Huntsville updates

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville marina wants to improve;

By JOHN PECKTimes Staff Writer john.peck@htimes.com
Marina plans larger boat slips, considers ways to cut its costs

Huntsville's Ditto Landing Marina is charting a new course that calls for bigger boat slips and possibly an amphitheater and a multi-use public building along the waterfront.

A newly formed public grants committee will meet at the marina's office pavilion next week to help find the money to pay for it.
"This belongs to the public. Our goal is to develop Ditto in a manner that meets the interest of the public," said Wally Kirkpatrick, president of the Huntsville-Madison County Marina and Port Authority. "We will toss out ideas, but we will simultaneously solicit input from the public on what they want."

The study also suggests closing the office pavilion on the riverbank and consolidating all of Ditto's administrative offices at the fuel dock or nearby dry storage building. Officials believe the pavilion site could be transformed into a multi-purpose building leased for events such as corporate retreats and receptions.

Kirkpatrick said it's time the 600-acre complex with its sprawling riverfront live up to its potential.

"We're essentially using only 35 acres out of 595 acres and it's such a beautiful facility," he said. "We're very interested in getting the young professionals involved and having town hall meetings throughout the city and county to give citizens an opportunity to share their thoughts about what this could be become."

Talk of things like restaurants, a golf course and water parks have come and gone through the years.

Marina leaders face the twin challenge of serving their main customers - boat-slip renters - and finding the money for new projects.

Kirkpatrick said the board has spent the past several years focusing on getting Ditto in "ship shape" and rebuilding public trust. A management shakeup in 2004 resulted in the ouster of Ditto's board chairman and office administrator and the suspension of its operations manager.

The board has spent money on electrical improvements, repairing docks, cleaning up the campground, dredging the harbor and completing a major project to protect the shoreline from erosion.

[BKOTH97]

In my opinion, the intersection of Wall Triana and the Tennessee River would be a great place for a bridge to connect central Morgan county with Huntsville/Madison and the Airport. It seems that someone else may be thinking the same thing, or atleast, that is the only way I can explain the Huntsville Major Roads plan. It has Wall Triana listed as a planned Major Arterial between the Tennessee River and I565. How else can you explain a Major Arterial that deadends at the river?

http://www.ci.huntsville.al.us/Plann...etplan0405.pdf

What do you think?

BKOTH97

[neilson]

Originally Posted by BKOTH97

In my opinion, the intersection of Wall Triana and the Tennessee River would be a great place for a bridge to connect central Morgan county with Huntsville/Madison and the Airport. It seems that someone else may be thinking the same thing, or atleast, that is the only way I can explain the Huntsville Major Roads plan. It has Wall Triana listed as a planned Major Arterial between the Tennessee River and I565. How else can you explain a Major Arterial that deadends at the river?

http://www.ci.huntsville.al.us/Plann...etplan0405.pdf

What do you think?

BKOTH97

It would definitely stimulate growth in Central Morgan County, that's for sure. My question is if perhaps a Toll Road company would be interested in such a project like what's been done in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Gulf Shores.

[HSVTiger]

Why is ALDOT against any improvements in the state? Why won't they take the lead and do it?

Huntsville Times
An interchange at Interstate 565 and Zierdt Road would have to be built for Madison to land a proposed retail development nearby.

That would put the city in the position of pursuing the construction of two interchanges on I-565 because it also wants an expanded interchange at County Line Road.

Adding an interchange on an interstate is not common in Alabama; building two in the same city could be impossible. the question is why, it isn't in other states.

But Madison Mayor Sandy Kirkindall thinks the city could pull off getting both interchanges built without pitting one against the other. (Too bad you have to go against ALDOT, they should be helping you.)

"No, I don't think we'll be put in that position," Kirkindall said, adding that both interchanges are needed.

Kirkindall thinks the interchanges could be built because the millions of dollars needed to pay for them would come from different sources.

The city is seeking the money to build the County Line Road interchange from Alabama's congressional delegation as an earmark in a federal spending bill.

