Huntsville updates

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

New downtown greenway,

Dallas Branch Bypass creek, which crosses under Meridian Street near Bud Cramer Park, is being transformed to anchor the first segment of what city officials call the Gateway Greenway.



Crews from Miller & Miller General Contractors are busy lining the creek banks with more than 180 tons of decorative river rock. The project also includes steps leading down to the water, a concrete plaza, pedestrian bridge, heavy landscaping, park benches, street lights, sidewalk meandering along the water and 12-foot-wide greenway path.

The work is taking place along a 350-foot stretch of creek just south of A.M. Booth's Lumberyard and Lone Goose Saloon.

Toneka Lindsey, city project engineer for the Gateway Greenway, said construction is expected to wrap up in September. "It's going to be a really nice beautification project," she said.

The work happening now is the first piece of what will eventually be a longer downtown greenway linking Bud Cramer Park and the Huntsville-Madison County Veterans Memorial.

hopefully Pinhook Creek alongside the VBC and Constelllation development will be next

Love it! It's nice to see the city progressing on improving things along Pinhook and its tributaries. That thing has always been something of an eyesore...

[luvinhsv]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

At Bridge Street

Earlier this week, Bridge Street announced SHADES, a south Alabama sunglass retailer, will open a 3,800-square-foot store in a new building next to Lime Fresh Mexican Grill. Dickey's Barbecue Pit plans to open this summer in the Power Center next to Mattress Firm, while Texas de Brazil will launch in late fall in the former Tavern space across from Monaco Pictures.

BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, a full-service restaurant, is on target to open next spring on the shopping center's south side near DSW. Bridge Street welcomed PANDORA and Michael Kors earlier in the year.

The two-level, 170,000-square-foot department store, which will replace the Madison Square Mall location, is slated to open Oct. 15.

Four retail buildings spanning about 50,000 square feet are also under development at Bridge Street. New surface lots near Belk's south entrance and Red Robin, as well as a multi-level deck, will bring more than 1,000 parking spaces to the 7-year-old regional center.

It will be very interesting to see how a chain restaurant does in the former Ketchup, Smokehouse, Tavern location. Captive audience at the busy Westin and Monaco, and none of those could make it. But I've always thought of HSV as a chain-loving kind of city so I am confident in Texas de Brazil...not to mention the fact that it is a new concept to the area.

[HSVTiger]

Cabelas coming to Huntsville, getting the jump on Bass Pro at the Sweetwater Decatur development.

Cabela's announced today it will open its first Alabama store in Huntsville.

The hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retailer says it will begin construction this fall on a new 80,000-square-foot store at the planned Parkside Town Centre development near the intersection of Interstate 565 and 255(Research Park Blvd) at Governors West Road.

The retailer, which expects to open in fall 2015, will employ up to 180 full- and part-time workers. A news release said employees will be recruited from the Huntsville and surrounding areas.

That Research Park/I-565 interchange just became maxed out with this and the Redstone Gateway under construction as well. aldot will of course is already 15 years behind but hey will do a 'study" that will determine another study needs to be done to figure out where are all of these cars coming from.

[beergutbrew]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Cabelas coming to Huntsville, getting the jump on Bass Pro at the Sweetwater Decatur development.

Cabela's announced today it will open its first Alabama store in Huntsville.

The hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retailer says it will begin construction this fall on a new 80,000-square-foot store at the planned Parkside Town Centre development near the intersection of Interstate 565 and 255(Research Park Blvd) at Governors West Road.

The retailer, which expects to open in fall 2015, will employ up to 180 full- and part-time workers. A news release said employees will be recruited from the Huntsville and surrounding areas.

That Research Park/I-565 interchange just became maxed out with this and the Redstone Gateway under construction as well. aldot will of course is already 15 years behind but hey will do a 'study" that will determine another study needs to be done to figure out where are all of these cars coming from.

I'm looking at the map and wondering where this will be squeezed in at??? Off of Governors Drive West, I only see a spot at bridge street across from Belk?

Where exactly is the Parkside Town Centre development?

I am loving the slap in the face to the Decatur development though

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Cabelas coming to Huntsville, getting the jump on Bass Pro at the Sweetwater Decatur development.

Cabela's announced today it will open its first Alabama store in Huntsville.

The hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retailer says it will begin construction this fall on a new 80,000-square-foot store at the planned Parkside Town Centre development near the intersection of Interstate 565 and 255(Research Park Blvd) at Governors West Road.

The retailer, which expects to open in fall 2015, will employ up to 180 full- and part-time workers. A news release said employees will be recruited from the Huntsville and surrounding areas.

