Huntsville updates - Page 275

HSVTiger · #**5481** Posted **Feb 28, 2013, 1:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

Well hopefully they'll upgrade the portion of Highway 20 from I-65 to US 31 into an extension of I-565 and not have a bunch of traffic signals instead for cars coming down at 70+ mph ready to slam on the brakes.

I would think that this would be a major component of this project, infrastructure upgrades will have to be made or you will have traffic backing up on I-565 and I-65. On a similar note if upgrades are not made on Research Park and I-565 you may see similar problems, Supposedly the state is awaiting
results from a "study" on how to handle the situation.
And of course you still have 70 mph to dead stop situation on the east side of Huntsville at Moores Mill Rd and the historically delayed overpasses. Huntsville and Decatur have some really stupid and dangerous roads.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**5482** Posted **Feb 28, 2013, 5:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

Well hopefully they'll upgrade the portion of Highway 20 from I-65 to US 31 into an extension of I-565 and not have a bunch of traffic signals instead for cars coming down at 70+ mph ready to slam on the brakes.

The city of Decatur already has a plan for that stretch, and it doesn't include traffic lights. As it is, there's just no money for it.

downtownhsvguy · #**5483** Posted **Feb 28, 2013, 9:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1502

The Decatur Daily is reporting that a developer has approached the City of Decatur to get financial incentives for a $1.3 Billion Retail Development located at the I-65/Highway 20 Interchange: http://timesdaily.com/stories/Billion-do...roposed-near-I-65565-interchange-,203076

This is the same location as the proposed Sweetwater development which was to include a Bass Pro Shop. However, the article states that the developers of Sweetwater still have an option on that site. It is hard to see where there is another 536 acres available besides the SW corner of that interchange.

Since Bass Pro Shop has already expressed a desire to locate at that interchange, I would imagine that this developer will construct a large outlet center with Bass Pro as an anchor. It will be easy to get other outlet stores (e.g. Polo Ralph Lauren will be glad to leave Boaz) as the heavy volume of traffic on I-65, in addition to the 500,000+ residents of Madison, Morgan and Limestone counties will provide a strong market.

If plans are for a $1.3 Billion development, they are talking about a mega center (on the scale of Silver Sands in Destin, or Opry Mills in Nashville) with other large anchors like an Off Fifth/Saks Fifth Avenue, etc. At least one hotel, will probably be part of it. Also, a housing component will probably be included as the original Sweetwater development had proposed.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see what all will be included and when this information can become public. The Decatur City Council will discuss this tonight.

Maybe the Space USA theme park can take up some of the land.. that would be a great addition to the area and play off its strengths.

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/03/space_city_amusement_park_prop.html

mlog · #**5484** Posted **Mar 3, 2013, 10:31 PM**

I went by Sweet Cece's in Providence today, and it looks like they're out of business.

Jugernagt · #**5485** Posted **Mar 4, 2013, 2:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlog

I went by Sweet Cece's in Providence today, and it looks like they're out of business.

And someone had just bought out the original owner this past summer.

HSVTiger · #**5486** Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 2:36 PM**

Along I-565 just west of the airport.

On a large-scale of municipal involvement, the city will pay $3 million (10 percent) of the $30 million cost of constructing a new interchange at I-565 and County Line Road. The new interchange will ease overcrowding at Wall Triana Highway and give the hundreds of households along County Line quicker access to the interstate. Construction could begin this fall.

Amy Bell, is the economic development and planning director for the City of Madison.
"I expect to get inundated with more requests for County Line Road," Bell said of retail businesses wanting to locate there. "We have a lot of national companies already looking at the corridor, from gas stations to fast food.

"And the good thing is our retail space there is limited, so the ones who are willing to pay the best dollar are going to get in. And that's better for residents because those are going to be the more successful businesses," she said.

Colin Giersberg · #**5487** Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 11:43 PM**

I noticed several ALDOT employees surveying along Hwy. 20 west of I-65 today at 6:30 a.m. I don't know if this is for upgrading Hwy. 20 or if it is for the proposed retail development at Sweetwater. Either way, I am curious about what may be going on.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**5488** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 4:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin Giersberg

I noticed several ALDOT employees surveying along Hwy. 20 west of I-65 today at 6:30 a.m. I don't know if this is for upgrading Hwy. 20 or if it is for the proposed retail development at Sweetwater. Either way, I am curious about what may be going on.

