Huntsville updates

[HSVTiger]

this should be fun

Downtown Huntsville will play host in 2014 to what organizers are calling "the largest congregation of street food vendors anywhere in Alabama."

The Rocket City's first-ever "Street Food Season" will kick off in April and run through late October featuring 11 mobile vendors selling tacos, cupcakes, barbecue and other on-the-go cuisine.

Downtown Huntsville Inc. CEO Chad Emerson said public street food gatherings will be held on the third Friday of every month from 6-9 p.m. They will take place at various private parking lots in the Meridian and Quigley downtown arts and entertainment districts.

The first street food event of 2014 is scheduled for Friday, April 18, near the corner of Meridian Street and Cleveland Avenue.
The following mobile food vendors are expected to participate: Badd Newz BBQ; Crave Heat; Dallas Mill Deli; Earth & Stone Wood Fired Pizza; Food Fighters Bustaurant; Meaux's Sno Balls; On-On Tacos; Peppered Pig; Piper & Leaf Teas; Rocket Dogs; and Sugar Belle Cupcakes.
HSV Times

[HSVTiger]

I agree with Mr. Kling, the state has no intention of fulfilling this. Why should they? aldont has been screwing Huntsville for 50 years. The state has no obligation and can now take the money and spend it south of the Tennessee river without any explanation.

"Just one month after it was passed there are already calls for a repeal of the city of Huntsville’s one-cent sales tax hike, but it comes with a caveat.

City Councilman Bill Kling told WHNT News 19 that he will call for full repeal of the tax increase if the Alabama Department of Transportation does not follow through on its pledge to fund fifty percent of a massive road improvement project.

Kling said he doesn’t trust the word of state officials after ALDOT pulled the plug on nearly $500 million worth of other road work last spring. He told WHNT News 19 that he will formally introduce his proposal at Thursday night’s city council meeting.

“I do have some concerns about whether or not the state will renege on this agreement at some time,” said Kling. “I think we need to watch them carefully…If the state reneges on this road agreement with the city at any time then I would certainly think it would be appropriate for us to rescind the new one-cent sales tax. Hopefully the state will live up to its word.”

Officials with Mayor Tommy Battle’s office said the road-sharing agreement between the state and city that was struck last fall will be formally finalized in the near future, with no indications of the state backing out.

State officials pledged to fund $125 million worth of the five-year project if the city picked up the remaining $125 million. Council members unanimously voted for the tax hike after an amendment that would have let the increase expire after five years was defeated by a 3-2 tally."

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

I agree with Mr. Kling, the state has no intention of fulfilling this. Why should they? aldont has been screwing Huntsville for 50 years. The state has no obligation and can now take the money and spend it south of the Tennessee river without any explanation.

I agree. They'll come up with some excuse that they have to push it back 5 years, then 10, then 15, and round and round we go.

[HSVTiger]

Construction well underway along I-565 is the new Intergraph Headquarters
Glass panels being installed
when finished..

[HSVTiger]

Boeing 747-8's now regular scheduled service in Huntsville


This aircraft is 18.3 feel longer and 13 feet wider than the Boeing 747-4 that it is replacing.

[ThatGuy]

Anybody know what happened to the Ruby Tuesday at Airport/Whiteburg? Or any idea what could fill the spot? Pretty prime location, no?

[HSVTiger]

is this the hoped for Cheesecake bait and switch?

A new-to-Alabama Italian restaurant will take over Huntsville's Bridge Street Town Centre this year on the shopping center's south side near DSW in the Belk expansion area.

Columbus, Ohio-based BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, a 6,700-square-foot, full-service eatery with Roman-ruin décor and an outdoor dining patio, will open this fall at Bridge Street. It will be the national restaurant chain's first Alabama location

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

Anybody know what happened to the Ruby Tuesday at Airport/Whiteburg? Or any idea what could fill the spot? Pretty prime location, no?

Ruby's is closing 30 or so locations so this appears to be one of them.
Ideal location for something fresh.

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

is this the hoped for Cheesecake bait and switch?

A new-to-Alabama Italian restaurant will take over Huntsville's Bridge Street Town Centre this year on the shopping center's south side near DSW in the Belk expansion area.

Columbus, Ohio-based BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, a 6,700-square-foot, full-service eatery with Roman-ruin décor and an outdoor dining patio, will open this fall at Bridge Street. It will be the national restaurant chain's first Alabama location

I hope not, but you could be right.

[HSVTiger]

The downtown Homewood Suite at Twickenham Square is scheduled to open February 27th

[HSVTiger]

Good idea here
A downtown research complex would be another one.

Downtown Huntsville, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Chad Emerson said his organization has signed a lease for six of the ground-floor storage units at Downtown Self Storage with hopes of spurring new business development in an eclectic environment in downtown Huntsville.

Now in the process of finalizing sub leases with tenants, Emerson said the new retail incubation project has been a six-month endeavor for Downtown Huntsville, Inc., which hopes to help young startups find a permanent location within a year of locating there.


"It gives local, small business entrepreneurs an opportunity to test whether their retail concept can be successful in an urban, walkable setting like downtown," Emerson said.

