Huntsville updates

[HSVTiger]

Also downtown on West Side Square, al.com/The Huntsville Times are moving their offices to that location. First two floors.



HSV Times photos

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Twickenham Square groundbreaking today downtown









Bristol and PGM Properties -- both headquartered in the Nashville area -- are working with Huntsville-based Triad Properties on Twickenham Square.

PGM representatives said construction on the Publix is expected to begin in March and take 12-14 months to complete. At 33,000 square feet, it will be smaller than the Publix on Whitesburg Drive.

The office tower, called Twickenham Place, should begin rising from the corner of Gallatin Street and St. Clair Avenue later this month or in early January. Its first announced tenant is Huntsville Hospital's clinical laboratory -- the eighth-largest hospital-based lab in the nation.

William Stroud of Triad Properties, which is developing the office tower, said the lab will cover about 1 1/2 floors of the five-story building. Another large medical tenant could be announced in the next month, he said.
Huntsville Hospital will be a co-owner of the office tower, said Triad's Gerry Shannon, and the building will be physically connected to the hospital by an elevated, air-conditioned walkway similar to the one over Governors Drive.

PHD Hotels of Opelika is building the Homewood Suites, putting 101 hotel rooms just down the street from the hospital's main entrance. Tom Hunt, the company's president, said he couldn't resist getting involved in Twickenham Square.

"Once we saw this site and everything that was happening," said Hunt, "we wanted to be part of it."

The city has agreed to spend $9.8 million on a 920-space parking garage serving the development, and workers from Pearce Construction are already swarming the property. Huntsville Hospital plans to lease the top floor of the deck for employee parking.

City of Huntsville source

Been nice if the hotel or office building was 10-15 floors, Publix could be split level design

There are approx 15,000 people that work downtown and several thousand that live there (Historic districts, Twickenham, Old Town, Five Points), along with the nearby Blossomwood neighborhood.

[HSVTiger]

In West Huntsville in front of the new Super Walmart, Panda Express and Zaxby's will be opening before the end of the year

[HSVTiger]

Downtown school in Old Town sold, this is a beautiful building with art deco touches

East Clinton Elementary tentatively has a new owner.

The Huntsville school board on Thursday approved a $1.56 million agreement with Broadway Group, a local land development company, to purchase the school, which has been vacant since Blossomwood Elementary students moved to their new school this August.
The deal is not final yet,
J.R. Brooks, the attorney for the school board, explained that the buyer has a 90-day inspection period to ensure that the property meets the requirements and conditions of the company. Broadway Group is putting up $10,000 in "earnest money" in the meantime.

[huntsvillefan]

This is an exciting development. It is hard for me to envision a five story building as a "tower." I would love to see a signature 25-35 story tower go up downtown... Someday.

[huntsvillefan]

Good to see all this development downtown.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by huntsvillefan

This is an exciting development. It is hard for me to envision a five story building as a "tower." I would love to see a signature 25-35 story tower go up downtown... Someday.

I was thinking the same thing... I read through it, and thought only in Huntsville would a five story building be considered a tower...

[HSVTiger]

No fault of Birmingham but Southwest could have stronger traffic in Huntsville if they provided the correct routes which currently is none. I expect Southwest will adjust routes to BHM in the coming year to boost traffic.

"Southwest Airlines says the decline in passenger traffic it moves through Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport is the result of several flight reroutes.


"The airport traffic data is reflective of adjustments to our nonstop and connecting destinations," says Brad Hawkins, a spokesperson for the company. Within 2012, Hawkins says Southwest moved flights away from Birmingham into Louisville and Phoenix instead.


Through the first 10 months of this year, passenger traffic on Southwest planes through Birmingham's airport is down 8.4 percent. On all other airlines, passenger traffic is up nearly 5.7 percent over the same time frame, according to data reports maintained by the airport.


Despite the shift, the airport's management team is maintaining a positive outlook.


"BHM remains a stable market," says Toni Herrera-Bast, marketing manager for the Birmingham Airport Authority. "When other airports experienced double digit losses, we maintained little to no loss in passenger traffic."

