Huntsville updates

[Huntsville_secede]

from Huntsville Times

I-65, Tanner interchange opens
The new Interstate 65 interchange at Huntsville-Brownsferry Road opened to traffic Thursday.

Work started more than a year ago on the new interchange, which is the only interchange between Interstate 565 and U.S. 72 in Athens.

The state DOT awarded Carcel & G Construction of Cullman a contract of almost $5.8 million to build the “diamond” patterned interchange.

The company had been waiting for more than two weeks for the exit signs to arrive to finish the project.

Along with building the entrance and exit ramps, the project involved widening Huntsville-Brownsferry Road to three lanes for a short distance on each side of I-65. The middle lane is a turn lane to the interstate's ramps.

The bridge height on Huntsville-Brownsferry Road over I-65 was also raised a few feet.

[ThatGuy]

The council will include representatives from areas "vital to downtown, - including historic neighborhood representatives, entertainment, architects, various individuals who live and work downtown, young professionals, planners and more."

The ball is really rolling now! I expect a groundbreaking for a new aquarium any day now. Huntsville - the New York of the South!

[MovingAL]

Huntsville and Mobile listed as "in recovery" per MSNBC.com article

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33312701...on_the_economy

[Huntsvillenative]

These are the things being discussed the most by Battle and those in the know as of today.

Science Museum & Planetarium - Apparently this is now the top discussed possibility to be brought to downtown within the next 2-3 years. It wouldn't be just any science museum from my understanding. It would be a world-class state-of-the-art, hi-tech interactive museum and educational tourist attraction focusing around natural science and space. Sci-Quest would also be relocated to it. I'm told it would be inspired by the Science Museum Of Minnesota. It could be to Huntsville tourism what the Tennessee Aquarium is to Chattanooga. Funding could be through state grants.

Aquarium - There's talk of a nice midsize aquarium that would attract both locals and out of state visitors. The cost may be an issue though.

Downtown Minor League baseball stadium - I had already said many times that I would LOVE to see the Stars new stadium get built in downtown and now it's being discussed as a major new attraction to bring residents to downtown for entertainment and dining. The most talked about potential location for it would be where the Coke plant is now and the soon to be demolished housing projects between Clinton and Holmes across from the VBC.

Outdoor Amphitheater - Don't know if this would be a good investment by the city but it is being talked about to lure mroe outdoor concerts to the Valley. They're looking in the neighborhood of a 5,000 seat venue with state-of-the-art sound, possibly covered or half way.

Upscale Movie theater - Downtown definitely needs something like the Monaco Pictures for fmaily entertainment. This is on the drawing board as well.

Other museum attractions are also being discussed but unknown of which ones they are at the moment.

There's also talks of expanding Big Spring park to the south where the office complex is and develope a museum park in the lines of the one in Atlanta where the Aquarium and the Coco Cola Museum are located.

There's definitely plans for upscale dining and small eateries, possibly as part of a world class museum park.

Signature Tower - A 30-35 story skyscraper is at the top of the priority list of Mayor Battle that would be a mix-use facility. There's talk that WHNT could relocate to it eventually along with other major local businesses.

Expanding the Courthouse - Talks of maybe adding floors at the top to around 16 total.


That's all I know of right now. If I hear more I'll pass it along.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

The best ideas that I see are the new stadium, amphitheater, and science museum.

The museum is pretty straight forward.

As for the amphitheater, I think it would be a great idea if the cities of Huntsville, Decatur, and Madison came together to build a really nice one somewhere in between all of them. I don't think putting it in downtown would be such a great idea, it would mean taking A LOT of business from the VBC.

If Huntsville were going it alone, I think that using the old baseball stadium property would be a great location.

I think that the science museum is a great idea. Also, I think it would be AWESOME if they could some how integrate the museum into Big Spring Park. I mean, like, somehow make it part of the park. You know, like have the building built into the ground, landscaping ALL over it. Just really awesome. Then! They could have like a HUGE glass wall that gave you a view into the main lake of Big Spring Park.

[Huntsvillenative]

Here's an arial of the potential/possible locations and redevelopment around Big Spring Park.

[IMG][/IMG]

RED - The location of where the potential Science museum & Planetarium (about 100,000 plus sf) should go and would be the ideal location to acompany both the park and the newly remodeled entrance to the Popst Arena.

White - Demolish the Holiday Inn and clear that land to be the main parking lot for the Science museum.

