Huntsville updates

[JuanHunt]

The Remington deal has some unusual undertones. The parent company of Remington is Cerberus, which still owns the old Chrysler facility that is apparently the intended location of the new operation, even though Cerberus has been trying to get someone to take the company off its hands since the Sandy Hook shooting spree. It just seems like an odd time to open a new facility with thousands of employees. Perhaps what is really happening is the relocation of the entire operation?

[SpawnOfVulcan]

From the headlines on AL.com that appears to be the case. Some of the titles imply that Remington is shifting south.

[chris21718]

He said whoever ends up acquiring the Wal-Mart property will likely build new rather than attempting to renovate the current building, which opened as a Kmart in 1972.

K-Mart opened their store there (at the current Wal-Mart) and on North Parkway (still there) on the same day, Thursday, November 19, 1970 (not 1972). Funny, I just researched that about a month ago and that's why have that date handy. That means the building is 43 years old now.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by 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.

The Madison County Engineering Department will host an informational meeting Wednesday to share plans for a new Walmart Supercenter on U.S. 231.

The 157,754-square-feet store is planned to be on 16.4 acres on the northwest corner of the highway and Charity Lane. The site is three miles south of the Alabama-Tennessee state line. Bids for the project are due March 3, with construction starting around March 11 and completing by Dec. 28.

The engineering department sent out letters to adjoining property owners, inviting them to an informational meeting about the project. That meeting is Wednesday a 7:30 a.m. at the engineering department office, 266-C Shields Road in Huntsville.

[HSVTiger]

The planned development at John Hunt Park by GBT. They have done several projects in the county. This will be very similar to the Shoppes of Madison(Target) recently completed

[downtownhsvguy]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

The planned development at John Hunt Park by GBT. They have done several projects in the county. This will be very similar to the Shoppes of Madison(Target) recently completed

This looks like a good start with higher density retail along with the whole foods development.. It really looked like downtown is growing south.. Does anyone know what the long term plans are for the city's growth pattern?

[ThatGuy]

With Remington coming, I wouldn't mind seeing a Municipal Shooting Sports Complex built somewhere in town.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by 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

Downtown Huntsville Inc. announced the inaugural Clinton Row Project businesses on its Facebook page today. They are:

All-N-One Health: Owner Kreslyn Kelley will sell natural and health products as well as unique workout items.

Christina Wegman Fine Art: Featuring paintings in oils and acrylics.

liveEASY: A gallery operated by Anne Condit featuring artisan and handmade works from local and regional artists and artisans.

POSH COUTURE: Owner Michelda Johnson will sell designer clothing from St. John, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Michael Kors, Tory Burch and others.

The Rocket Shoppe: Operated by Michael Jacobi, this store will feature Huntsville area-themed merchandise and local products.

Woodtech: Alex and Fred Dietrich will sell custom woodworking products and materials.
All six businesses will open on Saturday, March 1. A grand opening celebration is being planned for early April

[HSVTiger]

New Audi dealership planned, now we just need their assembly plant.
It will be similar to this one




Matt Meyer, general manager and managing partner of Hiley Cars Huntsville, said the company recently bought 12 acres on U.S. 72 West near Jeff Road for a large Audi dealership. New Hiley Mazda and Volkswagen dealerships will be built on the same property later, he said.

The Huntsville Council voted last week to annex the site between the Kroger-anchored Watercress Green shopping center and Huntsville Memory Gardens cemetery. Meyer said the new Audi dealership – featuring a slick, steel and glass showroom – should open in June 2015.

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

New Audi dealership planned, now we just need their assembly plant.
It will be similar to this one




Matt Meyer, general manager and managing partner of Hiley Cars Huntsville, said the company recently bought 12 acres on U.S. 72 West near Jeff Road for a large Audi dealership. New Hiley Mazda and Volkswagen dealerships will be built on the same property later, he said.

The Huntsville Council voted last week to annex the site between the Kroger-anchored Watercress Green shopping center and Huntsville Memory Gardens cemetery. Meyer said the new Audi dealership – featuring a slick, steel and glass showroom – should open in June 2015.

Nice. They've been needing to do this for a while to compete with Lexus and Mercedes across the street.

[Jugernagt]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

New Audi dealership planned, now we just need their assembly plant.
It will be similar to this one

Matt Meyer, general manager and managing partner of Hiley Cars Huntsville, said the company recently bought 12 acres on U.S. 72 West near Jeff Road for a large Audi dealership. New Hiley Mazda and Volkswagen dealerships will be built on the same property later, he said.

The Huntsville Council voted last week to annex the site between the Kroger-anchored Watercress Green shopping center and Huntsville Memory Gardens cemetery. Meyer said the new Audi dealership – featuring a slick, steel and glass showroom – should open in June 2015.

This pushes the auto dealerships further down University Drive. It currently ends at Providence (AKA Indian Creek). Now it's going to be all the way down near Jeff Road. I was wondering who had bought that land.

FYI, all the land west of the Hiley dealerships on the south side of University cannot be used for any commercial business because it is restricted by a land deed.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by Jugernagt

This pushes the auto dealerships further down University Drive. It currently ends at Providence (AKA Indian Creek). Now it's going to be all the way down near Jeff Road. I was wondering who had bought that land.

FYI, all the land west of the Hiley dealerships on the south side of University cannot be used for any commercial business because it is restricted by a land deed.

I always thought an exclusive dealership like Audi would work downtown.
Most dealerships in Huntsville were downtown long ago.

