Huntsville updates

[BKOTH97]

Interesting.

By moving the courhouse, you would probablyget rid of all the law officesaround the square and open that space up to development by entertainment, retail and nightlife.

I don't understand the whole build a replica idea. Wouldn't a park be used by more individuals? Think summer concerts, etc.

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by BKOTH97

Interesting.

By moving the courhouse, you would probablyget rid of all the law officesaround the square and open that space up to development by entertainment, retail and nightlife.

I don't understand the whole build a replica idea. Wouldn't a park be used by more individuals? Think summer concerts, etc.

there is a nice park just west of the courthouse. Why get rid of high paying jobs downtown and replace it with lower paying service jobs. There are plenty of areas downtown for what you suggest, especially along Meridian St toward Dallas Mill, In addition Market Square should add more of the nightlife we all crave. Downtown is not just the square. The replica was just a comment suggesting I wish they had not torn down that building and replaced with what we have now.

[HSVTiger]

Heartland gets clean

Huntsville's chart-topping country music band is telling the city to get dirty while getting clean.

Heartland, nominated for two Country Music Association Awards, helped Operation Green Team kick off its Great American Clean-Up at a Wednesday morning news conference at City Hall. The band has a single on its "I Loved Her First" CD called "Let's Get Dirty," and "dirty" is the theme of this year's clean-up.

Residents are encouraged to send in photos and a brief explanation of how they got dirty while cleaning up the city. Send information to dee.hill@hsvcity.com. The winner gets $500.

The clean-up campaign is also "e-cycling" cell phones. The group or individual who delivers the most cell phones to Operation Green Team by 9 a.m. May 31 will win $1,000. Call 427-6769 for more details.

[HSVTiger]

I suggest the Governor give ALDOT a huge kick in the overpass
and tell them to get busy and quite screwing this state around.

"MONTGOMERY, Ala. Governor Riley told a transportation conference today in Montgomery that the state must consider toll roads, particularly in highly congested areas.

Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta gave the conference the same advice. Mineta said toll roads are prominent in other countries and are beginning to become more common in the United States.
Mineta said the federal and state governments have always relied on gas taxes to fund highway and bridge construction. But with Americans switching to more fuel-efficient vehicles, gas tax revenue is not matching the rising cost of asphalt, concrete and steel. Alabama's gas tax collections actually declined slightly in the last fiscal year."

[HSVTiger]

this convention rotates among BHM, MOB, HSV and MGM each year

Welcome to Huntsville this year..

An estimated 1,500 delegates from 451 towns and cities across Alabama are expected to attend the Alabama League of Municipalities 2007 Annual Convention in Huntsville beginning Saturday.

The convention begins Saturday and runs through Tuesday at the Von Braun Center.

Madison City Councilwoman Cynthia McCollum, who serves as president of the National League of Cities, will speak at Monday's general session.

[BKOTH97]

http://www.demographia.com/dhi-ix2005q3.pdf


Huntsville comes in as the 15th most affordable market for housing out of 159 International metropolitan areas.

I think this is pretty good news, especially for those people from Washington DC looking to escape.


Birmingham, Chattanooga and Mobile were all clustered in the 50s.

[HSVTiger]

go to the head of the line

By Jay Boehmer

APRIL 02, 2007 -- Registered Traveler program provider FLO Alliance last week detailed a business model that focuses on joint marketing programs and additional traveler benefits beyond the core expedited airport security lane offering. The alliance, which includes Saflink, Microsoft and Johnson Controls, last month signed Huntsville, Ala., International Airport, as its first airport partner. Meanwhile, other entrants are making their way toward the Registered Traveler space, as more airports make way to open lanes.

FLO Alliance last week officially announced the appointment of Fred Fischer, formerly with competitor Verified Identity Pass, as senior vice president, as well as Business Travel Coalition chairman Kevin Mitchell, who will serve as an ombudsman and liaison to corporate travelers and managers.

Fischer last week said FLO would offer three tiers of membership, the most basic of which would cost $99 and include access to Registered Traveler lanes as well as parking benefits at airports with which FLO Alliance signs deals. Platinum and Global tiers would offer travelers more benefits at corresponding prices. Fischer said FLO would determine specific pricing and benefits prior to its airport launch. He said plans include such options as remote baggage check, airport lounge access, priority airline seating, airline status upgrades and discounts with travel providers and airport concession vendors. Fischer said the alliance is seeking partnerships with travel suppliers, including domestic airlines that have been reluctant to join the Registered Traveler fold.

Huntsville Airport's agreement with FLO Alliance gives it 12 months to determine if it wants to implement lanes, an airport spokesperson said last week. "We are interested in the RT program, but we're continuing to monitor it," the spokesperson said. "At this time, the only real benefit is moving to the front of the line, and that's not really enough of a benefit for our airport, since we don't have a long lines as is."