For one thing, that's in Decatur not Huntsville, for another it can't be for sweetwater. As lazy as ALDOT is, they wouldn't start surveying for anything related to a large scale development that isn't even legit on the books. If anything it's part their typical "visit every now and then" trip to look at things since that road is so congested with traffic going east from Decatur in the mornings and west into town in the afternoon.

The only way to make that road more safe is to turn it fully into controlled access all the way from the interchange to the US 31/AL 20 interchange just before you get to the river. The city has had the plans for years... no money.

downtownhsvguy · #**5489** Posted **Mar 11, 2013, 2:20 AM**

More picture updates of Twickenham Square. Looks like a fair amount of progress..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546264427/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8547362164/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546265527/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546266407/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546267377/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546269665/

Colin Giersberg · #**5490** Posted **Mar 11, 2013, 3:57 AM**

Yes, it is in Decatur, and I realized then that I had posted it in the wrong topic, however, Huntsville will be affected by this, probably just as much or more as Decatur.

stewdog1 · #**5491** Posted **Mar 11, 2013, 3:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Along I-565 just west of the airport.

On a large-scale of municipal involvement, the city will pay $3 million (10 percent) of the $30 million cost of constructing a new interchange at I-565 and County Line Road. The new interchange will ease overcrowding at Wall Triana Highway and give the hundreds of households along County Line quicker access to the interstate. Construction could begin this fall.

Amy Bell, is the economic development and planning director for the City of Madison.
"I expect to get inundated with more requests for County Line Road," Bell said of retail businesses wanting to locate there. "We have a lot of national companies already looking at the corridor, from gas stations to fast food.

"And the good thing is our retail space there is limited, so the ones who are willing to pay the best dollar are going to get in. And that's better for residents because those are going to be the more successful businesses," she said.

Starting to look like a light at the end of the tunnel. Although we're still waiting on Old Madison Pike...

Anyway, once that is started, I predict a boom in that area up through Greenbrier. I can easily see a Costco type of development on the south end of County Line.

HSVTiger · #**5492** Posted **Mar 11, 2013, 4:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by stewdog1

Starting to look like a light at the end of the tunnel. Although we're still waiting on Old Madison Pike...

Anyway, once that is started, I predict a boom in that area up through Greenbrier. I can easily see a Costco type of development on the south end of County Line.

hopefully the entire area will be quality developments (think Jones Valley) and not a mish mash of typical interstate this could be anywhere USA.

bamastu13 · #**5493** Posted **Mar 11, 2013, 7:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by downtownhsvguy

More picture updates of Twickenham Square. Looks like a fair amount of progress..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546264427/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8547362164/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546265527/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546266407/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546267377/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546269665/

Looking good! Thanks for posting the pictures

Jugernagt · #**5494** Posted **Mar 12, 2013, 1:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by downtownhsvguy

More picture updates of Twickenham Square. Looks like a fair amount of progress..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/92425444@N03/8546264427/

Little strange to have two really nice signs each with a URL on it that gives you a 404 error.

http://www.shoptwickenham.com/
and
http://www.livingatartisan.com/

HSVTiger · #**5495** Posted **Mar 12, 2013, 12:35 PM**

Downtown school won't be torn down

East Clinton Elementary School has won a reprieve from the wrecking ball.
Following nearly two hours of discussion Monday night, the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission rejected developer Bob Broadway's application to demolish the vacant school to make room for 11 residential lots facing Clinton Avenue, White Street and Calhoun Street.

"There are certain buildings that really make the (Old Town historic) district, and this is one of them," said commission Chairman Jack Burwell.

Six of the nine preservation board members agreed that East Clinton is too important to be destroyed. Constructed in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration, it is one of the last Art Deco-style buildings left in Huntsville
Following the meeting, Broadway said he may get with his architect, Paul Matheny, and come up with an alternate plan that incorporates new homes as well as the original façade of the school. He also has the option of appealing the preservation commission ruling to Madison County Circuit Court.

"We'll go back and regroup," Broadway said. "I don't go away this easy."

HSVTiger · #**5496** Posted **Mar 12, 2013, 4:20 PM**

Coming downtown/Old Town
Hopefully the design will consider the historic district..great location will serve
5 Points as well.

At its meeting Monday, the city Historic Preservation Commission OK'd the restaurant chain's application to demolish a defunct Sonic Drive-In at 408 Pratt Ave. to make way for a new Waffle House.

