A Bigger and Batter Downtown for Madison (Huntsville, Redstone Arsenal: contractors, to live)

[friday13]

Originally Posted by DvlsAdvc8

Madison is getting a downtown ballpark too?

Yes, and the Coca-Cola bottling line from Hsv will be turned into a Coca-Cola Museum in Madison >>> there, Madison is the next Atlanta ! And when we get the Olympics in 2028 Hsv will truly be a suburb of Madison. Eat your heart out.

[deesonic]

Originally Posted by djmaxwell

With the state that Huntsville's downtown is in, I'd suggest that Colfax is as much, if not more of, a downtown area for Aurora than anything that Huntsville has.

As for identification, I didn't consider myself to be a Denverite. When out of state, I may have stated I was from Denver for simplicity, but that was for the benefit of the other person. Aurora is much more than a bedroom community. It has plenty of industry to set it apart from Denver. I didn't get over to Denver all that often.

Now, to Madison, I know of many long time residents who see the two cities as very separate. They remember when there was a great deal of space between the two. For those of us who are relative newcomers where the two have run into each other, this seems like no big deal.

Although I think you may just be debating with me for the sake of doing so, I'll play along. What Aurora has for a downtown (Colfax Ave) amounts to University Drive in Huntsville. Basically, Aurora has a loose central business district, but not a downtown in the traditional sense. Heck, Aurora isn't even the seat of Arapahoe County, so all the government offices are primarily in Littleton. Aurora exists because of Denver. It's a very large bedroom community. No debate.

Like Aurora to Denver, Madison is what it is because of Huntsville and Redstone Arsenal. True, once upon a time there was lots of space between the two. Suburbs often arise out of small towns, not simply out of thin air. Yes, Madison had a separate identity ONCE UPON A TIME back maybe 25 years ago when it was a primarily agricultural town and it's population was still fairly organic and only 4000 strong. But now it's truly a suburb of Huntsville. Where do residents of Madison work? Primarily RSA or Research Park, not in Madison.

I understand the city of Madison wants to enhance its retail base. Most Madison folks shop in Huntsville who in turn claims most of the retail tax dollars. Even much of the retail along Highway 72 that seems like it's in Madison is actually in Huntsville city limits.

However, I can offer at least one fairly close suburban city I can think of that has done a good job with creating an identity of its own with a nice central business district that could be considered a decent downtown. That would be Homewood, just south of Birmingham. I particularly like the "SoHo" district they've created down there with lofts and shopping.

[djmaxwell]

Originally Posted by deesonic

Although I think you may just be debating with me for the sake of doing so, I'll play along. What Aurora has for a downtown (Colfax Ave) amounts to University Drive in Huntsville. Basically, Aurora has a loose central business district, but not a downtown in the traditional sense. Heck, Aurora isn't even the seat of Arapahoe County, so all the government offices are primarily in Littleton. Aurora exists because of Denver. It's a very large bedroom community. No debate.

Not really debating for the sake of it, I just think we have different views of Aurora and really the entire Denver metro area. As this is the Huntsville forum, I say we agree to disagree and move on. Nobody is going to die over differing views of Aurora.

As far as Madison goes, I agree that it has turned into a bedroom community for Huntsville. My point was that there are residents who still have a strong identity with their city.

I would agree as well with another poster that downtowns can't really be created. They tend to grow naturally.

[CharlotteRJ]

Originally Posted by djmaxwell

I would agree as well with another poster that downtowns can't really be created. They tend to grow naturally.

How? In many places, a downtown *can't* grow naturally. Not a downtown the way we'd recognize it, anyway. Localities often have zoning laws for setback, parking, etc. that virtually guarantee that any new building is a little island in a big parking lot, completely non-conducive to a real, thriving downtown environment.

Downtowns rely on infrastructure. And infrastructure is planned.

[Wandering_Missourian]

Madison is an old rail depot turned into suburbs... good luck into "turning" it into something it is not. However, long term I think you'll probably see redevelopment in the old downtown area. There is actually a lot of open space there, so it is doable. To find a decent example of a nice downtown, you have to drive 30 miles to Fayetteville, Tennessee. The town was quite well off in 1900... and then frozen in time as its economy shrank. The invention of the car didn't get the chance to destroy the fabric of the town. Too bad Madison has very little to build on when it comes to well-laid street grids.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Wandering_Missourian

To find a decent example of a nice downtown, you have to drive 30 miles to Fayetteville, Tennessee.

Street view:

coffee - Google Maps

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by Wandering_Missourian

To find a decent example of a nice downtown, you have to drive 30 miles to Fayetteville, Tennessee.

Perhaps Main Street in Hartselle, Alabama?

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by deesonic

...Madison had a separate identity ONCE UPON A TIME...

Well...I say there is still a separate identity. Tell Madison residents their water will be cheaper if they become part of Huntsville and see what kind of separate identity arises .

[deesonic]

Alright...well let's take away all the jobs at Huntsville's Research Park and Redstone Arsenal and all the associated government contractors in Huntsville and see how long Madison lasts. Since I don't work in that industry, I may be okay. I'll be squatting in one of those former $350K starter homes in Madison.

[friday13]

Originally Posted by deesonic

Alright...well let's take away all the jobs at Huntsville's Research Park and Redstone Arsenal and all the associated government contractors in Huntsville and see how long Madison lasts. Since I don't work in that industry, I may be okay. I'll be squatting in one of those former $350K starter homes in Madison.

They will all work at the largest employer in Madison - Intergraph
Madison, Alabama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia