Big Development plans for Decatur (Birmingham, Huntsville: home, utilities, restaurants)

[AU HSV]

This is long overdue and could really transform Decaturs waterfront
https://www.waff.com/2023/03/22/upco...n-city-harbor/

[Rick In Madison]

New riverside development near Ingall’s Harbor.....and Decatur Utilities Dry Creek Wastewater treatment plant.

Quoting part of the cited article:
Architect John Chambless said sticking to what makes Decatur unique will be key in the design process.
“We have beautiful views, beautiful water, a lot of activity, and a lot of energy,” he said. “The idea here is to recapture that and reinforce it.”

We have beautiful views..... of the waste treatment plant.
We have beautiful water..... even without a waste treatment plant right next to it; this would be a stretch.
we have a lot of activity and a lot of energy..... okay, I'm good with this one.

If this was located further up river, maybe next to Rhodes Ferry Park then maybe the 'beautiful views' would be a little more true.

Just saying.

[AU HSV]

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - The Decatur City Council voted on Monday to approve a new riverside development near Ingalls Harbor.

At the Council meeting on April 17, a vote of 4-1 in the affirmative approved the future development.

The project is under development by Patrick Lawler, who built Guntersville’s City Harbor. City Harbor is home to restaurants, stores, and boat slips. City leaders in Guntersville say the development is a major economic driver.

The development will next go through an approval phase with the Tennessee Valley Authority following Council approval.

[johnsonkk]

Not sure this is part of the development phase but the mouth of Limestone along the Tennessee river has gators. This would be just a couple miles upstream (east) of Decatur. Also known as Limestone Bay.

https://whnt.com/news/athens/look-la...mestone-creek/

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Not sure this is part of the development phase but the mouth of Limestone along the Tennessee river has gators. This would be just a couple miles upstream (east) of Decatur. Also known as Limestone Bay.

https://whnt.com/news/athens/look-la...mestone-creek/

This is downriver - a LONG way downriver - from Limestone Creek. It's downriver from the triple Tennessee River bridges at Decatur.
This entire stretch of the Tennessee River and its backwaters has alligators, and have had since they were introduced in the 1970s to control the beaver population.
Generally if you make enough noise the gators want nothing to do with you. We have people walking and biking on the Point Mallard Park trails all the time and we haven't had a gator encounter.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Southlander

This is downriver - a LONG way downriver - from Limestone Creek. It's downriver from the triple Tennessee River bridges at Decatur.
This entire stretch of the Tennessee River and its backwaters has alligators, and have had since they were introduced in the 1970s to control the beaver population.
Generally if you make enough noise the gators want nothing to do with you. We have people walking and biking on the Point Mallard Park trails all the time and we haven't had a gator encounter.

I think I'd take beavers over alligators any day. Seems like a decision that's right up there with the introduction of kudzu.

[FTG-05]

There used to be a gator nest about a quarter mile in a creek SW of the NASA 4755 building on the MSFC.

My son and I saw a small gator in Lady Ann Lake. Both are about 4-5 miles north of the River.

As long as humans aren't feeding them, they usually aren't a problem for us.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by FTG-05

There used to be a gator nest about a quarter mile in a creek SW of the NASA 4755 building on the MSFC.

My son and I saw a small gator in Lady Ann Lake. Both are about 4-5 miles north of the River.

As long as humans aren't feeding them, they usually aren't a problem for us.

There's also one in the lake at Lake Forest.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by Rick In Madison

New riverside development near Ingall’s Harbor.....and Decatur Utilities Dry Creek Wastewater treatment plant.

Quoting part of the cited article:
Architect John Chambless said sticking to what makes Decatur unique will be key in the design process.
“We have beautiful views, beautiful water, a lot of activity, and a lot of energy,” he said. “The idea here is to recapture that and reinforce it.”

We have beautiful views..... of the waste treatment plant.
We have beautiful water..... even without a waste treatment plant right next to it; this would be a stretch.
we have a lot of activity and a lot of energy..... okay, I'm good with this one.

If this was located further up river, maybe next to Rhodes Ferry Park then maybe the 'beautiful views' would be a little more true.

Just saying.

No question.

It's like this. Every city has a 'wrong side of the tracks', whether it's a separate city or just an area. New York has Newark. South Birmingham/Hoover/etc. has North Birmingham/Bessemer. Huntsville has Decatur.

[Rick In Madison]

Had dinner at Big Mike's located at City Harbor in Guntersville last night. This was the first time I visited and my wife's second or third time. I would recommend it if you want a casual night and an opportunity to have dinner on the lake. Has the added benefit of not being next to a waste treatment facility too!!