[HSVTiger]

From the Huntsville Times

A 250-foot tall control tower at Huntsville International Airport to replace its aging 97-foot tower. Construction on the $21 million tower is expected to begin in July, said Jerimiah Easley of the Federal Aviation Administration in Atlanta. The larger tower will give air traffic controllers a full view of runways and taxiways, which have been improved to accommodate an increase in air traffic.

An 1,100-foot waterway linking Big Spring lagoon downtown with Pinhook Creek behind the Von Braun Center. Gerald Clark, landscape architect with Civil Solutions in Huntsville, said the canal will be 15 feet wide, lined with sidewalks and plenty of landscaping, and include a flared "turnaround" area for boats. The waterway will be plumbed and wired to accommodate a fountain, he said. The canal is part of the extensive downtown renovations associated with the Embassy Suites hotel under construction next to the VBC. The hotel is expected to open by early next year.

A 47,000-square-foot building to house the historic Saturn V display at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The building will also include exhibit space. An architect for Gresham Smith & Partners of Birmingham said work should begin in late April.

The Hilton Huntsville will become Holiday Inn Select Hotel, Huntsville-Downtown on April 1, changing its affiliation after 30 years. 3 million in renovations underway.

The 273-room hotel, located at 401 Williams St. near the Von Braun Center, has been a Hilton since opening in April 1975.

Westin Huntsville groundbreaking scheduled for next month

[HSV79]

Let's not forget about Big Spring Summit which is well underway. Part of the garage has been torn down and the base of the building is being constructed right now. And of course Embassy Suites is still under construction. Though I do believe that most of the actual ground work is complete. Oh and the 250' crane in Research Park is for the Dynetics HQ.

[HSVTiger]

The only thing holding up the Five Points improvement project now is final state approval.

City Planner Marie Bostick hopes construction on the $1.4 million makeover of Huntsville's trendy east side business district can begin by summer.


Plans call for landscaped sidewalks; a narrower, pedestrian-friendly Pratt Avenue; benches; lantern-style streetlights; new parking configurations, and other improvements.


City officials are lobbying Cramer and other members of the congressional delegation for several million dollars for as many as three more parking garages downtown. More parking, Spencer said, will help draw more condominiums, restaurants and retail development.

The garages would cost about $6 million each, said City Planning Director Dallas Fanning. Tommy Brown, director of public parking and transit for Huntsville, said the city hopes to "partner" with private developers in building the garages in conjunction with a retail or residential development.

"We don't want to go out and just build a stand-alone garage," Brown said. "

My comments below, not part of the article,

The above mentioned garages may be linked to several major
downtown projects which may include the often rumored 20+
story condo and or a retail, entertainment complex on the MarketSquare property, or another hotel office complex.
At the moment this is speculation, but like he said "we don't go out and just build a stand alone garage."In any case something is cooking..
:fc: :hmmm:

[HSVTiger]

to see what these buildings will look like. Hopefully something
futuristic and fitting for Northrop. The site is relatively small so it
may rival Adtrans buildings across the street in height.

Northrop Grumman Announces Intent to Build New Huntsville Campus
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., May 23, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- To accommodate its growing presence in the Huntsville area, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) will construct a new five-building complex in Cummings Research Park.

The company has selected developer Colonial Properties Trust (NYSE:CLP) for the $80 million project to be located off Interstate 565. Colonial Properties is a real estate investment trust headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. Northrop Grumman plans to break ground on the first 110,000-square-foot building June 27.

Northrop Grumman employs about 1,200 people in the Huntsville area, in more than 20 facilities. Most current operations will be consolidated in the new headquarters facility, which will house offices, laboratories, and research and development centers.

[argussventon]

Weren't there plans in the works to put up a replica of the launch pad for the Saturn V and include that as part of the vertical display?

[HSVTiger]

Weren't there plans in the works to put up a replica of the launch pad for the Saturn V and include that as part of the vertical display?

But those plans were shelved after the former director of the museum mis- managed funds,and falsely reported profits.
Currently the books are being put in order, and some day
the gantry may be built. There was to be a restaurant at the top,
I believe. I actually kind of like it without the tower.
The big push now is to build a building to house the real Saturn V and refurbish it, as it is only one of three real Saturn V's in existence.

[DruidCity]

The canal sounds especially nice.

Huntsville seems to be making strides toward becoming a more well-rounded city.

I read a while back that the Huntsville Botanical Garden will spend $3.6 million over the next year or so. Unless I'm mistaken, it's the largest public garden in Alabama, in terms of acreage.

The employment numbers look very good for Huntsville, especially considering the new jobs likely to arrive with BRAC :
http://www2.dir.state.al.us/LAUS/LAUS_Metrorates.asp

[Rail Claimore]

You can see the construction crane of Big Spring Summit from a number of vantage points miles away now.

[TimCity2000]

^I went home this weekend for the Cotton Row Run and was pleasantly surprised to see two or three cranes dotting the skyline. One for Big Spring Summit, one for Embassy Suites, another at the hospital. Hopefully a fourth will pop up if they ever decide to get 301 East going again.

[HSVTiger]

from the website. The Governor will be here tomorrow for the "official" groundbreaking. Heavy equipment has been
working the site for several weeks now.

The Westin Huntsville
http://www.osholdings.com/bridgestreet/images/model-westin.jpg

Overall site plan
http://www.osholdings.com/bridgestreet/images/021805%20Color%20Overall%20Site%20Plan.jpg

[Blazer85]

How tall will the Westin in Huntsville be?

[HSVTiger]

How tall will the Westin in Huntsville be?

said 12, 200 rooms , with the top 6 floors being condos, of which
many have already pre sold.

[HSVTiger]

opens the new Monroe Street bridge downtown, this will lead to the new canal being built between the Embassy Suite and VBC.
The rendering says pedestrian bridge but is also for vehicle traffic.
Not shown off the bottom of the page is a new roundabout across from the main branch downtown public library which is to the left.
http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/news/biz_news/2004/pic/012104_riverwalk.jpg

http://ericpapetti.typepad.com/read_this/images/roundabout.JPG

Credit to Eric Papetti for this photo

[TimCity2000]

That Westin looks great... won't be long before Research Park has a better skyline than downtown, lol!

[HSVTiger]

some nice things at Bridge Street groundbreaking

For the last 30 to 40 years, Riley said, the Huntsville/Madison County community has worked together as few others in Alabama or across the Southeast have. "This is almost like an oasis in the state of Alabama," Riley said. "You have a sense of community pride in this area that allows you to work together ..."

"It's amazing how much community support there is here," said Gary Safady, managing partner with O&S Holdings. "We promise to deliver a special project."

Tenants will be announced in the coming weeks,

Thanks Guvna:hug:

[zoom31min]

Congrats Huntsville. Birmingham would do well to work together like y'all have.

[HSVTiger]

new Huntsville Campus, 1 block west of Bridge Street in
Cummings Research Park. They will all be 3 story buildings

http://tinypic.com/5tw50h

http://tinypic.com/5tw5jm

[Mystic City]

I really like the Westin rendering.

[HSVTiger]

by city, from WAFF television.

City leaders call it a unique chance, the possibility to pedal into a future where Big Spring Park gets even bigger.

"We're very proud because this was an opportunity for the city," Mayor Loretta Spencer smiles.

The opportunity sprang forth when the aging, soon-to-be-retired owners of the Holiday Inn Select put it up for sale at an asking price of 14-million bucks. A non-profit organization called the Big Spring Partners managed a deal for the hotel at 8-and-half million.

"It just seems like such a win," Big Spring Partner President David Johnston says of a victory even the hotel celebrates.

A huge tax break kept the owners from ducking out of the deal.

"I read that contract so many times," hotel general manager Vini Gupta says. "I cannot come up with a single negative for any party concerned."

Meanwhile, the city gets the property, an obvious financial benefit, and so much more. "The city's getting paid for the availability of the land, they're getting their cost recovered," Johnston explains. "They're protecting inflation. They're protecting the site, they're keeping the rooms."

Rooms that aren't going anywhere, not now that the hotel's guaranteed to be there at least another decade. And with construction of a second hotel already in full swing, city leaders say further downtown development also has a promising future.


This is another step in downtown progress, here is another.

The Huntsville City Council will consider plans today that would remove an old storage building from the Pinhook Creek floodway, add green space around the downtown post office and build a storage facility for the U.S. Postal Service.

City leaders have been working to make way for an eventual widening of Pinhook Creek to remove businesses from the flood plain and help reduce the cost of flood insurance for businesses in the area.

Plans call for the city to take over roughly 2.5 acres along Pinhook Creek behind the post office on Clinton Avenue; raze the storage building; expand green space; and revamp the parking lot at the post office, said Dallas Fanning, city planning director.

This will become part of the planned riverwalk under construction.

[HSVTiger]

As it seems in most markets passenger traffic is in strong
growth pattern..


The Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority has approved an operating budget for 2005-06 that projects more than 1.2 million passengers.

That's a projected passenger traffic increase of almost 14 percent over the current budget. The airport's new fiscal year starts July 1.

The budget has $24.7 million in revenues, and about $21 million in spending for the airport, Sheraton Four Points hotel and Jetplex Industrial Park operations.


