscock said.

"I've met with constituents who don't want their quality of life lowered in this fashion," said George. "They don't want barhopping and alcohol out here. I would say the group against it is bigger than those for it."

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/060830/annex.shtml

a little more info on the process

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
City would have to approve alcohol sales in dry county

Annexation by Huntsville into "dry" Morgan County would not automatically legalize alcohol sales there, although Decatur's annexation in Limestone County several years ago legalized liquor sales in that area.

But the Huntsville City Council can legalize sales in an annexed dry area by ordinance.

The alcohol issue is one of the questions raised by Lacey's Spring residents over a petition signed by several large landowners in Morgan County seeking annexation into Huntsville.

Some residents say they worry that if Huntsville crosses the Tennessee River, package stores and nightclubs could start popping up even though unincorporated Morgan County is a dry county and outlaws alcohol sales.

Liquor sales were automatically permitted when Decatur extended into Limestone County several years ago. Huntsville faces the extra step of passing a separate ordinance allowing liquor sales if it annexes into a dry county.

That's because Huntsville can sell alcohol only because Madison County is a wet county. County residents voted to legalize alcohol sales after the repeal of national prohibition in 1937.

Decatur, though in Morgan County, went wet under the state's 1984 municipal option law allowing cities of a minimum size in dry counties to permit such sales in a citywide election.

Municipalities that become wet under the local option method keep their alcohol-selling authority even if portions of the city spill over into a dry county.

Huntsville's liquor-selling authority was limited to Madison County until 2003 when the Legislature passed a law authorizing cities that cross into dry counties to decide by ordinance whether to extend alcohol sales to new areas.

Huntsville approved an ordinance in June 2003 to permit alcohol sales in Huntsville's portions of Limestone County.

City Attorney Peter Joffrion said Wednesday if the city wanted to extend alcohol sales to annexed Morgan County property, the City Council would have to approve a second ordinance.

City Planning Director Dallas Fanning said much of the property targeted for annexation, nearly 1,000 acres, has flood issues and suitable only for residential development. Fanning acknowledged the city would like to extend its boundaries to U.S. 231 if property owners there ask to come into the city.

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville knows it's crucial to recruit and keep young professionals (YP's)
and have a lot of things in the works to target these groups.
http://www.al.com/youngprofessionals/

Downtown is a big piece of the plan,

Develop a comprehensive marketing plan aimed at young professionals.

Develop a Web site that would be the "go-to" place for young professionals.

Create a young professionals' council, composed of representatives from the more than 20 local groups serving young professionals, and help connect them with area decision makers such as City Council and Planning Commission members. The hope is that by connecting young professionals to the city, the city will develop in a way that is attractive to young professionals.

"We found out one thing: Young professionals want to be heard," Newberry said.

Another goal of the council - which will be expanded from the EmYrge Council, a young professionals umbrella group formed by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce - is to foster communication among the many local groups for event planning and projects.

"We just want to avoid conflicting events and duplication of efforts," Newberry said.

The EmYrge Council is working with the City Council to develop a dog park, Newberry said.

The Impact group is also working on a Web site and, thanks to Benton Newton Advertising, has a marketing plan in place that calls for cable TV commercials, newspaper ads and banner ads on Web sites touting Huntsville's amenities. Short videos about successful local entrepreneurs could be downloaded onto an iPod.

The campaign would target college students and the 25-34 age group, Newberry said, as well as colleges and universities in the Southeast.

[HSVTiger]

By STEVE DOYLE
Times Staff Writer steved@htimes.com
If you build it, will they come? That's the million-dollar question as Huntsville tries to remake downtown into an exciting, upscale playground for young workers.

The early returns are encouraging. Go downtown any Friday night, and you'll find people wolfing down gyros at Papou's Greek restaurant, sipping martinis at the Jazz Factory, dancing up a sweat at Sammy T's and flirting at Humphrey's Bar & Grill's outdoor patio.

None of those places existed a decade ago, when about the only thing to do downtown was get a wedding license or renew a car tag.

"We've got the wheels rolling," said Papou's owner Ted Matsos, who heads a group called DowntownHuntsville.com that promotes about 20 restaurants and bars located on or near the courthouse square. "The old Greeks used to say, 'Eat, drink and be merry.' That's what it takes to get people (downtown) and keep them."

The construction boom is undeniable. A 10-story Embassy Suites hotel featuring North Alabama's first Ruth's Chris Steak House is scheduled to open before Christmas. The skyline-altering Big Spring Summit office tower is nearing completion. Big Spring International Park now boasts a soaring fountain and postcard-pretty canal.

Also coming soon: 301 East condos on Green Street; a European-style caf on the Madison County Courthouse Square; and Crossroads Caf music club, which is moving to renovated digs on Clinton Avenue.

Other sites

Away from downtown, a host of other projects is sure to please people in their 20s and 30s. Bridge Street, due to open in about a year in Cummings Research Park, promises dozens of new shops and restaurants, plus the state's first Westin Hotel, built around a series of man-made lakes. Sports lovers are getting a new beach-volleyball complex at Brahan Spring Park.

Also, MarketSquare on Clinton Avenue, one of the city's early shopping malls, has a date with the wrecking ball. Owner Scott McLain wants to replace it with an eclectic mix of restaurants, bars, shops, apartments and maybe a hotel.

"We have a number of investors who would like to be our partner" in the project, McLain said recently. "There are hundreds of great chains (stores) and interesting people to have in this market."

Downtown living is a key, seems obvious but it takes tsome effort and time
Gipson said most recent college graduates have a housing budget of $175,000 or less; current downtown lofts generally sell for significantly more than that, including the posh Terry-Hutchens Building where Gipson lives.

Downtown housing can be done affordably, he said, if you start with a flat construction site and keep the units fairly small. A CityScapes survey showed a need for as many as 1,600 condominiums in the few blocks around the courthouse.

"No one's built the 1,000-square-foot condo yet - hasn't been done," Gipson said.

Caylor said Big Spring Partners is checking all of downtown for vacant or unused buildings that might be turned into apartments.

"We'll be talking to those owners to see if they have an interest in building lofts," she said.

Her group is also trying to recruit corner markets, salons and other services so downtown residents won't have to drive to the suburbs to buy groceries or get a haircut.

[HSVTiger]

Will this cause at least two more counties to be added to HSV's MSA?

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
1 Morgan owner has already filed annexation petition

Huntsville is poised to stretch across the Tennessee River into Morgan County even without a successful annexation referendum in Morgan County.

And an extension of Huntsville's city limits into Marshall County may not be far behind.

An annexation petition approved by the Huntsville City Council on Thursday night asks Morgan County Probate Judge Bobby Day to schedule a vote of residents within the proposed annexation tract. But Day apparently is not required to call the referendum.

City Planning Director Dallas Fanning confirmed Friday that a large property owner in the proposed 984-acre tract will independently seek annexation if a referendum isn't held.

"I would recommend to the City Council that we annex it," Fanning said, referring to Dr. John Wisda's 400 acres in Morgan County. Wisda and several neighboring property owners in Lacey's Spring are seeking annexation.

The request is motivated by plans for some large residential developments that could be jeopardized by a proposed rock quarry. Backers say they want to be served by Huntsville City Schools and other city services and that they believe Huntsville has the authority to block the quarry.
Wisda said annexation of his land would increase the value and appeal of his planned residential development. It would offer as many as 1,200 lots, among them 10- to 12-acre mini-farms with river frontage on one side and horse pasture on the other, he said.

Wisda said his 400 acres in Morgan County is part of his more than 1,000 acres extending along the riverfront into Marshall County. (toward Lake Guntersville)


rethinking this one

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Mayor, planner study options after Morgan judge's decision

Huntsville may not make the historic leap across the Tennessee River after all. At least, not yet.

Mayor Loretta Spencer said late Tuesday that the city may have to rethink pushing its boundaries across the river into Lacey's Spring

Dr. John Wisda, who owns 400 of the nearly 1,000 acres targeted for annexation, said he plans to petition the city directly for annexation without surrounding property owners. Huntsville routinely annexes land by request of property owners if the land is contiguous to the city limits. The city attorney's office cited court cases in concluding that annexations across highways and bodies of water are legal.

