Huntsville updates

[HSV79]

Well I was downtown Friday night and talking to a bar tender and found out that club Rush is suppose to actually open next weekend. About time there! And apparently Huntsville will have its first block party downtown. This is suppose to happen the second weekend in July. Bar patrons will be able to party in the streets and bounce from club to club taking their beers with them. I was told bands will set up stages in the streets and perform. Kinda like a baby Big Spring Jam.

[HSV79]

Oh yeah I know that the Station in Bridgestreet is hiring or about done with that...when is the exact opening?

[Huntsville_secede]

Originally Posted by HSV79

Well I was downtown Friday night and talking to a bar tender and found out that club Rush is suppose to actually open next weekend. About time there! And apparently Huntsville will have its first block party downtown. This is suppose to happen the second weekend in July. Bar patrons will be able to party in the streets and bounce from club to club taking their beers with them. I was told bands will set up stages in the streets and perform. Kinda like a baby Big Spring Jam.

I have a feeling this place is going to be super lame like every other nightclub that's ever opened in Huntsville.

[TimCity2000]

this was posted by tdawg over in the city discussions thread... huntsville was the 15th-fastest growing city in the country last year (up to 176,000!)

"RELEASED: WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009"

"Table 1: Population Estimates for the 25 Fastest Growing U.S. Cities with Populations over 100,000 in 2008: July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2008"
Rank Geographic Area Population Estimates "Change, 2007 to 2008"
Place State "July 1, 2008" "July 1, 2007" Number Percent
1 New Orleans city Louisiana "311,853" "288,113" "23,740" 8.2
2 Round Rock city Texas "104,446" "96,569" "7,877" 8.2
3 Cary town North Carolina "129,545" "121,156" "8,389" 6.9
4 Gilbert town Arizona "216,449" "206,166" "10,283" 5.0
5 McKinney city Texas "121,211" "115,624" "5,587" 4.8
6 Roseville city California "112,660" "108,497" "4,163" 3.8
7 Irvine city California "207,500" "199,842" "7,658" 3.8
8 Raleigh city North Carolina "392,552" "378,184" "14,368" 3.8
9 Killeen city Texas "116,934" "112,702" "4,232" 3.8
10 Fort Worth city Texas "703,073" "678,660" "24,413" 3.6
11 Lewisville city Texas "101,624" "98,154" "3,470" 3.5
12 Murfreesboro city Tennessee "101,753" "98,316" "3,437" 3.5
13 Atlanta city Georgia "537,958" "520,368" "17,590" 3.4
14 Victorville city California "110,318" "106,792" "3,526" 3.3
15 Huntsville city Alabama "176,645" "171,280" "5,365" 3.1
16 Durham city North Carolina "223,284" "216,706" "6,578" 3.0
17 Denton city Texas "119,454" "115,965" "3,489" 3.0
18 Arlington CDP Virginia "209,969" "203,909" "6,060" 3.0
19 North Las Vegas city Nevada "217,253" "211,109" "6,144" 2.9
20 Alexandria city Virginia "143,885" "139,848" "4,037" 2.9
21 Thornton city Colorado "113,429" "110,303" "3,126" 2.8
22 Aurora city Colorado "319,057" "310,451" "8,606" 2.8
23 Charlotte city North Carolina "687,456" "669,205" "18,251" 2.7
24 Plano city Texas "267,480" "260,379" "7,101" 2.7
25 Denver city Colorado "598,707" "582,860" "15,847" 2.7

[ThatGuy]

With the recent change to the building height limits, do you think that the Constellation project is being re-configured? Or do you you think that they are just having a hard time landing enough tenants to start construction?

[Shawn35816]

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

With the recent change to the building height limits, do you think that the Constellation project is being re-configured? Or do you you think that they are just having a hard time landing enough tenants to start construction?

If I had to guess, I would say they're having trouble all around. Bridge Street got in just at the right time before the economy and other factors started throwing wrenches into different projects. Constellation may start to be contstructed in the next couple of years though.

[HSV79]

I think that the economy at first created a delay and now the building height has changed some things.Hopefully we can get some decent sized buildings out of that project. Anybody heard any more about the signature tower ??? Deadline for proposals?

[HSVTiger]

A little Bass Pro update from WHNT TV



The development was slated to have a Bass Pro Shop, a hotel, and convention center. In May 2008, the hotel backed out. Two months later, Decatur's mayor said the company planned to be here by the summer of 2009.


"It's a checker game and it's their move," said Decatur Mayor Don Stanford.

Stanford talked with the lawyer for the Sweetwater development to see why they haven't made the next step.

"He said they're just waiting now on the economy," said Mayor Stanford. "The banks are not giving out alot of money, not alot of big development going on in this part of the country."
"Bass Pro usually builds anywhere between five, six, seven or eight stores a year," said Stanford. "They're not building anything right now until the economy makes a move."

Mayor Stanford says the city can't do anything to push the deal along.

"We can't do a thing until they get ready to," said Mayor Stanford.

