Huntsville updates

[TheCapstone]

Top Golf targeting markets for expansion

Global golf entertainment leader Topgolf® today announced it has a broad search underway for new locations in smaller and mid-size cities in addition to major U.S. markets. Some new regions under consideration include: New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.; Huntsville, Ala.; northwest Arkansas; Providence, R.I.; Ft. Myers/Naples, Fla.; Greenville, S.C.; Albuquerque, N.M.; McAllen and El Paso, Texas and more.

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by TheCapstone

Top Golf targeting markets for expansion

That will be great if they come here.

[stallty]

https://www.instagram.com/p/608wplR9_n/
Photo Credit Shane Davis

I posted this link a couple of months ago, but the Madison Square redevelopment looks like it has plans for a driving range. Top Golf could really help drive the development as an entertainment center.

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by stallty

https://www.instagram.com/p/608wplR9_n/
Photo Credit Shane Davis

I posted this link a couple of months ago, but the Madison Square redevelopment looks like it has plans for a driving range. Top Golf could really help drive the development as an entertainment center.

The top left of the image could very well be Top Golf. That is what a Top Golf looks like. And would be an awesome location.

[HSVTiger]

Downtown Huntsville needs an additional 500 to 600 apartment units by 2020 or it may miss a critical opportunity to achieve the live/work/play environment it desires.
That's according to a new study commissioned by nonprofit Downtown Huntsville, Inc., which hired ValueTech Realty Services of Lutz, Fla.
The hundreds of apartments needed to position downtown as a "vibrant urban center" are in addition to The Avenue (under construction) and CityCentre (soon to be under construction) at Big Spring, two projects that will create just shy of 470 units when completed.
And a hint as to why the former Coca Cola site sits dead
"What happens sometimes is things get to be popular and people overprice their land and so a good parcel such as the Coke site, which is a very good location, is frankly overpriced in the market,"Chad Emerson

And even long dead and announced wildly Constellation developer Scott McLain is discussing the possibility of new lofts at Constellation at the Memorial Parkway-Clinton Avenue junction. When McLain announced the project in 2008, he said the mixed-use project would include a luxury hotel, new restaurants and retailers, 150 apartments, 280,000 square feet office space and two parking decks

In addition they need to be affordable

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Downtown Huntsville needs an additional 500 to 600 apartment units by 2020 or it may miss a critical opportunity to achieve the live/work/play environment it desires.
That's according to a new study commissioned by nonprofit Downtown Huntsville, Inc., which hired ValueTech Realty Services of Lutz, Fla.
The hundreds of apartments needed to position downtown as a "vibrant urban center" are in addition to The Avenue (under construction) and CityCentre (soon to be under construction) at Big Spring, two projects that will create just shy of 470 units when completed.
And a hint as to why the former Coca Cola site sits dead
"What happens sometimes is things get to be popular and people overprice their land and so a good parcel such as the Coke site, which is a very good location, is frankly overpriced in the market,"Chad Emerson

And even long dead and announced wildly Constellation developer Scott McLain is discussing the possibility of new lofts at Constellation at the Memorial Parkway-Clinton Avenue junction. When McLain announced the project in 2008, he said the mixed-use project would include a luxury hotel, new restaurants and retailers, 150 apartments, 280,000 square feet office space and two parking decks

In addition they need to be affordable

That's interesting Tiger. I agree that we need more foot traffic in Huntsville but for some reason as much as the city is trying; people are still not flocking to downtown like I'd hope they would be. I've noticed that whenever I meet someone new at work that just moved to the area they all tend to move to Madison and they never seem to really leave that area to explore or anything. For example, I am switching jobs and will be moving to a different organization here in town and for my going away luncheon I wanted to go to a restaurant here in Huntsville. I can't tell you how many people have called (Madison residents) that have no clue how to get to this part of town. It's astonishing and makes me believe that Huntsville will never get to where it can be. Another thing I've noticed is that the apartments that they have just built and are building now are a little too pricey for the residents in this city. People are not going to spend $900 - $1000 for a studio apartment when they can go outside the city limits and get a 3 bedroom apartment for $750. The Artisan has many apartments that haven't been leased and sit empty and it's in a prime location. We need reasonably priced apartments in the city center in order to get people to live downtown. I long for this city to have tons of people walking around the square on a Tuesday at 7 pm instead of an occasional downtown event that brings the people out.

