Huntsville updates

[chadinhsv]

I'm excited about all of the developments going on downtown. I was wondering when the City Centre would break ground. I drive by The Avenue often and that is going to be a great thing for foot traffic downtown. If you haven't driven on Governor's or St. Clair and looked down Harvard Street do yourself a favor and go down one of those streets. We need more people moving downtown to really make this place look alive.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we will see groundbreaking and the start of construction at City Centre at Big Spring downtown. This project will elevate and transform downtown in a huge and positive way. Same with the Avenue which is well underway. Its great to see these dead spots being transformed into living productive areas.

AC Marriott has been announced as the hotel that will anchor the new CityCentre at Big Spring Park development.

The plan was announced at the Huntsville City Council meeting Thursday night. Huntsville will be the 10th and smallest market to have an AC Marriott. It will have 150 hotel rooms.

There will be a second Marriott hotel also on the property.

on another hotel front, The Westin at Bridge Street will be upgraded to the Element , a Westin Hotel by March 2017. This is basically a more extended stay LEED (green) accreditated
hotel

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

AC Marriott has been announced as the hotel that will anchor the new CityCentre at Big Spring Park development.

The plan was announced at the Huntsville City Council meeting Thursday night. Huntsville will be the 10th and smallest market to have an AC Marriott. It will have 150 hotel rooms.

There will be a second Marriott hotel also on the property.

on another hotel front, The Westin at Bridge Street will be upgraded to the Element , a Westin Hotel by March 2017. This is basically a more extended stay LEED (green) accreditated
hotel

Remember, wasn't it Constellation that had announced the AC?
Constellation is Huntsville's dust bowl, being held hostage by our version of Donald Trump..a lot a big talk but so far no action.
A timeline presented at the council work session said hotel construction should begin in May/June, followed by internal roads, a parking deck, retail space and multi-family units from July through September

[ThatGuy]

I wish they would at least put some grass seed down

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

I wish they would at least put some grass seed down

of course then someone would have to cut it. That has become Huntsville's most visible eyesore and nothing can be done about it. I believe the current owner just wants someone to come along and buy it.

Just a refresher, this is from September 2014,

" Nearly six(now 20) months have passed since Scott McLain announced plans to build a $180 million live-work-shop development in downtown Huntsville.

But McLain says people shouldn't read anything into the lack of construction activity on his Constellation project at the Memorial Parkway-Clinton Avenue junction.

He said he and his business partners are actively negotiating with four restaurant chains plus several companies that develop residential and office space.

"There's a great deal going on behind the scenes, and we're very encouraged about it," McLain told AL.com Monday. "We have letters of intent flying back and forth.

"We're closer than we've ever been."

In May 2014, McLain attended the International Council of Shopping Centers' annual convention in Las Vegas – the nation's largest retail gathering. He said spoke with 10 restaurant chains about Constellation and remains in close contact with four of them.

"All of these will be new to Huntsville," he said, "and all but one would be new to Alabama."

There's a great deal going on behind the scenes, and we're very encouraged about it.
McLain said one or possibly two restaurant negotiations could wrap up as soon as this week. Once letters of intent are signed, he said, the Constellation team can apply for building permits and get the land behind the Von Braun Center ready for construction.

Because site work and engineering will take several months, said McLain, passersby probably won't see any steel rising from the ground until early 2015.

He said his goal is for construction to happen simultaneously on two restaurants that would face Heart of Huntsville Drive, as well as a second hotel to complement the 149-room SpringHill Suites that opened in late 2011."

And I don't doubt this group has been working very hard on this project but something isn't working.
Now of course it may all come together albeit way later, but you have to wonder with other developers cherry picking tenants and moving forward maybe the problem is not the clients.
I would think the Mayor has had many conversations with Mr. McLain and wants to what is going on.
During this time we have seen Twickenham Square completed, Belk Hudson Lofts completed, The Avenue is probably halfway done, City Centre at Big Spring starts soon.

This from WHNT April 2014
"We are so excited today to be able to make these announcements of the plan coming together, what it's going to be, the second hotel, the AC Hotels, which is such a fantastic addition to America and Huntsville, Alabama," said McLain.

oops that ain't happening

[HSVTiger]

Two previously announced projects that are under construction..
The expansion and renovation of the Huntsville Natatorium



and The Botanical Gardens new welcome center

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

AC Marriott has been announced as the hotel that will anchor the new CityCentre at Big Spring Park development.

The plan was announced at the Huntsville City Council meeting Thursday night. Huntsville will be the 10th and smallest market to have an AC Marriott. It will have 150 hotel rooms.

There will be a second Marriott hotel also on the property.

on another hotel front, The Westin at Bridge Street will be upgraded to the Element , a Westin Hotel by March 2017. This is basically a more extended stay LEED (green) accreditated
hotel

a few updates on City Centre downtown:
It will feature approximately 50,000 square feet of retail, upscale homes, structured/street-level parking, and regional and local cuisine. It will also have pedestrian crossings, bike pathways, walkways and a linear park that connects visitors to Big Spring Park, the VBC, Twickenham Square, Medical District all within walking distance

A Central Food Hall + Market will operate in the heart of CityCentre with a collection of concepts, including:

Best of local and regional chefs and artisans
Communal tables and counters
Specialty cuisines with homegrown appeal
Local art and music
Stalls to sell goods
Outdoor component

The AC Hotels website said guests can also look forward to modern rooms, an AC Lounge area, kitchen with self-serve European fare, Wi-Fi everywhere, mobile check-in and check-out, and a 24-hour fitness center. Floor plans and square footage for the Huntsville location are still subject to final design

The second Marriott brand hotel that will be in the development could possibly be a Courtyard, Fairfield or TownPlace Suites. Homewood Suites by Hilton has a nearby property at Twickenham Square.