Live Easy, a brand-new Huntsville startup by Anne Condit that will feature local, handcrafted art and goods, will be one of the first small businesses to operate there. Huntsville artist Christian Wegman, who will sell original paintings and prints, will also sublease a unit at the storage facility.

Another unit will feature a rotating gallery for artists to display and sell their works for up to two weeks at a time.

John Whitman, visiting professor of entrepreneurship and leadership at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, said his volunteer organization, Huntsville Open Tech Coffee, is launching a new public service called Business Button in one of the units.

Whitman started HOTCoffee last year to accelerate high-tech startups and build an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Madison County. The group, which usually meets bi-weekly, is a new resource for anyone interested in learning about or sharing ideas on new high-tech startups, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Whitman said more details about Business Button will be available "as soon as all the players clear."

"Clinton Row is hot, hot, hot," he said. "From Clinton Row to Cotton Row, it's all good downtown."
HSV Times

[HSVTiger]

Could JetBlue add Huntsville? With our strong connection with Washington through NASA and the Federal government it would seem to be a natural.
Huntsville has had non-stops to Reagan many times in the past.
C'mon JetBlue you will do great in Huntsville

JetBlue is one of the airlines to win some of the slots that American and US Airways are giving up at Washington's Reagan National Airport (DCA).

In a Thursday morning announcement, JetBlue said it has been told by Department of Transportation that the carrier's bid for 12 slot pairs at DCA had been "provisionally accepted."

DCA is one of the few U.S. airports subject to capacity controls. A "slot pair" is the equivalent of rights for two flights – or enough for one daily round-trip flight. JetBlue's 12 slot pairs means it has gained the rights for 24 flights -- or 12 daily round-trip flights.

Merger partners American and US Airways had to give up 104 slots pairs (52 round-trip flights) at DCA, part of an agreement with the Justice Department to win approval for their tie-up.

The Transportation Department has not yet indicated what other airlines have been successful in bidding for the divested slots, but JetBlue's announcement suggests full disclosure is imminent.

As for JetBlue, it says that once it Justice gives its formal OK to the slot transfer, it "expects to add 12 new round-trip flights at Washington's popular, close-in airport. The airline plans to introduce nonstop service to cities it does not currently serve from DCA, expanding the benefits of its award-winning service to more communities, as well as add more flights on some existing routes."

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Considering that, I think HSV stands a reasonable chance, but I don't think it's a sure thing.

Major airlines still know they can get whatever they want out of HSV and that is never going to change unless the airport becomes a hub or focus city. To be honest, airfares out of Huntsville really aren't all that bad... In the past decade and a half, I've needed to fly to the west coast, to east coast, and other places. The cost difference between flying out of HSV and driving to Birmingham or Nashville to fly wasn't significant enough to make me leave town. It's really a consequence of geography and government until an airline decides it wants to establish a large presence in North Alabama.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by tascalisa

Considering that, I think HSV stands a reasonable chance, but I don't think it's a sure thing.

Major airlines still know they can get whatever they want out of HSV and that is never going to change unless the airport becomes a hub or focus city. To be honest, airfares out of Huntsville really aren't all that bad... In the past decade and a half, I've needed to fly to the west coast, to east coast, and other places. The cost difference between flying out of HSV and driving to Birmingham or Nashville to fly wasn't significant enough to make me leave town. It's really a consequence of geography and government until an airline decides it wants to establish a large presence in North Alabama.

True if you are flexible and can book early fares are cheaper than BNA or BHM.
and even if it's within $100 is it really worth the trip to other airports?
Maybe if you have 3 or 4 people
Earlier in the week from HSV fares to Las Vegas $308, New York $288 and Washington DC $230 they were limited and had restrictions.
Currently Huntsville has good connections to Reagan so Jet Blue may not add service but it would be great to have access to their routes.

[mp7123]

Anyone know what is going on the two corners in front of the Publix at Jeff and 53? Site work started in the last week or so. Seems like logical sites for a gas station and fast food place.

[HSVTiger]

Another Wal Mart planned for the Huntsville metro.
It appears this one will be located just south of Charity Lane on North Parkway in Hazel Green.
This had been rumored for several months, it is out for bids now.

[HSVTiger]

Thanks to Huntsville being held hostage by aldont and our primitive 1950 era road system, now the Federal Government with reduced gate capacity has added to the stupidity. Typical morning at Redstone Arsenal when 40,000 employes try to get through one of 5 open gates even though there are 8 .
This is Gate 9 on Research Park Blvd/I-565 and is backed up for over a mile. Typical wait time is about an hour or more depending how early or late you are. The Army can't hire more guards for some reason but how many billions of dollars are being wasted in Afghanistan and obama care?

[beergutbrew]

Originally Posted by mp7123

Anyone know what is going on the two corners in front of the Publix at Jeff and 53? Site work started in the last week or so. Seems like logical sites for a gas station and fast food place.

Wondering the same thing myself!!

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by beergutbrew

Wondering the same thing myself!!

word on the street is a Jacks and a CVS. Just your typical anywhere in the USA suburban street corner.

[HSVTiger]

Coming to the Nance Rd/University Dr area, Academy Sports location
Sprouts Farmers Market
and Hobby Lobby
http://sprouts.com/