Huntsville updates

[neilson]

Why is there a stage and chairs sitting at the cul-de-sac at Quality Circle in Thornton Research Park? Seems like an announcement of some sort that's gonna be made there and if anyone has any info that'd be great.

[Shawn35816]

Originally Posted by neilson

Why is there a stage and chairs sitting at the cul-de-sac at Quality Circle in Thornton Research Park? Seems like an announcement of some sort that's gonna be made there and if anyone has any info that'd be great.

Might be Shaq coming back to Hunts-Vegas.

[jmanhsv]

Originally Posted by neilson

Why is there a stage and chairs sitting at the cul-de-sac at Quality Circle in Thornton Research Park? Seems like an announcement of some sort that's gonna be made there and if anyone has any info that'd be great.

Sorry, no announcement. It's for the annual outdoor Mass that Catholic High School was to have today, but it was probably rained out. BTW, that is where the new CHS campus will be eventually.

[HSVTiger]

Very nice new downtown restaurant set to open..Cotton Row

http://www.al.com/business/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/business/1224494123275150.xml&coll=1

In June 2006, Jeff Sikes unveiled plans to transform the building that most recently housed a credit union into a 71-seat, European-style restaurant. It also will have sidewalk tables that can seat another 54.

Sikes last week described the painstaking renovation of the 150-year-old-plus structure, which involved hauling away 20 truckloads of dirt from its basement and redoing all the wiring and plumbing. He also described the painstaking process of getting just the right features - from the white subway tiles surrounding the kitchen to the wooden grape press he found in Hungary that's displayed in the wine cellar.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Demolition is set to begin on part of the old Council Court housing project
downtown. This area adjacent to Huntsville Hospital is set for major redevelopment which may include, residential, hospitality, and retail elements.

Plans for this portion will be housing..

By CHALLEN STEPHENS
Times Staff Writer [email protected]
Buildings to be replaced by public housing for seniors

The Huntsville Housing Authority today will begin knocking down 56 apartments on the east side of Councill Court.

The newly fenced-off brick buildings alongside Huntsville Hospital are to be replaced by a public housing center for seniors.

Michael Lundy, head of the Housing Authority, will drive the bulldozer into the first unit this morning, said Paige Rucker, spokeswoman for the authority.

At a 9 a.m. press conference, the authority also will unveil the new drawings for the senior housing and discuss the relocation of the 42 families that used to live in the eastern portion of Councill Courts.

Councill Courts has 196 units. The rest on the western side of Gallatin Street will come down as soon as a buyer can be found, Rucker said. The authority is searching for a broker to handle that sale.

It will be a 85 unit 4 story building called Gateway Place.

[HSVTiger]

Old Hale Brothers Furniture building downtown is being renovated or cleaned up. At one time they were to become condos but this may be just cleaning out the building. In any case a lot of activity at that site.

[marvingardns]

The structure of Hale Bros. is highly unstable. They could be shoring up the facade.

[mlog]

Originally Posted by jmanhsv

Well, here's the problem with moving downtown to the Tennessee River... the point of a downtown is to be central and convenient to everything and everyone in the city. While it might look nice and modern, a downtown near the Tennessee River would be convenient to only people in extreme south Huntsville and Lacey's Spring. It would take about 40 minutes to get from my house just north of Huntsville to this "new" downtown; it would probably take longer to get to there from "Spencer's Folly" (aka Southeast Limestone County). Infrastructure might be a bit of a problem, too; I doubt Hobbs Island Road (or even the Parkway in its current state) would be able to handle the amount of traffic a downtown area would create.

Let's improve on what we've got. Eliminate the height limits, and accelerate plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods, especially those to the north and west, and make them a mix of mid-rise condo/office towers. And for those who want a river through downtown, we can improve Pinhook Creek with a network of parks and bike paths running along it.

Two brief points.

1. The "new downtown" on the river wouldn't go up overnight. It would take years to build, and I'm sure the roads would be improved along with any new buildings.

