Huntsville/Madison Development News (Birmingham, Mobile: groups, daughter, include)

[RocketDawg]

According to the Huntsville Development Review (https://maps.huntsvilleal.gov/permitstats/), there were only 2 building permits for individual homes in the City of Huntsville, and none for multi-family residences, for the first week in January. Are things slowing down here? There were 339 single family permits in 2021, so we have some catching up to do.

[Colin24816]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

Bet the state loves this, they do nothing to force communities to do something. If we want it done we will have to pay for it.
https://www.al.com/news/2022/01/hunt...s-program.html

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley and Madison County Commission Chair Dale Strong said the funding arrangement with the Alabama Department of Transportation would be for well more than $500 million that would be divided between state money and the three local governments.

According to the local leaders, discussions are continuing about what percentage the state would cover along with the local governments. The objective is for Huntsville area road projects to climb to the top of ALDOT’s priority list due to the funding being made available by local governments.

Mayor Battle said the details of the negotiations are still ongoing.

“We may be 60/40, we might be 70/30,” Battle said of possible funding splits with the state. “But we’re going to put in more (money) than most communities would just to get a priority on the road packages.”

The seven road projects under consideration:

I-565 interchange at Memorial Parkway
Widening I-565 through Madison
Widening state Highway 53 to four lanes to Old Railroad Bed Road in north Madison County
Widening U.S. Highway 72 in western Madison County
Extending I-565 over Chapman Mountain and past Shields Road
Resolute Way as a connector from Madison Boulevard to Redstone Arsenal
Southern arsenal access road from I-565 running parallel to Memorial Parkway

A road project being funded by the gas tax.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Governor Kay Ivey announced the projects that will be financed by the Alabama Transportation Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II) in 2022 on Wednesday.

More than $40 million will be used this year to fund road and bridge projects across the state. 32 projects were chosen for funding by ATRIP-II and some of those projects are occurring in Colbert, Lauderdale, Limestone and Madison counties.
Madison County was awarded $1.350 million to widen U.S. Highway 431 from east of Franklin Street to east of Bassett Street(1,600 feet).

I would think that federal highway funds would be involved to a large degree with I-565 and Memorial Pkwy. If so, that should minimize what Huntsville, Madison and Madison County would have to pay out.
It has been several years since I saw the percentages that government entities have to pay in matching funds, but I think interstates were around 80 to 90% federal with the balance being Aldot and/or local government. Maybe the percentages are closer to 60 or 75% matching.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

Not too surprising, funding and time may be an issue with the land. Housing is a good investment, zoo not so much. Hope its able to happen but a long road ahead.

LIMESTONE CO., Ala. (WAFF) - The North Alabama Zoological Society announced plans to buy two properties for a zoo and research site, and that proposed research site may not even happen. Both of these properties together are going to cost around $11 million.

North Alabama Zoological Society Executive Director Ethan Woodruff says the research site has caught the eye of developers who want to put homes there instead, and the owner is being pressured to sell it. Meanwhile, the zoological society doesn’t have the money to purchase it right now.

Woodruff says the proposed research site itself would be $4 million, which the zoological society does not have. Now, they need the public’s help with financial support if they want to buy that land that would be used for growing food for the zoo, summer camps, STEM activities and more.

WAFF asked about the additional $7 million needed for the actual zoo site and Woodruff says, they don’t have that either. But, he says they feel a lot more confident about purchasing that land.

Zoo project gets some help...

https://www.waff.com/2022/01/21/nort...-contribution/

[OldTownHuntsville]

It will be located on Burgreen Road in Limestone County according to WHNT 19 News.

[OldTownHuntsville]

Interesting article about the Zoo and the future of the land around it.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lansi...190000061.html

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by OldTownHuntsville

Interesting article about the Zoo and the future of the land around it.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lansi...190000061.html

That is a puff piece if there ever was one. The word tremendous was used at least once. The total cost wasn’t mentioned nor was any timeline. Although the corporate backing was described without mentioning any other properties the company actually developed.

[Chris_NorthHSV]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

That is a puff piece if there ever was one. The word tremendous was used at least once. The total cost wasn’t mentioned nor was any timeline. Although the corporate backing was described without mentioning any other properties the company actually developed.

I tried to go to their website but my anti-virus software told me it was dangerous so I didn't.
Anybody know what they've developed?

Seems to me like another developer trying to get into the area to build homes/apartments and this might be their way to get into the market with prime land off of I-65. The article said something like 40% of the land would be for the Zoo and I'm guessing the other ~60% will be for commercial development and housing/hotels.

[cooldiver]

Originally Posted by Chris_NorthHSV

I tried to go to their website but my anti-virus software told me it was dangerous so I didn't.
Anybody know what they've developed?

Seems to me like another developer trying to get into the area to build homes/apartments and this might be their way to get into the market with prime land off of I-65. The article said something like 40% of the land would be for the Zoo and I'm guessing the other ~60% will be for commercial development and housing/hotels.

Now this finally makes sense. It is really a large development that might have a zoo attached. Remember that this zoo society is barely two years old, and plans to raise tens of millions of dollars.

And that widely publicized million dollar pledge - well it is from the developers.

Call me cynical, but I see this going down the path of DreamVision and going nowhere. It only makes sense if the state supports it, and what's the point of that when Birmingham already has a great zoo?

[MisterEd51]

Originally Posted by cooldiver

Now this finally makes sense. It is really a large development that might have a zoo attached. Remember that this zoo society is barely two years old, and plans to raise tens of millions of dollars.

And that widely publicized million dollar pledge - well it is from the developers.

Call me cynical, but I see this going down the path of DreamVision and going nowhere. It only makes sense if the state supports it, and what's the point of that when Birmingham already has a great zoo?

Nobody has said that a Zoo in Huntsville would have to be as big as the one in Birmingham. Tennessee has 12 zoos and aquariums. Even Chattanooga which is smaller than Huntsville has a small but nice zoo. If they can come up with the finances for a Huntsville Zoo I say go for it.

[harry chickpea]

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

Nobody has said that a Zoo in Huntsville would have to be as big as the one in Birmingham. Tennessee has 12 zoos and aquariums. Even Chattanooga which is smaller than Huntsville has a small but nice zoo. If they can come up with the finances for a Huntsville Zoo I say go for it.

If it weren't cruel and unusual, I would suggest a section of the zoo be set aside for disgraced and imprisoned Alabama politicians. Even if it wasn't used, it would be at least SOME deterrent to keep them on the straight and narrow. Maybe it could be right next to the exhibit of wild hogs...