Huntsville updates

[RCSHSV]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

A Brass Tap will bring an upscale craft beer bar, sports TV and live music option to the center. Director Odie Fakhouri said they expect to announce another new-to-Alabama regional steakhouse and seafood restaurant spanning 6,000 square feet within the next 10 days.

I believe the other restaurant is Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. There were clues like a private room with technology that gave it away. It should be announced officially next week.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by RCSHSV

I believe the other restaurant is Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. There were clues like a private room with technology that gave it away. It should be announced officially next week.

Isn't there one in Birmingham? New to Alabama is the catch

[RCSHSV]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Isn't there one in Birmingham? New to Alabama is the catch

Brass Tap is already in Tuscaloosa and opened last fall. Maybe that was supposed to be first here as well. If not Fleming's then maybe III Forks. The restaurant will be 6,000 square ft and III Forks has a 6,000 square ft restaurant at the LAX. So who knows.

I just didn't see any technology info from them in their private rooms like Fleming's.

[TimCity2000]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Isn't there one in Birmingham? New to Alabama is the catch

yes, at the summit.

[HSVTiger]

Keegans Public House (Irish Pub out of Atlanta) opening soon downtown
The restaurant, which overlooks Big Spring Park, will seat about 150, feature an outdoor patio and include a full-service bar with Irish and local craft beer.

Across the park the VBC is preparing for major expansion beginning early next year,
The City Council approved a 2-percent lodging tax increase and a $1 per room night surcharge will help fund the expansion and renovations. The VBC will also use additional revenue generated from increased facility usage to pay for a portion of the project.
Details of the plan include:
Ballroom/Multipurpose Space: Approximately 35,000 square feet
Meeting Rooms: About 14,000 square feet of breakout spaces
Kitchen: Replacement of the VBC's existing kitchen to increase its size and capacity to serve more meals
Parking Garage Expansion: Expansion of the South Hall garage beneath the facility to include roughly 300 additional parking spaces
Renovation to North Hall: Upgrades to the finishes inside the venue
Music Hall: A new music hall to serve about 1,200 people. It will have an open floor concept, mezzanine, stage, sound and lights.
The VBC said the expansion will add 113,000 square feet to the 483,000-square-foot property. The project, which will take place over two phases, should begin early next year and end by May 2019




Look for this expansion to lead to some major hotel developments downtown

Coming soon
http://www.americasbestfriedchicken.com/

[HSVTiger]

MidCity will be in the news a good bit in the coming year. Top Golf is well under construction and the Camp opens in August.
Developer RCP Companies will soon unveil MidCity Camp, a new concept at the former Lone Star Steakhouse site on University Drive. RCP co-founder Max Grelier said the Camp will serve as a precursor to MidCity. The Camp will have rotating food venues, a fixed restaurant, game area, dog-friendly park, covered canopies and a variety of events, from live music and yoga to farmers markets and CrossFit. Alchemy Lounge, coffee shop , is the first confirmed tenant for the space.
MidCity Camp Office – Potentially refurbished trailer, front gallery of the MidCity model and marketing images, and a back office that will function as an on-site leasing and management office.
The "Melting Pot" – Designed to act as a social center with moveable features, such as art, seating and a fire pit.
Game Zone – Multipurpose lawn, food trucks, areas for recreational activity, games, farmers market pop-up space.

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Coming soon
http://www.americasbestfriedchicken.com/

Anybody know where it is going?

[Tennhioland]

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

Anybody know where it is going?

Next to Subway on Martin Rd west of Zierdt.

[David1502]

University Drive will no longer have a middle lane for making turns - this lane will be replaced by a concrete median. Alabama DOT had a meeting yesterday afternoon at the TARCOG (Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments) offices in Research Park in which they showed the maps of what University Drive will look like as a result of a project designed to improve safety and traffic flow in the corridor from Memorial Parkway to Providence Main Street. While there is a concrete median in a few places, currently there are large areas where there is a middle lane for making turns and in these areas, there is a greater likelihood of accidents. However, many businesses in this corridor may suffer as a result of reduced access (See South Memorial Parkway).

The widening of US 72 from Providence Main St. to County Line Rd. should begin in a year to a year and a half. This I learned from the engineer who is in charge of that project. He said that the project is in the design phase now - they haven't bought any right of way for it yet. The reason they are doing the improvements to University from the Parkway west to Providence Main first is because that project was already in the budget.

[ThatGuy]

[QUOTE=David1502;7869503]University Drive will no longer have a middle lane for making turns - this lane will be replaced by a concrete median. Alabama DOT had a meeting yesterday afternoon at the TARCOG (Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments) offices in Research Park in which they showed the maps of what University Drive will look like as a result of a project designed to improve safety and traffic flow in the corridor from Memorial Parkway to Providence Main Street. While there is a concrete median in a few places, currently there are large areas where there is a middle lane for making turns and in these areas, there is a greater likelihood of accidents. However, many businesses in this corridor may suffer as a result of reduced access (See South Memorial Parkway).[QUOTE]

Pretty sure that all used to have a grass divider down the middle. So they paved over the grass and not want to put concrete on top of that. Nice.