The planned improvements include renovating the terminal and concourse, and expanding the parking deck and the air cargo apron.

Rick Tucker, the airport's executive director, reported that passenger traffic for 2005 through May was 522,477 - up 15.5 percent over the same period in 2004. The number of passengers in May reached 118,281, up more than 14.4 percent over May 2004.

from The Huntsville Times June 10, 2005

[HSVTiger]

building in Research Park

http://www.hughesassoc.com/L%20Hugh3.jpg

The new building will allow the company, which provides research, development and engineering services and products, to consolidate its 700 Huntsville employees, who are now spread out over seven facilities throughout Huntsville, said Dr. Marc Bendickson, Dynetics chief executive officer.

[TimCity2000]

While I certainly am glad to see Research Park continue to grow, the Northrop Grumman building and Dynetics building are both pretty uninspired.

[HSVTiger]

could have had more significant architecture.
Oh well, still a tremendous amount of money being spent.

[HSVTiger]

By GINA HANNAH
Times Business Writer, ginah@htimes.com
Five years ago, Huntsville government and business leaders rode a bus to Chattanooga to learn how it had managed to revive its downtown. They ate lunch at a restaurant near the Tennessee Aquarium. They rode the carousel at Coolidge Park. They had dinner in the Bluff View Arts District overlooking the river.

They came back with a dream: Let's do something like this in Huntsville.

On June 8, officials from the city and Big Spring Partners, a nonprofit downtown development organization, announced the group's first project in Huntsville's downtown: a public-private partnership in which both parties will acquire the Holiday Inn Select property on Williams Street. Under the terms of the deal, Big Spring Partners will buy the hotel and the land it sits on for $8.6 million, then sell the land to the city for $6.5 million.
Big Spring Partners was modeled after RiverCity Co., which has been instrumental in bringing nearly $1.5 billion in development to Chattanooga's downtown during the past two decades. Since its formation in 1986, RiverCity has had a hand in numerous downtown projects, including housing construction, historic preservation, parks and entertainment.

Chattanooga's revitalization has been touted nationally as an example of public-private partnerships working well. Once considered one of the most neglected downtown areas in the region, Chattanooga's riverfront now teems with activity as tourists and residents visit the aquarium, restaurants and shops, and families gather for picnics or to play in an interactive water fountain. "

There will be many new downtown projects announced for downtown in the coming year.

In addition:

Officials at Huntsville Hospital are proposing to more than double the size of the ER. They also want to add a four-story patient tower to the six story parking garage being built next to the emergency room.

[HSVTiger]

Some of the latest developments under way, most have been mentioned in above posts:

Westar Aerospace & Defense Group Inc. broke ground in February on a two-story, 85,000-square-foot building at Cummings Research Park West that will allow Huntsville operations to be consolidated at a single facility and allow for corporate growth plans. Construction of the $10 million facility, at 890 Explorer Blvd., is expected to be completed in early 2006. Westar is now in the eastern part of the park.

Analytical Services Inc. is building a 25,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at 350 Voyager Way to accommodate current and future growth. The building is expected to be operational Oct. 17, and a grand opening is scheduled for early December.

Northrop Grumman Corp. plans to break ground on June 27 for the first 250,000-square-foot building in a five-building complex for its 1,200 local employees who are now scattered among 20 sites around town. The $80 million complex is expected to take three to five years to complete.

Los Angeles-based O&S Holdings LLC broke ground June 1 at the site of the $210 million, 100-acre World Famous Bridge Street project that will include nearly 500,000 square feet of retail space, a 16-screen theater, a performing arts center, office buildings and the Westin Huntsville Hotel & Residences that will include luxury condominiums. That first phase is scheduled for completion at the end of 2006. The property is on the north side of Old Madison Pike, just west of Research Park Boulevard.

The $19 million Columbia High School, now under construction on the western edge of the park, is expected to open in August.

Just over a week ago, the Huntsville City Council authorized the mayor to enter into a sales contract with Delta Research Inc., a military defense engineering firm, to buy 13 acres on Explorer Boulevard at Enterprise Way. The company plans to build a 30,000-square-feet building, moving from the 11,000-square-foot building on Wynn Drive on the east side of the park where the company has been for about 17 years. A second 30,000-square-foot building is planned as the company expands.

Other major companies are "looking for growth opportunities" at the park, Spencer said, "but we're not at liberty to quote who they are." A city planning subcommittee last week approved an amendment to city zoning laws that would allow companies in Cummings Research Park to provide sleeping quarters for visiting scientists and researchers. A city planner said a biotech research company considering locating in Cummings Research Park is requesting the change, but declined to identify the firm.

Meanwhile, the city is moving to make land available in other areas to help bring more companies to Huntsville. Spencer and other city officials held a news conference Friday afternoon to announce a proposal to purchase 145 acres for an expansion of the North Huntsville Industrial Park.

"It opens more areas for manufacturing,'' Spencer said. "We have to be diverse and have to offer all kinds of jobs. It's being forward thinking.''

[HSVTiger]

Our friends a few miles to the west(city limits of both cities touch at I-65) are starting to get in on the retail
boom action...

By Martin Burkey
DAILY Staff Writer
mburkey@decaturdaily.com · 340-2441

Target, Old Navy, Linens'N Things, PetsMart, Chili's Grill and Bar and Longhorn Steakhouse are some of the stores and restaurants tentatively slated for the Decatur Exchange shopping center, which the City Council set in motion Monday.

John Graham of Atlanta developer Tricore Partners said he hopes to finalize agreements with those stores and others he couldn't name, now that he has a $4.75 million package of incentives from the council.

On Monday, the council voted 4-0 to borrow money for site improvements, roadwork, utilities and more to lure the development to Decatur.

Graham said he hopes to begin work late this year on the 26-acre site at U.S. 31 and Alabama 67, and open it for business in October 2006. The list of prospective businesses also includes Rack Room Shoes, Panera Bread Co. and Books-A-Million. The agreement between the developer and the city also refers to Academy Sports as another possibility.

Graham told the council that the center represents a redevelopment of a major gateway to the city that will bring revenue and jobs, and likely will stimulate spinoff development around it at an intersection traveled by more than 30,000 cars daily. Tricore is interested in additional land around the current development, he said.

[HSVTiger]

prior to large amount of new restaurant announcements coming.

The building next door to McAlister's Deli near the intersection of Whitesburg Drive and Airport Road has been gutted and is being remodeled for a new seafood restaurant. It will be No. 101 in a chain of eateries that is part of the Outback Steakhouse group of restaurants.

Huntsville's Bonefish should open about Aug. 1, according to managing partner Todd Shelton.


The mother company must have high hopes for Huntsville. Carrabba's opens Monday at Parkway Place on South Memorial Parkway, and the area's second Outback opened in Madison earlier this year. Bonefish is across the street from the city's original Outback location

[HSVTiger]

Just weeks from the opening of the new public Providence Elementary/Middle and Columbia High schools on the western fringes of Huntsville, a master plan was approved Tuesday night for a sprawling Christian school complex near Providence that will include athletic fields, a performing arts center, a gymnasium and a K-12 school facility.

The $21 million development for Westminster Presbyterian Church is on a 42-acre tract off Research Park Boulevard between Oakwood Road and Johns Road.

The Huntsville Board of Zoning Adjustments signed off on the master plan Tuesday night, clearing the way for construction beyond site preparation.

Westminster officials promised the development - with its campus-style layout, planned lush landscaping and ballfields - will be an attractive addition to surrounding neighborhoods and heavily traveled Research Park Boulevard.

"It's to our advantage to make it as attractive as possible," said Robert S. Illman, headmaster of Westminster Christian Academy.

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville's Toyota engine plant may soon have some company.


Mayor Loretta Spencer, City Council President Richard Showers and other city officials Friday afternoon announced a proposal to buy 145 acres for an expansion of North Huntsville Industrial Park.

Showers said the city will soon make an offer on more land next to the park. "We will be back very soon with the announcement of some additional property the city can get," he said. "We have a bunch of folks lined up out there interested in buying options (on industrial park property) to let us know they're seriously interested."

Showers hinted Friday that several industrial scouts are eyeing the northern park. He wouldn't say who or what type of industry they represent but did say the prospective tenants are "medium to large-type operations" similar to Toyota.

The City Council will consider the 145-acre purchase June 23. The land is east of Pulaski Pike and south of Bob Wade Lane/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The latest purchase would bring the North Huntsville Industrial Park to 965 acres.

from The Huntsville Times

http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/news/biz_news/2005/061805_toyotapark.jpg

[HSVTiger]

The Hotel Group's newest hotel is scheduled to open September 15, 2005 in Huntsville, AL. The 101 room Hilton Garden Inn will be conveniently located off of !-565 near the areas largest tourist attraction, the US Space & Rocket Center. The hotel should also attract the many business travelers visiting the area as it is adjacent to the Cummings Research Park, the Marshall Space Flight Center, the Redstone Arsenal and just a couple of miles from downtown.

Also construction will begin on a new 107 room Homewood Suites by Hilton The hotel will be a great compliment to the company's Hilton Garden Inn that is scheduled to open in September 2005. Homewood Suites is an upscale extended stay property that features full kitchens in every suite. The typical guest stays five or more nights and many times stays for weeks at a time.