Blue - Demolish a portion of the parking garage across from the Concert Hall and redevelop that space with a restaurant on the water with an outdoor patio like Conners at Bridge Street. There's at least 8,000 sf of free open space for such a redevelopment.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

The Holiday Inn does need to be replaced, but I don't think by a parking lot... that's prime property to be turned into more parkspace. Not to mention what you could do with it if we get the "riverwalk" along Pinhook like we're hoping.

As for the red area, that's a HUGE office park. That area contributes A LOT to the downtown work force. I know, I used to have to go there every week. Though, it is falling apart, so maybe you're right, it's time for a change.

[TimCity2000]

Huntsvillenative... those ideas sound great! I hope they actually are truly being explored instead of the usual stuff around Huntsville that gets dreamt but never built.

I used to go to my orthodontist at that office complex circled in red. It definitely doesn't belong in downtown... it's so suburban in nature. Hopefully they could be relocated somehow so that the workforce remained downtown. Also, the Holiday Inn is needed downtown, but it needs to be a highrise... again, way too suburban for a downtown in its current form.

Would love to see a stadium and signature tower downtown... just don't wanna get my hopes up again.

[Go7SD]

any renderings of the signature tower?

[Huntsville_secede]

Originally Posted by Roy McDowell

any renderings of the signature tower?

[Go7SD]

^Look out Atlanta

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by Huntsville_secede

Odd... it looks strangely like the Freedom Tower in New York City! :O

[Huntsvillenative]

Here's what a baseball stadium expert had to say about Joe Davis Stadium on his site here

Joe Davis Stadium Huntsville, AL
Dimensions: LF: 345 CF: 405 RF: 330 Capacity: 10,200 Opened: 1985

Stadium Minor League History: Southern League 1985-present

Current Status: Home of the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League (double-A)


What's Good: Built in 1985, Joe Davis Stadium is too new to have any historical significance and too old to have any of the conveniences and gimmicks of the new ballparks. Instead, it's a basic, concrete, multipurpose facility without any real character. The seating areas around the infield are comfortable enough, however, and the portion of the seats beyond the cross-aisle is elevated a few feet so that the view from there is not impeded by fans walking around. There are a variety of food choices, and the colorful concourse area under the stands seems to have a vibrancy that is lacking up in the dreary-looking grandstand. The stadium is easy to find, and parking is very plentiful.


What's Not So Good: Though nothing major stood out as particularly negative, there are still several downsides here. First of all, since the stadium is also designed for soccer and football, the structure is highly assymetrical, with the stands on the first base side only reaching around the infield, while on the third base side the grandstand extends all the way down the line, then hooks around the foul pole beyond left field. This puts a good number of seats away from the infield, although the GA bleacher section behind the fence offered decent views and was less crowded. There is also quite a bit of foul territory since the stands run parallel to the lines, and this pushes the seating area away from the field. And visually, while there are luxury boxes at the top of the stands behind home and down the left field line, the space where they ought to be on the first base side is empty -- creating an unfinished appearance -- and there is just too much unpainted concrete throughout the stadium.

[OCA REP]

Originally Posted by Huntsvillenative

Here's what a baseball stadium expert had to say about Joe Davis Stadium on his site here

Joe Davis Stadium Huntsville, AL
Dimensions: LF: 345 CF: 405 RF: 330 Capacity: 10,200 Opened: 1985

Stadium Minor League History: Southern League 1985-present

Current Status: Home of the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League (double-A)


What's Good: Built in 1985, Joe Davis Stadium is too new to have any historical significance and too old to have any of the conveniences and gimmicks of the new ballparks. Instead, it's a basic, concrete, multipurpose facility without any real character. The seating areas around the infield are comfortable enough, however, and the portion of the seats beyond the cross-aisle is elevated a few feet so that the view from there is not impeded by fans walking around. There are a variety of food choices, and the colorful concourse area under the stands seems to have a vibrancy that is lacking up in the dreary-looking grandstand. The stadium is easy to find, and parking is very plentiful.


What's Not So Good: Though nothing major stood out as particularly negative, there are still several downsides here. First of all, since the stadium is also designed for soccer and football, the structure is highly assymetrical, with the stands on the first base side only reaching around the infield, while on the third base side the grandstand extends all the way down the line, then hooks around the foul pole beyond left field. This puts a good number of seats away from the infield, although the GA bleacher section behind the fence offered decent views and was less crowded. There is also quite a bit of foul territory since the stands run parallel to the lines, and this pushes the seating area away from the field. And visually, while there are luxury boxes at the top of the stands behind home and down the left field line, the space where they ought to be on the first base side is empty -- creating an unfinished appearance -- and there is just too much unpainted concrete throughout the stadium.