That Research Park/I-565 interchange just became maxed out with this and the Redstone Gateway under construction as well. aldot will of course is already 15 years behind but hey will do a 'study" that will determine another study needs to be done to figure out where are all of these cars coming from.

I'm still trying to figure out where this is. There is no interchange at 565 and 255.

But I agree with you. ALDONT will get right on this.

[beergutbrew]

Anyone know what is being built next to Hardees on Hwy53 and Rideout Rd intersection?

Looks like a Waffle House.

[beergutbrew]

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by stewdog1

I'm still trying to figure out where this is. There is no interchange at 565 and 255.

But I agree with you. ALDONT will get right on this.

Research Park Blvd is state route 255 and a major interchange on I-565, that road should be 6 lanes all the way to Pulaski Pike. Of course continuing south it takes you to Redstone Arsenal past the Redstone Gateway development.

Meanwhile still crickets at the Constellation site after its second or third grand announcement

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Research Park Blvd is state route 255 and a major interchange on I-565, that road should be 6 lanes all the way to Pulaski Pike. Of course continuing south it takes you to Redstone Arsenal past the Redstone Gateway development.

Meanwhile still crickets at the Constellation site after its second or third grand announcement

Oh, I thought they were referring to Governor's West as 255.

[HSVTiger]

Two years ago, Huntsville leaders began pursuing a wish list of key retailers they wanted to attract to the Rocket City.

Whole Foods and Cabela's, a Nebraska-based hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retailer, were among the top four.

When conversations began with Cabela's, the city started with 16 potential sites. The 53-year-old company looked at a number of places ranging from the north boundary of Huntsville to south of the Tennessee River to Interstate 65.

Officials eventually whittled the list down to four sites.

Today, Cabela's announced it will begin construction this fall on an 80,000-square-foot superstore at the newly-planned Parkside Town Centre, an $80 million mixed-use project near the intersection of Interstate 565 and 255 at Governors West Road.

City leaders held a news conference this afternoon to celebrate landing the only Cabela's store in Alabama less than three months after Whole Foods announced it will come to Huntsville.

"This part of the retail world brings an offering to the city of Huntsville that's not found anywhere else in Alabama," said Mayor Tommy Battle. "Also, it's part of our continuing work on retail development trade that brings money into the city of Huntsville."

The store will employ 180 workers when it opens in 2015. Shane Davis, director of urban development for Huntsville, said site work should begin in the next 60 to 90 days.

The city has agreed to provide $1 million for improvements at Governors West Road to account for traffic coming in and out of the site. Davis said the city's total investment will be $3 million after a right-of-way is purchased and utilities are installed.

[HSVTiger]

Over at the Whole Foods site near downtown (construction has not started yet) these tenants were announce today
The Shops at Merchants Walk recently announced three new tenants on its website: Mountain High Outfitters (second location); Maki Fresh Sushi Rolls & Japanese Grill; and Orangetheory Fitness. The shopping center, to be located at the northeast corner of Memorial Parkway and Bob Wallace Avenue, said it is also in negotiations with Spa Sydell, a popular Atlanta-based day spa.

[HSVTiger]

Wal Mart Express expanding over the Huntsville Metro. One will be going up soon in Gurley on US 72 which is a growing suburban town in east Madison county. These stores are around 12,000 sq feet and esigned to compete against Family Dollar, Dollar General.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Wal Mart Express expanding over the Huntsville Metro. One will be going up soon in Gurley on US 72 which is a growing suburban town in east Madison county. These stores are around 12,000 sq feet and esigned to compete against Family Dollar, Dollar General.

Glad to hear about development in eastern MadCo, I really like that part of the area. I'm really waiting to see how growth in the eastern part of the area influences ALDOT's plans (or lackthereof) for transport from the city across the mountain.

[HSVTiger]

More Cabela info, big restaurant

The shopping center will include 300,000 square feet of "various commercial, retail and related enterprises," the contract says, including an 80,000-square-foot "next generation prototype" Cabela's outdoor superstore and 5,000-square-foot chain restaurant.

Attitude also promises to bring a large "national or regional chain sit-down restaurant" to Parkside, which will be less than half a mile from Bridge Street Town Centre.
The agreement says Attitude LLC would have to reimburse the city $1.9 million if Cabela's is not under construction by Feb. 28, 2015, and open by Dec. 31, 2015. Click here to read the full contract.

This will be the first Cabela's in Alabama, and one of only a handful in the Southeast. The Nebraska-based competitor of Bass Pro Shops currently has stores in Augusta, Ga., Greenville, S.C., and Louisville, Ky.

Besides Huntsville, Cabela's has stores under development in suburban Atlanta, the Chattanooga suburb of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., Fort Mill, S.C., outside Charlotte, and Bristol, Va.

