Huntsville Hospital wins Madison Hospital

A lengthy (7 years) battle for state approvals and the appeals that followed have ended in vain for Crestwood Medical Center. According to a press release, the hospital's board of trustees decided not to appeal a recent circuit court ruling to uphold the state Certificate of Need Review Board's approval of Huntsville Hospital's proposed Madison Hospital. The competing hospitals proposed separate hospitals along 72 West between Wall Triana and Balch. Huntsville Hospital's proposal is a full-service 60-bed medical center, a centerpiece in their already partially-built "Madison Medical Park." A list of proposed services can be seen on their site. No word yet on when the hospital will open, but hopefully it'll be soon-- an estimated 90,000 people now live in Western Madison County/East Limestone, which, if it were all incorporated as one city, would be the 5th largest in Alabama.

Side note- a Georgia developer last year proposed a 4-story medical office building next to the proposed hospital along 72. No word on if that's still going to happen.

Defense Aquisition University building CRP office

Defense Aquisition University, or DAU, will break ground in a couple of weeks on a new $12.3 million office building where classes will be held to train federal employees. The 50,000 sq. ft plus building will be located on Old Madison Pike, and will open late this year.

Catholic High breaking ground on new campus

Catholic High School (my alma mater) broke ground on their new campus off of Old Madison Pike today, five years after the school bought the 55-acre site from the UAH Foundation. The new campus will allow the school to have 400-600 students enrolled upon completion. The current campus, which opened in 1996 in a renovated office building in Research Park East with 40 students, is now at capacity with 320 students. Expected completion of the new school will be in mid-2010, with the construction of athletic fields coming later.

Go Falcons.

Park Tower "on hold indefinitely"

In another blow to downtown redevelopment, 200 Park Tower, a project that was to renovate the 9-story office building overlooking Big Spring Park, is now on hold indefinitely, due to a lawsuit filed in August of last year by a group of California investors against the local developers, Park Tower, LLC. The California investors, under the name San Francisco Residence Club (after an old hotel/hostel in the Nob Hill area in SF that seems to have closed a few years ago), claim to have invested $6 million in a ground lease on the building, according to court documents and the Huntsville Times.

The project was expected to begin this spring, but with no news about it in at least a year, I had little hope for it anyway.

Kroger planning new store at 72 and Nance

A reader's email I received last week prompted me to look at the parcel of land at the northeast corner of the intersection of Nance Road and 72 West. They wanted to know if I had heard anything about a new Kroger at the location, but I had not. Sure enough, here it is, hidden in a deed to Bank Independent (they're building a new branch here as well) on September 16, 2008:

"Owner of Lot 2... shall solicit approval from The Kroger Company for the development and operation of a new store (the 'Kroger Store') on parts of Lot 2."

Further on in the deed, there are signs that an announcement could happen by June 1st. By the way, "Lot 1" is the immediate corner of Nance and 72, and is where the Bank Independent branch will be built. The Kroger will be located right behind it on a part of "Lot 2."

As always, no lease has been signed, so nothing is official yet.

Watercress anchor: Earth Fare?

Yet another blurry site plan has come up, leading me to believe that Earth Fare, a North Carolina-based chain of organic grocery stores, could be another possible anchor tenant for the Watercress development, only adding to the confusion around the project. Until now, there have been rumors and speculation that Kroger would build a store here, with the only proof being a suspicious symbol on the City of Huntsville's development map.

Once again, this is only an educated guess from looking at the site plan above. All I know for sure is this: the words in the anchor tenant aren't "grocery store" or "Kroger." If you believe you have a better guess, feel free to comment.

The Huntsville Stimulus Package: $570 Million and Growing

The Huntsville Times in today's edition did a special report on Huntsville's wish list of projects included in a "Main Street Stimulus" plan created by the US Conference of Mayors. Huntsville alone has a total of $568,762,000 in projects on the list. And while most of it probably won't ever get the President's signature, it does give us a good look at the city's "wish list" of projects in the next couple of years.

For downtown, the city list includes three new parking garages, the Gateway Place senior housing facility in the former Councill Court area, and a "Courthouse Square Improvement Project." The list has revitalization projects (totaling $24.5M) in the Terry Heights and Lowe Mill neighborhoods, two inner west side areas that have been targeted for gentrification in recent years. It includes new parks, infrastructure improvements, and a grocery store/food co-op in Terry Heights.

And for whatever reason, either intentional or unintentional, the Times did not list any of the projects labeled as "Transit." So here they are:

• 15 new buses with alternative fuel capability: $3.75M (the city currently has 15 city buses, and has talked about replacing them gradually with biodiesel-powered buses)
  
• Replace the city's two trolley buses: $500,000
• Updated transit center message board: $15,000
• Bus camera systems for all 15 buses: $75,000
• Replace bus stops and system maps: $25,000
• 25 new bus shelters: $125,000

You can look at the complete list of projects for the city of Huntsville here.