[TimCity2000]

those twickenham square renderings look great!

hope it stays true to that... i remember when constellation was unveiled, there was a rendering that looked incredible. let's just say the final product hasn't quite lived up to it....

[David1502]

The Research Park Blvd./AL 255 overpass has opened today for Northbound traffic only. The overpass for south bound traffic should open within two weeks. The only complaint is that when traffic is forced to exit onto the service road, the left lane plays out in 1,000 feet with little warning. This could be a serious traffic hazard.

The preliminary engineering work for the next phase going from Pulaski Pike to North PArkway, just south of Meridianville is already in the works. The long term plan is to continue this highway to U.S. 72 East near the future Moores Mill Rd. and Shields Rd. overpass interchanges.

I am curious how long it will be before the project is completed to widen AL 53 to 4 divided lanes from AL 255 north to Jeff Rd. My guess is that this will lead to increased development in the Harvest/Toney area as this four lane highway will be a great improvement ove the two lane highway. Any new neighborhood in the Harvest/Monrovia Water Authority area now has to be built with sewer lines. (any development over 15 lots). This will lead to higher density subdivisions and continue the tranformation of this area form rural to suburbia.

[*BRAVO*]

The fact that Southwest is only operating out of thee gates could be affecting their numbers as well. I expect the numbers of flights/connections to increase once the airport modernization project is complete in 2014.

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

No fault of Birmingham but Southwest could have stronger traffic in Huntsville if they provided the correct routes which currently is none. I expect Southwest will adjust routes to BHM in the coming year to boost traffic.

"Southwest Airlines says the decline in passenger traffic it moves through Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport is the result of several flight reroutes.


"The airport traffic data is reflective of adjustments to our nonstop and connecting destinations," says Brad Hawkins, a spokesperson for the company. Within 2012, Hawkins says Southwest moved flights away from Birmingham into Louisville and Phoenix instead.


Through the first 10 months of this year, passenger traffic on Southwest planes through Birmingham's airport is down 8.4 percent. On all other airlines, passenger traffic is up nearly 5.7 percent over the same time frame, according to data reports maintained by the airport.


Despite the shift, the airport's management team is maintaining a positive outlook.


"BHM remains a stable market," says Toni Herrera-Bast, marketing manager for the Birmingham Airport Authority. "When other airports experienced double digit losses, we maintained little to no loss in passenger traffic."

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville's new Urban Planner, he should be very busy.

Dennis Madsen, an architect who has spent the past 10 years working for a prominent Atlanta design and planning firm, was introduced Tuesday as Huntsville's new urban planner.

Madsen, 43, beat out more than 140 other applicants for the job helping shape what the Rocket City will look and feel like in the coming decades. He starts work here Jan. 14.

During an introductory news conference, Madsen said he was attracted by the prospect of working for a growing city that seems to value the planning process.

"We know growth is coming," he said. "For a planner, that's incredibly exciting to get ahead of."

A Massachusetts native, Madsen has lived in Atlanta since 1991. His longtime employer, Urban Collage, specializes in the design of walkable, livable urban communities. The firm has worked with a diverse list of clients including the cities of Chattanooga and Greenville, S.C., Morehouse College, Bank of America, Lexington Distillery District in Kentucky and Atlanta's mass transit system, MARTA.

Shane Davis, Huntsville's director of urban development, said that experience working on a range of projects will help Madsen as he tackles the dual challenges of reviving established areas such as downtown and preparing for growth in rural Limestone County.

The city has annexed about 9,300 acres of Limestone County farmland in recent years.

Madsen said he plans to spend his first few days on the job listening and learning and getting to know community leaders. Many of them, including City Councilmen John Olshefski and Richard Showers and members of the Huntsville Planning Commission, came to Tuesday's news conference to greet him.

Madsen's official title will be manager of urban and long-range planning.

Source Huntsville Times

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by *BRAVO*

The fact that Southwest is only operating out of thee gates could be affecting their numbers as well. I expect the numbers of flights/connections to increase once the airport modernization project is complete in 2014.