[HSVTiger]

Madison tries to fill needs,
some thoughts on this later

By THOMAS R. TINGLE
For the Madison Spirit thomas67@knology.net
Mayor seeks 'fresh look' after limited response to inquiry

As commercial property owners keep working to fill newly built retail space in Madison, the search for a retail recruiter for the city will resume in 2007.

Earlier this year, the city sought companies and individuals to submit statements of qualifications for review for the position. Mayor Sandy Kirkindall said they received limited response.

"I would like to take a fresh look at our requirements for this position and try again next year," he said.

In the meantime, Kirkindall said some questions need to be answered, such as, what can be done to make Madison more attractive to retailers?

"We are currently making site visits to retailers, going to shopping center and retailer conventions twice a year and sending out retail recruitment packages to retailers who fit Madison's demographics," he said.

Kirkindall said everything is being done to marketMadison to retail commercial interests.

[HSVTiger]

July '06 home sales for the big 4

Birmingham, 1,718
Huntsville, 983
Montgomery, 561
Mobile, 471

source
Alabama Real Estate Research and Education Center

[Brown Duckz]

July '06 home sales for the big 4

Birmingham, 1,718
Huntsville, 983
Montgomery, 561
Mobile, 471

source
Alabama Real Estate Research and Education CenterHSV- did we ever find out if these figures were metro or city?

[DruidCity]

Here's the AREREC link, which also shows the data for the last year:

http://arerec.cba.ua.edu/Housing%20Stats/data.pdf

[HSVTiger]

Sci Quest still wants to be downtown.
This needs to happen,
Regions needs to move out of their ugly blockhouse building donate it to
SciQuest(banks are rich right) Then Regions build a 20-25 scraper
on Clinton. Ahh dreams can always work:jester:

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Children's science center wants more central location

Nearly a year after receiving a $2 million federal grant for new digs, Huntsville's Sci-Quest hands-on science center is still in the hunt for a new location.

Sci-Quest Director J.D. Horne said Wednesday that officials hope to land a place downtown. Sci-Quest is across Interstate 565 from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in a Wynn Drive building owned by Calhoun Community College, formerly a Chrysler plant.


Horne and the Sci-Quest board have been searching for a place that has more space and is closer to other children's venues.

"We are pursuing a location that's near the downtown area near Big Spring International Park so we can work with the other two museums (EarlyWorks and the Huntsville Museum of Art) and help the city with the rejuvenation of downtown," Horne said.

A downtown location would boost attendance by enabling Sci-Quest to feed off visitors to the other downtown attractions and vice versa, he said

[Exodus]

Sci Quest still wants to be downtown.
This needs to happen,
Regions needs to move out of their ugly blockhouse building donate it to
SciQuest(banks are rich right) Then Regions build a 20-25 scraper
on Clinton. Ahh dreams can always work:jester:

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Children's science center wants more central location

Nearly a year after receiving a $2 million federal grant for new digs, Huntsville's Sci-Quest hands-on science center is still in the hunt for a new location.

Sci-Quest Director J.D. Horne said Wednesday that officials hope to land a place downtown. Sci-Quest is across Interstate 565 from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in a Wynn Drive building owned by Calhoun Community College, formerly a Chrysler plant.


Horne and the Sci-Quest board have been searching for a place that has more space and is closer to other children's venues.

"We are pursuing a location that's near the downtown area near Big Spring International Park so we can work with the other two museums (EarlyWorks and the Huntsville Museum of Art) and help the city with the rejuvenation of downtown," Horne said.

A downtown location would boost attendance by enabling Sci-Quest to feed off visitors to the other downtown attractions and vice versa, he saidCalhoun really needs the space, it's way too crowded the way it is now, and theres a lack of courses on the Huntsville campus.

[Rail Claimore]

I thought the alcohol ordinance we voted on in 2003 was to make Huntsville City officially wet so that areas of the city that are in dry counties would automatically be able to sell alcohol without a separate ordinance. Oh well, just put it on the ballot and it'll be fine.

And annexing into Marshall and Jackson counties? That's still a bit out of reach for now. We should be concentrating on annexing more land in Madison County. There's probably 100 square miles up for easy grabs to the north, northeast, and southeast of the city as it is.

[Rail Claimore]

Nope, which is why this is one of the few times that it's a GOOD THING that Alabama isn't too high on Home Rule.

I'd like to see Huntsville annex into Morgan, Marshall, and Jackson County, continue to Annex and Develop into Limestone County, and see the Winchester Road corridor and Monrovia-Harvest area become one with Huntsville.

If we play our cards right, we can become the Largest City in Alabama in terms of Land Area. Birmingham, Mobile, and Montgomery: Watch Out.

IIRC, only 8 counties in the state have home rule, meaning they can give a middle finger to Montgomery and the rest of the state's voters on most issues.

Isn't Huntsville already the largest city in the state in land area? I'm not sure Mobile or Montgomery are over 174 sq miles. Last I checked, Birmingham was 149.

[HSVTiger]

This is so sad yet typical, ALDOT is totally inept and an obstacle to infrastructure improvements in this state. If it were a business it would
be out of business or the management FIRED!.
The Army has already blasted ALDOT for their stupidity. This has begun to cost this state jobs.

By KEITH CLINES
Times Staff Writer keith.clines@htimes.com
2012 start date forOld Madison Pikeupsets local officials

The news Thursday night that Old Madison Pike is not scheduled for widening until 2012 did not sit well with area leaders.

State Sen. Tom Butler, D-Madison, called the schedule "totally unacceptable."

"It's way too late," Madison Mayor Sandy Kirkindall said.

Butler and Kirkindall were among about 35 people who looked over plans for the project at a public meeting at the Columbia High School lunchroom.

Plans are to widen Old Madison Pike from two lanes to four lanes from Cummings Research Park to Slaughter Road.

Officials with the Alabama Department of Transportation, which held the meeting, told people at the meeting that buying right of way for the project is scheduled to start in 2008 and construction is slated for 2012.

With that schedule, construction on the $2.5 million project wouldn't start until about 12 years after Gov. Don Siegelman announced the state would widen the 1.4-mile-long road segment. "That 2012 date is totally unacceptable to me," Butler said.

Butler said he will call the state transportation director today about moving up the project. He said area elected and business officials will write letters to Gov. Bob Riley that Butler will deliver to the governor
"I was very disappointed," Butler said. "The timing issue is critical."

Kirkindall said he expects Madison officials to lobby the state to start the project sooner than 2012.

"It's way too late," he said. "The (Base Realignment and Closure Commission) tidal wave is going to be here big time in '09 and '10. We're talking about building this two or three years after the tidal wave hits."

Irma Tudor, who is president and chief executive officer of Analytical Services Inc., is among the 10,000 or so motorists who drive that section of Old Madison Pike each day. She lives in Madison, and her company has an office with about 60 employees in Research Park.

Tudor said the narrow Old Madison Pike that crosses Indian Creek is a safety issue.

"This has been a big concern of mine for a long time," she said, "and a big concern of our employees and all employees in Research Park."

Tudor was told to talk to her state representative when she asked who she needed to talk to about moving up the project schedule. She said she would give Butler a letter to give to Riley.

Steve Dinges, an assistant director of the Huntsville Planning Department, said the work could start sooner if the state releases the money.

Dinges said it's conceivable that construction could start in 2007 if the state releases the money.

The plans should be finished in 2007, he said. Buying the right of way, which would be the next step, might not take long because the project doesn't need a lot of new right of way.

The state will provide $2 million for the project, and the city will pay the remaining $500,000.

[HSVTiger]

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Mayor Loretta Spencer unveiled a $201 million general operating budget Thursday night that would hire police officers and city inspectors, cover sharp jumps in fuel and utility costs, and grant a 3 percent across-the-board pay hike for municipal workers and 3 to 5 percent step-raises for eligible city workers.

Her proposed $30.6 million capital plan would give $3 million toward neighborhood street resurfacing (a 25 percent increase over this year's resurfacing program), cover the debt payments on 10 new firetrucks and 25 police cars, and steer millions of dollars toward several large road projects, including the Governors Drive widening project, the Oakwood and Taylor roads extensions, the Heart of Huntsville Drive makeover and improvements to Little Cove Road.

The proposed 2006-07 general operating budget gives city leaders $12 million more to spend than the current budget.


that road is a big part of downtown market square development which may
show signs of beginning in the coming months.

