Where is all the infill development?

[garrettmd08 0]

I noticed huntsville's streetscape does not have a lot of infill housing development. I think infills help any city and would help huntsville define itself as a city and not a giant suburban strip mall oasis.

[rnc 0]

I noticed huntsville's streetscape does not have a lot of infill housing development. I think infills help any city and would help huntsville define itself as a city and not a giant suburban strip mall oasis.

[3rdGenHuntsvillian 0]

I don't think there is any incentive for developers to infill. The land is cheaper on the edges of town and it's not a hassle to drive out there.

[jmanhsv 0]

I think Huntsville's done fairly well with landing attractive and successful development in its urban areas, with the exception of the CBD and its ongoing height limit debate. Examples: Parkway Place, The Fountain, and Constellation (whenever that gets off the ground). Granted, it still has a long way to go in some areas, especially in the north and west parts of the city. Not saying those areas are bad, but there has been more infill to the south and east.

And yes, it saddens me when I see a developer waste land in the suburbs on a sprawling development while the land could have been put to better use... This is especially true out in Research Park, where there are all those massive 2-story office buildings where if the developers had built taller buildings, they could have been able to squeeze more office space, which means more tenants and more money for the developers. I saw a planned office development on the web the other day- six one-story office buildings and four two-story buildings. Two seven-story buildings would have done just as well. And they would look much better, especially compared to the current design which looks like EVERY OTHER BUILDING IN THE CITY. Sounds like lazy designing to me.

[rnc 0]

This is especially true out in Research Park, where there are all those massive 2-story office buildings where if the developers had built taller buildings, they could have been able to squeeze more office space, which means more tenants and more money for the developers. I saw a planned office development on the web the other day- six one-story office buildings and four two-story buildings. Two seven-story buildings would have done just as well. And they would look much better, especially compared to the current design which looks like EVERY OTHER BUILDING IN THE CITY. Sounds like lazy designing to me.

[rnc 0]

I don't think there is any incentive for developers to infill. The land is cheaper on the edges of town and it's not a hassle to drive out there.

[garrettmd08 0]

Huntsville leaders needs to seriously look at the greenville-spartenburg area. Both cities espescially greenville are very similar to huntsville. Greenville has done a lot in efforts to slow down sprawl and their downtown is amazing. they have many mill villages like huntsville finding effective uses for them. Huntsville should definately model itself to become something similar

[kayman 0]

Huntsville leaders needs to seriously look at the greenville-spartenburg area. Both cities espescially greenville are very similar to huntsville. Greenville has done a lot in efforts to slow down sprawl and their downtown is amazing. they have many mill villages like huntsville finding effective uses for them. Huntsville should definately model itself to become something similar

[gman430 705]

Huntsville leaders needs to seriously look at the greenville-spartenburg area. Both cities espescially greenville are very similar to huntsville. Greenville has done a lot in efforts to slow down sprawl and their downtown is amazing. they have many mill villages like huntsville finding effective uses for them. Huntsville should definately model itself to become something similar

[internerdj 0]

At quick glance it looks like a larger scale version of Providence.

Our issue in Huntsville is land outside the city is very cheap, but we don't have the money to keep up with transportation. Nearly every outskirt area is underserved in that respect. Our main thoroughfair to the east side of town is tenatively on the schedule sometime this half of the century, but it is already both overcrowded during rush hour(sometime doubling normal travel times) and the source of many automobile accidents because it wasn't designed to handle the traffic volume it has.

Also adding to the problem, the outskirts are also underserved by retail so everyone has to drive in to town for many of their necessities.

[garrettmd08 0]

Well, the incentive is for a better community in the long haul. The city gives every incentive in the book for suburban developments, but seems to throw fits every time a development is proposed downtown.[/quote

i agree huntsville's sprawl is rediculous, whats even worse about the situation is there is a lot of land in the inner city. I know its cheaper to build on the outskirts, but if huntsville doesn't find an effective way of accomidating growth the city will pay for there mistakes later. Its not that hard to build effectively in the inner city, cities are doing it all over the country. As fast as huntsville is growing there should be way more infills.

[garrettmd08 0]

Interesting post seeing how I live in Greenville. I don't know what development is going on in Huntsville, but do they have something like this in the works currently or under construction: http://www.verdaedevelopment.com/ If not then they should.

[3rdGenHuntsvillian 0]

Just curious, what areas do you think are good candidates for infill?

[garrettmd08 0]

Just curious, what areas do you think are good candidates for infill?

[3rdGenHuntsvillian 0]

Hmmm... I guess I don't really know what you mean by "infill". There isn't a bunch of empty land in those areas for development. And even if there were, I doubt those areas are very attractive to potential developers...

[garrettmd08 0]

Hmmm... I guess I don't really know what you mean by "infill". There isn't a bunch of empty land in those areas for development. And even if there were, I doubt those areas are very attractive to potential developers...

[internerdj 0]

Its almost like Huntsville is a high tech city build on ancient ruins, except the ruins inhabitants are still here making the policies. Plenty of people resent Huntsville's growth, which is very, very sad.