I'm surprised they left any grass in Big Spring Park. Give them 20 years I guess and it will all be gone too...

[Rail Claimore]

University did have a grass median before it was widened from 4 to 6 lanes back in the early 90's. Had fewer traffic signals as well.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by David1502

University Drive will no longer have a middle lane for making turns - this lane will be replaced by a concrete median. Alabama DOT had a meeting yesterday afternoon at the TARCOG (Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments) offices in Research Park in which they showed the maps of what University Drive will look like as a result of a project designed to improve safety and traffic flow in the corridor from Memorial Parkway to Providence Main Street. While there is a concrete median in a few places, currently there are large areas where there is a middle lane for making turns and in these areas, there is a greater likelihood of accidents. However, many businesses in this corridor may suffer as a result of reduced access (See South Memorial Parkway).

The widening of US 72 from Providence Main St. to County Line Rd. should begin in a year to a year and a half. This I learned from the engineer who is in charge of that project. He said that the project is in the design phase now - they haven't bought any right of way for it yet. The reason they are doing the improvements to University from the Parkway west to Providence Main first is because that project was already in the budget.

ahh yes keep the delays coming aldot. This was the project the luv gov halted
and now you can bet funding will become an issue.
Quit trying to hide behind the truth..if it's a project in the Huntsville metro we will work on it only when absolutely required to. They have been "working" on it for years already. Construction was supposed to have started in 2016. From 2014.. Last year, the state and City of Huntsville agreed to split the estimated $30 million cost of six-laning U.S. 72 West from Providence Main Street to County Line Road. The widening was to start in mid-2016; some work has already been done, including surveys, preliminary engineering and a public hearing.
A billboard criticizing Gov. Robert Bentley has jeopardized at least seven Huntsville-area road projects, including the widening of busy U.S. 72 West.
It said, "Governor Bentley wants to raise your taxes. I will not let that happen. Semper Fi - Senator Bill Holtzclaw."

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

University did have a grass median before it was widened from 4 to 6 lanes back in the early 90's. Had fewer traffic signals as well.

Does remembering that make me old? I'm only 28!

On another note... great news about the VBC. Doesn't include an expansion of Propst Arena (which I do know was recently renovated), but this expansion is significant with Huntsville being the only aerospace hub for hundreds and hundreds of miles. This expansion will make the city and easy pick for aerospace conventions that want to visit a city with a strong aerospace presence and an affordable meeting climate. I think it took too long for the VBC to expand, but it is smart. If the city wants to truly step it up, it will enlarge (or replace?) the arena... it's way too small considering the direction the city, and region, is heading.

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by tascalisa

Does remembering that make me old? I'm only 28!

I'm 34. I remember when Bailey Cove made a 90 degree turn onto Four Mile Post Road. No Carl T, no Cecil Ashburn. 565 wasn't even under construction through the core of Huntsville yet.

[Saj07]

City of Huntsville Blog concerning a new city hall:

https://cityblog.huntsvilleal.gov/decision-time-huntsville-city-hall/

[TimCity2000]

Originally Posted by Saj07

City of Huntsville Blog concerning a new city hall:

https://cityblog.huntsvilleal.gov/decision-time-huntsville-city-hall/

first time I've seen this (it was in a link buried in the blog... I'm sure y'all have probably seen it and discussed):

[Tennhioland]

[QUOTE=TimCity2000;7884012]first time I've seen this (it was in a link buried in the blog... I'm sure y'all have probably seen it and discussed):

Already needs to be updated!

[HSVTiger]

Let speculation begin if Huntsville will be the site of new Toyota/Mazda plant.
Toyota and Mazda have announced plans to build a $1.6 billion manufacturing plant in the United States that will create as many as 4,000 jobs.
The Japanese automakers said in a statement Friday that the facility would be operational by 2021, but did not specify where it would be built

[Saj07]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Let speculation begin if Huntsville will be the site of new Toyota/Mazda plant.
Toyota and Mazda have announced plans to build a $1.6 billion manufacturing plant in the United States that will create as many as 4,000 jobs.
The Japanese automakers said in a statement Friday that the facility would be operational by 2021, but did not specify where it would be built

With the TVA megasite designation for that property out near the Target Distribution Center and Polaris, that should help. I don't think they want to lose out like the did with Volkswagen. Toyota already has a presence here too.

Edit: Huntsville Times article concerning this property last year complete with map: http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2016/06/post_370.html

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Let speculation begin if Huntsville will be the site of new Toyota/Mazda plant.
Toyota and Mazda have announced plans to build a $1.6 billion manufacturing plant in the United States that will create as many as 4,000 jobs.
The Japanese automakers said in a statement Friday that the facility would be operational by 2021, but did not specify where it would be built

I often wonder what percentage of the cost to build a plant like this actually stays in the immediate area...