The commission also approved Waffle House's proposed building design, but several members raised concerns about the bright-yellow color scheme being a poor fit for an historic area.
Opened in 1990, the former Sonic Drive-In is not listed as a contributing structure to Old Town. But because of its location on the edge of the historic district, the building can be demolished only with the consent of the preservation commission.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**5497** Posted **Mar 12, 2013, 4:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Coming downtown/Old Town
Hopefully the design will consider the historic district..great location will serve
5 Points as well.

At its meeting Monday, the city Historic Preservation Commission OK'd the restaurant chain's application to demolish a defunct Sonic Drive-In at 408 Pratt Ave. to make way for a new Waffle House.

The commission also approved Waffle House's proposed building design, but several members raised concerns about the bright-yellow color scheme being a poor fit for an historic area.
Opened in 1990, the former Sonic Drive-In is not listed as a contributing structure to Old Town. But because of its location on the edge of the historic district, the building can be demolished only with the consent of the preservation commission.

Judging by how well the Waffle House on The Strip here in Tuscaloosa meshes with the rest of the area, I really don't think it's an issue. Besides, I've always though that a homogeneous district, architecture wise, is boring. The only thing here that screams Waffle House is the yellowness, but it's muted pretty well by the rest of the facade.

HSVTiger · #**5498** Posted **Mar 12, 2013, 6:19 PM**

Twickenham Square downtown walkway similar to the others that connect to Huntsville Hospital..
sadly the the office "tower" will basically disappear as it will be overshadowed by any and everything around it, the current Holiday Inn site screams for a major high rise to compliment Twickenham Square. Good future developments I think will be realized due to Twickenham Square.

Designed by Chapman Sisson Architects, the 180-foot-long pedestrian bridge will connect the third floor of the hospital's main public parking deck with the third floor of the planned Twickenham Place office tower. It will follow a diagonal path above the busy Gallatin Street-St. Clair Avenue intersection.
HSV Times

thunder89 · #**5499** Posted **Mar 12, 2013, 9:50 PM**

I agree about the Waffle House, as long as it doesn't look like one sitting on the side of the interstate. The one being built in Five Points in Birmingham blends well with the surrounding area (or will, not sure if it's been officially-fully built). And as quattordici mentioned, the Tuscaloosa-Strip location turned out looking good. Anything is better than an empty building and lot.

As far as Twickenham Square goes, I could almost get past the height of the "tower" if the building itself just looked less "hospitaly" and more like a structure that was actually built downtown..ya know, with maybe some brick instead of advanced plaster. I know, I know. It's in the Medical District, but still. If Huntsville Hospital wasn't so overbearing to the area, maybe you could have something a little more aesthetically pleasing.

David1502 · #**5500** Posted **Mar 13, 2013, 3:46 PM**

The Decatur Daily is reporting that the City of Decatur is offering $40 Million in incentives for the Sweetwater Development located at the I-65/ Alabama highway 20 interchange: http://decaturdaily.com/stories/Decatur-incentives-could-total-40M,115229

Here are the main points:
1. A 100,000 sq. ft. store will anchor the development. It is clear that Bass Pro Shop is the anchor when references are made to sales taxes on boats and trailers.
2. A 250 room hotel will be there, but there will not be a conference center as there was in the original proposal in 2008 and no arena, either.
3. There will be three sit down restaurants which will each gross more than $1.9 million in sales a year.

The Huntsville Times had an article in this morning's print edition, but there is no link to it at al.com, but that article says that over 40 restaurant chains have contacted the developer and they have narrowed it down to a list of 10 and will then make their final selection.

My predictions are as follows:
1. Since Bass Pro is the lead anchor, this will be a large scale outlet center with the usual array of fashion outlets like you see at the Shops of Grandview just east of Birmingham.
2. The hotel will be a chain like Holiday Inn, although because it is 250 rooms, that eliminates a lot of chains and it could be a Marriott or maybe even part of the Hilton family (like a Hilton Garden Inn, etc.)
3. For the three sit down restaurants, the most likely candidates are: LongHorne Steakhouse, Cracker Barrel and Logan's Roadhouse and/or Chili's. The main factor will be chain restaurants which locate at interchanges along interstates. If you look at Oxford, AL, there is now a Longhorne, Olive Garden and Cracker Barrel which have opened at the I-20/Morgan Road interchange which have come as a result of the large Oxford Exchange Shopping Center (anchored by Target, Best Buy, Kohl's, etc.) and I would expect a similar dynamic to play out at this development.

It appears that this development is gaining some steam and may actually happen this time.