Mayor Stanford says there are no timelines or dates for dirt to start moving on the Highway 20 project.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSV79

Well I was downtown Friday night and talking to a bar tender and found out that club Rush is suppose to actually open next weekend. About time there! And apparently Huntsville will have its first block party downtown. This is suppose to happen the second weekend in July. Bar patrons will be able to party in the streets and bounce from club to club taking their beers with them. I was told bands will set up stages in the streets and perform. Kinda like a baby Big Spring Jam.

All the info here
http://downtownsummerfest.com/index.html

[SpawnOfVulcan]

I miss Don Kyle... the transition between the two mayors really put a hitch in the step of the entire development.

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

A little Bass Pro update from WHNT TV



The development was slated to have a Bass Pro Shop, a hotel, and convention center. In May 2008, the hotel backed out. Two months later, Decatur's mayor said the company planned to be here by the summer of 2009.


"It's a checker game and it's their move," said Decatur Mayor Don Stanford.

Stanford talked with the lawyer for the Sweetwater development to see why they haven't made the next step.

"He said they're just waiting now on the economy," said Mayor Stanford. "The banks are not giving out alot of money, not alot of big development going on in this part of the country."
"Bass Pro usually builds anywhere between five, six, seven or eight stores a year," said Stanford. "They're not building anything right now until the economy makes a move."

Mayor Stanford says the city can't do anything to push the deal along.

"We can't do a thing until they get ready to," said Mayor Stanford.

Mayor Stanford says there are no timelines or dates for dirt to start moving on the Highway 20 project.

[Huntsvillenative]

Originally Posted by Alabadrock

Space and Rocket Center lands Star Wars exhibit:
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2009/06/us_space_rocket_center_lands_s_1.html

This is definitely a huge score for the area.

This is AWESOME!! I grew up on Star Wars, had all the action figures and the whole movie set on DVD. I cannot wait for this to happen!

[HSVTiger]

City leaders head to Chattanooga again. Similar trips have been made to Austin, Raleigh and hopefully they will lead to something. Huntsville is doing
positive things downtown, it just seems to take time.

Big Spring Partners is taking 116 community leaders this week to study Chattanooga's downtown in hopes of replicating some of the city's more successful endeavors.

"Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley and Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie will be among the crowd returning to the Tennessee city for the first trip of this kind since June 2000.

Big Spring Partners, a non-profit organization focusing on revitalizing Huntsville's downtown, formed after that trip nine years ago using Chattanooga's River City Partners as a model, Executive Director Mary Jane Caylor said.

River City Partners, formed in 1986, is largely responsible for the Tennessee Aquarium and the famous River Walk.

"We believe we can take their success story and replicate it," said Caylor, who joined Big Spring Partners a few years after the first Chattanooga trip. "They had a lot of success back in 2000, and they've had even more since then."
HSV Times

[chris21718]

Trying to duplicate what Chattanooga has done with their downtown seems a bit strange. Chattanooga's nice part of downtown is right on the river and the aquarium is there. There's a nice pedestrian bridge over the river and things to do on both sides. On the north side is a nice park and a bunch of shops. On the south side is the downtown and the aquarium and lots of restaurants and stuff. Huntsville does not have a river to give it this characteristic. Huntsville will either have to rely on what it already has or build something new. Big Spring Park downtown is great. As long as it is safe and as long as the encroachment of buildings into it is kept away, people will go. What's missing from the square are smoke-free places to go at night to eat dinner and hang out that are open more than a couple of nights a week. There are many bars, but we need more places that cater to people who want to go to activities not centered around drinking and smoking. Another problem with the current downtown is there are no public restrooms outside businesses that I know of for people walking in the park or downtown.

[DavidH74]

I feel that a smaller Monaco-style theatre would do well downtown (Cine-Bistro or a second Monaco).

I also think it may help to concentrate the focus FOR NOW. Raleigh focused on their Fayetteville St, for example, and it helped spill over into the rest of downtown. We have sort of disjointed efforts right now happening on the square and in Five Points (although not technically downtown, but that is our "arts" district).
It would be nice to pour alot of planning into one street FOR NOW...and hoping projects like Constellation or much smaller sprout up elsewhere eventually to add other "pockets" of growth.

We really face alot of hurdles downtown -- the biggest being the (relative) lack of people downtown day OR night, weekday OR weekend. The hospital provides a large workforce, but I tend to perceive those workers running to Subway or Little Paul's BBQ rather than having a leisurely lunch somewhere. Outside of banks and law firms, we lack a greater presence of business downtown (at least that's my perception). Obviously, we lack affordable housing downtown. It seems we really need to draw business somehow (since the major companies go to Research Park) and create attractive, affordable housing before we can create/sustain any kind of real growth.

[TimCity2000]

^ i agree completely. huntsville's biggest strengths (nasa, research park, redstone arsenal) are also, unfortunately, the cause of its biggest weakness (downtown). the vast majority of the city's workforce is not in the city center. it would be interesting to see what other cities with similar dynamics have done to counter this.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

^ i agree completely. huntsville's biggest strengths (nasa, research park, redstone arsenal) are also, unfortunately, the cause of its biggest weakness (downtown). the vast majority of the city's workforce is not in the city center. it would be interesting to see what other cities with similar dynamics have done to counter this.