I know this is a Huntsville thread, but I wanted to provide some info from a pretty informative airline industry website re: what's going on with Southwest in Birmingham - and this also pertains to Huntsville. Unfortunately, I don't think HSV will ever see Southwest - it's just too close to Nashville & Birmingham. Southwest is in the process of reinventing itself, especially since their purchase of AirTran. They will hardly resemble the same airline we are used to in a couple of years.

This isn't to say that either city will ever see a loss of fairly robust air service. As someone in the industry, I wanted to share this link with anyone that may be interested. PLEASE disregard the several "haters" that felt they needed to add their two cents in re: Birmingham.

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums...8&searchid=5626098&s=WN+in+BHM#ID5626098

Feel free to ask any questions (including what the city codes are) - and when you see WN mentioned, that is the code for Southwest, FL is AirTran.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by atlantaguy

I know this is a Huntsville thread, but I wanted to provide some info from a pretty informative airline industry website re: what's going on with Southwest in Birmingham - and this also pertains to Huntsville. Unfortunately, I don't think HSV will ever see Southwest - it's just too close to Nashville & Birmingham. Southwest is in the process of reinventing itself, especially since their purchase of AirTran. They will hardly resemble the same airline we are used to in a couple of years.

This isn't to say that either city will ever see a loss of fairly robust air service. As someone in the industry, I wanted to share this link with anyone that may be interested. PLEASE disregard the several "haters" that felt they needed to add their two cents in re: Birmingham.

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums...8&searchid=5626098&s=WN+in+BHM#ID5626098

Feel free to ask any questions (including what the city codes are) - and when you see WN mentioned, that is the code for Southwest, FL is AirTran.

Thanks for the link, that is always an interesting site to read.
Yeah Southwest felt they couldn't make it work in HSV or they didn't want to try. Feeder flights to BHM, NASH, and ATL with a few non-stops to DC and maybe DEN and Orlando would probably surprise them.
Anyway around the airport in the industrial park things are hopping..
All of this located in Huntsville's Foreign Trade Zone 83 and US Port of Entry.

"At the Huntsville Madison County Airport Authority's monthly meeting this week, Jetplex director Brooks Kracke updated the board of directors on new and potential developments. He said there is a "significant project" interested in the Jetplex Aviation Center, which is on a steady track with a final proposal submitted earlier this month. Consultants are evaluating all of the information and will make a recommendation to the client company sometime in January.

A Limestone County company is scheduled to close on a building "within the coming weeks." The company currently has a 4,500-square-foot building and are purchasing one with 10,500 square feet. The company has 60 employees and plans to hire another 10 when it expands and then another 10 after that.

A "local company" is looking at JIP to expand form their current leased facility. Jetplex has received an offer for a 4.38-acre parcel on Electronics Boulevard in Supplier Park. The company plans to build a concrete tilt-up building.

An international client is working with two local consultants to possibly build a distribution center in JIP. If the project comes to Huntsville, the company would need at least 20,000 square feet to start.

Jetplex is in the top 10 locations for an aviation/aerospace company, which was previously considering 132 sites. Huntsville is the only city in the state being considered."
HSV Times

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Thanks for the link, that is always an interesting site to read.
Yeah Southwest felt they couldn't make it work in HSV or they didn't want to try. Feeder flights to BHM, NASH, and ATL with a few non-stops to DC and maybe DEN and Orlando would probably surprise them.
Anyway around the airport in the industrial park things are hopping..
All of this located in Huntsville's Foreign Trade Zone 83 and US Port of Entry.

.

You're very welcome, HSVTiger. And I agree with you, but I think the airlines are very skittish on giving obviously thriving metro areas a chance when it comes to additional service. Sadly it's the new reality. I think the demand is truly there for several of the routes you mention.

I know for a fact that things are hopping in Huntsville - my company has many stable, growing clients there that continue to do well. Same goes for Birmingham.

[HSVTiger]

While HSV does have United nonstops to Denver, It would be nice to see Frontier add lower cost flights to HSV that would compliment their routes to Orlando and DC.

