Downtown (store, square, hardware)

[HsvMike]

I think everyone did get off on a tangent a little. When I first moved here, I was stunned to go downtown and see it was like a ghost town on a Saturday afternoon. Basically the only store open in the square was Harrison Brothers Hardware store.

The first thing Hsv needs to do is get all of the Law offices out of the square. I know it is convenient for the lawyers to be right across the street but it is horrible for the city. Someone brought up bookstores which is a very good idea around there, more specialty shops, and definitely more places to eat.

Hsv has to make it appealing for people to come downtown, and then once they are downtown have enough things to keep them there. It isn't going to be Michigan Ave., but an effort has to be made.

As far as crime, while there is some here, it is not that bad IMO. I am from the Chicago area. The first time I came down to here to visit and I went past some public housing, I couldnt beleive it. Yards kept up, clothes hanging on lines, no graffiti, even lawn decorations. In Chicago, if someone hung up their clothes on a line, as soon as they walked inside, all of it would be gone. While crime will exist everywhere, it could be a lot worse.

Hsv is a great area, I chose here over Florida and Arizona. It says alot that people care enough to want to rejuvenate an area, instead of just give up on it. The desegregation order does need to be lifted. I wasn't here when it was in place, or alive for that matter, but I am sure they needed it then. But now they don't. It is bad that schools sit half empty all over Huntsville and parents take their kids past neighborhood schools to take them to a school that is overcrowded. It doesn't make any sense.

And now I got off the subject too. Sorry.

[Reactionary]

Originally Posted by HsvMike

get all of the Law offices out of the square

I mostly agree, but the offices saved downtown after the collapse of downtown retail (IIRC in the 70s); even now, offices are what keeps downtown going.

I would love to see the Courthouse torn down and the roads around the square closed and turn it all into green space then rezone the square into a entertainment / retail district. I really enjoy areas like Georgetown and 18th Street (WDC), French Quarter and Magazine Street (NOLA), Seville Quarter (Pensacola), &c: I'd love to see downtown transformed into something like that.

But it looks like the Heart of Huntsville / Market Square / Constellation development will take care of downtown entertainment (and probably discourage retail around the square).

[Waldo13]

I agree that there needs to be some affordable housing in the area to get the younger people into the city. Who goes out with friends the most the younger crowd bring them they bring their friends and they take them to that bar down the road or that cafe with the small live acoustic sets, etc. If you build it they will come I guess that applies more so here than anywhere.

[Charles]

I was watching this


YouTube - 1975 News Report- Elvis Arrives at Huntsville


and they mentioned a Hilton downtown Huntsville, this is now the Holiday Inn Select. This is the story of Elvis opening the VBC for its grand opening in 1975. They also mentioned Highway 20 I guess because the 565 wasn't built yet.

[deesonic]

Originally Posted by A&M Bulldawg

Huntsville needs a taller downtown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! You really meant that. Shhh.... You'll wake up the mayor.

Charles, you've been on a dead thread revival of late.

[prden]

Would love to see the Courthouse go and see downtown come alive--day and night. Residential, retail--Huntsville needs it all. I doubt we'll see that happen. Maybe "downtown" will move West a little with Constellation? And yes, limits need to be lifted on highrises.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by deesonic

Even Chattanooga has remade it's downtown and many of it's surrounding neighborhoods to make it a great mid-size city. Why shouldn't Huntsville work to revitalize it's downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

Here are a couple shots of the streetscape just south of the Aquarium.

[prden]

Just think--something like this COULD happen in Huntsville. Will people support downtown retail? How about downtown housing? What could be done to make downtown the heart of Huntsville like every vibrant city I know of?

[mimpdaddy]

Huntsville is already perfect.

[prden]

I love Huntsville but would love it so much more if it had a vibrant downtown. Bridgestreet is really nice but it seems artificial. How about a REAL downtown?