Huntsville updates

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by David1502

In other news there, a coffe roasting restaurant called Cafe153 is going in the space behind the Vintage Cigar shop (near Chocolate Croccodile) and the Heritage Club is gettting ready to open. When the new office towers get built, you would think there would be better offerings in the food court with so many captive office workers within walking distance. The current offerings of the food court are disappointing.

A Qdoba or Chipotle would practically print money for whomever could franchise one in Bridgestreet.

[HSV79]

Well I gotta admit I thought we had seen arena football gone forever! Glad I was wrong and the name is kinda weird till you see the logo and realize the mascot is a yellow hammer bird. Which is the Alabama state bird. Here is a link...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_Hammers

[HSVTiger]

Ok this is totally a waste of money and stupid. This is what ALDOT is supposed to do, anybody that drives this stretch of road knows whats wrong with it.
After the "study" or ripoff then what?? Wait for ALDOT to do it again?
This is 10 years away before anything if at all happens.
idiots


(WAFF) - A Birmingham-based company could soon be looking into improving one of Huntsville's busiest intersections.

The city is considering a traffic flow study on the I-565 interchange with Rideout Road and Research Park Boulevard.

During rush hour, this area is one of the most congested in the whole city. Drivers who are often stuck in this traffic say a solution is long overdue

"Trying to get past the arsenal up there is just a nightmare, so it's pretty bad, already," said Jeff Windham.

City officials hope Skipper Consulting, of Birmingham, can come up with a plan to improve traffic flow.

The city council could vote to approve nearly $95,000 for a study that would outline improvements to the 565 exit ramps onto Rideout Road and even widening the road itself.

[HSVTiger]

As others have mentioned a Super Target in Madison looks like a real possibility. Even though in Madison, the Huntsville city limits are a stones throw away and the cities westside Super Target approx 5 miles to the east.
"We are diligently working on retail development around the Madison Hospital," said Amy Furfori, the Madison planning and economic development director.
Target officials refused to comment on the project.
Huntsville was considering the intersection of County Line and U. S. 72 for its third Target had it been awarded the project.
"We would have loved to have had that type of development in Huntsville that included Target," said Vallely. "I don't know if it's a final decision, but my understanding is there are some contingencies. We'll be happy to talk with (Target) if they change their mind."
Vallely said he understands the site Target is possibly considering is the site where Crestwood Medical Center wanted to build a Madison hospital.

[HSVTiger]

Ardmore Highway (Jordan Lane) expansion up for bid
for constructing the Additional Lanes (Grade, Drainage, Pavement and Signals) on SR-53 from north of Nick Fitcheard Road near Huntsville to south of CR-19 (Jeff Road). Length 4.602 mi.

And downtown Meridian Street improvements,for constructing the Street Improvements (Grade, Drainage, Pavement and Bridge) on Meridian Street from Pratt Avenue to Oakwood Avenue in Huntsville. Length 0.596 mi.

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Ok this is totally a waste of money and stupid. This is what ALDOT is supposed to do, anybody that drives this stretch of road knows whats wrong with it.
After the "study" or ripoff then what?? Wait for ALDOT to do it again?
This is 10 years away before anything if at all happens.
idiots


(WAFF) - A Birmingham-based company could soon be looking into improving one of Huntsville's busiest intersections.

The city is considering a traffic flow study on the I-565 interchange with Rideout Road and Research Park Boulevard.

During rush hour, this area is one of the most congested in the whole city. Drivers who are often stuck in this traffic say a solution is long overdue

"Trying to get past the arsenal up there is just a nightmare, so it's pretty bad, already," said Jeff Windham.

City officials hope Skipper Consulting, of Birmingham, can come up with a plan to improve traffic flow.

The city council could vote to approve nearly $95,000 for a study that would outline improvements to the 565 exit ramps onto Rideout Road and even widening the road itself.

Full stack interchange is needed there, along with braided ramps and a C-D system for the nearby interchanges with Madison Blvd and Old Madison Pike. An additional lane is needed each way between 565 and University Drive along with continuous acceleration and deceleration lanes between interchanges.

[thunder89]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

Full stack interchange is needed there, along with braided ramps and a C-D system for the nearby interchanges with Madison Blvd and Old Madison Pike. An additional lane is needed each way between 565 and University Drive along with continuous acceleration and deceleration lanes between interchanges.

I agree, on the the full stack interchange aspect. With so little of land to work with and with the gates and other exits/roads on Rideout this needs to be an aspect of the design. I am having a hard time imagining what a C-D system is though. I tried looking it up but couldn't find any examples. Are there and to look at or compare to?