[HSVTiger]

TDOT equals the 21st century
ALDOT especially in the Huntsville metro = the land time forgot.

http://ww2.tdot.state.tn.us/tsw/smartmap.htm?city=Chattanooga

Traffic cameras and useful signs..WOW!

[HSVTiger]

Guess ALDOT couldn't delay this one much more with US Army behind the project.
Clearing trees has already been underway, and it does cross over some sensitive swamp land.

At its meeting Thursday night, the Huntsville City Council and Army officials reached agreement on a plan to build two new northbound lanes along Redstone Arsenal's western boundary.

Army Secretary John McHugh has OK'd letting the city use just over 75 acres of federally-owned land needed to expand Zierdt Road into a four-lane boulevard separated by a grassy median. Zierdt Road leads to the arsenal's western entrance, Gate 7.


Plans calls for widening Zierdt Road to four lanes from just south of Martin Road to its intersection with Madison Boulevard - a distance of about three miles. The Metropolitan Planning Organization will provide federal highway money to cover 80 percent of the estimated $12.1 million construction cost. Huntsville will pay 15 percent ($1.8 million) and Madison 5 percent ($600,000).

The north end of Zierdt Road is in the Madison city limits, but Huntsville controls the road from the Edgewater subdivision south including the busy area around Gate 7.

Environmental studies along the arsenal boundary didn't unearth any concerns, said Davis, and the Alabama Department of Transportation could solicit construction bids as soon as March 2013. The work is expected to take 12-14 months.

The easement agreement with the Army, which will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2062, clears the way for the arsenal fence to be moved deeper into the base to accommodate the wider road.

According to the city's 2012 traffic count map, approximately 14,000 vehicles a day travel Zierdt Road between Martin Road and the Mountain Brook subdivision. That jumps to 16,200 vehicles a day around the Zierdt-Madison Boulevard intersection.

Davis said another key road project in that part of town -widening Martin Road to four lanes from Gate 7 to near Huntsville International Airport - is also on track to get under way in 2013.

[HSVTiger]

Wal Mart is rumored to be eyeing the Parkway frontage
Huntsville is preparing to sell 25 acres of prime land along Memorial Parkway for retail development.

Marie Bostick, the city's manager of planning and zoning administration, said developers will be invited to submit bids later this month for the property just west of the Parkway-Airport Road intersection. Bidders must be willing to pay a minimum of about $7.6 million, or $305,000 per acre, and also agree to design guidelines ensuring that whatever is built blends in with nearby John Hunt Park.

"We're trying to create a pedestrian-friendly, urban village-type atmosphere," Bostick said Wednesday.

Selling the city-owned land near Kids Space playground is the first step in Mayor Tommy Battle's plan to transform rough-around-the-edges John Hunt Park into Huntsville's version of New York's Central park.

The property going on the market currently houses Fire & Rescue Station 6, an old police academy and city employee medical clinic. Officials have said a new fire house would be built less than a mile away on Drake Avenue.
Bostick said the land sale proceeds would be used to revamp the south end of John Hunt Park with a new playground and splash fountain, picnic areas, tree-lined walking trails and improved access to both the municipal golf course and cross-country running track. It would also go toward the purchase of 140 acres along Triana Boulevard for a large outdoor sports venue.

Named for the frontiersman who settled Huntsville in 1805, John Hunt Park was the site of the city's first airport. The Northeast Alabama State Fair uses the old runway as its carnival midway.

The traffic counts -- about 91,000 vehicles pass through the Parkway-Airport Road intersection every day -- are sure to make retailers salivate.

City planners estimate the property can accommodate 280,000 square feet of new retail and restaurant space. Battle wants to earmark 25 percent of the sales tax revenue from those future businesses toward John Hunt Park upgrades.

In addition to the playground, picnic areas and walking trails south of Airport Road, an updated master plan for the park calls for a 4,000-seat indoor sports arena, outdoor festival area with a lake and terraced amphitheater, more soccer fields and tennis courts, a multi-purpose community activities building and a third rink at the popular Benton H. Wilcoxon Ice Complex.

I think major improvements at that interchange should/ will be be a requirement as well, but the city can't wait on ALDOT for anything.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Lets just hope the city sticks to its —....