[HSVTiger]

some negative news after a week of very positive events

Navistar International Corp. announced today it will transfer its mid-range engine production in Huntsville to Melrose Park, Ill., resulting in the loss of 280 local jobs after the consolidation is completed late this summer.
Navistar operates two diesel engine plants that employ about 480 workers at Jetplex Industrial Park in the Port of Huntsville. The second $15.6 million Huntsville Navistar plant, which was built in 2008 and spans 300,000 square feet, will remain operational and continue producing engines for heavy-duty trucks.

The plant that is closing manufactures engines for medium-duty trucks. All of the machinery in the idled facility will remain on site for "potential strategic partnerships," a release from the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County said.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

I always thought an exclusive dealership like Audi would work downtown.
Most dealerships in Huntsville were downtown long ago.

Haha, most were. One of the hottest pieces of property in Tuscaloosa is in downtown and used to be a Chevy dealership before it moved out to 20/59.

It isn't all that surprising. Most dealerships want to be near other dealerships. Car-buyers spend a lot, and the benefit of shopping around is worth the time spent on doing so. Those customers don't like to drive long distance to do their shopping around. If your a dealer, you're not going to want to locate half an hour from other dealerships that offer the same level of quality as yours does.

Luxury dealers probably don't have to worry as much about it because their customers tend to be a bit more loyal. Maybe the luxury dealers around town expect to see the luxury market in North Alabama growing soon.

[JuanHunt]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

some negative news after a week of very positive events

Navistar International Corp. announced today it will transfer its mid-range engine production in Huntsville to Melrose Park, Ill., resulting in the loss of 280 local jobs after the consolidation is completed late this summer.
Navistar operates two diesel engine plants that employ about 480 workers at Jetplex Industrial Park in the Port of Huntsville. The second $15.6 million Huntsville Navistar plant, which was built in 2008 and spans 300,000 square feet, will remain operational and continue producing engines for heavy-duty trucks.

The plant that is closing manufactures engines for medium-duty trucks. All of the machinery in the idled facility will remain on site for "potential strategic partnerships," a release from the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County said.

Navistar got incentives from IL that included job numbers. Plus, I think Navistars incentives are expiring from their move into the plant now closing. They got incentives to open a facility in the railcar plant built by RSA but I dont think they ever did anything, or least have already closed it.

[HSVTiger]

The first of probably several Wal Mart Neighborhood Markets is set for construction soon (probably late spring) for the corner of Jordan Lane and Oakwood.

[bzdell917]

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2014/02/which_huntsville_streets_need.html


Section between Meridian Street and Andrew Jackson Way needs repaving.

Help City Council member Bill Kling make a punch list for 2014 to be repaved.

Comment on this forum and I will comment it on al.com. or you can comment it on al.com.

This is my first post on this Huntsville forum. I am an avid Huntsville Development and progress news guy. I have friends in that work for Huntsville city and I like using websites like Huntsville Development http://huntsvilledevelopment.blogspot.com/ and their Facebook page.

I also like reading Huntsville/Decatur Roads Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1450886865134185/?ref=br_tf

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by bzdell917

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2014/02/which_huntsville_streets_need.html


Section between Meridian Street and Andrew Jackson Way needs repaving.

Help City Council member Bill Kling make a punch list for 2014 to be repaved.

Comment on this forum and I will comment it on al.com. or you can comment it on al.com.

This is my first post on this Huntsville forum. I am an avid Huntsville Development and progress news guy. I have friends in that work for Huntsville city and I like using websites like Huntsville Development http://huntsvilledevelopment.blogspot.com/ and their Facebook page.

I also like reading Huntsville/Decatur Roads Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1450886865134185/?ref=br_tf

Welcome to the forum! Nice to see another North Alabamian around here.

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

The first of probably several Wal Mart Neighborhood Markets is set for construction soon (probably late spring) for the corner of Jordan Lane and Oakwood.

Maybe it's just the fact I never really frequented any part of Jordan Lane north of University, but that seems like an awkward place to put a WalMart....

[bzdell917]

Originally Posted by tascalisa

Welcome to the forum! Nice to see another North Alabamian around here.



Maybe it's just the fact I never really frequented any part of Jordan Lane north of University, but that seems like an awkward place to put a WalMart....

Thank you Tascalisa! I love North Alabama. Walmart Neighborhood Market is being planned to be built on the corner of Jordan Lane and Oakwood Ave. This is not your traditional big Walmart Supercenter boxed store. This new Walmart Neighborhood Market will be more grocery/ quick stop based. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/01/walmart_plans_to_build_multipl.html

I believe this is a perfect location for the first Walmart neighborhood Market because there is not a close Walmart to this area and will grab many many many customers heading home from work on Jordan Lane/ Highway 53.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by bzdell917

Thank you Tascalisa! I love North Alabama. Walmart Neighborhood Market is being planned to be built on the corner of Jordan Lane and Oakwood Ave. This is not your traditional big Walmart Supercenter boxed store. This new Walmart Neighborhood Market will be more grocery/ quick stop based. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/01/walmart_plans_to_build_multipl.html

I believe this is a perfect location for the first Walmart neighborhood Market because there is not a close Walmart to this area and will grab many many many customers heading home from work on Jordan Lane/ Highway 53.

Thanx for the clarification... haha, I just went back to HSVTiger's post and realized that he said Walmart NM... I'm familiar with the scale. Considering that, it is actually quite appropriate. The Neighborhood Market in Decatur at the corner of 6th Ave and 8th St fits in quite nicely with its surrounding neighbors.