Sounds a LOT like Regions Park in Hoover. That baseball stadium also leaves a LOT to be desired.

[Huntsvillenative]

Here's a few stadium ideas that would be ideal for a new state-of-the-art downtown stadium.

Lackawanna County Stadium - Moosie, PA
Capacity: 10,982


Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark - Oklahoma City, OK
Capacity: 13,066


Victory Field - Indianapolis, IN
Capacity: 15,500


Autozone Park - Memphis, Tn
Capacity: 14,200


Franklin Covey Field Salt Lake City, UT
Capacity: 15,500

[Jacknah]

Originally Posted by stewdog1

You know what they need there? A Qdoba or Chipotle.

Seriously. Before the owner of the Qdoba off Airport and Whitesburg closed his store, it was the most profitable in the state of Alabama.

Putting a Qdoba in Bridge Street would be like printing money. The young crowd will be all over it before and after movies, and the lunch crowd would love it for being quick and convenient. There isn't much at BS that is quick and convenient in terms of food.

Now if I was just worth $2 million I would do it. Right where Ketchup is now.

You don't need to be worth $2 million to do it. That's what investors are for.

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by Jacknah

You don't need to be worth $2 million to do it. That's what investors are for.

Are you offering?

[OCA REP]

Noticed this in today's Montgomery Advertiser:

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/...abama+building

Bank Donates Historic Alabama Building
The Associated Press • October 20, 2009

HUNTSVILLE — Regions Bank says it will donate its historic Courthouse Square branch in Huntsville to the city's Big Spring Partners downtown redevelopment group.

Ron Poteat, Regions' area president, says the company will close the 174-year-old bank on Jan. 29 and transfer all employees to the Holmes Avenue branch a few blocks away.

The building occupies the spot where the city's namesake, John Hunt, built his cabin in 1805.

Mayor Tommy Battle says the city plans to lease part of the building for its Community Development department. That agency now pays $9,500 a month to rent space in another building. Battle said he expects Big Spring Partners will give the city a better deal.

[Huntsvillenative]

Originally Posted by OCA REP

Noticed this in today's Montgomery Advertiser:

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/...abama+building

Bank Donates Historic Alabama Building
The Associated Press • October 20, 2009

HUNTSVILLE — Regions Bank says it will donate its historic Courthouse Square branch in Huntsville to the city's Big Spring Partners downtown redevelopment group.

Ron Poteat, Regions' area president, says the company will close the 174-year-old bank on Jan. 29 and transfer all employees to the Holmes Avenue branch a few blocks away.

The building occupies the spot where the city's namesake, John Hunt, built his cabin in 1805.

Mayor Tommy Battle says the city plans to lease part of the building for its Community Development department. That agency now pays $9,500 a month to rent space in another building. Battle said he expects Big Spring Partners will give the city a better deal.

Will this building be opened to the public as a display of plans for the downtown revitalization?

I personally would like to see them turn the bank into a City Of Huntsville museum. I think it would be a big draw for locals and bring in revenue.

I also have requested to Battle to add a man-made waterfall to replace the cheap looking water spout by the large rock wall below the bank.

[HSVTiger]

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Regions Bank is making a major deposit toward preserving Huntsville's early history.
The Birmingham-based bank will give its stately Courthouse Square branch, Alabama's oldest continually operated bank, to the Big Spring Partners downtown redevelopment group in February. The building occupies the very spot where the city's namesake, John Hunt, built his cabin in 1805.
Officials with Regions Bank, Big Spring Partners and the city of Huntsville have scheduled a 2 p.m. news conference today to announce the donation.
"This is an absolute jewel in our revitalization of the downtown area," Big Spring Partners Executive Director Dr. Mary Jane Caylor said Monday. "It's just going to be a tremendous shot of adrenaline. We're ecstatic."
Ron Poteat, Regions' area president, said the company will close the 174-year-old bank on Jan. 29 and transfer all employees to the Holmes Avenue branch a few blocks away.
Built in 1835, the Regions Bank building on Huntsville's Courthouse Square is the oldest continually operated bank in Alabama.
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2009/10/..._its_hist.html