[HSVTiger]

http://ads10.udc.advance.net/RealMedia/ads/Creatives/ALABAMALIVE/HIA02_AL_RoS_RightRail_02/hunt03_190x240.jpg

FLY Huntsville

[HSVTiger]

Macy's?

By WAYNE SMITH
Times Business Editor wayne.smith@htimes.com

As Federated Department Stores relaunches the Macy's brand nationwide, what is the chance a Macy's could wind up in Huntsville?

The retailer isn't saying, but city officials say they would welcome the high-end department store with open arms.

Mayor Loretta Spencer said Friday that she wrote to Macy's president three weeks ago asking him to consider Huntsville.

She also sent letters to the top executives at Nordstrom and Rich's, two other high-end retailers who do not have a presence in Huntsville.

"I sent them a map and all of our national rankings and asked if they were interested in doing business with us," Spencer said.

She hasn't heard back, but Spencer said she followed the letters by sending a CD promoting Huntsville and the surrounding area. "It shows our attractions, our nightlife,'' she said. "I'm hoping they'll see it as an invitation to take a closer look at us."

Spencer said Macy's is a topic often discussed. She said if the city had been able to reach an agreement with the Peabody Hotel a few years ago, it would have helped it attract Macy's. "The city couldn't afford to put up that kind of money," Spencer said. "We can't do as much for retail and commercial as we can do for industry."

Spencer said the city was fortunate to strike a deal with Missouri developer John Q. Hammons to build the $24 million, 250-room downtown Embassy Suites hotel and conference center. It's scheduled to open this fall.

She hopes that will attract more interest from major retailers, adding that Huntsville draws shoppers from all over North Alabama and southern Tennessee.

"When you can show them what our economy is like ?we're a mid-sized city, but the things we have to offer can compete with larger cities. Our shopping areas are more confined."

A Macy's East spokesperson couldn't be reached for comment Friday about the Huntsville market.

Macy's has two stores in Birmingham, and several in the Nashville area

[neilson]

Macy's?

By WAYNE SMITH
Times Business Editor wayne.smith@htimes.com

As Federated Department Stores relaunches the Macy's brand nationwide, what is the chance a Macy's could wind up in Huntsville?

The retailer isn't saying, but city officials say they would welcome the high-end department store with open arms.

Mayor Loretta Spencer said Friday that she wrote to Macy's president three weeks ago asking him to consider Huntsville.

She also sent letters to the top executives at Nordstrom and Rich's, two other high-end retailers who do not have a presence in Huntsville.

"I sent them a map and all of our national rankings and asked if they were interested in doing business with us," Spencer said.

She hasn't heard back, but Spencer said she followed the letters by sending a CD promoting Huntsville and the surrounding area. "It shows our attractions, our nightlife,'' she said. "I'm hoping they'll see it as an invitation to take a closer look at us."

Spencer said Macy's is a topic often discussed. She said if the city had been able to reach an agreement with the Peabody Hotel a few years ago, it would have helped it attract Macy's. "The city couldn't afford to put up that kind of money," Spencer said. "We can't do as much for retail and commercial as we can do for industry."

Spencer said the city was fortunate to strike a deal with Missouri developer John Q. Hammons to build the $24 million, 250-room downtown Embassy Suites hotel and conference center. It's scheduled to open this fall.

She hopes that will attract more interest from major retailers, adding that Huntsville draws shoppers from all over North Alabama and southern Tennessee.

"When you can show them what our economy is like ?we're a mid-sized city, but the things we have to offer can compete with larger cities. Our shopping areas are more confined."

A Macy's East spokesperson couldn't be reached for comment Friday about the Huntsville market.

Macy's has two stores in Birmingham, and several in the Nashville area
That's a lie; there is no Rich's anymore. Either this article is over 2 years old or whoever wrote it got their facts mixed up.

[HSVTiger]

Friends in high places, he has a tough task

By WAYNE SMITH
Times Business Editor wayne.smith@htimes.com
Ford Motor Co.'s new CEO is a big fan of this city - and he has a fan of his own in Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer.

"This guy is so unique and personable,'' said Spencer, who developed a friendship with Alan Mulally this summer after he visited Huntsville. At the time, Mulally was Boeing Co.'s corporate executive vice president and head of the aerospace giant's commercial airplane division.
"He took a look at what we are doing here, the different people with different backgrounds and how this community works together for a common purpose,'' she said. "He was impressed with the enthusiasm here.

"He had been to a number of Boeing events around the country and said he enjoyed this one more than any of them. It's a high compliment to this city.''

Mulally, 61, joined Boeing in 1969 as an engineer and worked on several of the company's airplanes, including serving as general manager of the 777 program.

He has been credited with helping Boeing's airlines division regain its footing since 2001. Now, he steps into another crisis at Ford.

Mulally replaces Bill Ford as CEO at the 103-year-old automaker, which lost $1.4 billion through the first half of the year. Ford announced plans recently to cut 30,000 jobs and close 14 plants as part of a restructuring.

[HSVTiger]

Downtown Metro jail construction set to resume

http://www.al.com/images/newshp/jail2.jpg

By WENDY REEVES
Times Staff Writer wendy.reeves@htimes.com
New contractor, engineer hired for troubled building

Work on the problem-plagued city/county jail project could resume within the next week.

The Huntsville Public Building Authority approved two contracts Wednesday - hiring a contractor and a structural engineer for the project, which has been stalled for three months since the original contractor was terminated.

Bruce Taylor, director of facilities management for the city, said the eight-story jail addition, which was originally supposed to be completed in June or July of this year, could be completed in a year or less. Construction began in 2004 and has been plagued with problems and cost overruns.

The total contractor cost is not to exceed 12 percent of the guaranteed maximum price for finishing the structure, which has yet to be determined.

In June, the authority ended its construction contract with Dawson Contracting Inc. of Rainbow City amid structural problems discovered last fall when jail modules were being set in the $30 million, 1,300-inmate expansion.

[HSVTiger]

City set to annex across river into Morgan County

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Council to vote on Morgan annexation at Sept. 28 meeting

Huntsville is poised to make a historic leap across the Tennessee River.

An ordinance was introduced at the City Council meeting Thursday night that would annex 400 acres of land in Morgan County across the river from Hobbs Island.

The council will formally vote on the measure at its Sept. 28 meeting.

A quick poll of council members indicates it will easily pass.

"I think it plays to our asset as a river city," said Councilwoman Sandra Moon.

"I view it as a progressive step. It opens a lot of new opportunities to the south," Councilman Richard Showers said.

[HSVTiger]

Crane(s)for the new Westin Hotel going up. I'm guessing at least a 200 footer.
The building will be around 160'.

[HSVTiger]

The new Air Traffic Control tower at the airport is now around the 180' level
it looks like.

[HSVTiger]

UAH parking deck gets to get going

By KENNETH KESNER
Times Staff Writer kenneth.kesner@htimes.com
3-story building at heart of major campus revisions

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently provided $3.8 million to the University of Alabama in Huntsville to begin work on a three-story combination parking garage, bus terminal and campus police headquarters.

The building is to include room for bicycle storage and will be a stop on the Huntsville city bus service as well as the campus shuttle, said Mike Finnegan, UAH assistant vice president for facilities and operations.


The idea is to ease growing traffic problems by having students, staff and anyone else coming to UAH park and then walk or ride a shuttle to their destination, he said.

This first round of funding for what is expected to be about a $9 million project will allow Chapman Sisson Architects of Huntsville to complete the design of the building, put it out for bids and begin site work, Finnegan said.

"We plan on starting construction on the project sometime in the spring of 2007," he said.

The "intermodal facility" will be in the central part of the campus, northeast of the $60 million Applied Sciences Building now under construction. The building and services are a key part of the UAH master plan announced last year.

In April, UAH sold five of the houses it owns in the former Sanderson subdivision to Kennedy Brothers Contracting, which is moving them to make way for the parking garage and bus terminal. Eventually, students and visitors will have an unobstructed view from there along green space to the Applied Sciences Building - which will be part of a new gateway to UAH.

"You'll be able to see across campus," Finnegan said.