[DruidCity]

More Federal money for Huntsville-area projects:
http://shelby.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=239254

[HSVTiger]

in light of the Winn Dixie closings this will bring relief to that area,
A Winn Dixie just down the street will close.

Equity One, Inc. For additional information at the Company:
1600 NE Miami Gardens Drive Howard Sipzner, EVP and CFO
North Miami Beach, FL 33179 Media Contact:
305-947-1664 David Schull 305-446-2700
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Equity One Finalizes Publix Lease at Winchester Plaza Development in Huntsville, Alabama
North Miami Beach, FL, June 23, 2005 – Equity One, Inc. (NYSE:EQY), an owner, developer and
operator of community and neighborhood shopping centers located predominantly in high growth markets in
the southern United States and the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan area, announced today that it has
executed a lease with Publix Supermarkets, Inc. for a to-be-built 45,600 square foot Publix supermarket in
the Winchester Plaza shopping center development in Huntsville, Alabama.
Winchester Plaza is a 75,700 square foot shopping center which will be built on approximately 23 acres of a
33 acre site owned by Equity One at the intersection of Winchester and Homer Nance Road about seven
miles northeast of Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama. The surrounding area is one of the fastest
growing sub-markets in the Huntsville metropolitan area, and includes 22,808 people with a median
household income of $53,616 in the five-mile trade area. The development will cost approximately $8.7
million to complete, will include 30,100 square feet of local tenants plus four out-parcels and will provide
approximately 10 acres of excess land for sale or alternative development. Construction is scheduled to
begin in the third quarter of 2005 with completion projected in the second quarter of 2006.
“We are excited about our progress on Winchester Plaza,” stated Chaim Katzman, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Equity One, “and believe our strategy of developing and acquiring supermarket
anchored shopping centers in fast-growing markets will produce superior returns for our stockholders.”

[HSV79]

Man what can I say Huntsville is booming this days. Looks like every other week or so some project is coming out of the wood work. Hmm updates...well driving into downtown through the new traffic circle and over the bridge by the Embassy Suite is the best view of downtown . I was stunned to see the Embassy Suite finally on its 3rd floor. This building will stand when finished 140 feet tall which isn't to shabby for around here. The Big Spring Summit building is on its 6th floor and it will stand 128 feet tall. The exterior of the building should start up pretty soon. Some mystery Bio Tech company is looking to build out in Research Park but like I said is yet to be named. The metro jail is on its 5th floor and it will stand around 100-120 feet tall. Now if Mr. Schrimsher would finally kick into high gear and build his 21 storey condo tower that would be nice.

[HSVTiger]

for the above ^^^ Northrop facility yesterday..



At the ground-breaking for an $80 million Northrop Grumman campus in Cummings Research Park, Sen. Jeff Sessions said he has often referred to Huntsville as the state's economic gem.

"But maybe I should call it the mother lode," Sessions said Monday morning.
From Gov. Bob Riley to Mayor Loretta Spencer, the official word at the ceremony was that Northrop Grumman's locale selection for its five-building complex shows confidence in Huntsville's support - economic and congressional.

"They could have put this building anywhere, and they chose Huntsville," Riley said.

[HSVTiger]

800 more jobs possible

By Jay Wilson
DAILY Business Writer
jwilson@decaturdaily.com · 340-2440

Northrop Grumman Corp.'s five-building, $80 million complex will consolidate about 20 current locations, eventually allowing Northrop to expand its work force from 1,200 to 2,000.

That was the message from company officials in Huntsville for Monday's groundbreaking ceremony for the first 110,000-square-foot building.

Northrop, a Los Angeles, Calif.-based global defense company, drew leaders from across the state to its Cummings Research Park construction site at Interstate 565 and Old Madison Pike.

Gov. Bob Riley; Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville; Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile; and Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer attended the ceremony.

"This is a great day for Alabama, a great day for Huntsville and a great day for America," Riley said, noting that Northrop chose Huntsville over any other city in America.

Sessions, who chairs a U.S. Senate sub-committee for space, defense and missile programs, said the nature of warfare calls for the constant creation and use of technology.

"We simply cannot find ourselves, in the coming years, vulnerable to missile attack," he said, adding that Northrop's focus is part of the nation's defense.

Cramer said Northrop's programs are important to "our men and women fighting in terribly difficult conditions."

Spencer complimented Northrop and said Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal is also a good partner, constantly explaining the Army's vision and goals for Huntsville.

This week, she and other area leaders will focus on the Base Realignment and Closure hearings in Atlanta. Huntsville stands to gain more than 1,600 jobs in the BRAC process.

Northrop's Daniel L. Montgomery, vice president and corporate lead executive, said in a release that Northrop expects "even more growth in the years ahead."

[HSVTiger]

Nearly a year after a downtown condominium project was shelved because of building costs, 301 East is again under construction.

The seven-story condominium tower, located at Holmes Avenue and Green Street across from the Times Building, will feature two- and three-bedroom residences within a neotraditional architecture.

Workers Friday were preparing the site for construction. The project by Thornton Properties of Huntsville will offer street-level retail shops for artisans and a locally owned and operated restaurant.

[HSVTiger]

By MARIAN ACCARDI
Times Business Writer accardi@htimes.com
18-screen cinema to open in spring at Jones Valley center

Site work has started on a new 61,155-square-foot Hobby Lobby Creative Center at Valley Bend at Jones Farm, the latest addition to the shopping center at Carl T. Jones Drive and Four Mile Post Road in south Huntsville.

With the addition of Hobby Lobby and the rest of the shopping center's second phase and a new Rave Motion Pictures theater, "we're easily at 700,000 square feet of retail" at Valley Bend, including its surrounding outparcels and the Huntsville Hospital Wellness Center, said developer Raymond Jones Jr.
"We're very excited about what is happening and what has happened," Jones said. The development is good news in terms of the added tax base and services for the community, he said.

Construction on the Hobby Lobby probably will start within 60 days, Jones said. The anticipated opening is January.

"This store will bring a new mix to the center that we don't now have. It will make a good addition," Jones said. The arts and crafts chain has 360 stores, including two in Huntsville.

Site preparation is also under way on a 90,000-square-foot Rave Motion Pictures theater, which will be the city's largest with 18 screens and 4,100 stadium-style seats. "They are shooting for a May or June 2006 opening," Jones said. The adjacent lot will have about 1,150 parking spaces.

"It took about two years and two months to get to where we are now" on the Rave project, Jones said. "It takes a lot of time to put together a development like this."

Hobby Lobby is the anchor tenant for Valley Bend's second phase, which will include about 148,000 square feet of retail space. "We're now in negotiations with a few (potential tenants), and hopefully we will have more announcements in the near future," Jones said. He doesn't yet know the exact number and size of the stores. "That will come as we lease them," he said.

"Of the remaining five outparcels (along Carl T. Jones Drive), we're in negotiations with four (companies), including Zaxby's," he said. "The other three are sit-down restaurants."

The first phase of Valley Bend has more than 392,000 square feet, with one 1,600-square-foot space vacant. Its anchor store is SuperTarget, which opened in fall 2001.

[HSVTiger]

another new urbanism project on 115 acres, that will keep most trees, many large hardwoods, and create a park like setting
The still-unnamed neighborhood will feature restaurants, a bookstore, boutique hotel, loft apartments, estate homes and a soaring glass conservatory.J.H. Partners, a Huntsville architectural firm, began working on the design in January.The neighborhood will be next door to Country Day School and around the corner from the Village of Providence, an even larger mixed-use development.

Construction should begin by January

[HSVTiger]

anyone tried it? Sounds excellent, another franchise from Raving Brands out of Atlanta. Nothing But Noodles a similar concept is always packed at lunch, good stuff.
More than two dozen Mama Fu's operate across the Southeastern states with another 20 or so under construction spreading to the West Coast. Huntsville's is almost completed just west of the Cowboys fuel service station across from the SuperTarget shopping center.

Fast casual means customers line up inside the door and order as they watch cooks preparing meals in the open kitchen. Food is then brought to the table. The menu is built around noodle and rice dishes, a few soups, salads and wraps. Especially spicy entrees are designated as "hot Mama" or "double-hot Mama." The restaurant serves beer and wine.

Mama Fu's joins a growing number of Asian-style eateries, a trend that began with P.F. Chang's China Bistro and its Pei Wei Asian Diner concept.

Huntsville's Mama Fu's will seat 90 inside and 30 on an adjoining patio. Plans are to do staff training over the weekend and open to the public on Tuesday.
:yes:

[HSVTiger]

Hope to have a rendering soon,

By KENNETH KESNER
Times Staff Writer kesner@htimes.com
After more than three years of planning and research and securing more than $60 million in government money, the University of Alabama in Huntsville is holding ceremonies this morning to officially begin construction of a state-of-the-art Applied Sciences Building.

The 200,000-square-foot, four-story building is scheduled to open in the fall of 2007. It will become the focal point of a new landscaped "gateway" to the campus from Sparkman Drive - part of the recently approved campus master plan.