And on a side note-- Edwardsville, Alabama (population 194 according to Census estimates) has a $375 million list of projects, ranging from $43,000 for solar panels on its city hall and senior center to $37 million for an "electric solar enhanced railroad line for support of local vineyards and tourism" that would dual as "transport for local schools."

Whether or not any of this money should come out of a stimulus package intended for rebuilding this nation's failing infrastructure, I'll leave that up to your own opinion.

Bridge Street plans another office tower

Now that the first 6-story office building is fully leased by defense contractor CSC (no telling what happened to the insurance and dentist offices that were originally planned to occupy space), the developers are now planning a second office tower similar to the first. There are a couple of possible locations for it, including next to the DSW and some vacant areas north of the lake.

The early Bridge Street plans called for at least 3 6-story office buildings.

2009 Development: A Look Ahead

So, now that the new year is here, what can we expect this year in developments? Here's a "brief" list of my predictions, moving roughly west to east for no reason:

• The "Water" mega-developments, Sweetwater and WaterStone- both of these projects are unrealistically large as proposed, especially in this economy. Expect them to be downsized. Sweetwater will become merely an outlet center, but Bass Pro Shops will remain. There's no way 2,700 single-family homes can be sold 25 miles away from Huntsville! Plus, that's just wasteful sprawl. WaterStone will probably keep much of its retail portion, but scrap its medical and some of its office plans, and hopefully some of its massive parking lots...
  
• Madison developments- Colonial Promenade (the Wal-Mart on 72 West) will definitely break ground early this year; Academy Sports could be announced as its secondary anchor. Madison Lakes and The Peaks are more iffy on their timelines, with both scheduled for "mid-2009."
• More on 72 West- Watercress will probably break ground on its apartment portion early this year, with the retail portion (a Kroger or other grocery-anchored shopping center) coming later. And will Providence residents get their urban-ish grocery store at long last-- will it be Whole Foods, EarthFare, or something different? And, more importantly, where's Mellow Mushroom!? Hopefully they'll stick to their April deadline.
  
• Research Park- More office developments, go figure. Phase II of Bridge Street, with a Sports Authority as an anchor, will at least partially open. Just to the south next to Redstone Arsenal, a hotel/office/retail project by mall developer Jim Wilson and Associates has a good chance of getting off the ground this year.
  
• Downtown/Center City- Hopefully 2009 will treat downtown much better than 2008. The height limits that have choked projects in the CBD will be eased/lifted, opening the door for several developments to get off the ground. If that happens, the plans for Constellation and Councill Court will become clearer, and some high-rises will be announced. A major VBC expansion/renovation project will begin in the spring. Also, expect more gentrification projects in the Lincoln, Merrimack, Lowe, and Five Points neighborhoods.
  
• East Huntsville- Probably the most frequently e-mailed question: What happened to Harris Hill- is it dead? No. It's not. A major tenant announcement could come early in the year just to keep nosy people like myself occupied, with construction starting in the fall at the earliest. And a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter at Shields and 72 will be "officially" announced.
  
• Metro-wide: A resurgence of Kroger. Dunkin Donuts returns to Huntsville after a decade-long absence. At least six new hotels.
  

2008 Development: A Look Back

Wow. That was one boring December. Few developments have come down the pipeline, save for a couple of small shopping centers and subdivisions... but nothing to write about. Despite the optimism expressed by government leaders and Realtors, the economic recession has hit Huntsville. But because of a strong start to the year, the total value of construction project start-ups in Madison County this year is on track to be comparable to (and even over) 2007's numbers (over $900 million), but the number of projects will be significantly lower, from 4,000 for each of the last two years to around 2,700. But there were some bright spots this year, as projects either finished-- like the Westin Huntsville, much of the airport expansion project, a medical office midrise in the Medical District, and three new Publix stores-- or just began construction, like Constellation and the Councill Court redevelopment. And more projects are expected to begin in 2009. More on those tomorrow. Happy New Year!

Entertainment center opening at Bridge Street

Bridge Street supposedly landed its newest tenant on Friday: The Station, a 28,000 sq. ft. family entertainment center, will be built on the north side of the development adjacent to the lake according to the Huntsville Times. It will have a 12 lane bowling alley, a restaurant/bar, arcade, billiards, and rollerball. It is scheduled to open in June or July of next year. The first location is supposedly opening soon near Cool Springs Galleria in Franklin, TN, according to a website posted in the comments section (see below). An official lease has still not been signed for the Bridge Street location.

Bridge Street developers talking about Phase III

Bridge Street's developers, Los Angeles-based O&S Holdings, are talking about Phase III of the Research Park mixed-use project. But Phase II's only announced tenant (Sports Authority) won't open for another year! An O&S spokesperson told The Times that the two additional tenants will be announced soon. As for phase III, plans are leaning toward a second hotel and more retail.