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

I long for this city to have tons of people walking around the square on a Tuesday at 7 pm instead of an occasional downtown event that brings the people out.

To me the square is kind of a closed eco-system. The focal point is the courthouse and most of the buildings surrounding it are filled with business that service the courthouse. When the courthouse is closed, there really isn't much reason for people to be there. If you consider downtown to stretch to Medical District, Five Points, Lumberyard, Big Spring Park and maybe even Beer Row, I think downtown is pretty bustling and the addition of CityCentre and The District will help.

[HSVTiger]

Latest population figures

Alabama metro populations 2015
Huntsville added more than 4,000 people over that one-year span, most in the state, according to the estimates released last week.
The latest figures continue recent trends in the state. Since 2010, Huntsville metro has added more than 25,000 residents. Baldwin County added more than 20,000 over the last five years.

1.1m Birmingham-Hoover
444.8k Huntsville
415.4k Mobile
373.8k Montgomery
239.9k Tuscaloosa
203.7k Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
157k Auburn-Opelika
152.7k Decatur
148.2k Dothan
147k Florence-Muscle Shoals
115.6k Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville
103.1k Gadsden
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Get the data

[David1502]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

That's interesting Tiger. I agree that we need more foot traffic in Huntsville but for some reason as much as the city is trying; people are still not flocking to downtown like I'd hope they would be. I've noticed that whenever I meet someone new at work that just moved to the area they all tend to move to Madison and they never seem to really leave that area to explore or anything. For example, I am switching jobs and will be moving to a different organization here in town and for my going away luncheon I wanted to go to a restaurant here in Huntsville. I can't tell you how many people have called (Madison residents) that have no clue how to get to this part of town. It's astonishing and makes me believe that Huntsville will never get to where it can be. Another thing I've noticed is that the apartments that they have just built and are building now are a little too pricey for the residents in this city. People are not going to spend $900 - $1000 for a studio apartment when they can go outside the city limits and get a 3 bedroom apartment for $750. The Artisan has many apartments that haven't been leased and sit empty and it's in a prime location. We need reasonably priced apartments in the city center in order to get people to live downtown. I long for this city to have tons of people walking around the square on a Tuesday at 7 pm instead of an occasional downtown event that brings the people out.

As far as your comment: "People are not going to spend $900 - $1,000 for a studio apartment..", how do you explain the fact that the owners of the higher end apartments are either expanding or building new projects? Specifically, the owners of the Providence Place Apartments in the Village of Providence are building more buildings. Why would they "put good money after bad?" if they hadn't leased what they had built already. Providence Place is one of the highest rent complexes in the area. Likewise, why would the Sealy family build The Avenue if they had not been successful in leasing the Belk Hudson Lofts? Another example is the Waterford Green apartments located at the intersection of Jeff Rd. and 72 (University Dr.) where the owners are adding villa apartments. The nearby Capital Park Apartments are also in roughly the same price range.

Overall, most of the new apartment complexes in the Huntsville area offer greater amenities, more expensive finishes and are charging a lot higher rents than any of the existing apartment complexes. If the market wasn't there, the developers wouldn't keep building.

As far as attracting people downtown, the reality is that outside of law offices, there is not much of a draw to the area around the square at the present time. U.G. White's store and the few restaurants are a start, but there will need to be a greater concentration of retail and restaurants to make this happen.

By contrast, the Village of Providence has over 250 hotel rooms (with another 100 on the way with the construction of the Hampton Inn), offices, numerous apartment buildings and six restaurants and Taco Mama on the way (in the new Hampton Inn). There is no other location in the HSV area which has such a high concentration of hotel rooms, apartments, workers and restaurants in such a small area. All of these provide a synergy which causes business success. Downtown Huntsville needs to create a similar environment. The City Center development appears to be the closest to providing that synergy.