More UAH news

By KENNETH KESNER
Times Staff Writer kenneth.kesner@htimes.com
$2 million additionwill double space; work to start in '07

A bigger campus dining room is on the menu for students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

In addition to approving UAH's $140 million operating budget for 2007, UA System trustees on Friday OK'd preliminary plans for a $2 million expansion of the cafeteria and food court area in the University Center.


"Basically, we are doubling our current dining space on campus," said Ray Pinner, vice president for finance and administration.

More room is needed because new residence halls and other housing have increased the number of students living - and eating - at UAH, he said.

The plan is to tear down the south side of the dining area and add about 5,000 square feet of space. "We're creating a very large glass wall there that will look out on campus," he said.

Work should begin near the end of the 2007 spring semester and be completed in time for the new school year in the fall.

[mlog]

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Lacey's Spring residents are rallying against a proposal that would expand Huntsville's city limits across the Tennessee River into Morgan County.

A town meeting, billed as a "Help Keep Huntsville Out of Lacey's Spring," is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. at the River Coon Hunters Association building on Fields Road.

Herbert Fields, who is organizing the meeting, couldn't be reached for comment on Tuesday.

At the Huntsville City Council meeting last week, officials introduced an ordinance that would annex 400 acres in Morgan County. The landowner, Huntsville physician Dr. John Wisda, wants city services to serve a new planned residential development. The property is across from Hobbs Island east of the Whitesburg bridge spans crossing the Tennessee River.

The Morgan County Commission passed a resolution last month opposing any Huntsville annexation into the Lacey's Spring area. Huntsville officials have expressed confidence that annexing across a river would withstand a court challenge.

A flier advertising Friday's meeting tells residents not to sit idle. "They will come if we don't speak out. Don't let them take our back yard," the notice says.

The flier also warns residents: "If we do not stop the annexation, then Huntsville's ordinances and police jurisdiction will extend through Lacey's Spring, and will continue to spread."

Police and fire jurisdictions, zoning, schools and other city ordinances would apply only to the newly annexed area. Unlike Decatur and many other cities across Alabama, Huntsville's police and planning jurisdictions don't extend beyond the city limits.

That was ended in a countywide referendum in November 1990. Before the vote, Huntsville's planning jurisdictions extended five miles outside the city limits, and its police and fire jurisdictions extended three miles.

The council is scheduled to vote on the annexation Sept. 28.

[Rail Claimore]

More UAH news

By KENNETH KESNER
Times Staff Writer kenneth.kesner@htimes.com
$2 million additionwill double space; work to start in '07

A bigger campus dining room is on the menu for students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

In addition to approving UAH's $140 million operating budget for 2007, UA System trustees on Friday OK'd preliminary plans for a $2 million expansion of the cafeteria and food court area in the University Center.


"Basically, we are doubling our current dining space on campus," said Ray Pinner, vice president for finance and administration.

More room is needed because new residence halls and other housing have increased the number of students living - and eating - at UAH, he said.

The plan is to tear down the south side of the dining area and add about 5,000 square feet of space. "We're creating a very large glass wall there that will look out on campus," he said.

Work should begin near the end of the 2007 spring semester and be completed in time for the new school year in the fall.

Too bad I'm graduating in December. :haha:

[HSV79]

Riley will announce 'major' new business for city today
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Huntsville Times
Gov. Bob Riley will be in Huntsville today to make an economic development announcement, the governor's press office said Wednesday.

The jobs are expected to be located in the area, according to a media alert released Wednesday afternoon. Neither officials from the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce nor Riley's office would reveal details about the announcement.

"It definitely would fall in the category of major," said Jeff Emerson, communications director for Riley.

The news conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Von Braun Center.

Gina Hannah


Well this was breaking news last night and early this morning...don't know what all the buzz is about but I guess we will find out at the 1:00 p.m. event at the VBC.

[neilson]

Riley will announce 'major' new business for city today
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Huntsville Times
Gov. Bob Riley will be in Huntsville today to make an economic development announcement, the governor's press office said Wednesday.

The jobs are expected to be located in the area, according to a media alert released Wednesday afternoon. Neither officials from the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce nor Riley's office would reveal details about the announcement.

"It definitely would fall in the category of major," said Jeff Emerson, communications director for Riley.

The news conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Von Braun Center.

Gina Hannah


Well this was breaking news last night and early this morning...don't know what all the buzz is about but I guess we will find out at the 1:00 p.m. event at the VBC.
Anybody gonna show up for the announcement?

[Shawn35816]

I'm really excited about this. I wonder if it is on the scale of what was announced in Mobile last week.

[HSVTiger]

1,300 jobs coming to Huntsville
Verizon Wireless will build a "headquarters and service center" with 1,300 jobs in Huntsville, Gov. Bob Riley and company officials announced today.

Riley said the company will build a $44 million, 150,000 square foot center in Cummings Research Park. The jobs are expected to pay about $10 per hour.

[Shawn35816]

So basically a new addition to Huntsville's "real" downtown.:yes:

[HSV79]

This is great news for Huntsville and the entire North Alabama area. I didn't see this one coming but this just goes to show that Huntsville is being eyed by very large and well known corporations. Finally, it seems that Huntsville is on the radar with cities even larger than itself. To bad this couldn't be downtown, would have made for a nice new tower...

[mlog]

It looks like the good old boys in Lacey's Spring mean business. Will Davey beat Goliath?

----------

Lacey’s Spring group employs lawyer to help fight annexation

By Ronnie Thomas
DAILY Staff Writer
rthomas@decaturdaily.com · 340-2438

LACEY'S SPRING — Decatur attorney Brian Oakes said when he thinks about Huntsville's attempt to annex Morgan County property in Lacey's Spring, he's reminded of a quote by former Gov. Albert Brewer: "We have been here before."

Oakes said Brewer's comment years ago dealt with the lack of educational funding in Alabama and the Legislature's inability to learn from past mistakes.

"It's just one of my favorite Brewer quotes," Oakes said, "and actually it does apply here."

Oakes represented a group of Lacey's Spring residents six years ago in a successful fight against incorporation.

"Those seeking to incorporate did so by using a code section that had been out of date for 15 years," he said. "We should learn from lessons of the past and follow the law. Huntsville officials should read the law before they spend a bunch of money trying to (annex)."

Herbert Fields, 66, who led that effort in 2000, has again organized the troops in an effort to keep Huntsville from crossing the Tennessee River and annexing 400 acres belonging to Dr. John Wisda of Huntsville. Wisda wants Huntsville to provide services for a proposed residential mini-farm development. The property is across from Hobbs Island east of the Whitesburg bridge.

Fields has called for a public meeting Friday at 7 p.m. at the Tennessee River Coon Hunters Association at 268 Fields Road.

Oakes is again representing primarily the same group that wants to stop any push by Huntsville to expand its limits across the river into Morgan County. "I won't be at the meeting because of a prior commitment in Birmingham," Oakes said. "However, I'm keenly aware of the issue."

He cites two cases from the Alabama Supreme Court involving the city of Daphne versus the city of Spanish Fort that he believes Huntsville officials should read.

"As I understand them, this particular land grab (by Huntsville) would be invalid," Oakes said. "It all boils down to this: You can cross bodies of water providing there is a physical connector, meaning there is a causeway, bridge or road of some ilk."

Oakes said annexation is "wholly contingent upon land touching, and as I understand from speaking to everyone, the land in question is nowhere near that bridge. Further, it is my understanding that Huntsville would have to annex all the way down to the bridge, come across the river and march like Sherman to wherever they want to go."

Oakes said Huntsville "does not touch that bridge and, again, the 400 acres is nowhere near the bridge on either side. They're going to have to annex land down a roadway to get to whatever property they're trying to annex."

Fields said that Wednesday morning he mailed about 1,500 invitations to the meeting. He said a food vendor would be at the lodge starting at 5 p.m.

"We want everyone to know what's going on," he said. "We want to encourage as many as possible to attend the Morgan County Commission meeting Tuesday morning at 8:30. We need our commissioners to file a lawsuit to stop this invasion."

District 4 Commissioner Stacy George, whose district includes Lacey's Spring, said he will attend the Friday night meeting.

"I want to let the group know what the commission's options are and the steps I'll take Tuesday," he said. "I want to make sure we do everything correctly and that we use the strongest position possible, if that means letting (the group) join our lawsuit."

George said the question is whether the commission can do anything before Huntsville City Council approves the annexation ordinance at its meeting Thursday night.