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, and U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, were expected to join UAH President Frank Franz and other dignitaries for the groundbreaking. Shelby has been a longtime supporter of the project and garnered $50 million in federal money.

[HSVTiger]

CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. today announced renovation plans for Madison Square in Huntsville, AL in 2006. The 1.1 million square-foot regional mall will undergo its second renovation since its’ opening in 1984. CBL previously remodeled the mall in 1994 and the new, multi-million dollar renovation will include design improvements to further enhance the consumers overall shopping experience.

CBL selected FRCH of Cincinnati, OH as the architectural firm and EMJ Corporation of Chattanooga, TN as the general contractor. The renovation is scheduled to begin in January of 2006 with completion scheduled for the fall of 2006. The mall will feature new interior décor with the addition of carpeting and tile throughout the mall, upgraded restrooms with the addition of family restrooms and soft-seating areas with upholstered sofas and chairs. The mall will also feature new amenities including light towers, benches, trash receptacles and food court tables and chairs.

[HSVTiger]

Hope to have a rendering soon,

By KENNETH KESNER
Times Staff Writer kesner@htimes.com
After more than three years of planning and research and securing more than $60 million in government money, the University of Alabama in Huntsville is holding ceremonies this morning to officially begin construction of a state-of-the-art Applied Sciences Building.

The 200,000-square-foot, four-story building is scheduled to open in the fall of 2007. It will become the focal point of a new landscaped "gateway" to the campus from Sparkman Drive - part of the recently approved campus master plan.

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, and U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, were expected to join UAH President Frank Franz and other dignitaries for the groundbreaking. Shelby has been a longtime supporter of the project and garnered $50 million in federal money.

http://urnet.uah.edu/news/newsImages/appliedsciencebldg.jpg

[DruidCity]

That science building looks very nice !

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville International plans for the next 50 years.
Plenty of room and unlimited potential.

From The Huntsville Times
Just since the airport opened in 1967, its growth has been pretty remarkable, Tucker said. About 3,000 acres were purchased for the airport in 1964, Tucker said.

"Now we own 6,000 acres, and our planned acquisition will take us to 10,000 acres," Tucker said.

The airport's property boundaries will then be Wall Triana Highway to the east, Interstate 565 to the north, beyond Swancott Road to the south and Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge to the west.

"I think most of that (10,000 acres), if not all, would be acquired in the next 20 years," Tucker said.

The master plan for the Port of Huntsville, which takes in the airport, the Jetplex Industrial Park and International Intermodal Center, gives some indication of what the airport could look like in the future. The plan calls for expanding south from the existing concourse if needed in the future.

Beyond that, the plan lists an extension of the airport's east runway so that both of the runways are 12,600 feet long, adding a future third parallel runway to the west, adding future fourth and fifth parallel runway systems and ultimately building a second, midfield concourse/terminal.

The existing facility allows plenty of capacity for now, said Barbie Peek, the airport's marketing director. Already the first phase of a concourse expansion and renovation project is under way, and a parking deck expansion and second and third floor improvements are under design - all part of a multi-million-dollar capital improvement plan.

[Blazer85]

Yeah... when I read that, I was pretty shocked by the plans to have 5 parallel runways. Birmingham has about double the passenger traffic of HSV and we only have 1 main runway for commercial flights. BHM has 2 runways and is thinking about adding a 3rd, but 5 seems to be a bit overkill unless there's really a big jump in HSV passenger traffic.

[HSVTiger]

reworking existing retail, always a good thing

Village at Whitesburg to get upscale makeover
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Huntsville Times
The Village at Whitesburg shopping center is about to undergo a transformation.

The center, located on the northwest corner of Whitesburg Drive and Airport Road, will get a new look plus new stores and restaurants, said Charles Grelier Jr., president of Chase Commercial Real Estate Services, the leasing and managing agent for the project. Construction is expected to begin this fall and take about five months.

"There will be pretty dramatic changes to the porticos, hardscape and facade," Grelier said last week. "We will be upgrading the tenant mix to more of a lifestyle mix."


Lifestyle centers are a current trend in retail development, with sidewalks, plazas and trendy shops and cafes.

He said a pedestrian-friendly plaza will be built in the corner of the shopping center, near the Thirsty Turtle pub.

He said he expects most of the existing tenants to stay, with vacancies being filled by new, upscale stores and restaurants.
A Bonefish Grill seafood restaurant is currently under construction and is scheduled to be open by September, he said. Existing restaurants include McAllister's Deli, Qdoba, Subway, Thirsty Turtle and Ding How Chinese restaurant.
For years, the 120,000-square-foot shopping center has been anchored by a Winn Dixie store. That store was not on a list of sites the bankrupt grocery chain announced it has sold. Grelier said the site will become either a "high-end anchor" or space for shops.

Charles Grelier said he's not ready to announce any additional tenants, "but there's a lot of letters of intent.

"We're pretty close to signing several good tenants, another upscale restaurant for one."

[TimCity2000]

BHM has 2 runways and is thinking about adding a 3rd, but 5 seems to be a bit overkill unless there's really a big jump in HSV passenger traffic.

while huntsville's passenger traffic is definitely on the increase, i think most of this planning is done with cargo traffic in mind. that's the main reason the first runway was increased to 12,600.

[Rail Claimore]

HSV has the largest cargo traffic of any airport in the state by a pretty considerable margin last time I checked.

[Blazer85]

Oh yeah... I'm aware of HSV's air cargo business, but why do they need a 2nd infield terminal then unless they plan on having passenger traffic spread out over several runways?

[HSVTiger]

Oh yeah... I'm aware of HSV's air cargo business, but why do they need a 2nd infield terminal then unless they plan on having passenger traffic spread out over several runways?

that is long range planning, (50 years) who knows what the
airline industry will be like. If an Air Cargo company decided to expand greatly in the US, HSV would have the infrastructure in place. The downfall of any airport is the inability to expand.
In any case HSV will have the premier facility in the state, that is their goal.

[HSVTiger]

If in the area come join the party.
Link shows all events in the coming weeks and interesting
info.
http://www.huntsvillebicentennial.com/images/logo_on_tan.jpg

http://www.huntsvillebicentennial.com/

[HSVTiger]

Crestwoods proposed hospital for Madison, one of Huntsville's fast growing suburbs
http://www.citizensformadisonshospital.org/art/newrendering.jpg

[HSVTiger]

proposal
http://www.huntsvillehospital.org/contentFiles/cmArticles/MadisonHospital.jpg

http://www.huntsvillehospital.org/contentFiles/cmArticles/Madison2b.jpg

[HSVTiger]

This project has great potential, a downtown campus would be cool, but this will be located in Research Park most likely.

By BRIAN LAWSON
Times Business Writer brianl@htimes.com
Exemptions hinge on $50M in private investment here

The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday brought Huntsville a step closer to creating a top-flight biotechnology research institute here, approving tax exemptions for the project if private investors put up $50 million to establish it.

The bill, which Gov. Bob Riley plans to sign into law, will provide tax relief starting in October 2008 to the Hudson-Alpha Institute for Biotechnology, a nonprofit led by Huntsville biotechnology pioneer Jim Hudson and Adtran co-founder Lonnie McMillan.Hudson founded Research Genetics, which opened in 1987 and created Huntsville's biotechnology sector. Hudson sold his company to Invitrogen in 2000. Hudson said late Tuesday that work to create the biotech institute is ongoing, but did not elaborate.

The proposed project has been described by supporters as a nonprofit research center that would aim to lead innovation efforts in the Southeast and develop new biotechnology ideas with commercial and academic potential. The center would seek to attract related businesses interested in partnering on a range of projects.

[DruidCity]

Re: biotech - Isn't Hudson the same guy who had that "Electric Avenue" proposal a few years ago ?
Is anything planned for the site where Electric Avenue would've gone ?

[HSVTiger]

Re: biotech - Isn't Hudson the same guy who had that "Electric Avenue" proposal a few years ago ?
Is anything planned for the site where Electric Avenue would've gone ?

yes and yes. Looking back thankfully that project didn't happen.
The site is adjacent to the under construction Big Spring Summit.
Triad Properties is planning a 3-4 story condo retail project
on top of the garage. With the success so far with Big Spring
this project will happen sooner than later.

[HSV79]

The Big Spring Summit building is coming along nicely as the facade of the building is being placed near the bottom. The top is still underconstruction but the crane for this building is said to be 265' tall. Looking at this building it seems that it could be taller than 128'. The building is pretty much already spoken for as far as vancancy goes. The hotel site is coming along nicely as it is on the 3rd floor of the 10 floor 140' building. The Saturn V at the Space and Rocket Center is being fixed up and being prepared to move.

[TimCity2000]

^can't wait to see all those downtown buildings finished, including 301 east!

[Blazer85]

Is there some kind of rendering of the Huntsville skyline with any/all of these buildings superimposed?

[HSVTiger]

Is there some kind of rendering of the Huntsville skyline with any/all of these buildings superimposed?

Blazer85, at one time there was an image floating around but haven't seen it in awhile, maybe more additions are being made:hmmm:

on another note with the good sometimes comes the bad, most of the jobs are hoped to be transferred to the other plant by 2007
or absorbed in the community which is a good possibility, since most are manufacturing

Siemens VDO Automotive plans to close one of two former DaimlerChrysler plants it purchased here last year and move those product lines to Mexico over the next two years.