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by David1502

As far as your comment: "People are not going to spend $900 - $1,000 for a studio apartment..", how do you explain the fact that the owners of the higher end apartments are either expanding or building new projects? Specifically, the owners of the Providence Place Apartments in the Village of Providence are building more buildings. Why would they "put good money after bad?" if they hadn't leased what they had built already. Providence Place is one of the highest rent complexes in the area. Likewise, why would the Sealy family build The Avenue if they had not been successful in leasing the Belk Hudson Lofts? Another example is the Waterford Green apartments located at the intersection of Jeff Rd. and 72 (University Dr.) where the owners are adding villa apartments. The nearby Capital Park Apartments are also in roughly the same price range.

Overall, most of the new apartment complexes in the Huntsville area offer greater amenities, more expensive finishes and are charging a lot higher rents than any of the existing apartment complexes. If the market wasn't there, the developers wouldn't keep building.

As far as attracting people downtown, the reality is that outside of law offices, there is not much of a draw to the area around the square at the present time. U.G. White's store and the few restaurants are a start, but there will need to be a greater concentration of retail and restaurants to make this happen.

By contrast, the Village of Providence has over 250 hotel rooms (with another 100 on the way with the construction of the Hampton Inn), offices, numerous apartment buildings and six restaurants and Taco Mama on the way (in the new Hampton Inn). There is no other location in the HSV area which has such a high concentration of hotel rooms, apartments, workers and restaurants in such a small area. All of these provide a synergy which causes business success. Downtown Huntsville needs to create a similar environment. The City Center development appears to be the closest to providing that synergy.

David I didn't mean to imply that nobody will pay that rent. I was simply going off of apartment availability at the Artisan and they have a large number of apartments still available. The Belk Hudson lofts still have a number of apartments available as well. I agree with you about the amenities at these new apartments. If Huntsville had these apartments downtown when I moved back into town I would still be living in them; however, they didn't and I bought a house without realizing they were planning on developing downtown like they would. I'm sorry if I came off as negative, but I guess I'm just a pessimistic person unfortunately. I am one of those that has to see it before I believe it. I have full confidence that there will be more activity around downtown once The Avenue and the City Centre are complete.

[downtownhsvguy]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

That's interesting Tiger. I agree that we need more foot traffic in Huntsville but for some reason as much as the city is trying; people are still not flocking to downtown like I'd hope they would be. I've noticed that whenever I meet someone new at work that just moved to the area they all tend to move to Madison and they never seem to really leave that area to explore or anything. For example, I am switching jobs and will be moving to a different organization here in town and for my going away luncheon I wanted to go to a restaurant here in Huntsville. I can't tell you how many people have called (Madison residents) that have no clue how to get to this part of town. It's astonishing and makes me believe that Huntsville will never get to where it can be. Another thing I've noticed is that the apartments that they have just built and are building now are a little too pricey for the residents in this city. People are not going to spend $900 - $1000 for a studio apartment when they can go outside the city limits and get a 3 bedroom apartment for $750. The Artisan has many apartments that haven't been leased and sit empty and it's in a prime location. We need reasonably priced apartments in the city center in order to get people to live downtown. I long for this city to have tons of people walking around the square on a Tuesday at 7 pm instead of an occasional downtown event that brings the people out.

I find some of your comments misleading. 1) there are no studios in any of the newly built complexes downtown. I have lived at Belk Hudson since it the month that it opened. The rents you are quoting are not accurate at all. When I moved in there, the rent for a 650 sq ft apartment was $850 a month compared to my Springs apartment on countyline road that was 750 sq ft and cost $800 a month. I am not sure where you are getting the 3 bedroom for $750 a month unless you are looking in the ghetto. Either way, the product you are renting in a downtown setting is not the same as a suburban product It's not comparable. 2) "The Artisan has many apartments that haven't been leased and sit empty and it's in a prime location." This is not an accurate statement at all. The occupancy rate of the Artisan is at 96% and rents are pushing higher which would also support a high occupancy rate. All rents downtown are increasing. 3) I would agree that more boots on the ground downtown would help but from my time living there (2011), the boots on the ground is a huge improvement. I remember when i first moved downtown, a Thursday and Friday nights, the streets would be empty.. Now, even in the winter time, there are tons of people on the streets and will only increase as more housing is added. I have found that a lot of people from Madison doesn't go downtown and i often drag them out and they find this gem that they had no idea that existed. i understand that people that live in Madison don't really know about downtown since i don't know much about Madison. i would stay that i stay within a 5 mile radius of downtown and i think most people stay into 5 miles of their home in Madison.