"If nothing else, when they go into that meeting they'll know they will have the fight of their lives to annex that 400 acres," George said.

NEXT STEP:
Meeting Friday night at 7 at the Tennessee River Coon Hunters Association at 268 Fields Road. Meeting of Morgan County Commission on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. Morgan commissioners can file a lawsuit to stop the annexation, but the Huntsville City Council plans to approve the ordinance at a Thursday night meeting.

[Shawn35816]

Now, I'm confused. Will this be the Main Headquarters that is moving to Huntsville or will it be the main headquarters for their Call Center? I see on their website where the main headquarters is based in New Jersey. It kind of baffles me if they are moving the main H.Q.

[neilson]

Now, I'm confused. Will this be the Main Headquarters that is moving to Huntsville or will it be the main headquarters for their Call Center? I see on their website where the main headquarters is based in New Jersey. It kind of baffles me if they are moving the main H.Q.
It's their HQ for Alabama.

[HSVTiger]

It's their HQ for Alabama.

more info from WAFF
Gov. Bob Riley has announced a new Verizon Call Center will be coming to Huntsville.

The call center is expected to bring 1,300 new jobs to the area. The call center will open in late 2007 and represents a $44 million investment.

The announcement was made early this afternoon.

"This is outstanding news for Huntsville and the state of Alabama," said Riley. "Today's announcement is proof that a strong business climate - good schools, a solid community and a highly-skilled workforce - make a difference to growing businesses like Verizon Wireless looking to expand."

"This investment in our community shows more people see what we already know about Huntsville. It is a great place to live and work. The high quality of life, low crime rate and our clean and beautiful city continue to attract companies that see Huntsville as the place to begin or grow a business," said Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer.

Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie added the company offers diverse job opportunities, signaling smart growth and an increasingly healthy, local economy.

The company's new 152,389-square-foot state headquarters is expected to be completed in late 2007. The company plans to break ground by year's end, with hiring to begin next summer.

The facility will provide customer service and business functions.

More details will be provided in the near future about how to apply for a position.

"Our new state headquarters and customer service center will help us continue to grow and improve the company's responsiveness to our existing base of close to 55 million customers, while preparing for future growth as we continue to expand our portfolio of products and services," said Jim McGean, president-Georgia/Alabama Region.

"We have the most loyal customers in the wireless industry because of our outstanding network and customer service and we want to keep it that way. Verizon Wireless is growing to stay ahead of the increasing demand for the Verizon Wireless brand and to enhance our company's reputation for providing the nation's most reliable network. "

"This new facility is an important component of our commitment to provide the best customer service in the industry," said McGean. "Huntsville and the state of Alabama have succeeded in creating an inviting business climate that persuaded Verizon Wireless to make a substantial commitment and investment here. We look forward to growing our business and succeed along with the people and the state of Alabama."

"Verizon Wireless fits perfectly with the strategic growth plans charted by chamber leadership," noted Evans Quinlivan, member of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County executive committee. "A future-focused employer with solid employee packages is cause for celebration. We have enjoyed working with Verizon Wireless and look forward to supporting them in the long term."

In the state of Alabama, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $110 million over the past two years to expand and enhance its wireless network to stay ahead of the growing demand for its products and services across the state.

[mlog]

I know there was some discussion earlier about Gander Mountain. I noticed last weekend that there was a GM billboard on eastbound I-565, and a GM store sign is now up at the old Sam's Club on 3418 Memorial Parkway NW. Furthermore, the GM website says the Grand Opening will be on Friday, October 27, 2006.

[HSVTiger]

Gov. Riley kicks ALDOT in the rear. The biggest obstacle to the states future
has been trumped. A project that should already be finished has been moved up. The ALDOT director should be fired. He actually was forced to look beyond the first project in the stack.

By KEITH CLINES
Times Staff Writer keith.clines@htimes.com
Riley moves up work 5 years to 2007 citing influx of jobs

Verizon Wireless' announcement that it will build an office in Thornton Research Park is bringing benefits in addition to 1,300 jobs.

Gov. Bob Riley said Friday that the widening of Old Madison Pike from Cummings Research Park to Slaughter Road will be moved up from 2012 to next year partly because of a hot economic development climate here.

Cummings and Thornton research parks share a west border and are separated only by Old Madison Pike.

"Thousands and thousands of new jobs are locating in Huntsville, and we're continuing to work with the city to get this important road project completed as soon as possible," Riley said in a news release. "We'll keep doing all we can so motorists can travel through the area safely and without delay."

Riley's announcement was enthusiastically received by state Sen. Tom Butler, D-Madison. Butler and other officials learned two weeks ago that the state Department of Transportation didn't have the widening project scheduled until 2012.

Butler called the 2012 start "totally unacceptable" two weeks ago and said he would lobby Riley to move up the project.

Butler said Friday that a few days after the public meeting two weeks ago that he personally delivered letters to Riley from himself, Madison Academy and the CEOs of five major companies in Cummings Research Park.

The letters asked Riley to reconsider the project schedule for safety reasons. About 10,000 vehicles travel that portion of Old Madison Pike each day, and traffic is expected to increase because of new military and other jobs coming to the area.

"I'm just extraordinarily pleased that they relooked at it and that the widening will be moved up," Butler said.

Riley and state DOT Director Joe McInnes worked to move up the starting date and expect to take construction bids on the project next year, according to the governor's release.

The project's engineering plans have not been completed. Acquiring right of way is expected to begin in April.

Old Madison Pike will be widened from two lanes to four from the research parks to Slaughter Road, a distance of about 1.4 miles. A bridge over Indian Creek and two culverts will be replaced, and wide, paved shoulders will allow for safer bicycling and emergency stops.

The estimated cost of the project is $2.5 million. The state has pledged $2 million, and the city will have to pay any costs above $2 million.

[HSVTiger]

Governors Drive stirrings. Some positive steps, the article says it's a gateway, true but it is a seconadry one. If you come that way you are probably lost or accidently took the wrong exit.

By MARIAN ACCARDI
Times Business Writer accardi@htimes.com
Redevelopment along Governors Drive seen as a wise choice for future

For 15 years, Bruce Walker drove by the shopping center at a triangle formed by Governors Drive, Clinton Avenue and Triana Boulevard.

As the years passed, he watched the condition of the two buildings deteriorate.

Realizing he was taking a risk, the Huntsville developer bought the property from Virginia Lynch, who had built the shopping center with her husband, Graham, in the early 1950s. Walker - whose company, Walker Properties LLC, also redevelops commercial property - renovated the center that once housed the old Kreme Kastle restaurant and a grocery. The project was finished in April.

Not only are the eight spaces in Clinton Center all leased, but there's a waiting list.

"The demand over here is amazing," Walker said. "What's happening is the area is being rediscovered as a viable business district because of its central location."

The patches of redevelopment along the 11/2-mile stretch of Governors from Interstate 565 to Memorial Parkway - which has its share of blighted spots - is a welcome sight to Michelle McMullen, chairwoman and founder of the West Huntsville Civic Association.

"We're beginning to see progress in small baby steps," said McMullen, whose family has lived in west Huntsville for five generations. "Certainly the opportunity is here to develop this corridor and turn it into a place of pride.

"Governors Drive is a gateway into the city of Huntsville," she said. "You've only got one crack at a first impression, and it needs to be a good one."

The Huntsville Planning Department has initiated a West Central Huntsville Master Plan to study the area that stretches from Memorial Parkway to the intersection of Bob Wallace Avenue and I-565, including Governors Drive. The department is providing staff support to a steering committee made up of that area's business and land owners, residents and representatives from several city departments.

[HSVTiger]

UAH fraternity row opens

By STEVE CAMPBELL
Times Staff Writer steve.campbell@htimes.com
Members of five fraternities and sororities at the University of Alabama in Huntsville celebrated a first for their school Sunday - stand-alone Greek houses.

UAH officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of the new homes, which everyone agreed give the five Greek societies - sororities Delta Zeta and Kappa Delta and fraternities Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Chi and Sigma Nu - a prominent look on campus.

"It's a dream come true for all of us," said Jack Kilian, an ATO member and Inter-Fraternity Council president.