Most of the work done at the Wynn Drive site, which employs more than 400 people, will be moved to a Siemens plant in Guadalajara. Siemens will continue to operate its plant in Madison near the Huntsville International Airport, and has no plans to close it, a company spokesman said Wednesday.

[HSV79]

Well, I for one would love to see the city skyline picture with all the added buildings. 301 is having the foundation work done right now I drove by the other day and they were drilling and pouring concrete. Hmm, Mr. Shrimscher where are you ? Now would be the perfect time to go ahead and build the Holmes Condo tower. The metro jail is coming along pretty good and is on like the 5th or 6th floor right now. I have a gut feeling the Summit office building will indeed be taller than 128 feet tall. The boom on the crane for the building is 250 feet tall and the building isn't to awfully far from there and they are still on the 6th -7th floor. I would have to guess 160-170 feet maybe. I will see about getting a revised height on that building. Would be nice.

[GoUp1]

I grew up in Huntsville and it sure has changed in 20 years. Love to see those pics or close airshot.

[HSVTiger]

Columbia High School rapidly being readied for the first day of school next week. Even thoug vandals have broken in twice,
stupid punks. It is a beautiful facility located on the edge of Research Park

The $22 million school, named in honor of the space shuttle Columbia, is spread over 131,000 square feet. There is an isolated choral room. The blue bleachers of the main gym will seat 1,600. The practice gym across the hall seats 350.

Crimson drywall can be spotted here and there. The classrooms, most ringed by white block walls, carry the color scheme. Only the cafeteria's waxed floor interrupts with a checkerboard design of gold and white.

From outside, the rounded library walls are probably the school's most distinctive architectural feature.

Offering a sense of space, the ceiling of the library rises two stories. Overhead, poking through the turret's rounded walls, 24 double-pane windows allow the sun from all angles to light up the bookshelves.

[HSVTiger]

and to help supply young talent for Columbia,
Providence Elementary and Middle School..
http://www.villageofprovidence.com/images/school-400.jpg

These two schools were built to handle the fast growing west
Huntsville neighborhoods, enrollment at each will be between
300-400, next week but by next year are expected to be at capacity, around 800 students each.

[HSVTiger]

opens the new Monroe Street bridge downtown, this will lead to the new canal being built between the Embassy Suite and VBC.
The rendering says pedestrian bridge but is also for vehicle traffic.
Not shown off the bottom of the page is a new roundabout across from the main branch downtown public library which is to the left.
http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/news/biz_news/2004/pic/012104_riverwalk.jpg

http://ericpapetti.typepad.com/read_this/images/roundabout.JPG

Credit to Eric Papetti for this photo

The 1,000-foot-long canal and the walkways on each side are considered a 5.5-acre addition to Big Spring International Park by Spencer's administration.

A short section of the canal was built under Monroe Street as part of the Monroe Street and Williams Avenue intersection improvements. The new work will extend the canal between the $40 million Embassy Suites, which is expected to be completed in fall of 2006, and the Von Braun Center South Hall.

The canal will feature two circular basins, two pre-cast bridges similar to the Monroe Street bridge and a stepping-stone bridge. Other features include brick pavement, decorative light fixtures, handrails and park benches.

"This is the beginning of another great opportunity for downtown Huntsville," Spencer said Monday.

The City Council awarded Miller & Miller Inc. a $3.4 million contract to build the canal. The city is supplying $2.4 million of the cost and the federal Economic Development Administration is providing $1 million.

C.B. Miller, chief executive officer of Miller & Miller, said after the ceremony that his company has begun work on the canal and it should be completed in about a year.

The 10-story, 300-room hotel will include a sky walk over the canal from the hotel to the VBC.

[HSVTiger]

A little Huntsville, Tennessee River history, involving some famous people.

NewsChannel 19's Amber Moody reports

A man by the name of James Ditto, also known as John, came to North Alabama from North Carolina and settled in what's known today as Ditto Landing.

Jacque Gray says, "He lived peacefully with the Indians for 3 years. He left the Big Spring and came out here and started the ferry. Among his clients were General Andrew Jackson, and his men included D avy Crockett, who had came to fight against the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend."

Ditto landing became a very popular travelling way for many.

Ed Mitchell says, "Mr. Ditto came in about 1804 and operated a ferry from this bank over there to that bank in Morgan County. It was the only way to cross the river--no bridge at that time."

Mitchell says the river was used for more than just ferrys.

Mitchell says, "This river also presents another mode of transportation. The Indians came down the river by canoe and bargained and battled with the railroad company for years."

Today, Ditto Landing is home to 168 open and covered slips, each offering ample electricity and water.

Mitchell says, "Besides that, this has been developed into an outstanding marina. [It's a] beautiful place, mountains in the background by the river."

Mitchell says the ferry started by John James Ditto served the area well into the 1990's.

[HSVTiger]

another new urbanism project on 115 acres, that will keep most trees, many large hardwoods, and create a park like setting
The still-unnamed neighborhood will feature restaurants, a bookstore, boutique hotel, loft apartments, estate homes and a soaring glass conservatory.J.H. Partners, a Huntsville architectural firm, began working on the design in January.The neighborhood will be next door to Country Day School and around the corner from the Village of Providence, an even larger mixed-use development.

Construction should begin by January

Some more info on this project..it sure does seem like most developers are ready to build, but are waiting on somebody..

By Martin Burkey
DAILY Staff Writer
mburkey@decaturdaily.com · 340-2441

Not content to wait on their proposed Point Mallard Park development to move forward, Decatur insurance broker Rex Rankin III and Madison construction contractor Doug Gooch are relocating their imagination to Huntsville.

They plan to create an upscale "lifestyle" residential and commercial development.

The still unnamed development on Old Monrovia Road would be similar to the nearby Providence lifestyle development, Gooch said. The new development would be to Providence what WaterColor is to neighboring Seaside on the Florida Gulf Coast.

The developers are working with the Huntsville Planning Department to get site-plan approval for a 35-acre tract that would include single-family homes and loft apartments over commercial space with a glass-walled conservatory as the centerpiece of the development. Their plan also includes a 20-acre "retail village" on the north side of Old Monrovia directly across from the 35-acre development.

Developers propose to have the 20-acre site, now outside the city limits, annexed into Huntsville.

"It goes back to a lifestyle experience, borrowing from what's been done over in Providence," Gooch said. "One part of the property is almost touching land owned by Providence, which is across the street to the east. We're taking on a bit more focused group that will appreciate the character and quality of something like a conservatory. Individuals who choose not to have a yard can have a condo. Individuals who still want the comfort of a single-family home have the opportunity to have a traditional home in a very traditional neighborhood."

Huntsville Assistant Planning Director Marie Bostick said she has had preliminary concept discussions with the developers, but has nothing official to begin formal evaluation. She said it will require zoning amendments, a process expected to take five to six months.

Gooch estimated the development, created by J.H. Partners in Huntsville, would have 60 to 70 single-family home lots and about 50 to 100 loft apartments. Apartments would range from 1,200 to 1,800 square feet. Single-family homes would range from 2,200 to 4,000 square feet. Three main commercial buildings will contain 18, nine and five rental commercial spaces beneath loft apartments.

The developers will finance their development. They are waiting for their architects to provide cost estimates for the development and estimated prices for rental and single-family homes, Gooch said.

Gooch described the design concept as late 19th, early 20th century.

"It's a lifestyle community, so you could get up on Sunday, walk down to a Starbucks-type coffee shop, and enjoy the paper and a cup of coffee," he said.

The conservatory will set the development apart from anything in North Alabama, Gooch said. The conservatory would be capable of hosting catered events and concerts, and serve as an educational center.

The design of mixed-use commercial area, Gooch noted, is much like the developers' "Village" area of their RiverCountry at Point Mallard project. Located at the south end of Point Mallard, the Village area would have restaurants, shops and loft apartments, an inn and galleries.

"The greenhouse structure literally glows at night, forming a beacon to the surrounding community," Gooch said. "We anticipated the same kind of glass structure for the Point Mallard convention center hotel because of the presence on the riverfront."

In the Huntsville project, Gooch said he hopes to get approval and break ground this fall.

Rankin and Gooch proposed a $256 million program last year to privatize most of Point Mallard park with the addition of about 40 attractions such as hotels, tournament golf course, rental cottages, shops, yacht harbor, sports fields and attractions. They are seeking approval from city, state and federal officials to begin work on the project.

[kevinranders]

Hey guys - I used to live in Huntsville - Five Points to be exact - while I was in grad. school at UAH

When I left there were talks of a project being built around the park downtown. Are there any updates as to this? (I think I may be behind the times)

[doormanpoet]

Huntsville is a cool town! I am glad to see it growing. I love to see the south grow.

[HSV79]

You are referring to Electric Avenue? That project was scrapped and along came Big Spring Summit office tower which is being topped out. Also, further along the Big Spring will also be a 4 story building ( Big Spring Summit is 8 stories 130') which will include condos and retail. Triad is the main force behind building the new complex along the park. By the way the birthday party for Huntsville last night was really nice. The $7,500 fireworks display was one of the nicest display I've ever seen. The new interactive water park is a wonderful addition to the downtown area also.