A spokesperson at the Jacksonville Aviation Authority last week echoed a similar sentiment in regards to Jacksonville International Airport, which launched its own independent Preferred Traveler program but is working with the Transportation Security Administration toward interoperability with other airport programs. "We've added a couple of layers because the wait times at our security lines are not very long," the spokesperson said. "What we did to entice people to use it is add on things that would be perks here at Jacksonville."

[austin356]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

I suggest the Governor give ALDOT a huge kick in the overpass
and tell them to get busy and quite screwing this state around.

"MONTGOMERY, Ala. Governor Riley told a transportation conference today in Montgomery that the state must consider toll roads, particularly in highly congested areas.

Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta gave the conference the same advice. Mineta said toll roads are prominent in other countries and are beginning to become more common in the United States.
Mineta said the federal and state governments have always relied on gas taxes to fund highway and bridge construction. But with Americans switching to more fuel-efficient vehicles, gas tax revenue is not matching the rising cost of asphalt, concrete and steel. Alabama's gas tax collections actually declined slightly in the last fiscal year."

About time he spoke the words "toll roads".

We hate taxes in AL, but our infrastructure needs are beginning to outpace their supply. That means private investment.

ALDOT allocated over a billion $ last year, yet the money is not being spent wisely and efficiently. That means private investment (in addition to administrative fixing).

IF freaking France can have a large system of private roads that are owned and operated for profit, I see no reason why Alabama cannot.

[austin356]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

I suggest the Governor give ALDOT a huge kick in the overpass
and tell them to get busy and quite screwing this state around.

"MONTGOMERY, Ala. Governor Riley told a transportation conference today in Montgomery that the state must consider toll roads, particularly in highly congested areas.

Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta gave the conference the same advice. Mineta said toll roads are prominent in other countries and are beginning to become more common in the United States.
Mineta said the federal and state governments have always relied on gas taxes to fund highway and bridge construction. But with Americans switching to more fuel-efficient vehicles, gas tax revenue is not matching the rising cost of asphalt, concrete and steel. Alabama's gas tax collections actually declined slightly in the last fiscal year."

About time he spoke the words "toll roads".

We hate taxes in AL, but our infrastructure needs are beginning to outpace their supply. That means private investment.

ALDOT allocated over a billion $ last year, yet the money is not being spent wisely and efficiently. That means private investment.

IF freaking France can have a large system of private roads that are owned and operated for profit, I see no reason why Alabama cannot.



Huntsville needs 3 intercity highway links, to C-town, Atl, and Memphis. State roads are not enough to meet the demand for regional integration over the intermediate future.

[Exodus]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Heartland gets clean

Huntsville's chart-topping country music band is telling the city to get dirty while getting clean.

Heartland, nominated for two Country Music Association Awards, helped Operation Green Team kick off its Great American Clean-Up at a Wednesday morning news conference at City Hall. The band has a single on its "I Loved Her First" CD called "Let's Get Dirty," and "dirty" is the theme of this year's clean-up.

Residents are encouraged to send in photos and a brief explanation of how they got dirty while cleaning up the city. Send information to dee.hill@hsvcity.com. The winner gets $500.

The clean-up campaign is also "e-cycling" cell phones. The group or individual who delivers the most cell phones to Operation Green Team by 9 a.m. May 31 will win $1,000. Call 427-6769 for more details.

I'm mostly into metal, but from time to time I hear a song from another genre that stands out, and this song is one of them. I had no idea that they were from Huntsville, thanks for the info.

[HSVTiger]

Initial Von Braun Center upgrades being discussed.
Eventually the arena will be expanded but these are things that need to be done soon.

Ron Evans, VBC director, spoke about facility needs Thursday following the regular meeting of the VBC board. Evans said he hopes to meet with Mayor Loretta Spencer and other city leaders next week to discuss upcoming work and VBC future capital needs.


"What we've been trying to do is develop a long-term plan" to guide city and VBC officials, he said.

Several projects are planned, thanks to a $4 million special tax district commitment from the city and possibly $10 million more from a $50 million City Council bond authorization last week for mostly downtown city projects.

Evans said Thursday the facelift is long overdue.

"Obviously, the entire complex needs it because of the age and high level of use," he said.

The $4 million special tax district money will pay for:

A new roof over the playhouse.

Replacement tubing (approximately seven miles of it) for the ice floor setup.
New dimming equipment for the concert hall and playhouse. The current equipment was installed in 1975 when the VBC was built and is now obsolete. "That's a big chunk of money. There are 72 dimmers in the concert hall and 36 in the playhouse," Evans said.

A new fire alarm system and some improvements to the building's air handling system.

Completion of kitchen facilities for the South Hall.

Conversion of storage areas into more restrooms for the concert hall.

Breakout meeting rooms in space formerly occupied by the art museum.