The latest estimate for adding two ramps to the two already there is $15 million.

The city will ask the Alabama Department of Transportation to foot most of the cost of building an interchange at Zierdt if the proposed retail center comes to fruition, Kirkindall said. (You mean beg)

Madison and possibly Huntsville would provide matching money to help pay part of the cost of the interchange construction, Kirkindall said.

Johnny Harris, the Division 1 engineer for the state DOT, said the only thing he knows about a possible I-565 and Zierdt interchange is that Breland hired an engineering firm to perform an interchange justification study for the location.
The study includes such factors as traffic volumes and the distance to other interchanges, he said.

The study was submitted to the DOT's design bureau in Montgomery, where it is being reviewed, Harris said. (and promptly put at the bottom of the stack )

If the DOT and Federal Highway Administration determine that such an interchange is justified, it would make the project eligible for federal highway money, he said.(can you say delayed forever?)
Harris said it's difficult to know how much building an interchange at Zierdt Road would cost without a design of the interchange, but that $8 million to $10 million "would not be a bad guess."

The federal transportation bill provides the state with enough money to build "one or two" interchanges a year on interstates in the entire state, Harris said. (or more if requested, where are these interchanges being built???)

Whether the state would use that money for an interchange at Zierdt and I-565 would depend on how badly it is needed, how much money the local governments are willing to provide and
in other words dream on losers, we will decide what you need and when you will get it.

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Why is ALDOT against any improvements in the state? Why won't they take the lead and do it?

Huntsville Times
An interchange at Interstate 565 and Zierdt Road would have to be built for Madison to land a proposed retail development nearby.

That would put the city in the position of pursuing the construction of two interchanges on I-565 because it also wants an expanded interchange at County Line Road.

Adding an interchange on an interstate is not common in Alabama; building two in the same city could be impossible. the question is why, it isn't in other states.

But Madison Mayor Sandy Kirkindall thinks the city could pull off getting both interchanges built without pitting one against the other. (Too bad you have to go against ALDOT, they should be helping you.)

"No, I don't think we'll be put in that position," Kirkindall said, adding that both interchanges are needed.

Kirkindall thinks the interchanges could be built because the millions of dollars needed to pay for them would come from different sources.

The city is seeking the money to build the County Line Road interchange from Alabama's congressional delegation as an earmark in a federal spending bill.

The latest estimate for adding two ramps to the two already there is $15 million.

The city will ask the Alabama Department of Transportation to foot most of the cost of building an interchange at Zierdt if the proposed retail center comes to fruition, Kirkindall said. (You mean beg)

Madison and possibly Huntsville would provide matching money to help pay part of the cost of the interchange construction, Kirkindall said.

Johnny Harris, the Division 1 engineer for the state DOT, said the only thing he knows about a possible I-565 and Zierdt interchange is that Breland hired an engineering firm to perform an interchange justification study for the location.
The study includes such factors as traffic volumes and the distance to other interchanges, he said.

The study was submitted to the DOT's design bureau in Montgomery, where it is being reviewed, Harris said. (and promptly put at the bottom of the stack )

If the DOT and Federal Highway Administration determine that such an interchange is justified, it would make the project eligible for federal highway money, he said.(can you say delayed forever?)
Harris said it's difficult to know how much building an interchange at Zierdt Road would cost without a design of the interchange, but that $8 million to $10 million "would not be a bad guess."

The federal transportation bill provides the state with enough money to build "one or two" interchanges a year on interstates in the entire state, Harris said. (or more if requested, where are these interchanges being built???)

Whether the state would use that money for an interchange at Zierdt and I-565 would depend on how badly it is needed, how much money the local governments are willing to provide and
in other words dream on losers, we will decide what you need and when you will get it.

Sooo, what types of positions are people elected for in ALDOT. Cause, i think I'm gonna run sometime soon......

[HSVTiger]

Woohoo another list,

reminds me of an old Andy Griffith show line when he is judging beauty
contestants.