[stewdog1]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

More Cabela info, big restaurant

The shopping center will include 300,000 square feet of "various commercial, retail and related enterprises," the contract says, including an 80,000-square-foot "next generation prototype" Cabela's outdoor superstore and 5,000-square-foot chain restaurant.

Attitude also promises to bring a large "national or regional chain sit-down restaurant" to Parkside, which will be less than half a mile from Bridge Street Town Centre.
The agreement says Attitude LLC would have to reimburse the city $1.9 million if Cabela's is not under construction by Feb. 28, 2015, and open by Dec. 31, 2015. Click here to read the full contract.

This will be the first Cabela's in Alabama, and one of only a handful in the Southeast. The Nebraska-based competitor of Bass Pro Shops currently has stores in Augusta, Ga., Greenville, S.C., and Louisville, Ky.

Besides Huntsville, Cabela's has stores under development in suburban Atlanta, the Chattanooga suburb of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., Fort Mill, S.C., outside Charlotte, and Bristol, Va.

Maybe we'll finally get that Cheesecake Factory.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by stewdog1

Maybe we'll finally get that Cheesecake Factory.

It would be a good, visible location for them. But... I'm not holding my breath.

[David1502]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

More Cabela info, big restaurant

The shopping center will include 300,000 square feet of "various commercial, retail and related enterprises," the contract says, including an 80,000-square-foot "next generation prototype" Cabela's outdoor superstore and 5,000-square-foot chain restaurant.

Attitude also promises to bring a large "national or regional chain sit-down restaurant" to Parkside, which will be less than half a mile from Bridge Street Town Centre.
The agreement says Attitude LLC would have to reimburse the city $1.9 million if Cabela's is not under construction by Feb. 28, 2015, and open by Dec. 31, 2015. Click here to read the full contract.

This will be the first Cabela's in Alabama, and one of only a handful in the Southeast. The Nebraska-based competitor of Bass Pro Shops currently has stores in Augusta, Ga., Greenville, S.C., and Louisville, Ky.

Besides Huntsville, Cabela's has stores under development in suburban Atlanta, the Chattanooga suburb of Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., Fort Mill, S.C., outside Charlotte, and Bristol, Va.

Chuys Mexican Restaurant would be a good possibility. They have a location in Murfreesboro, TN, so surely they can make it here. Chuys has two other locations in the Nashville area (Opry Mills Mall and just south of Cool Springs Mall) as well as their location at The Summit in Birmingham. The Cheescake Factory is now entering smaller metro areas as they now have a location in Knowville (at the WestTown Mall). They are also planning on opening a second Nashville location at Cool Springs Mall.

I think that Chuys is the more likely of the two to open at the Parkside Center. They could give Rosie's some competition.

[HSVTiger]

The city of Huntsville will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday for the Shops at Merchants Walk, a new 100,000-square-foot shopping development to be anchored by Whole Foods Market. Maki Fresh Sushi Rolls and Japanese Grill, Mountain High Outfitters and Orangetheory Fitness are among other retailers slated for the $50 million project.

The Shops at Merchants Walk, which is expected to generate approximately $58.75 million in new sales taxes and $1.4 million in property taxes over the next 25 years, will hopefully spark more development up and down Memorial Parkway from Bob Wallace Avenue north to Parkway Place Mall.

The Austin-based organic and natural foods store – one of the area's most anticipated new-to-market retailers – will span 40,000 square feet and employ between 175 and 200 workers.

[David1502]

"The City of Huntsville is seeking federal approval to build a new greenway along a railroad spur that crosses under I-565. It would allow pedestrians and cyclists to get from the Bridge Street Town Centre area to Redstone Gateway office park without getting into traffic." Here is the link to the al.com article: http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index...._huntsville_greenway_w.html#incart_river

The greenway would follow the existing railroad spur which goes under 565 and there is talk of continuing to the Space & Rocket Center and Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

Speaking of a greenway crossing I-565, when will the city continue the Indian Creek Greenway south of Old Madison Pike to cross over Madison Blvd. and connect with the Zierdt Rd. Greenway which is in the process of being built now as part of the Zierdt Rd. widening project. The Old Madison Pike was delayed for years because the City of Huntsville had to provide funding to raise the bridge over Indian Creek to let the greenway pass under it.

[jhsv]

They are really clearing the land fast where the Fresh Market is going. It may be built and open before anything else in at Constellation. I didn't realize there was a phase 2 that would where the old Mallory building is located.

I rode downtown today and saw the old Coke Plant is about gone. Will be interesting to find out who is buying the lot.

Will be nice when the old Holiday Inn is torn down and the plans for that area are released.

Was surprised the building going in where the old Waffle House was is Terre Me spa. I figured that odd looking building was somewhere connected with the solar panels.