Evans said the additional $10 million authorized by the City Council last week could help tackle some long-awaited improvements to the arena area.

"The greatest deficiencies on the arena side are restrooms and concession space," he said.

But Evans said those improvements will be costly because the building will have to be expanded in places.

"You can't solve the arena's deficiencies inside the existing square footage of space," he explained.
http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletim...l=1&thispage=2

[TimCity2000]

i know it's been several years, but what happened to this proposal?

[HSVTiger]

Originally Posted by TimCity2000

i know it's been several years, but what happened to this proposal?

that was an exercise basically, just a study of a potential expansion.
Mostly done to ward off the idea of another arena at I-565/I-65.
which did not happen.
While not bad I thought it was not the best rendering of a solution.
I believe the next concepts will be much better.

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Since there's not a designated place to put information on Decatur developments, I'll just stick in here.

Three more tenants were identified for the new "The Crossings of Decatur" shopping center at the corner of US 31, and Point Mallard Parkway (AL 67) in Decatur.

They are:
Lifeway Christian Store - 5,400 square feet
Panera Bread - 4,200 square feet
Nail's First

Bank Independant has already filed with the Federal Reserve in an intention to put a branch on the property.

The owner of GBT Realty, the property's developer, said that he is pitching an unnamed 69,000 square foot Phase II to house a "upscale oriented department store, not a discount store". The Morgan County School System currently owns the land that GBT wants to buy for the Phase II, and is offering $2.4 Million for the 12 acres, that would expand the square footage of the shopping center by 117,724 from the currently planned 260,000.

So the tenants that are currently listed as occupants for Phase I include:

Target
Old Navy
PetsMart
Ross Dress for Less
Rack Room Shoes
Rue 21

The Phase I is expected to open in October.

Here's the article from the Decatur Daily if you want to read ALL about it:

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturd...0/stores.shtml

[HSVTiger]

a few comments from the developer of Market Square downtown

"Developer Scott McLain is demolishing the rest of the 1960s-era mall to make way for hotels and shops on its prime site adjoining the Von Braun Center. Sandollar is probably not part of the upscale future.

But how is the tanning salon still open when all other businesses in the mall are closed?

"By the grace of a lease," laughs Bonnie Gray, district manager of the seven-salon Sandollar chain.

It won't be there for long.

"The locomotive (is) coming down the track," says McLain.


Sandollar's lease on a corner of the mall originally ran through December, McLain said. Because the salon does much of its business in the spring and summer, the landlord and salon compromised, giving Sandollar the right to operate through July, then August to close up and move out, McLain said.
Meanwhile, the bulldozers roll on.

"It would be simpler without it," McLain says of the salon, "but it doesn't really interfere. The first thing we are going to develop is the hotel on the other end, so we can go forward."

[AlabamaGuy2007]

And another that I neglected to include in the above story.

The Decatur City Council finally OKed city funding for the proposed industrial park that should be located between Hartselle and Falkville, along I-65.

Decatur provided a majority of the funding for the Mallard Fox Creek Industrial Park located in NW Decatur between AL 20/US 72 and the Tennessee River. The city expects to make the last payment in December. The Mallard Fox Ind. Park of course contains industries like the United Launch Alliance, among others.

The idea of a southern Morgan County industrial park was brought when everyone realized how much of a success that the Mallard Fox park was.

A bill will be introduced into the legislature for approval of the Decatur-Morgan County Port Authority to extend it's assistance in the parks development, providing better rail, road, and river access. The DMC Port Authority is currently only allowed to operate in a 3 mile radius of the river.

Decatur's approval of funding was a major milestone in the project because no other city in the county possesses enough resources to provide the support of a development this large.

The cities of Falkville and Eva are expected to pass resolutions on funding for the industrial park in meetings next month.

MAYBE, the Decatur City Council has realized that the city IS the largest town in the county and that a lot of economic development around the metro area cannot be accomplished without a city the size of Decatur's help.

Here's the link to the whole story:

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturd...420/park.shtml

[HSVTiger]

More on this later but Mason's Pub will be opening downtown probably
May 22nd. Location is on the third floor above Crossroads on Clinton Ave.
It will be a full service restaurant and pub.

Crossroads link
http://www.crossroadsmusic.biz/index...tpage&Itemid=1

[HSVTiger]

a few pics from Village of Providence(new Urbanism) on Huntsville's west side




This is Grille 29 which is very good



more here
http://www.villageofprovidence.com/i...ubID=&timage=6

[TimCity2000]

it'll be great to finally see a nice development at market square. it occupies such a prominent site visually, being right off the parkway.

now if only they could get rid of those awful power lines and substation....

[mlog]

Originally Posted by austin356

Huntsville needs 3 intercity highway links, to C-town, Atl, and Memphis. State roads are not enough to meet the demand for regional integration over the intermediate future.

C-town? Do you mean Chattanooga?