"voted most likely to become charming.."

The list I want to see us on is the city that will see high rise building
construction in the next 6 months.

I've really yet to see concrete results from making these lists. It probably helps and surely doesn't hurt but I would like to hear someone build a building and say it's because you are #1 on such and such list.

"Foreign Direct Investment magazine has selected Huntsville as the No. 1 "Small City of the Future'' in the U.S. The rankings are in FDI's April/May edition, released today.

Huntsville ranked first among U.S. cities with population under 500,000, and ranked second in North America behind Windsor, Ontario.

Huntsville also ranked No. 1 for the best development and investment program in North America. The city also received high scores for its infrastructure and quality of life.

"This affirms the success of our economic-development partnerships and our commitment to working with community leadership," said Brad Jones, chairman of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. "It is a great honor for us, and it's great that we have been able to accomplish this while maintaining such an excellent quality of life.''

To determine the rankings, judges review nominations from 108 cities, evaluating and scoring more than 60 criteria involving the potential to attract business investment projects. Cities were categorized by major (population over 2 million); large (500,000-2 million); small (100,000-500,000) and micro (under 100,000).

Huntsville was No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 3 in North America in quality of life. It was ranked first in the U.S. for best infrastructure and No. 3 in North America.

Other criteria include economic potential, cost effectiveness, human resources and business friendliness.

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

Woohoo another list,

reminds me of an old Andy Griffith show line when he is judging beauty
contestants.

"voted most likely to become charming.."

The list I want to see us on is the city that will see high rise building
construction in the next 6 months.

I've really yet to see concrete results from making these lists. It probably helps and surely doesn't hurt but I would like to hear someone build a building and say it's because you are #1 on such and such list.

"Foreign Direct Investment magazine has selected Huntsville as the No. 1 "Small City of the Future'' in the U.S. The rankings are in FDI's April/May edition, released today.

Huntsville ranked first among U.S. cities with population under 500,000, and ranked second in North America behind Windsor, Ontario.

Huntsville also ranked No. 1 for the best development and investment program in North America. The city also received high scores for its infrastructure and quality of life.

"This affirms the success of our economic-development partnerships and our commitment to working with community leadership," said Brad Jones, chairman of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. "It is a great honor for us, and it's great that we have been able to accomplish this while maintaining such an excellent quality of life.''

To determine the rankings, judges review nominations from 108 cities, evaluating and scoring more than 60 criteria involving the potential to attract business investment projects. Cities were categorized by major (population over 2 million); large (500,000-2 million); small (100,000-500,000) and micro (under 100,000).

Huntsville was No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 3 in North America in quality of life. It was ranked first in the U.S. for best infrastructure and No. 3 in North America.

Other criteria include economic potential, cost effectiveness, human resources and business friendliness.

Yea, I just read that story, and where in the heck did they get the "Best Infrastructure"?? Maybe it's just compared to the other cities that they researched, I dunno.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by AlabamaGuy2007

Yea, I just read that story, and where in the heck did they get the "Best Infrastructure"?? Maybe it's just compared to the other cities that they researched, I dunno.

We're 2nd to WINDSOR? Come on, I don't see the Parkway, University, or 565 clogged with Truck Traffic like Windsor has with Huron Church Road. Even just in industry, Huntsville's companies and bases are a hell of lot cleaner then what you'll see in Windsor.

Best infrastructure, I'll agree. For all our warranted complaining about ALDOT and the City of Huntsville, City of Madison, and Madison County, our roads aren't half-bad when you compare to elsewhere.

[HSVTiger]

Did Sullivan's Steakhouse pull out of Bridge Street? Maybe it looks like
O'Brians Irish Pub and Grill has replaced them on the list. Ruth's Chris
downtown may have also played a role. It's not unusual for the tenant mix to evolve in a big project such as this. It is a good guess that the pinkish building you can see at the front from Old Madison Pike is PF Changs.
The 6 story office tower should start coming up soon.