With pulling people downtown and showing them around, a lot of them (90%) come back for the events and other shows and whatnot.. so i think downtown has a ID issue but i think its mostly due to the city reurbanizing. Downtown INC has help the downtown be seen by the surrounding communities and has done an awesome job.

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by downtownhsvguy

I find some of your comments misleading. 1) there are no studios in any of the newly built complexes downtown. I have lived at Belk Hudson since it the month that it opened. The rents you are quoting are not accurate at all. When I moved in there, the rent for a 650 sq ft apartment was $850 a month compared to my Springs apartment on countyline road that was 750 sq ft and cost $800 a month. I am not sure where you are getting the 3 bedroom for $750 a month unless you are looking in the ghetto. Either way, the product you are renting in a downtown setting is not the same as a suburban product It's not comparable. 2) "The Artisan has many apartments that haven't been leased and sit empty and it's in a prime location." This is not an accurate statement at all. The occupancy rate of the Artisan is at 96% and rents are pushing higher which would also support a high occupancy rate. All rents downtown are increasing. 3) I would agree that more boots on the ground downtown would help but from my time living there (2011), the boots on the ground is a huge improvement. I remember when i first moved downtown, a Thursday and Friday nights, the streets would be empty.. Now, even in the winter time, there are tons of people on the streets and will only increase as more housing is added. I have found that a lot of people from Madison doesn't go downtown and i often drag them out and they find this gem that they had no idea that existed. i understand that people that live in Madison don't really know about downtown since i don't know much about Madison. i would stay that i stay within a 5 mile radius of downtown and i think most people stay into 5 miles of their home in Madison.

With pulling people downtown and showing them around, a lot of them (90%) come back for the events and other shows and whatnot.. so i think downtown has a ID issue but i think its mostly due to the city reurbanizing. Downtown INC has help the downtown be seen by the surrounding communities and has done an awesome job.

Guys I swear I'm not trying to be negative or hypocritical. I was just bringing observations and really want to see Huntsville be as good as it can be. I was looking at apartment guide . com for rent prices just to look. The Artisan starts at $885/month for a 556 sq foot 1 bed/1bath. Belk Hudson starts at $950 per month for a 938 sq foot (good deal btw) 1 bed/1 bath. To compare there is an apartment not in the ghetto called Brittany Point that starts at $760 per month 1470 sq ft 3 bed/2.5 bath. This is the last thing I'm going to say on it because it looks like I touched a nerve with a couple of you.

Anyways, here's to our fine city growing in size and spirit. Hope to see you guys out and about

[downtownhsvguy]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

Guys I swear I'm not trying to be negative or hypocritical. I was just bringing observations and really want to see Huntsville be as good as it can be. I was looking at apartment guide . com for rent prices just to look. The Artisan starts at $885/month for a 556 sq foot 1 bed/1bath. Belk Hudson starts at $950 per month for a 938 sq foot (good deal btw) 1 bed/1 bath. To compare there is an apartment not in the ghetto called Brittany Point that starts at $760 per month 1470 sq ft 3 bed/2.5 bath. This is the last thing I'm going to say on it because it looks like I touched a nerve with a couple of you.

Anyways, here's to our fine city growing in size and spirit. Hope to see you guys out and about

you are posting things on a forum which is made for discussion.. I don't think anyone has come down on you hard but just giving counter data and view points. I think I stated before i moved in Belk Hudson in 2011 which at the time was 650 sq ft for 875 a month starting even though i live in the 1000 sq ft one bedroom, which is not really compatible to my place i had in Madison ... so i know prices have changed but i was giving you a counter of the price difference from Madison and downtown which is not that different and you are getting a lot more by getting to enjoy a downtown and not have to drive to everywhere. i looked up Brittany Point and it's as far south from downtown as almost madison and not even on any main streets.. You have to drive to all entertainment and shopping unless you want to walk 25 minutes (1.3 miles to shopping center) and super busy road. I also looked at the pics of the apartments and these units are not comparable to what you get downtown so i stand by my statement that these apartments complexes outside of downtown are not compatible with downtown when you are looking at amenities, finishes and other details. Although if space is your only need, than you are correct, great bargin but people like me (young professional from other cities) want the product that downtown huntsville is beginning to offer.

so I think you have two different demographics that would be looking at these different places.. i think that downtown bringing in another 1000 units total downtown will only make things better. Residents gets the ball rolling to bring in other things that people outside of downtown would enjoy.