The 5,200-square-foot, two-story houses are side by side on a cul-de-sac adjacent to the Southeastern Housing dorms. They share a floor plan that includes a large chapter room, kitchen, two suites and lounge area on the bottom floor. The top floor has room for eight residents. The societies customized their furnishings and decorations.

Planning for two more houses is in the works. Derald Morgan, UAH's vice president for university advancement, said construction will begin once the money is available.

[thenewsupastar]

ha. i was an ATO brother at UAH. Finally, they have a decent house to call their own.

[HSVTiger]

more jobs across North Alabama

Riley to announce 1,000 new jobs across North Alabama
Albertville has been selected for the site of a new helicopter assembly plant that is expected to create 500 jobs.

Gov. Riley will announce that and two other economic projects across North Alabama on Tuesday. Combined, the three projects will create a total of 1,000 new jobs.

In Guntersville, Riley will announce that 200 new jobs are being created by the $30 million expansion of Gold Kist's poultry processing.

After stopping in Albertville, Riley will travel to Fort Payne, where he will announce a national retail chain is locating a facility there that will add at least 300 new jobs.

Wayne Smith HSV Times

[HSVTiger]

more jobs across North Alabama

Riley to announce 1,000 new jobs across North Alabama
Albertville has been selected for the site of a new helicopter assembly plant that is expected to create 500 jobs.

Gov. Riley will announce that and two other economic projects across North Alabama on Tuesday. Combined, the three projects will create a total of 1,000 new jobs.

In Guntersville, Riley will announce that 200 new jobs are being created by the $30 million expansion of Gold Kist's poultry processing.

After stopping in Albertville, Riley will travel to Fort Payne, where he will announce a national retail chain is locating a facility there that will add at least 300 new jobs.

Wayne Smith HSV Times

more info, Redstone's influence expands
Helicopter company bringing 500 jobs to Albertville
Aerospace Integration Corp. announced this afternoon that it will bring 500 helicopter assembly jobs with an average salary of $60,000 to Albertville’s city airport.

The company and Gov. Bob Riley announced the plans for a 100,000 square foot “aircraft completion center,” during an afternoon news conference. The $20 million plant will take helicopters from the factory and get them battle-ready for the military.

Though the company works mainly with the Air Force now, company officials said they chose Albertville partly because of proximity to Redstone Arsenal, which is home to the Army’s aviation work. The AIC plant should open within 18 months.

Riley also announced 300 jobs for Fort Payne and 200 jobs for Guntersville. In Fort Payne, a children’s clothing retailer called Children’s Place will build a distribution center in Fort Payne.

In Guntersville, poultry producer Goldkist announced plans to expand its operation by 200 jobs.

--Wayne Smith

[HSVTiger]

Second crane going up at the Westin site

and St Jude to open clinic

Today, St. Jude officials announced the creation of North Alabama's first pediatric cancer care and hematology clinic at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. Due to open in January, it will be the fifth St. Jude-affiliated cancer clinic in the United States.

The others are in Johnson City, Tenn.; Baton Rouge and Shreveport, La.; and Peoria, Ill.

Dr. Joseph Mirro, St. Jude's chief medical officer, said the Governors Drive clinic means that area children will no longer have to go to Memphis, Birmingham, Nashville or Atlanta to receive top-notch cancer treatment.

"Basing all of their care (in Huntsville) is better for the child, better for the family," Mirro said by phone last week.

Founded by the late actor Danny Thomas in 1962, St. Jude is perhaps the world's best-known children's research hospital. It is credited with improving the survival rate for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent in the late 1950s to more than 70 percent today.

St. Jude today cares for about 4,600 children as outpatients, including eight from North Alabama.

[HSVTiger]

By ANNA THIBODEAUX
For The Times, htimes@comcast.net
Despite worries about the "housing bubble" bursting in areas of the nation, that apparently isn't a worry for the Huntsville area market or for you as you shop the market.

David Slyman Jr., developer of the Village of Providence, says the Huntsville area hasn't experienced the exorbitant housing prices like Miami and Orlando, Las Vegas, or New York. While Huntsville has been drawing some investors, it hasn't drawn the considerable investor clientele of those areas, which inflated their prices and created a bubble effect.

Slyman says national news will not slow his continued development of Village of Providence.

"Our sales are up, everything's been steady and we've had a great year," he says. "We're not seeing the downturns the rest of the country has seen."

The Huntsville area's continued solid, steady growth is a big part of Slyman staying the course, especially with BRAC and its related economic growth, which he says no one can be too ready for this impact.

Slyman says Huntsville remains a stable market because it is where people want to live, which is unlike the major investment areas that draw speculative buyers worldwide who buy houses that no one ever moves into.

"We don't see that in Huntsville in any substantial amount, so it hasn't created that bubble effect in Huntsville," he says. "We're somewhat insulated with the economy we have. We haven't had the increase in pricing or the bubble effect, so we didn't have that effect and we're not seeing that problem."

Huntsville's growth is based on solid economic advantages rooted in good job growth and a solid economy, Slyman says. The area's diverse economy with the Redstone Arsenal plays a large part in our marketplace, which has spun off a lot of new businesses.

"You have an economically viable city with phenomenal planning and leadership, and they know how to look ahead and make that happen," he says.

"Our biotech industry, in its infancy here, is something people are underestimating," he says. "I don't think the area realizes how big the HudsonAlpha Institute will be to this area."

Buck Barnhill, owner and CEO of Southern Exposure Information, which tracks housing trends, says the bubble has not burst in Alabama. That's especially true with the recent opening of two new plants that brought more than 600 new jobs to the state.

Barnhill says Huntsville remains among the strongest economically of the state's growth areas because of BRAC. Barnhill foresees at least a 5 percent increase in housing construction into next year, which will help the area withstand the effects of a potential housing slump in the nation.

"Huntsville is going to be a solid market for the next five years at least," he says. "Huntsville is like a little island all by itself. Everything that goes with it is good."

This is further evidenced by the arrival of new major retailers, Barnhill says, which can be see building in the area.

"All the indicators I've gotten say it's continuing to move up," says Larry Perreault, broker with Century 21 Steele & Associates in Huntsville, of the area housing market. "We're seeing an increase in sales and activity compared to this time last year and it's continuing to move with everything coming to Huntsville."

Perreault says BRAC is certainly a major economic advantage for the area.

"I see nothing but positive for Huntsville for the next several years," he says. "The market right now is strong and I fully anticipate it will continue being strong. I think we'll see more business next year than we've seen this year."

[HSVTiger]

Super Target/University area hotel magnet

In a few weeks, site preparation will start on a new Marriott TownePlace Suites on McMurtrie Drive, just north of Cummings Research Park West. The property will have 86 rooms, each with a kitchenette.

[HSVTiger]

Downtown, from their website:

Opening October 23, 2006!

Ruth's Chris Steak House in Huntsville, Alabama is situated in the lobby of the Embassy Suites conveniently located in downtown Huntsville adjacent to the Von Braun Center - the city's arena and concert hall. Vibrant reds and golds predominate the steakhouse dining room and complement the design of the open atrium Embassy Suites Hotel and Spa. Ruth's Chris' expansive terrace overlooks alluring Big Spring Park and provides opportunities for outdoor dining respites, weather permitting. Private dining rooms offer a variety of event options for 10 to 300 guests

[HSVTiger]

Cracker Barrel opens.

What makes this a bit unusual in Alabama is this store is in the middle of town and not on an interstate.
It is on controlled access Memorial Parkway across from Parkway Place Mall. Cracker Barrel has said more types of these urban locations will be popping up. Another location is on I-565/Wall Triana exit near the airport.

[Huntsville_secede]

Does anybody have a map of the areas that are included in TIF 4 (NE Huntsville) Also where is the new collector road that is going to go over Chapman Mountain going to be located?

[HSV79]

Well after what seems like an eternity it seems that things will start to pick up at the proposed site for the Ovation Condo tower. The design from what I have seen has not changed ..which I for one kinda dislike. It is like a 8 storey wall across the Northern boundary of the park. But I do like the idea that HSVTIGER had about just chopping the building in half basically, and build it taller rather than have it stretch so far across the park. My guess is this tower will just test the waters to see what kind of market there is for downtown living. I think we will here from Triad again in the near future with a taller condo project for downtown.

