Huntsville updates

[thunder89]

Not sure if anyone had seen this or not, but it did peak interest to see that the council is set to vote or at least get public opinion on rezoning areas where Councill Court had been. (At least that's how I read the transcripts).

It says rezoning from Medical to Business from South of Lowe Ave and West of Gallatin, so unless something else is in the works, that's what I'm perceiving it to be.

Here's the link to the Council Agenda from last Thursday (11-3-11)
http://www.huntsvillenewswire.com/wp...cil-Agenda.pdf


Also in there was a mention of highway upgrades on Hwy 431 in Hampton Cove to possibly include upgrades at the Caldwell Lane intersection. I hope that means a possibility of a light, because its horrible trying to turn out or cross traffic in the morning or at 5

[thunder89]

I saw this and thought it was worth mentioning. At least the city still remembers that we have something of a transit system

Huntsville leaders propose changes to public transit system
By Tricia Forbes
Huntsville, AL (WAFF) -

Huntsville city leaders are planning some changes for the public transit system and a new map is on the table for bus routes.

They're proposing tightening some of the routes already in place and extending service at some of the most popular stops.

Click here to see proposed routes

The plan comes from a three month study of the transportation system. An outside company came in and looked at the routes to make sure they're efficient.

They proposed cutting out some of the lesser used routes like in the Research Park area, parts of the Whitesburg Drive route and some streets in Five Points.

They're also planning to change some of the stops in Southeast and North Huntsville.

The hearing is at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the city council chambers.

[neilson]

What's under construction on University between Cheddar's and Zaxby's? Heard it might be a Chipotle.

[thunder89]

If memory serves me, I think its a Panda Express?

[HSVTiger]

Landrys has had a Huntsville location for over 10 years, this may or may not effect existing locations.
I always have enjoyed meals there. Not quite on the level of Bonefish Grill.

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants Inc. has agreed to be acquired by Landry’s Inc. in a tender-merger deal valued at $131.6 million, the companies said Tuesday


Landry’s owns a variety of hospitality venues, ranging from such restaurants as Landry’s Seafood House, Rainforest Cafe, The Chart House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Claim Jumper, Saltgrass Steak House and Oceanaire to the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev., and Atlantic City, the Kemah Boardwalk, the San Luis Resort Hotel, and the Downtown Aquariums in Denver and Houston

[wompem]

Originally Posted by thunder89

If memory serves me, I think its a Panda Express?

My wife loves that place. I almost hope not or else I'll be eating there all the time!

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville's magnificent new Veterans Memorial downtown was dedicated
today
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Under spectacular sunny skies on a cool autumn day, the Huntsville-Madison County Veterans Memorial was unveiled before an overflow crowd and swelled hearts.


The $3.1 million park in downtown Huntsville includes a center fountain, the tallest American flag in North Alabama, a statue of two soldiers rescuing a
third and black granite markers with the names of all Madison County veterans who gave their lives for their country. Officials said 367 names are engraved in the park.


WAFF photo

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by thunder89

If memory serves me, I think its a Panda Express?

Ugh. Well they can't beat Mei Wei any how.

[nickodemis]

For now at least.


http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix...590&highlight=


Airtran just announced that they will stop operations at 5 airports in the US come June 2012. Huntsville is NOT on the list.

Cities to be cut:

MIA
Charleston
Knoxville
Bloomington
IAD (Washington Dulles)

This should free up some extra spots at the ATL airport, so look for a possible HSV to ATL connection coming next year.

The main hubs for Airtran are:

BWI
MCO
MKE
ATL

Eventually, AirTran will start a code share program with Southwest, so expect some better options for connecting flights out of BWI and Orlando.

The Baltimore and Orlando flights from Huntsville seem to be quite full. This Friday flight from HSV to BWI is sold out, so that it a good indication things are going well.

[nickodemis]

Airtran and Southwest announced today that they'll be code sharing at 2012 Q2.

Airtran also has flights scheduled out of HSV until August 2012. The BWI and MCO flights have been tweaked a little for this summer.


http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....642&highlight=

[huntsvillefan]

This is really good news. If the flights remain full, why wouldn't Southwest stay in Huntsville?

[nickodemis]

Originally Posted by huntsvillefan

This is really good news. If the flights remain full, why wouldn't Southwest stay in Huntsville?

Exactly. AirTran will not fully become Southwest for another couple of years, but they will start code-sharing early 2012. Since Orlando and BWI are major hubs for Southwest, that means more (cheap) flight options from HSV.

Example, HSV to Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Jacksonville, Bahamas, etc (via Orlando)

HSV to NYC, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Providence, etc (via BWI).


Delta has continue to prove that they are not going to be competitive out of HSV.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by nickodemis

Exactly. AirTran will not fully become Southwest for another couple of years, but they will start code-sharing early 2012. Since Orlando and BWI are major hubs for Southwest, that means more (cheap) flight options from HSV.

Example, HSV to Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Jacksonville, Bahamas, etc (via Orlando)

HSV to NYC, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Providence, etc (via BWI).