Well with the latest news that the Huntsville Stars may leave town due to sagging attendance, build a new stadium downtown.
http://www.al.com/stars/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/sports/1246958130140310.xml&coll=1
Should have been done already. Create a downtown research park that would cater to smaller companies that don't need or can afford huge complexes in Cummings.
Keep in mind we need to expand our mindset of downtown..it's recognized boundaries extend from Governor's Drive south to Pratt north, California to the east and it is extending west beyond Memorial Parkway. The stadium complex could be located north of the VBC. Downtown housing is critical and in the works, Constellation delay isn't helping, anyone know why after the
5th or 6th announced construction start it hasn't? there is no reason for downtown not to be vibrant and growing

[OCA REP]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Well with the latest news that the Huntsville Stars may leave town due to sagging attendance, build a new stadium downtown.

I think this is just "we want a new stadium" grandstanding!

I read an article on this subject at www.al.com and it seemed pretty obvious that they are using this as an excuse for a new stadium. We are SPOILED here in Montgomery with a state-of-the-art new complex and Huntsville certainly deserves the same. Will that help attendance? Only time will tell.

I did snicker at one comment that attendance was down this year due to the swine flu fear. I think that is a STRETCH, but if it works for them to say that... OK!

[ThatGuy]

I noticed a crew drilling soil samples in the greenway parking lot on Old Madison Pike. Maybe they are finally going to make a move on widening that section. I don't think they would drill soil samples if they were just going to pave the parking area.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by OCA REP

I think this is just "we want a new stadium" grandstanding!

I read an article on this subject at www.al.com and it seemed pretty obvious that they are using this as an excuse for a new stadium. We are SPOILED here in Montgomery with a state-of-the-art new complex and Huntsville certainly deserves the same. Will that help attendance? Only time will tell.

I did snicker at one comment that attendance was down this year due to the swine flu fear. I think that is a STRETCH, but if it works for them to say that... OK!

That's a benefit of joining the party later, a better ball park. MGM has a great example of what to do. After 25 years it's either yeah or nay for a new downtown facility. And the city should NOT have to foot the bill. Maybe help with some infrastructure but if the owners are to complain then maybe they should help with funding.
Some of the things being done at the park are questionable and seem to hurt more than help

[WEMO]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

this was posted by tdawg over in the city discussions thread... huntsville was the 15th-fastest growing city in the country last year (up to 176,000!)

"RELEASED: WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009"

"Table 1: Population Estimates for the 25 Fastest Growing U.S. Cities with Populations over 100,000 in 2008: July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2008"
Rank Geographic Area Population Estimates "Change, 2007 to 2008"
Place State "July 1, 2008" "July 1, 2007" Number Percent
1 New Orleans city Louisiana "311,853" "288,113" "23,740" 8.2
2 Round Rock city Texas "104,446" "96,569" "7,877" 8.2
3 Cary town North Carolina "129,545" "121,156" "8,389" 6.9
4 Gilbert town Arizona "216,449" "206,166" "10,283" 5.0
5 McKinney city Texas "121,211" "115,624" "5,587" 4.8
6 Roseville city California "112,660" "108,497" "4,163" 3.8
7 Irvine city California "207,500" "199,842" "7,658" 3.8
8 Raleigh city North Carolina "392,552" "378,184" "14,368" 3.8
9 Killeen city Texas "116,934" "112,702" "4,232" 3.8
10 Fort Worth city Texas "703,073" "678,660" "24,413" 3.6
11 Lewisville city Texas "101,624" "98,154" "3,470" 3.5
12 Murfreesboro city Tennessee "101,753" "98,316" "3,437" 3.5
13 Atlanta city Georgia "537,958" "520,368" "17,590" 3.4
14 Victorville city California "110,318" "106,792" "3,526" 3.3
15 Huntsville city Alabama "176,645" "171,280" "5,365" 3.1
16 Durham city North Carolina "223,284" "216,706" "6,578" 3.0
17 Denton city Texas "119,454" "115,965" "3,489" 3.0
18 Arlington CDP Virginia "209,969" "203,909" "6,060" 3.0
19 North Las Vegas city Nevada "217,253" "211,109" "6,144" 2.9
20 Alexandria city Virginia "143,885" "139,848" "4,037" 2.9
21 Thornton city Colorado "113,429" "110,303" "3,126" 2.8
22 Aurora city Colorado "319,057" "310,451" "8,606" 2.8
23 Charlotte city North Carolina "687,456" "669,205" "18,251" 2.7
24 Plano city Texas "267,480" "260,379" "7,101" 2.7
25 Denver city Colorado "598,707" "582,860" "15,847" 2.7

Tell me why New Orleans was included in that. Might be wrong, but that is probably citizens moving back to the city. Congrats huntsville. Just a question, how is the Towne Centre?