Battle Discusses Vision for Downtown

This is exactly what Huntsville needed-- a mayor who supports real downtown growth. Mayor Battle told a group of young professionals yesterday about a plan by the Huntsville Housing Authority to build townhomes and lofts that go for $600-1000 a month. You're probably asking, "Does this mean more public housing?" Not exactly. These new homes will probably be built on HHA-owned land (like Councill Court) by a company that specializes in affordable housing developments, like Philadelphia-based Pennrose Properties.

He also expressed support in relaxing the height limits (possibly for his "signature tower" he keeps talking about) and placing buffer zones between residential areas and the CBD.

Huntsville Times article

Watercress layout... and is that a Kroger logo?

I was looking at the City of Huntsville GIS Department's Development Map earlier today, and stumbled on this proposed layout of the commercial portion of the Watercress development at 72 West and Jeff Road. In the middle is what appears to be an outline of a shopping center. And in the middle of that is a big black blob. Now, I don't want to fuel any rumors here, but does that look like a Kroger logo to anyone else?

If you need a closer look, check out the development map for yourself at
http://www.hsvcity.com/gis/dev_map/development_map.pdf

Another Kroger being renovated

The Kroger at Drake Avenue and Memorial Parkway will be renovated, with work probably starting early next year. This will be the third Kroger in the area to be renovated in the past year. The most noticeable changes shoppers will see are expanded Nature's Market (organic), deli, bakery, and wine sections, plus a slightly new interior and exterior design.

Copeland's redevelopment on hold

Real estate company Crye-Leike has scrapped plans to build a 3-story office building on the site of the old Copeland's restaurant at the corner of Airport Road and South Parkway. The building would have housed the company's regional headquarters, and was part of what seemed to be an aggressive expansion into the Huntsville region. However, that expansion has been scaled back due to the housing slump, and the Copeland's site is now up for sale again. According to the Times, the site has "received a lot of interest from restaurant and hotel operators." We'll see about that.

Huntsville Hotel Boom Update, November 2008

Time for another update to the Huntsville Hotel Boom list. Once again, if I haven't heard any updates on a hotel proposal, I haven't changed it.

Madison:
Limited-service, extended stay hotel in WaterStone (proposed)
Best Western Inn and Suites (proposed)
La Quinta Inn and Suites (under construction, Late 2008 opening)
2 hotels at the DeBartolo development (proposed, possibly dead)
Hotel at Madison Lakes (proposed)
Comfort Inn and Suites (approved by planning board)

West Huntsville:
Cambria Suites (proposed)
Hyatt Place at Providence (delayed, possibly dead)
Hotel(s?) at Redstone Technology Park (proposed)
Sleep Inn and Suites (under construction, opening 2009)

South Huntsville/Hampton Cove:
Hampton Inn and Suites-Hampton Cove (under construction, early 2009 opening)
Possible hotel in Jones Valley (proposed)

East Huntsville:
Hotel in Harris Hill development (proposed)

Downtown:
Courtyard/Residence Inn by Marriott (under construction, 2009 opening)
Spring Hill Suites by Marriott (under construction, 2009 opening)
Holiday Inn replacement by John Q. Hammons (proposed)

Limestone County:
Hampton Inn and Suites- Athens (under construction, 2009 opening)
Hotel/convention center at Sweetwater development (approved, 2010/2011 opening)

The Peaks planning resurrection?

The Peaks at Southchase, a massive and somewhat controversial development at the intersection of Zierdt Road and I-565, is apparently moving along after almost a year of hearing nothing about the project. Plans still call for the 263-acre development to feature a "regional" lifestyle center along with offices and "possible" residential space. And even though there were rumors earlier this year that DeBartolo Development, one of the companies behind the project, was backing out, the plans are still on their website, though they are terribly out of date. The new planned groundbreaking date is July of next year.

DeBartolo Development's Project Website for the Peaks

VBC Expansion/Renovation Continues

The long-awaited $15 million expansion/renovation of the VBC Arena will begin this spring after the city council unanimously approved the proposal. The "new" arena will be called the Propst Arena, after the family that donated $5 million toward the project. The expansion includes more restrooms, a grill pub facing the Embassy Suites, and more luxury/sky boxes. Matheny and Goldmon Architects worked with Rosetti Architects out of Detroit for the design.

Huntsville Times article

A renovation of the concert hall was announced last month.

Councill Court demolition begins today

Councill Court, the 1950s-era public housing project near the public library on St. Clair Avenue, is finally about to see its demise. A partial demolition will start today to make way for a 4-story senior housing complex called Gateway Place (see rendering below). But this will only take up part (the area East of Gallatin Street) of the housing project's 13-acre footprint. The rest will be sold, hopefully to developers who could use the land (estimated at around $20 million) to bridge the gap between downtown and the Medical District. Some of the ideas being thrown around: more hotels, office space, and moderately-priced apartments/condos.


Another housing project might meet the wrecking ball soon. Sparkman Homes, a project you might know by its infamous former name Mason Court, is expected to be redeveloped as well. Its location on Holmes Avenue between UAH and downtown might make it a great spot for student apartments. (hint, hint?)

Huntsville Times