[HSVTiger]

Over at Providence the new Hampton Inn is well under construction and should be complete third quarter 2016. Taco Mama will have its second Huntsville location at the hotel.

[HSVTiger]

New Research Park plans coming:
The new master plan for Cummings Research Park is on schedule for a spring debut as officials wrap up final plans for the technology hub in Huntsville.

Cummings Research Park Director Erin Koshut said there are about six weeks left in the master planning process, which began in September with help from architecture and design firm Perkins+Will. A new plan proposing big changes is expected in early- to mid-April.
CRP is the nation's second-largest research park with more than 300 companies and 29,000 employees.

Also expect to see plans for the adjacent Madison Square mall redevelopment into a mixed use project anytime.

[HSVTiger]

New downtown destination above U.G. White Mercantile featuring classic arcade and pinball games.

Pints and Pixels will launch April 9 in the former Crossroads Music Hall facility on 115 Clinton Ave. It will also serve as a second home to Anaheim Chili.

The business will have more than 50 token-based vintage arcade games and pinball machines. It will also offer an assortment of craft brews, bottled beers, cocktails and wine for customers.
Also a rooftop view

[mp7123]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

New downtown destination above U.G. White Mercantile featuring classic arcade and pinball games.

Pints and Pixels will launch April 9 in the former Crossroads Music Hall facility on 115 Clinton Ave. It will also serve as a second home to Anaheim Chili.

The business will have more than 50 token-based vintage arcade games and pinball machines. It will also offer an assortment of craft brews, bottled beers, cocktails and wine for customers.
Also a rooftop view

Think you mean the old Masons space.

[mp7123]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

AC Marriott has been announced as the hotel that will anchor the new CityCentre at Big Spring Park development.

The plan was announced at the Huntsville City Council meeting Thursday night. Huntsville will be the 10th and smallest market to have an AC Marriott. It will have 150 hotel rooms.

There will be a second Marriott hotel also on the property.

on another hotel front, The Westin at Bridge Street will be upgraded to the Element , a Westin Hotel by March 2017. This is basically a more extended stay LEED (green) accreditated
hotel

I guess they're never going to do anything with the top floors of the Westin?

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by mp7123

I guess they're never going to do anything with the top floors of the Westin?

I'm wondering if that will be the Element portion, we shall see

Doesn't tell us much but it sounds like a separate building from the Westin
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced this morning it will open Element Huntsville in March at Bridge Street

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by mp7123

Think you mean the old Masons space.

Crossroads moved there for a short time

[HSVTiger]

Academy Sports coming to the old Wal Mart location at Drake and Memorial Parkway. There will also be three other tenant spaces created.
This had been rumored for a while, good to see these Wal mart skeletons get new life.

Supposedly this project fell through and Academy may be locating elsewhere

[HSVTiger]

New downtown gateway about ready to open.The Harvard Rd extension will connect Governors Dr to downtown bypassing the Medical District going adjacent to Twickenham Square and connecting with City Centre at Big Spring.
The project includes a new bridge over Fagan Creek, heavy landscaping, wide sidewalks, street lights and dedicated bicycle lanes. Plans also call for extending Davis Circle to the traffic roundabout on Monroe Street near the downtown library.

[ThatGuy]

Is the bridge done? I can't tell as I drive by.

[HSVTiger]

Coming to the old Winn Dixie at University Place
Conn's Homestore Plus first location in the state
http://www.conns.com/

This store reminds me of the old Service Merchandise format
The center which was mostly empty is now about 93% full. This is the strip center where Phils, Burlington, Nothing but Noodles Ol' Heidelberg is located.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Coming to the old Winn Dixie at University Place
Conn's Homestore Plus first location in the state
http://www.conns.com/

This store reminds me of the old Service Merchandise format
The center which was mostly empty is now about 93% full. This is the strip center where Phils, Burlington, Nothing but Noodles Ol' Heidelberg is located.

on the flip side long dead Haysland Square, is losing its last two retailers.
Goody's and Burkes Outlet will shut down this spring in an older section of the development on South Memorial Parkway.
What to do with this desolate strip center is a difficult job. Probably involves a bulldozer. Possibly a small mixed use development. Most hack developers in this town have no desire to develop quality and raise the level of the community. Instead its slash and burn get in then get out. Fortunately developers from outside the area are doing quality work in other parts of town.
The location is excellent however near the brand new under construction Grissom High school along with Lowes and Home Depot. The dead original section was built in 1965 and little has been done to it since then.

[JuanHunt]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

on the flip side long dead Haysland Square, is losing its last two retailers.
Goody's and Burkes Outlet will shut down this spring in an older section of the development on South Memorial Parkway.
What to do with this desolate strip center is a difficult job. Probably involves a bulldozer. Possibly a small mixed use development. Most hack developers in this town have no desire to develop quality and raise the level of the community. Instead its slash and burn get in then get out. Fortunately developers from outside the area are doing quality work in other parts of town.
The location is excellent however near the brand new under construction Grissom High school along with Lowes and Home Depot. The dead original section was built in 1965 and little has been done to it since then.

I believe John Hays still owns the property. When the current lease is up, I think he still has plans to knock everything down and build back a new development, the plan to build the school and develop the roughly 300 acres around it have been on paper for many years.