[HSVTiger]

Well after what seems like an eternity it seems that things will start to pick up at the proposed site for the Ovation Condo tower. The design from what I have seen has not changed ..which I for one kinda dislike. It is like a 8 storey wall across the Northern boundary of the park. But I do like the idea that HSVTIGER had about just chopping the building in half basically, and build it taller rather than have it stretch so far across the park. My guess is this tower will just test the waters to see what kind of market there is for downtown living. I think we will here from Triad again in the near future with a taller condo project for downtown.

If true you need to implore to someone that this design is poor. At least from what little has been shown. Triad has to do something because their time frame is closing. The market is there please build something that will excite people and make them want to live in it. I challenge the developer to look at the building from the Clinton Ave side and see if it will be desirable.

[Huntsville_secede]

Huntsville development has slowed down, nothing new to report

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville development has slowed down, nothing new to report

well sort of, many projects are nearing completion, but most are in progress,
there will be a new wave of stuff coming in the coming months.
Going on now.. airport construction, new ATC tower, terminal expansion,
runway work.
A large number of projects in Research Project including the Westin/Bridge Street.
3-4 other hotels under construction or will be soon.
Embassy Suite/ Ruths Chris opens in a few weeks.
Market Square announcements in the near future.

So maybe this is just a lull so everyone can catch their breath.

[mlog]

Ruth's Chris is supposed to open on Monday, October 23, according to their website.

[HSVTiger]

Airport to get deli, coffee shop
The authority that oversees Huntsville International Airport has approved a long-term food and beverage concession agreement with Air Host Inc., which will provide a McAlister’s Deli (similar to Jason's Deli) and JAVA Coffee at the airport.


The new services will be a “tremendous improvement for our passengers,” said Rick Tucker, the executive director of the Port of Huntsville, which includes the airport.

Marian Accardi

[HSVTiger]

Some more downtown condo's coming, these won't be a high rise but will
be high style. Across from Bud Cramer Park near the Advocacy Center.

[HSVTiger]

From staff reports
Huntsville Times
Less than three weeks after Huntsville opened a new sand volleyball complex, the city is working to beef up another nontraditional recreational venue.

Construction is scheduled to begin Thursday on a major expansion of the city's skateboard park. The park, off Cleveland Avenue between Church and Meridian streets near the Interstate 565 overpass, will be closed about two months for the construction.

The $106,200 contract with Dunlap Contracting Inc. will significantly increase the size of the park and add features that should appeal to a wider range of skating abilities, according to city officials. The park is dedicated to the late Lydia Gold, a major activist for the skateboard community.

A $9,200 design contract with Huntsville-based Bird and Kamback Architects resulted in a plan that calls for adding "peanut bowl" and mini-ramp features and more flat concrete deck surfaces and sidewalks, repairing damaged surfaces, and building other new features such as "grind rails." The park's first phase included steps, rails, curbs and quarter-pipes for skate tricks.

[HSVTiger]

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Public hearing will discuss Rotary Club's donation

The new traffic roundabout in front of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library could soon add a decorative fixture.

Plans are in the works for a large lighted pedestal clock for the circular median inside the roundabout. The roundabout will be one of the major gateways into the city when a new downtown access road is completed as part of the redevelopment plans associated with the $40 million Embassy Suites Convention Hotel.

A city planning subcommittee Wednesday set a public hearing on the clock proposal for Tuesday before the City Planning Commission.

Plans call for a four-sided clock tower surrounded by flowers. The Greater Huntsville Rotary Club will pay for the $70,000 clock, installation and maintenance, said Rotary spokesman Phil Williams.

"It's fully automated. If the power goes down, it will readjust itself and put the time on the four-sided clock," Williams told the city planning subcommittee. Williams said the club's only request is to have easy access to water for landscaping around the median.



The proposed pedestal clock would be the latest memorial gift to downtown spurned by the formation of Big Spring Partners Inc., a public-private downtown redevelopment group.

Mary Jane Caylor, executive director of the group, said several other gift offers are under review, including another large fountain (city officials recently dedicated a large fountain by the Embassy Suites given by the family of the late Tom Thrasher), a memorial by the Lilies of the Valley ovarian cancer group in Gateway Park, a sculpture gift by the local arts council and a promenade plaza/amphitheater offer from the Huntsville Rotary Club that would be built along the canal extension from Big Spring International Park.

[HSVTiger]

5 story downtown tower planned for hospital. It will be located on Governors Dr./Gallatin intersection connected with a pedestrian bridge across Governors which is being widened. A rendering was in the paper, mostly
glass. Medical offices are in short supply in the downtown medical district.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b191/james527/medicaltower1.jpg

[Huntsville_secede]

Plans for U.S. 72 could remove some businesses
Friday, October 20, 2006
By KEITH CLINES
Times Staff Writer keith.clines@htimes.com
2 limited-access proposals shown; could start in '09

The state's plans to extend the limited-access portion of U.S. 72 to the east includes overpasses at Moores Mill and Shields roads and removing several businesses along the route.

The two alternative plans shown to the public Thursday night at Riverton Middle School could require acquiring and removing several businesses on U.S. 72, including the McDonald's and Taco Bell restaurants and two convenience stores.

The improvements would include a four-lane limited-access highway with a concrete divider in the median from where the existing limited-access highway ends at the top of Chapman Mountain to east of Shields Road.

Service roads would run on each side of the highway, and U.S. 72 would have overpasses at the interchanges at Moores Mill and Shields roads, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation plans.

Construction could start in late 2009 or early 2010 and take about two years to complete, said Curtis Vincent, assistant division engineer for the DOT's Division 1 office.

The 1.6-mile project could cost up to $30 million, he said.

One alternative would be to build the new road where the existing U.S. 72 is located, but that could affect the possible historic nature of the Powell-Askins property on the south side of the highway near Moores Mill Road. The property includes a cemetery that is said to have a Revolutionary War soldier buried there.

The other alternative is basically the same as the first, but shifts the main lanes of the highway to the north to avoid the possible historic property.

The alternative plan to build on the existing main lanes would put a Shell convenience store, a Wendy's restaurant, a former motel, a convenience store and Mojo's Deli in the right of way needed for the project on the south side.

The other alternative, which would shift the road to the north, would take the Mitchell Plastic Co. building.

Both sets of plans would put McDonald's, Taco Bell and Mojo's in the right of way.

The state would buy and remove any buildings in the right of way.

Buying the needed right of way could cost $7 million to $8 million, Vincent said. Construction could cost $20 million "plus," he said.

[Huntsville_secede]

I thought they were supposed to start the overpasses this year or 07? And why did those business locate on that portion of 72 when it has long been known that it was scheduled to be upgraded to a limited access expressway. Whatever happened to the collector road that is supposed to be built over Chapman Mt. as part of TIF 4?

[HSVTiger]

I thought they were supposed to start the overpasses this year or 07? And why did those business locate on that portion of 72 when it has long been known that it was scheduled to be upgraded to a limited access expressway. Whatever happened to the collector road that is supposed to be built over Chapman Mt. as part of TIF 4?


welcome to the world of the ALDOT delay game, that collector road is still there I suppose on the south side of 72, basically High Mountain road. It will probably become part of the frontage (access) roads. The real concern is there are only two lanes in each direction, stupid, with all the truck traffic
three lanes are needed. Those stores will make alot of money between now and the time this road is built. Now watch several large shopping centers
sprout up since the general location of the road is known.

[Huntsville_secede]

Yes 3 lanes would be better they always underestimate everything and pay for it in the future when it is more difficult to widen the road. I have heard nothing official about the collector road but it has to be constructed within 5 years according to the TIF guidelines right? I wold like to see some kind of plan for this. Which plan do you favor build over the existing roads or shift them to the north to avoid the cemetry? Hopefully this will entice Walmart to announce it will be building a store out here soon. I drive out to 72 east during rush hour and its a lot of traffic out there way more than I would have thought for the least populated part of town. There are so many new subdivisions being build in this part of town.

[Rail Claimore]

I thought they were supposed to start the overpasses this year or 07? And why did those business locate on that portion of 72 when it has long been known that it was scheduled to be upgraded to a limited access expressway. Whatever happened to the collector road that is supposed to be built over Chapman Mt. as part of TIF 4?