[ScreamShatter]

Wow...I'm really impressed by the Ele. School and the Huntsville Hospital. Great designs! Very classy.

[DruidCity]

$256 million for improvements at Point Mallard ? :eek:

Subdivisions with giant glowing greenhouses ?:yes:

Way to go, Huntsville !!!

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville, the leader in space and missile defense now strives
to do the same in biotech, new campus at Research Park.

Big plans for biotech Hudson-led institute promises 900 jobs for city
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
By BRIAN LAWSON
Times Business Writer brianl@htimes.com
Nonprofit is backed by $130 million inprivate, state funds

Huntsville will be the home of a major new biotechnology research institute, led by industry pioneer Jim Hudson and backed by $80 million in private contributions and a $50 million state investment.

At a luncheon today, Gov. Bob Riley, who has called for biotech development in Alabama since he first ran for governor, will announce the establishment of the nonprofit Hudson-Alpha Institute for Biotechnology.
"With a $50 million commitment from the state, we're gaining $80 million in private investments that together will help create about 900 direct new jobs," Riley said. "We are actively and aggressively positioning Alabama to become a worldwide leader in biotech research and one of the premier places in the nation for these high-paying jobs that can't be exported overseas."

Researchers in the biotech field often possess both a medical degree and a Ph.D. and want to work around the world with top researchers, the kind the institute hopes to attract.

Hudson, 63, established Huntsville's biotech industry with his company, Research Genetics, which he founded in 1987 and sold in 2000. He said the institute project - a resurrection of a long-held idea - began to move forward in May 2004 after significant amounts of cash were raised from private donors. The group approached Riley, seeking state support. Hudson said Riley was immediately receptive and made the deal possible.

"This is the most exciting thing I've been involved with in my lifetime," Hudson said. "This is going to be unique. It will be an economic development engine as much as a true research facility. We'll have eight scientific teams, housed in the same building with eight biotech companies."

Hudson said the private donors who generated the $80 million commitment have asked not to be identified. The donors are not investors seeking a return, he said.

While the institute and its future researchers will face plenty of competition for grant dollars, Hudson said the biotech field is exploding with the mapping of the human genome, and there are plenty of "niches available to become a dominant player."

The institute will create a campus-like environment on 120 acres in Cummings Research Park. It will include a 260,000-square-foot main building that will house biotech companies and facilities for eight teams of institute-hired scientists, Hudson said.

Construction is scheduled to begin this winter, and organizers hope to open the institute in fall 2007. The institute will start with 500 to 600 people working in its facility and expects an annual payroll of $37 million by the end of 2008.

At full capacity, the institute is expected to employ 900. The property sold to it by the City of Huntsville is large enough to accommodate new buildings for companies that outgrow their space in the institute. Hudson estimates the overall campus could employ 1,600 within 10 years with an annual payroll of $83 million.

U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, who helped negotiate the agreement between the institute and state officials, said the project could be the beginning of redefining Alabama's economy.

"I think it's an extraordinary opportunity for our state to define a future for itself that hasn't been defined so far," Cramer said. "This brings together assets from around the state of Alabama. And it allows us to enter an elite number of centers around the county like this. That will allow us to attract companies and scientists and projects beyond anything we've seen in North Alabama."

Building a future

The University of Alabama in Huntsville biotechnology program Web site defines biotechnology as "the safe study and manipulation of biological molecules for development of products or techniques for medical and industrial application."

Supporters of the project said Huntsville could see the same kind of biotech industry form around the institute as has been the case in San Diego in connection with the Scripps Institute there and in Palo Alto, Calif., near Stanford University.

[kevinranders]

You are referring to Electric Avenue? That project was scrapped and along came Big Spring Summit office tower which is being topped out. Also, further along the Big Spring will also be a 4 story building ( Big Spring Summit is 8 stories 130') which will include condos and retail. Triad is the main force behind building the new complex along the park. By the way the birthday party for Huntsville last night was really nice. The $7,500 fireworks display was one of the nicest display I've ever seen. The new interactive water park is a wonderful addition to the downtown area also.

Yes that is exactly what I was referring too - it sounds awesome. Why did they scrap it? Funding fall through??

[HSVTiger]

This campus will consist of a 4 story HQ building and several
stand alone buildings built in a park like setting, right near
the new Columbia High School. I believe this is the Governors
third or fourth visit in the last couple months to announce
developments.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. Governor Bob Riley visits Huntsville today to announce a new biotechnology research center that could create up to 900 new jobs.

Riley, a supporter of the biotech industry, will discuss the nonprofit Hudson-Alpha Institute at a luncheon.

In the recent special session, the Legislature approved 50 (m) million dollars in tax breaks for Hudson-Alpha, which has secured another 80 (m) million dollars from private donors.

The center will focus on D-N-A research.

Stations: Governor will make economic development announcement at 12:30 p-m, Von Braun Center, North Hall.

[HSVTiger]

Another possible mega project in the making

TVA, government working for new start

By Ken Bonner
The Daily Sentinel Page 1 of 2 | Next
Single-Page View

Published August 8, 2005

Jackson County officials should know by October 1 if NuStart Energy Development, LLC intends to locate a new generation nuclear facility at TVA’s Bellefonte Nuclear Plant site near Hollywood.

NuStart official Garry Miller said Thursday that the eight company consortium will decide by the end of September if Bellefonte is one of their choices for either a Westinghouse Advance Passive 1000 Reactor or a General Electric Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor. The site near Hollywood is one of six finalists. Other potential sites are located in La,. Md., Miss., N.Y. and S.C.

If built, the reactors would be the first new ones in the United States in 30 years. Currently 23 nuclear facilities are under construction worldwide.

While the state currently cannot legally provide tax abatements, credits and other incentives to utility companies it, along with local officials, is trying to meet an August 15 deadline to complete a package encouraging the consortium to locate a facility at Bellefonte. Governmental entities are working to meet the consortium’s request for proposal, covering concerns such as available infrastructure, education, workforce availability, training and outlining community support for the project.

“My job is to put together a response to your request,” Neal Wade, Director of the Alabama Development Office told NuStart representatives in a meeting Thursday. “This is something we want in this state. We’ll put together an aggressive response.”

State Senator Lowell Barron said he would work diligently to see that the Alabama Legislature passes legislation allowing the state to provide a first rate incentive package to the consortium.

“We’ll step up to the plate big time to support this facility,” he said. “We’ll put the incentives in place, the support in place. There’s no place in the U.S. that’s a better place to do business than North Alabama and Jackson County.”

Eight utility companies comprise the NuStart consortium. They are: Constellation Energy, Duke Energy, EDF International North America, Entergy Nuclear, Exelon Generation, Florida Power and Light Company, Progress Energy and the Southern Company.

TVA participates in the group through in-kind services. GE and Westinghouse are involved as reactor designers and manufacturers.

Tom Kilgore, President and COO of TVA said there are four reasons NuStart should choose Bellefonte to build a nuclear plant. “I call them the four C’s,” he said of commitment, community, construction and connections.

“TVA is committed,” Kilgore stated. He said the community supports the project and that construction would be easier and less costly because of the transmission switchyard and other infrastructure in place at the facility. Finally he called the utility’s direct connection to four members of the consortium a plus.

http://cryptome.org/npp2/pict346.jpg

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville, the leader in space and missile defense now strives
to do the same in biotech, new campus at Research Park.

Big plans for biotech Hudson-led institute promises 900 jobs for city
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
By BRIAN LAWSON
Times Business Writer brianl@htimes.com
Nonprofit is backed by $130 million inprivate, state funds

Huntsville will be the home of a major new biotechnology research institute, led by industry pioneer Jim Hudson and backed by $80 million in private contributions and a $50 million state investment.

At a luncheon today, Gov. Bob Riley, who has called for biotech development in Alabama since he first ran for governor, will announce the establishment of the nonprofit Hudson-Alpha Institute for Biotechnology.
"With a $50 million commitment from the state, we're gaining $80 million in private investments that together will help create about 900 direct new jobs," Riley said. "We are actively and aggressively positioning Alabama to become a worldwide leader in biotech research and one of the premier places in the nation for these high-paying jobs that can't be exported overseas."

Researchers in the biotech field often possess both a medical degree and a Ph.D. and want to work around the world with top researchers, the kind the institute hopes to attract.

Hudson, 63, established Huntsville's biotech industry with his company, Research Genetics, which he founded in 1987 and sold in 2000. He said the institute project - a resurrection of a long-held idea - began to move forward in May 2004 after significant amounts of cash were raised from private donors. The group approached Riley, seeking state support. Hudson said Riley was immediately receptive and made the deal possible.

"This is the most exciting thing I've been involved with in my lifetime," Hudson said. "This is going to be unique. It will be an economic development engine as much as a true research facility. We'll have eight scientific teams, housed in the same building with eight biotech companies."

Hudson said the private donors who generated the $80 million commitment have asked not to be identified. The donors are not investors seeking a return, he said.

While the institute and its future researchers will face plenty of competition for grant dollars, Hudson said the biotech field is exploding with the mapping of the human genome, and there are plenty of "niches available to become a dominant player."