[neilson]

Originally Posted by thunder89

I agree, on the the full stack interchange aspect. With so little of land to work with and with the gates and other exits/roads on Rideout this needs to be an aspect of the design. I am having a hard time imagining what a C-D system is though. I tried looking it up but couldn't find any examples. Are there and to look at or compare to?

There's already a C/D system on part of the interchange. 565 EB to Research Park/Rideout South and Northbound.

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by neilson

There's already a C/D system on part of the interchange. 565 EB to Research Park/Rideout South and Northbound.

That's within the interchange, not between the interchange and the ramps with Madison Blvd.

[hsvdj84]

It's been rather quiet around here. I saw a couple of signs up near the Harris Hill development. They are located south of Highway 72 and on the west side of the Moore's Mill extension. I haven't had a chance to get close enough to see what they say. Wonder what's coming? Bank? Restaurant? I'll get closer for more info and report back.

[thunder89]

Originally Posted by hsvdj84

It's been rather quiet around here. I saw a couple of signs up near the Harris Hill development. They are located south of Highway 72 and on the west side of the Moore's Mill extension. I haven't had a chance to get close enough to see what they say. Wonder what's coming? Bank? Restaurant? I'll get closer for more info and report back.

Please do and report back if you can. I won't be back in Huntsville for a few more weeks, and won't have many chances to ride around and look at upcoming and existing developments. Any word on the completion date of the first hotel of Constellation and the ground breaking for the second one?

[ThatGuy]

Last time I was by there, I could see that there was some site work being done for the new Mellow Mushroom Building in Jones Valley.

[huntsvillefan]

Some nice Christmas activity going on in downtown Huntsville. Would love to see some real development follow. What are the odds?

[mlog]

This is not an article about Huntsville, but it does have some local ties since John Q. Hammons built the Embassy Suites in HSV.

http://www.gazette.com/articles/hotel-109188-renaissance-colorado.html

It seems the 91-year old Hammons has a stalled project in Colorado Springs and has been admitted into a nursing home.

[HSVTiger]

93,000 sq ft Kroger in the Watercress development is now open.
This is west Huntsville, Jeff Rd/University Dr intersection.

And downtown
A new art gallery is adding a dash of pizzazz to downtown Huntsville.

The California-based investment group San Francisco Residence Club and the 53-year-old Huntsville Art League cut the ribbon on the gallery Wednesday afternoon at 200 West Side Square, the old Central Bank Building.

Artist Peter Grant, the interim advisory board president of HAL, said the 1,800-square-foot space on the building’s first floor will help enhance downtown while providing more exposure to local artists.
(HSV Times)

and next door to Harrison Brothers hardware
Jimmy Boyce executive chef and co-owner of Huntsville's Cotton Row
at 5 p.m. Friday, will debut his latest downtown eatery, Commerce Kitchen. His wife Suzan and local businessman Jeff Sikes are also partners in the restaurant.

Situated just down the block from Cotton Row on the historic Courthouse Square, Commerce Kitchen will offer what Boyce calls "homespun" cuisine.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by mlog

This is not an article about Huntsville, but it does have some local ties since John Q. Hammons built the Embassy Suites in HSV.

http://www.gazette.com/articles/hotel-109188-renaissance-colorado.html

It seems the 91-year old Hammons has a stalled project in Colorado Springs and has been admitted into a nursing home.

Interesting and sad about Mr. Hammons he is a pioneer in development.
Hopefully his company will make a smooth transition.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by huntsvillefan

Some nice Christmas activity going on in downtown Huntsville. Would love to see some real development follow. What are the odds?

[huntsvillefan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

What a great photo!

[HSVTiger]

Vision Airlines is expected to begin charter service soon from Huntsville
to the Destin area.
http://www.visionairlines.com/

also passenger traffic is up at Huntsville International thanks to AirTran (soon to be Southwest)

"Passenger traffic continues to climb," said Rick Tucker, the executive director of the Huntsville/Madison County Airport Authority.


The number of passengers in November was 105,291, according to figures released by the authority.

Through November, the number of passengers reached 1,144,191 million. For all of 2009, the passenger count was 1,171,147.

[Dyingyak]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Vision Airlines is expected to begin charter service soon from Huntsville
to the Destin area.
http://www.visionairlines.com/

also passenger traffic is up at Huntsville International thanks to AirTran (soon to be Southwest)

"Passenger traffic continues to climb," said Rick Tucker, the executive director of the Huntsville/Madison County Airport Authority.


The number of passengers in November was 105,291, according to figures released by the authority.

Through November, the number of passengers reached 1,144,191 million. For all of 2009, the passenger count was 1,171,147.

I was looking into flights to Boston in April and rates were about 1/3 of the cost out of Huntsville, via AirTran, as they were out of Birmingham, via Southwest. I expected there to be a different in pricing of course, but was shocked it was as much as it was.