They rebuilt 72 over Chapman Mt with enough ROW to expand it to 6, possibly 8 lanes pretty easily. All it would take would be narrowing the inside shoulders a bit and putting in foundation and pavement on each side. Minimal earthmoving would be required. Building 6 to 8 lanes total would not be feasible given that 72 continues as a 4-lane highway on the other side of the mountain, for now at least.

More pressing in terms of a large swath of land that will be developed out in 20 years is 431 between Hampton Cove and the Guntersville Lake area. The new interstate (god knows when that will be built) will merely intersect 431 near New Hope. What will be required is a widening of 431 to 6 lanes, then eventually to a CD-system like Memorial Parkway. After that, how such traffic flows will be directed over Montesano and into downtown is another big question.

[Huntsville_secede]

Q. When is construction going to begin on the widening of Winchester Road from Valhalla Cemetery to east of Moores Mill Road? I thought this was to begin when Interstate 565 at Chapman Mountain was finished. It has been finished for years now. What is the holdup?

A. The county can't begin widening that stretch of Winchester until next spring because of right-of-way issues, County Engineer David Pope said.

The state Department of Transportation asked that the county have the property needed for the widening to be reappraised, he said. That should be completed soon, but the expected condemnation of some of the property will take a few months. Once the state approves the right of way and engineering plans, it will take at least another 10 weeks for the state to bid the project, Pope said.

The 1.26-mile project to widen the road from two lanes to five is expected to cost $3 million. The state will provide 80 percent of the cost using federal highway money, and the county will pay the remaining 20 percent.

Alabama 53 widening

The state is taking bids to sell two houses that will have to be removed for the next phase of the Alabama 53 widening project.

The DOT is seeking bids on a one-story brick house at 584 Kelly Springs Road and a two-story frame house at 592 Kelly Springs Road.

The state bought the properties for the right of way needed to widen Alabama 53 from just north of Research Park Boulevard to just north of Jeff Road.

If the state doesn't get satisfactory bids for selling and removing the houses, it will include their demolition or removal in the construction contract for that phase of work, said Johnny Harris, Division 1 engineer.

"If they're in good shape, we try to sell them," Harris said.

Construction started early this year to widen the highway from north of Mastin Lake Road to north of Research Park Boulevard. Construction of phase two from north of Research Park Boulevard to north of Jeff Road is scheduled to begin in late 2008.

[HSVTiger]

Some Westin/Bridge Street construction, courtesy of Sellersphotos
http://www.sellersphoto.com/clients/bridgest/images/_MG_5223.jpg

http://www.sellersphoto.com/clients/bridgest/images/_MG_5230.jpg

http://www.sellersphoto.com/clients/bridgest/images/_MG_5227.jpg

Looking South I-565/Research Park Interchange
http://www.sellersphoto.com/clients/bridgest/images/_MG_5214.jpg

Looking East, Space and Rocket Center in background
http://www.sellersphoto.com/clients/bridgest/images/_MG_5218.jpg

[TimCity2000]

^that last pic is really cool... puts the enormity of this thing in perspective when you compare it to the USSRC.

[Rail Claimore]

^No kidding, and I had no idea that the earthmoving and road construction within the complex was that far along. It's already beginning to take shape.

[HSVTiger]

Downtown, from their website:

Opening October 23, 2006!

Ruth's Chris Steak House in Huntsville, Alabama is situated in the lobby of the Embassy Suites conveniently located in downtown Huntsville adjacent to the Von Braun Center - the city's arena and concert hall. Vibrant reds and golds predominate the steakhouse dining room and complement the design of the open atrium Embassy Suites Hotel and Spa. Ruth's Chris' expansive terrace overlooks alluring Big Spring Park and provides opportunities for outdoor dining respites, weather permitting. Private dining rooms offer a variety of event options for 10 to 300 guests

Ruth's and the Embassy Suite now open. The Embassy will have it's official opening Nov.1st.

[Huntsville_secede]

new 300,000-square-foot facility for International Diesel of Alabama is to be built near its existing plant in Jetplex Industrial Park near Huntsville International Airport.

According to sources familiar with the project, diesel engines for heavy-duty trucks will be built at the new location.

An announcement for the new facility and the number of jobs it will create is to be made this afternoon at 1:30 by Gov. Bob Riley at the existing plant. International currently has about 500 workers at its plant here.

Others expected to attend today's announcement include Jack Allen, president, International Engine Group, International Truck and Engine Corp.; Jacob Thomas, vice president, International Engine Group; and Donna Miller, plant manager at International Diesel of Alabama.

International Diesel is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Truck and Engine Corp., which is headquartered in Warrenville, Ill. International produces heavy-duty trucks, medium-duty trucks, severe service trucks, school buses and medium-range diesel engines.

International Diesel's Huntsville plant produces a new generation of technologically advanced clean diesel engines at its 700,000-square-foot plant at 646 James Record Road in the industrial park.

Navistar International Corp., whose principal operating subsidiary is International Truck and Engine Corp., announced in April 1999 that it would locate a manufacturing plant in the building that had housed Onan Co. Production started two years later.

[HSVTiger]

A neat addition comingto this old mill village. This should encourage more development in this unique area of the city. Just off Governors Drive on Triana

By RYAN HICKMAN
Times Arts Writer ryan.hickman@htimes.com
When Merrimack Hall was the center of social activity of Merrimack Mill Village during the early part of the 20th century, it served as a grocery store, a barbershop, a school gymnasium and even a theater.

Come next spring, Debra and Alan Jenkins of Huntsville hope the brick building will be a cultural monument for the city again when it reopens as Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center.

The Jenkinses announced their plans Tuesday to transform the complex on Triana Boulevard into a 25,000 square-foot all-purpose performing arts center.

"We wanted to pair our financial resources with our admiration of the performing arts," Debra said. "We feel like we should do this and we're lucky enough that we can."

Debra, a performing artist with a long and influential reputation in the city's arts community, and Alan, the president of InterSouth Properties and a musician, are planning to put more than $2.5 million into renovating Merrimack Hall for a projected May opening.

"We are doing this as a gift to the community," Debra said. "The demand is out there and Huntsville is growing so fast.

"We hope that the arts community will use this as a resource all the time."

Although the Jenkinses have independently financed the construction of the hall, sustaining the center will come from grants, sponsorship and donations as it operates as a nonprofit organization. Debra will be its executive director.

Initial construction started about a month ago but major renovations, including gutting the electrical wiring and plumbing as well as removing the roof to add a pair of elevator shafts, will begin in the coming months.

In addition to purchasing the building and its parking lot, the Jenkins have also secured property behind Merrimack Hall and a vacant lot next to it for additional parking.

The first floor will have a public lobby, administrative offices and rehearsal space for musicians. Debra said a third of the main level will remain undeveloped allowing for room to expand.

What was once the gymnasium for Joe Bradley School on the second floor will eventually be a 3,000 square-foot dance studio and will accommodate a green room and dressing rooms that can be transformed into smaller spaces if needed for classrooms.

The second level of Merrimack Hall will also boast a 260-plus-seat theater that can handle nearly 300 audience members due to the flexible stage.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/116176806090260.xml&coll=1

[HSVTiger]

^that last pic is really cool... puts the enormity of this thing in perspective when you compare it to the USSRC.
If you look close at the rocket Center, you can see the site work for the new building that will house the other Saturn V that is being refurbished (the real one) the one standing is a mockup.

Also in the third pic the area behind the hotel,which have the strange square cutouts is the site of a Monaco theater complex (16 screens I think).
The rest of the area will be the stores, lakes, office buildings etc.

[TimCity2000]

^My office is actually doing the design for the Saturn V building (nicknamed the "Rocket Garage")...

... unfortunately I work in the HealthCare Studio and don't get to work on it :(

[HSVTiger]

A neat addition comingto this old mill village. This should encourage more development in this unique area of the city. Just off Governors Drive on Triana

By RYAN HICKMAN
Times Arts Writer ryan.hickman@htimes.com
When Merrimack Hall was the center of social activity of Merrimack Mill Village during the early part of the 20th century, it served as a grocery store, a barbershop, a school gymnasium and even a theater.

Come next spring, Debra and Alan Jenkins of Huntsville hope the brick building will be a cultural monument for the city again when it reopens as Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center.

The Jenkinses announced their plans Tuesday to transform the complex on Triana Boulevard into a 25,000 square-foot all-purpose performing arts center.


http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/116176806090260.xml&coll=1

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