The institute will create a campus-like environment on 120 acres in Cummings Research Park. It will include a 260,000-square-foot main building that will house biotech companies and facilities for eight teams of institute-hired scientists, Hudson said.

Construction is scheduled to begin this winter, and organizers hope to open the institute in fall 2007. The institute will start with 500 to 600 people working in its facility and expects an annual payroll of $37 million by the end of 2008.

At full capacity, the institute is expected to employ 900. The property sold to it by the City of Huntsville is large enough to accommodate new buildings for companies that outgrow their space in the institute. Hudson estimates the overall campus could employ 1,600 within 10 years with an annual payroll of $83 million.

U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, who helped negotiate the agreement between the institute and state officials, said the project could be the beginning of redefining Alabama's economy.

"I think it's an extraordinary opportunity for our state to define a future for itself that hasn't been defined so far," Cramer said. "This brings together assets from around the state of Alabama. And it allows us to enter an elite number of centers around the county like this. That will allow us to attract companies and scientists and projects beyond anything we've seen in North Alabama."

Building a future

The University of Alabama in Huntsville biotechnology program Web site defines biotechnology as "the safe study and manipulation of biological molecules for development of products or techniques for medical and industrial application."

Supporters of the project said Huntsville could see the same kind of biotech industry form around the institute as has been the case in San Diego in connection with the Scripps Institute there and in Palo Alto, Calif., near Stanford University.

With Huntsville's 80 million PRIVATE investment they can't say much. This will enhance UAB's great work as well..
On Monday, a UAB spokeswoman focused on the state and federal support UAB receives without acknowledging the move in Huntsville.

"At UAB, we have received wonderful support from our elected officials," said Dale Turnbough, associate vice president of public relations and marketing at UAB. "In particular, Senator (Richard) Shelby and Governor Riley have shared our vision for the role UAB can play in our state's continued economic development through the expansion of our biomedical research programs. We look forward to proving them right by sustaining our record of accomplishment in research and technology transfer."

Comparisons with UAB:

Still, UAB had to lobby hard for the $25 million it received for its $90 million research facility now under construction. When Shelby, R-Ala., secured an additional $50 million for UAB, it made the project a reality.

The ease with which Huntsville is getting twice the incentives from the state with less of an existing biotechnology cluster than Birmingham caused a number of economic development and elected officials to raise concerns when the proposal was introduced last year.

"I think UAB has had to fight long and hard for what they've got," vonCannon said. "That does not need to be dismissed in any way. Over the years, UAB has been successful in bringing so many federal dollars in the state."

VonCannon said now that the state has shown it recognizes the value of investing in biotech, UAB will find it easier to tap into state dollars in the future.

"We need to ensure the state is spreading the dollars out to the areas where it can provide the most return and I have to trust the governor is doing that," he said.

[HSV79]

This project was to be funded by Jim Hudson and his wife Susie. This project was to be where the Big Spring Summit building is now. It would have been condos in a 14 storey tower and a series of smaller buildings and restaurants along side the lagoon downtown. The project was pretty much shot down due to cost and the NIMBY'S in town. Now for some other news....The Summit office building will include a pair of restaurants and the rest will be office space. The building is topped out and the next phase which includes condos will soon get underway hopefully. The new metro jail is on the 5th / 6th floor and coming along slowly. The Saturn V is being refurbed and will be moved hopefully in the next few months to its new home inside the new welcome building at the Space & Rocket Center. Bridge Street all 100 acres have been cleared and construction is well underway as well as the 2 lakes that will serve as the center piece.

[HSVTiger]

Regarding the above posts^^^^^
This is no small project, the impact could be on the scale of an
automotive plant over the next 10 years.

http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/news/biz_news/2005/082905_biotech.jpg

http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/news/biz_news/2005/082905_biotech_map.jpg

[HSVTiger]

Passenger traffic at Huntsville International Airport for the year through July is ahead of the 2004 count.

The number of passengers at the airport through July was 755,192, up 12.9 percent over the same period in 2004, according to figures released Tuesday at a meeting of the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority.
"I think we will have another record year if the (passenger growth) trend continues, and we anticipate that trend continuing," said Rick Tucker, the airport's executive director.

Tucker told authority members that the Senate Appropriations Committee last month approved its version of a spending bill for fiscal year 2006 for agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration. The bill directs the FAA to give priority consideration to discretionary grant money for building a new taxiway at Huntsville International Airport.

From Huntsville Times

[HSVTiger]

By JOHN PECK
Times Staff Writer jpeck@htimes.com
Bus stop, shuttlesystem possiblefor Bridge Street

Water taxis will ply the lakes in the planned $210 million World Famous Bridge Street retail/office/entertainment complex in Cummings Research Park.

A shuttle bus system may also be offered to help transport people to and within the business park.
The City Council last week authorized requests for bids for construction of an intermodal facility - a bus terminal/parking garage - in Cummings Research Park. Some $7 million in federal transit funds has been authorized for the project.

The transit proposal comes as Cummings continues to expand. Columbia High School is now open on the west edge of the research park, the sprawling Bridge Street retail project is under construction, and officials recently announced a $130 million biotechnology research institute expected to create 900 direct jobs and hundreds of spin-off jobs.

The resolution authorizing the bids for the transit station claim it will reduce current and projected traffic congestion within the park, reduce air pollution by providing an environmentally friendly commuting practice, and further improve the city's overall quality of life.

Joe Vallely, director of economic development for Huntsville, said the Bridge Street developers, O&S Holdings of Los Angeles, were instrumental in nabbing the grant money for the parking/intermodal structure.

"We're going to look at it and try to make a determination on ridership and whether a bus stop is needed," he said.

Vallely said the decision revolves around cost, demand and logistics.

[HSVTiger]

Wednesday, August 17, 2005
By GINA HANNAH
Times Business Writer ginah@htimes.com
Developer talks of restaurant plans at topping out event

At a picnic Tuesday to celebrate the topping out of Big Spring Summit's exterior frame, the office building's developer said more news about the project will come soon.

William Stroud, principal for Triad Properties, said a restaurant for the building's first floor will be announced in a couple of weeks. He also expects to reveal detailed plans for the project's second phase.
Stroud said construction on Big Spring Summit's second phase will begin early next year and will include a condominium tower that will rise from the top deck of the parking garage, next to the first tower. The building will house about 45 condos, all with views of the lagoon

[HSVTiger]

Main Street Lofts

http://www.villageofprovidence.com/images/splash/building1-small.gif

Main Street Lofts in The Village of Providence offers sophisticated urban living over Town Center businesses (Grille 29, Market Street Cafe and Jittery Joe's Coffee Shop).

From their web page^^

[HSV79]

Well, we all knew that the next phase of the summit would be condos and they said 4 stories or so. I didn't count on them building on top of the garage so basically the building would be 6 stories tall against the 8 storey Summit tower. Slowly but steadily we are gaining something of a skyline. Any word on the 4 storey patient tower on top of the 6 storey parking garage at the hospital? Once again where is the Holmes condo tower (21 stories) ?

[TimCity2000]

the providence lofts look nice. is there a big demand for this type of residential construction outside the city center? also, how far approximately is providence from downtown?

also, did the 301 east lofts change at all from the first concept? i know they were put on hold shortly, but wasn't sure if this affected the size/scope/appearance of the project.

i can't wait to go home for christmas or thanksgiving and see everything that's going up.

[neilson]

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Starbucks coming to north Huntsville
The Starbucks binge in Huntsville continues.

A city planning subcommittee this morning approved layout plans for the city's sixth Starbucks coffee shop. The latest one is planned for a vacant lot near the southwest corner of Memorial Parkway and Mastin Lake Road in northwest Huntsville, plans show.

Officials with the Seattle-based company confirmed last week another Starbucks was in the works for Huntsville – with an opening date of December – but they wouldn’t reveal the location until the plans came before the city today.

Four Starbucks are open in Huntsville: one off Governor’s Drive across from Huntsville Hospital; one off Airport Road near Crestwood Hospital; one in Target at Westside Center on U.S. 72 West; and one in Target at Valley Bend at Jones Farm on Carl T. Jones Drive. A Starbucks under construction at The Fountain shopping complex at Memorial Parkway and University Drive is scheduled to open next month.

Nearly 8,000 Starbucks locations dot the United States, and another 1,500-plus in foreign nations.

John Peck
Huntsville Times

[HSV79]

It seems more and more people are leaving the big subdivisions to live in communities like Providence. The project seems to be selling out really fast. There are a handful of these projects that are underconstruction right now . I don't think the renderings have changed for the 301 east condos. The Summit has its traditional evergreen tree on top of the building as well a a U.S. flag for the topping out. This building I think will be pretty much done my Christmas time.

[HSVTiger]

one the south's largest music festivals Sept.23 -25
Downtown Huntsville

http://www.bigspringjam.org/

[HSVTiger]

foundation work set to begin.
http://mail.osholdings.com/bridgestreet/images/model-westin.jpg

A huge amout of site prep has been underway for weeks,
digging the lakes preparing for the infrastructure etc.