[HSVTiger]

Some Bridge Street photos
The Monaco Theaters, 14 screens




Site of the east parking deck, Westin Huntsville in the background

[HSVTiger]

This building is under construction downtown for the Surgery Center on Madison St. Sometimes you have to wonder, it's a fairly large building
in a nice location, but why does it have to look like a distorted house?

[HSVTiger]

UAH new campus gateway is nearing completion


The entry will be wide with features such as side walks, flower beds, trees, benches, and brick walls that will host university signage. Lakeside Drive, as it moves away from the intersection, will be re-routed to the north where it will empty into a round-a-bout tying into John Wright Drive. The new Lakeside Drive will be divided by a natural median and will be lined with trees. The lake will also be expanded to the north side of Lakeside [Drive] creating a second body of water as you look onto campus from Sparkman [Drive]."

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Originally Posted by HSVTiger

UAH new campus gateway is nearing completion


The entry will be wide with features such as side walks, flower beds, trees, benches, and brick walls that will host university signage. Lakeside Drive, as it moves away from the intersection, will be re-routed to the north where it will empty into a round-a-bout tying into John Wright Drive. The new Lakeside Drive will be divided by a natural median and will be lined with trees. The lake will also be expanded to the north side of Lakeside [Drive] creating a second body of water as you look onto campus from Sparkman [Drive]."

Awesome, that really sounds beautiful.

[HSVTiger]

Greenway will run along Bradford Creek for six miles

The city of Madison is developing a pedestrian and nonmotorized transportation and greenway corridor along Bradford Creek. The route along Bradford Creek provides scenic views of the creek, the hardwood forests along the banks and wetland areas supporting a variety of plant and wildlife.

The proposed route is almost six miles long, running north-south along the creek, connecting on the northern end Liberty Middle School, Heritage Elementary School, adjacent neighborhoods, Palmer Park, and the Arlington Plaza shopping district on Madison Boulevard on the southern end. The greenway will be developed in phases.

[HSVTiger]

Mountain High Outfitters will open in October at Bridge Street.
This used to be named Urban Outpost/High Country

http://www.mhoutfitter.com/

Anthropologie taking job applications for their Huntsville store
http://www.getthejob.com/SearchResul...20AL&cid=16096

the architect for this store is
EOA/Elmslie Osler Architect, P.C in New York

[BKOTH97]

This is an interesting article about how cities will use technology to assist with the growth over the next 30-50 years.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/te...y-growth_N.htm

I especially liked this idea:

"Power substations needed to sate the nation's hunger for electricity are being placed underwater and underground. Parks are being built above them to maximize green space. "

Huntsville should do this for the substation behind the VBC...that thing is a huge eyesore and it would expand the park connecting to Big Spring.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by BKOTH97

This is an interesting article about how cities will use technology to assist with the growth over the next 30-50 years.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/te...y-growth_N.htm

I especially liked this idea:

"Power substations needed to sate the nation's hunger for electricity are being placed underwater and underground. Parks are being built above them to maximize green space. "

Huntsville should do this for the substation behind the VBC...that thing is a huge eyesore and it would expand the park connecting to Big Spring.

That Powerstation is a TVA property. You'll have to contact TVA HQ in Knoxville to get anything done about that.

[HSVTiger]

Sen. Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville, says he has abandoned plans to sponsor legislation to deannex a contested parcel of commercial property from Madison.

"I'm not going to introduce that deannexation bill because I think the activity (negotiations) we're seeing right now is going to be successful," he said Tuesday.

Griffith said he believes the city and the developer of the 263-acre plot will reach an agreement.
Louis Breland, who owns the property, has been in talks with Madison officials about a proposed $500 million shopping center just south of Interstate 565.

[HSVTiger]

construction ready to start on second parking deck at Huntsville International,
it will look like it's twin next to it.



they both have the "smart sign" feature which tells you how many available
spaces are open on each level/

[AlabamaGuy2007]

Bob Riley's going to in the upstairs library at my school; anyone want me to say something to him??