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville International ready to accept space flight.
cant get decent airline service but space flights probably

From WAFF TV

Huntsville is one step closer to being able to land spacecraft at Huntsville International Airport. Engineers, airport and city officials came together Thursday afternoon to discuss the second phase in the process of landing spacecrafts here in the Rocket City.

The second phase will include applying for FAA licenses and making sure Huntsville has the commercial market and infrastructure to support the missions.

Sierra Nevada Corporation is currently developing the Dream Chaser mini-shuttle. When finished, the space shuttle will be able to do multiple tasks while flying horizontally.

It can conduct experiments, deliver cargo to the ISS and retrieve or deploy satellites.

The project got through phase one, which determined whether it was physically possible for a spacecraft to land and takeoff from Huntsville airport.

Now they're figuring out flight plans and how the spacecraft would impact other air travel. But for right now, Sierra Nevada knows Huntsville is a perfect fit.

“Not everywhere you go, the communities are interested in having space programs,” John Roth with Sierra Nevada said. “They're nervous about it, they're wondering what it would mean to have something come out of space and land. We have the community support, we got the company infrastructure and it just turned out to be a great place to do business.”

Another reason why Huntsville Airport makes sense, is because it's now one of the largest runways in the southeast.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Huntsville International ready to accept space flight.
cant get decent airline service but space flights probably

From WAFF TV

Huntsville is one step closer to being able to land spacecraft at Huntsville International Airport. Engineers, airport and city officials came together Thursday afternoon to discuss the second phase in the process of landing spacecrafts here in the Rocket City.

The second phase will include applying for FAA licenses and making sure Huntsville has the commercial market and infrastructure to support the missions.

Sierra Nevada Corporation is currently developing the Dream Chaser mini-shuttle. When finished, the space shuttle will be able to do multiple tasks while flying horizontally.

It can conduct experiments, deliver cargo to the ISS and retrieve or deploy satellites.

The project got through phase one, which determined whether it was physically possible for a spacecraft to land and takeoff from Huntsville airport.

Now they're figuring out flight plans and how the spacecraft would impact other air travel. But for right now, Sierra Nevada knows Huntsville is a perfect fit.

“Not everywhere you go, the communities are interested in having space programs,” John Roth with Sierra Nevada said. “They're nervous about it, they're wondering what it would mean to have something come out of space and land. We have the community support, we got the company infrastructure and it just turned out to be a great place to do business.”

Another reason why Huntsville Airport makes sense, is because it's now one of the largest runways in the southeast.

I was so glad when I read about this news. Not only will the craft be launched atop a rocket built in Alabama, but it will (likely) also return to Earth in Alabama!

Not only that but, it makes a happy marriage between the rocket manufacturers in Decatur and Sierra Nevada in Huntsville.

Unite the region!

[Tennhioland]

I doubt it'll be a skyscraper , but any idea what is being built in the Kroger shopping center on 72 next to El Omeca? I haven't driven close enough to see if a sign is up.

[huntsvillefan]

Originally Posted by Tennhioland

I doubt it'll be a skyscraper , but any idea what is being built in the Kroger shopping center on 72 next to El Omeca? I haven't driven close enough to see if a sign is up.

In Huntsville anything over three stories is a "tower" (or skyscraper)

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by huntsvillefan

In Huntsville anything over three stories is a "tower" (or skyscraper)

and it cant be taller than power lines or light poles. You could almost lay a giant sheet of plywood over the city and only make holes for the mountains, interstate lights and test stands on the Arsenal.

[Tennhioland]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

and it cant be taller than power lines or light poles. You could almost lay a giant sheet of plywood over the city and only make holes for the mountains, interstate lights and test stands on the Arsenal.

Maybe when Nashville gets bored of building new skyscrapers, they'll send some our way.

[ThatGuy]

Noticed a sign with new restaurants coming to Redstone Gateway, but going to fast to see what they were. Anybody got any details? Thanks!