[HSVTiger]

BRAC votes package deal
Friday, August 26, 2005
By SHELBY G. SPIRES
Times Aerospace Writer shelbys@htimes.com
Redstone decision could bring 1,755 new federal jobs

The majority of the nation's missile defense work will land in Huntsville if the recommendations of the nine-member Base Realignment and Closure Commission, or BRAC, panel passes muster at the White House and on Capitol Hill next month.

The bulk of the Missile Defense Agency's development and management work, along with the headquarters of the Army Space & Missile Defense Command, would move to Huntsville under a recommendation the BRAC panel passed Thursday.

On Wednesday, the BRAC panel also approved moving the headquarters of the Army Materiel Command to Redstone.

The moves will net at least 1,755 new federal jobs for the area, said Dave Hargrove, incoming president of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. "That's the official number given by the Pentagon in May, and, although we are hopeful more contractor jobs will follow, I think that's the prudent figure," he said.

Bringing the headquarters of AMC and SMDC to Huntsville, which has long been the headquarters for the Army Aviation and Missile Command, would elevate Redstone's stature as a key site for the Army. It could also make Huntsville home to several more Army generals.

The Army Materiel Command, which is the parent command of Redstone's Aviation and Missile Command, is headed by four-star Gen. Benjamin Griffin. Griffin's command staff also includes a three-star general and a couple of two-star generals.

SMDC is helmed by Lt. Gen. Larry Dodgen, a three-star general who lived in Huntsville for two years as the commanding general of Army Aviation and Missile Command. AMCOM is headed by a two-star general, Maj. Gen. James Pillsbury.

"This is what we have been working for a number of years, and, of course, we are just ecstatic and very happy over these decisions," said Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee co-chair Joe Ritch. "It's been a very, very good week for Huntsville" and the Tennessee Valley.

Hargrove said the number of contractor jobs that would follow the federal work has not been verified. But unofficial estimates have ranged from 2,000 to 3,000 contractor jobs. Lt. Gen. Trey Obering, head of the Missile Defense Agency, said during a recent appearance in Huntsville that MDA alone could bring more than 2,000 workers here.

[HSVTiger]

Lowe's is next in line of the big retailers slated to come to Hampton Cove. Randy Cunningham with the city planning department said officials with Lowe's have already approached the board of adjustments to request the necessary permits to build there, across the street from Super Wal-Mart. In early June, a permit was issued to Ben Branum Contractors of Huntsville for grading and drainage work on a 30-acre site at that corner. "It is still in the planning stages, and we don't have the drawings on it yet," Cunningham said. "It isn't entirely solid yet, but that is what has been proposed.

Source: Huntsville Times

Home Depot probably won't be far behind.

[HSVTiger]

Tower..
Work on a new air traffic control tower for Huntsville International Airport is expected to get started around the first of November.

The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded the tower construction contract to Carmon Construction Inc. of Albertville, said Luther "Butch" Roberts Jr., the airport's deputy director, at a meeting Tuesday of the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority board of directors. The contract is in the amount of almost $13.15 million.
The new tower will be 219 feet tall, while the existing, 40-year tower is about 100 feet tall. It is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2008, Roberts said.

Hopefully it will be an architectural masterpiece!. But in reality
it will most likely be pre fab stacked sections.

[HSVTiger]

one the south's largest music festivals Sept.23 -25
Downtown Huntsville

http://www.bigspringjam.org/


The list of bands, something for everyone!
http://www.bigspringjam.org/page-lineup/lineup-frame.html

[TimCity2000]

219 ft! Looks like Huntsville's tallest buildings will have to be towers (FAA Tower, Saturn V, rocket test stands, etc).

LOL

thanks for keeping this thread updated regularly.

[HSVTiger]

This Saturday(17th) from Chattanooga to Scottsboro, Huntsville,
Madison, Florence and ends in Waterloo AL.
Thousands of riders for hours
http://www.al-tn-trailoftears.org/

Adjust your routes and schedules accordingly if you do not want to be delayed. Many interstate own ramps may be closed through Huntsville. If your are headed eastbound there should be no delays.

[HSVTiger]

a new quality President.
Expect great things from this University
Maybe he will purge it of deadwoods and hanger ons.
His relationship with Marshall Space Flight Center will be interesting. Universities are such a key element in a cities growth.
A future enrollment of 10-12,000 is not out of reach, not to mention new developments in this college town area of Huntsville.
A&M Board Selects Earls as 10th President

Huntsville, Ala. ---- Following a one-hour executive session, Alabama A&M University’s Board of Trustees today returned to a packed Clyde Foster Multipurpose Room to hand over the realm of the 130-year-old school to a top NASA center administrator.

Dr. Julian Manly Earls, director of the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, since 2003, has been named AAMU’s tenth president. His affiliation with the Center dates back to 1968. Dr. Virginia Caples, a long-time AAMU administrator and provost/vice president for academic affairs, served as interim president before and after Dr. John T. Gibson’s nine-year presidency, which ended in February.

During a series of public forums on September 15, the three top candidates for the post fielded numerous questions from students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community. At a session in the Dawson Building Auditorium, Earls called the student body the most important group on campus, adding that students should get what they pay for.

So fascinating is the university’s history, Earls went on, that the chronicles penned by former AAMU President Richard David Morrison “should be required reading.”

Earls is expected to begin his first days with a period of assessment and dialogue to determine much-needed information about various facets of the institution. He is also expected to involve individuals, groups and units in discussions about those actions by which they will be impacted.

Earls earned the B.S. degree in physics in 1964 from Norfolk State University (Va.). He went on to receive the M.S. degree in 1966 in radiation biology from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He later earned the Ph.D. degree in environmental health from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.


When asked during the forum about such concerns as campus upkeep and faculty salaries, Earls responded that under his presidency fundraising would be “critical” and that major efforts would also begin to form vital collaborations. One of Earl’s thrusts will include working to increase alumni giving, cultivating students while they are still enrolled; networking with members of various corporate boards; and interacting with CEOs and people who make things happen. Many of the answers to the institution’s problems, he said, are only half solved because the problems have not been adequately stated.

When addressing a concern about helping faculty members to become more productive, Earls first noted that student costs should be kept to a minimum, and efforts should be made to ensure that available funds are appropriately distributed. “If you put a spark in faculty,” commented Earls, “they will help the students.” He offered faculty development opportunities, sabbaticals, and sessions to determine those issues and concerns most critical to faculty and their productivity.

“Customer service,” said Earls, “has a lot to do with the people put in place.” He said it is vital to have people with the know-how as well as a “solid core” of integrity and a willingness to serve. It is also important, he noted, to see how people treat others “from their level down.” While leadership should be accessible, Earls said his early days will require a thorough assessment of “where we are now, where we are going, and what we should stop doing.” While growth is fundamental, said Earls, institutions must be able to maintain what they already have.

“The first things people do when funds are low is to cut maintenance,” noted Earls. He said that mistake could have disastrous repercussions. AAMU should do more to seek resources “in our own backyard,” said Earls.

When asked about his extensive NASA career and the lack of administrative experience in higher education administration, Earls replied, “All institutions involve people.”

Caples will continue in the interim post until Earls assumes his duties.

[HSVTiger]

As of Monday morning, according to the Alabama Department of Education, Alabama schools had enrolled 5,396 students displaced by Katrina. And according to state reports, that's about 2,000 more than Alabama schools had enrolled one week ago.

Throughout Madison County(Huntsville), according to the state, all three systems combined had accepted nearly 350 evacuees as of Monday morning, but the figures keep moving.
Using the most up-to-date numbers from local administrators, the combined total for the three systems in Madison County would be 346 evacuees.

In each system, schools provide supplies and free meals for the students, who are technically homeless. Local PTAs and other groups have helped provide everything from shoes to Wal-Mart gift cards.

[HSVTiger]

Statements from Senator Shelby's office.
Not much in detail but that will be coming
These should start in the near future...
U.S. Space and Rocket Center Tramway Extension - $1 million

Senator Shelby said, “These funds will be used to extend the tramway at the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, thus connecting the botanical gardens to the museum complex.”


University of Alabama in Huntsville Intermodal Facility - $6 million

Senator Shelby said, “I am pleased the bill includes $6 million for an intermodal facility at the southern part of UAH’s campus. This area of the campus continues to grow, and additional space is integral to accommodate the needs of the students and researchers who will use the new campus research facilities.”


Cummings Research Park Intermodal Center - $5 million

Senator Shelby said, “The Intermodal Center at Cummings Research Park is a necessary addition to meet the needs of this new research park. The Center will integrate multiple modes of transportation, serve as a regional transit transfer facility and address traffic safety issues in and around the research park.”

[HSVTiger]

and still be in the city, try Huntsville's Monte Sano State Park. Beautiful views
excellent hiking trails and great camp sites. Due to The state parks being used by transplanted hurricane victims availability
may be limited, but with fall on the way the hiking trails are worth the trip.
http://www.alapark.com/parks/images/monte-sano/MSSP%20cabin%2003.jpg

Check out Alabama's other state parks on this excellent web site.
Alabama has a wide variety of parks
http://www.alapark.com/

[HSVTiger]

Passenger stats for the last few months,

July, 116,483
August, 106,894

Year to Date, 826,086