2. The new Patriot Parkway (Southern Bypass) would run from I-565 near the Arsenal to South Huntsville across the river.

[jmanhsv]

^Ummm.... ok? I don't think any new roads will help the convenience factor for most people living in Huntsville. Besides, if you have lived in Alabama for a significant amount of time, you know that roads here are built at least a decade after they're needed, if at all, like the Southern Bypass. And why should the government spend our tax money on infrastructure for a completely new "downtown" when the one we've got just needs a little expansion (both up and out), which would cost significantly less?

What I'd rather see down by the river is a New Urbanist- style community, much like Providence, with a small town center along the water. I think that would be a whole lot more feasible in terms of new infrastructure.

[daveyp]

Originally Posted by jmanhsv

^Ummm.... ok? I don't think any new roads will help the convenience factor for most people living in Huntsville. Besides, if you have lived in Alabama for a significant amount of time, you know that roads here are built at least a decade after they're needed, if at all, like the Southern Bypass. And why should the government spend our tax money on infrastructure for a completely new "downtown" when the one we've got just needs a little expansion (both up and out), which would cost significantly less?

What I'd rather see down by the river is a New Urbanist- style community, much like Providence, with a small town center along the water. I think that would be a whole lot more feasible in terms of new infrastructure.

i agree with this. makes a lot more sense. the only problem i see with that is it really smells around the river. not only the river itself smells, but also that sewage plant or whatever it is that's near there. i'd hate to be enjoying a meal at a riverside restaraunt and have the wind blow that right in my face.

[marvingardns]

There is already a downtown on the river. In fact there are two: Decatur and Guntersville. The nexus of Huntsville's economy runs along two corridors: Rideout Road and (excuse me... "Research Park Boulevard") and Madison/Whitesburg/upper Bailey Cove. And they are landlocked from the river by the refuge, the arsenal, Green Mountain, and a zillion traffic lights. I doubt you will see any mass development along the river unless you see a Southern Bypass, and I doubt I'll see that anytime in the next 20 years (if ever).

[SpawnOfVulcan]

BTW, the Decatur Planning Commission approved the plat for Academy Sports and Outdoors.

[JuanHunt]

The Southern Bypass/Patriot Parkway toll road is not going to cross the TN river at Ditto.

http://www.hsvcity.com/Planning/majorstreetplan0405.pdf

[HSV79]

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2008/10/vbc_plans_15m_arena_facelift_a.html[IMG]

A $15 million facelift of the Von Braun Center's arena will begin next spring after the Huntsville City Council unanimously approved the proposal. A $5 million donation from the Propst family, which recently sold a drug manufacturing company for $1 billion, means the new arena will be called Propst Arena.

Included in the project will be a larger lobby, improved concourses, a "grill pub" that will overlook the fountain between the VBC and the Embassy Suites hotel, more restrooms, luxury suites and sky boxes.

Local architect Paul Matheny's company worked on the project with Rossetti Architects of Detroit, best known for designing the Palace at Auburn Hills, the largest arena in the NBA and home of the Detroit Pistons.

Thanks to Huntsville times


I added the link cause I didn't have time to ad the pic I'm sure Tiger might be able to post it and more info as it becomes available.

[eno312]

I am a little disappointed in this announcement. Huntsville needs a much larger arena, with more foot room and more comfortable seats. What good is it to have a 21st century lobby, with a mid 20th century arena? Huntsville should be planning for the future and the now. I believe a modern 15,000 seat arena is needed now. Aunt Bea dropped the ball again. Maybe more details will come out tomorrow and prove me wrong.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSV79

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2008/10/vbc_plans_15m_arena_facelift_a.html[IMG]

A $15 million facelift of the Von Braun Center's arena will begin next spring after the Huntsville City Council unanimously approved the proposal. A $5 million donation from the Propst family, which recently sold a drug manufacturing company for $1 billion, means the new arena will be called Propst Arena.

Included in the project will be a larger lobby, improved concourses, a "grill pub" that will overlook the fountain between the VBC and the Embassy Suites hotel, more restrooms, luxury suites and sky boxes.

Local architect Paul Matheny's company worked on the project with Rossetti Architects of Detroit, best known for designing the Palace at Auburn Hills, the largest arena in the NBA and home of the Detroit Pistons.

Thanks to Huntsville times


I added the link cause I didn't have time to ad the pic I'm sure Tiger might be able to post it and more info as it becomes available.