Delta has continue to prove that they are not going to be competitive out of HSV.

We should be so grateful that Delta isn't trying to pull a Mobile on HSV. Southwest will do well in Huntsville, and with the USAirways-Delta gate swap between Reagan National(DCA) and LaGuardia(LGA), expect Southwest to make big gains especially at DCA. They would be able to profit big on a DCA-HSV flight like Delta and USAirways have not.

[HSVTiger]

Through October Huntsville's passenger count is 1,054,595.
It's a pretty good market to not serve, Southwest will cause a large
passenger increase, AirTran is seeing some of that now.

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by neilson

We should be so grateful that Delta isn't trying to pull a Mobile on HSV. Southwest will do well in Huntsville, and with the USAirways-Delta gate swap between Reagan National(DCA) and LaGuardia(LGA), expect Southwest to make big gains especially at DCA. They would be able to profit big on a DCA-HSV flight like Delta and USAirways have not.

Delta can't pull a Mobile on Huntsville anyway. A good chunk of our market flies on AA to DFW and UA to ORD and IAD. Most other cities in the region our size are dependent on Delta connections to ATL. We are not. In fact, Delta downgraded from full-size aircraft a few years ago on HSV-ATL flights for a short time. That basically says that yields from here to Atlanta are low for them and that the flight only exists for convenience.

[HSVTiger]

HSV Times photo
A cool school saved in north downtown Huntsville, the Meridian Street corridor
is ripe for condos, small shops, restaurants and this old school can be a big part of it along with the developing Lincoln Mill next door.



The Huntsville school board on Thursday night voted to sell Lincoln Elementary School, once the district's most acclaimed primary school, to Lincoln Village Preservation Corp. for $625,000.

The vote came after a brief executive session and virtually no public discussion. After the meeting, Superintendent Casey Wardynski said the selling price of the school had been dropped from a previous offer of $800,000 He said the district had put more than $100,000 in upkeep into the school since that initial offer was made

[bamastu13]

I might be wrong, but that price seems like a steal for that building.

[nickodemis]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

Delta can't pull a Mobile on Huntsville anyway. A good chunk of our market flies on AA to DFW and UA to ORD and IAD. Most other cities in the region our size are dependent on Delta connections to ATL. We are not. In fact, Delta downgraded from full-size aircraft a few years ago on HSV-ATL flights for a short time. That basically says that yields from here to Atlanta are low for them and that the flight only exists for convenience.

Delta is making a killing off the Huntsville market. There is no way they'll ever pull out. Besides Delta has a back room deal with the city of Atlanta that says no other airline can fly between HSV and ATL. FYI, city of Atlanta owns the ATL airport.

I've talked to a lot of Airtran pilots and they made it clear that Airtran/Southwest would love to fly to HSV but can't due to some restrictions at the Atlanta airport. Something about Airtran getting a discount on the gate fees at ATL airport in exchange for non-compete airports. (Birmingham, Nashville, HSV, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Columbia, SC, Mobile, etc.)

Think about it. Why doesn't Airtran fly between HSV and ATL, but instead flies to Orlando and BWI? Why can you not buy a connecting flight from HSV to BWI back to ATL, even though there are available flights?

The smaller markets in the southeast is core to Delta's revenue stream. It's mostly dedicated to business travelers and they will pay premium.

[huntsvillefan]

Any chance another city could emerge as a central hub like Atlanta? I don't like flying through Atlanta anyway--especially on international flights. Last time I passed through I vowed "no more."

[nickodemis]

Originally Posted by huntsvillefan

Any chance another city could emerge as a central hub like Atlanta? I don't like flying through Atlanta anyway--especially on international flights. Last time I passed through I vowed "no more."

Nashville would be a good choice for Southwest's hub out of HSV. Not sure if it'll happen or not.

BWI is the hub for the Northeast.
Orlando is the hub for Florida and some Southeast.
Milwaukee (Airtran) is the hub for the midwest.
Chicago Midway (Southwest) is a hub for midwest and West.

I would expect Southwest to start a flight between HSV and Chicago Midway to compete with American and Continental.

Top Twenty O & D Markets - Second Quarter 2011

BWI: Baltimore, MD* - AirTran
MCO: Orlando, FL* - AirTran
DCA: Washington-National, DC*
LAX: Los Angeles, CA
DFW: Dallas/Fort Worth, TX*
BOS: Boston, MA - AirTran via BWI
DEN: Denver, CO*
IAH: Houston-Intercontinental, TX*
ORD: Chicago-O'Hare, IL*
CLT: Charlotte-Douglas, NC*
PHX: Phoenix, AZ
LGA: New York-La Guardia, NY
IAD: Washington-Dulles, VA*
LAS: Las Vegas, NV
SEA: Seattle/Tacoma, WA
DTW: Detroit, MI*
PHL: Philadelphia, PA
SFO: San Francisco, CA
SAN: San Diego, CA
FLL: Fort Lauderdale, FL

*Direct Flights