[HSVTiger]

Kind of hard to get a feel for the thing with this rendering. I also wonder if this is a first phase expansion, it does appear to be cut off on the left side and could be extended around the main arena shell. Seems at one time this would not be a complete
overhaul with13-15,000 seats the ultimate goal. Hope those steps aren't leading into the street. It is a tight footprint, more renderings should help.
In any case it's a wonderful gift and nice to see local money step up. It does appear it will tie into the Concert Hall renovation next door.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

On going construction at Huntsville International Airport





Thirty-foot high panoramic windows overlooking airfield operations are beginning to take shape in the passenger waiting area of the Huntsville International Airport. As part of the $65 million, 5-year capital improvement project, which began in 2005, two wings will be added near the current connector walkway and security checkpoint.
The west wing will be home to a security checkpoint while the east wing will be consist of a large lobby/seating areaaccommodating up to 200 people. This renovation will also significantly widen the walkway toward the new wings, adding four times more space than the current public areas.

J.A. Green (JAG) Development Corporation, a Connecticut-based real estate developer, has announced the purchase of 92 acres in Jetplex Industrial Park South to build approximately one million square feet of office and warehouse space. One hundred thousand square feet will contain a cross-dock, air-cargo, and distribution space. JAG has the option of purchasing an additional 90 acres of property, which would yield the development of an additional one million square feet of office and warehouse space, immediately adjacent to Huntsville International Airport.

This wing is set to open sometime next month

And new air cargo facility


Nearing capacity at its existing intermodal location, the Port of Huntsville is currently building a new 93,000-square-foot air cargo facility at the International Intermodal Center.

[HSVTiger]

New Mayor very active

Mayor Battle has kept up a whirlwind schedule of meetings since beating Spencer in the Oct. 7 runoff election.

Battle vowed to complete a top-to-bottom review of city government, asking department heads and a handful of rank and file employees in each department their goals and ideas on ways to do things better.

"We want to come up with a plan on how to take a good city and make it greater," he said.

He also revealed plans to speed completion of North Memorial Parkway overpasses at Max Luther and Sparkman drives and to recruit a hotel and grocery store for north Huntsville.

He recently traveled to Montgomery to meet with Gov. Bob Riley and top state finance department officials. He's huddled with area business leaders, ridden in police patrols, dropped in at city fire halls and met with key Army officials, including Maj. Gen. Jim Myles, the commander at Redstone Arsenal. He's also been visible at council meetings and other government meetings and community events and has met with his counterparts in Madison city and Madison County governments.

Battle said the challenges are daunting with a struggling economy threatening city revenue.

"It's going to be a lean year," he said. Battle said he's counting on Holladay's cost-analysis skills to find ways to save tax dollars by ending unnecessary contracts and doing more work in-house with city workers.

Battle said he's impressed with the quality and structure of city government and does not foresee sweeping changes immediately.

"I want to make sure we hit the ground with some goals to start out with. You're not going to see any drastic, real quick changes. It's like a big ship. It moves slowly but it does turn. We're going to try to get a little better each year."
Source HSV Times

[Huntsvillenative]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

OMG! I absolutely love the new arena look! It will make the VBC/Propst arena look like a bran new facility! I know it would be nice to have a new arena of 15,000 but in this city and this economy that ain't happening. Htown isn't big enough to finance an arena that big just yet. The new expansion of a little over a thousand additional seats should expand it's overall capacity to more than 10,000. I have always thought the arena was small compared to other arenas but this will make it look much bigger and luxurious. The skyboxes is something that every modern day arena has so seeing the VBC get them is a incredible overhaul.

You can bet that this will definitely boost attendance ratings at an all time high for any event at the arena whether it be for hockey, Arena football, circus, and concerts. And you can bet that events that would usually pass on Htown will now come to the Rocket city to be held at the newly revamped arena. And I actually like the new name although it's a slap to the legacy of Von Braun but Propst Arena sounds better than Von Braun Center.

Anyone who doesn't like the new look or thinks it's not enough needs to take a look at other modern day arenas and see that this will put us on the map with some of the nicest arenas in America!