Finally! Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville will open this week!

It has been about two years since O&S Holding, out of California, started the enormous undertaking that is Bridge Street Town Centre and here we are, in 2007, only days away from it's Grand Opening. Grand is probably an understatement for what is sure to be an experience few people in the South have been around. Bridge Street is bound to be a huge draw for people that in years past have opted to travel to Birmingham or Nashville in search of a "shopping experience" and could possibly draw more young professionals to Huntsville. A link of all the stores opening over the course of the weekend and scheduled activities are posted on their website.

Bridge Street Town Centre

Sellers get creative......

I recently read an article on realestatejournal.com that discussed the lengths sellers are going to in order to get their home sold in today's "slowing" real estate market. Sellers are offering agents with buyers incentives ranging from gift cards to one seller who offered a paid lease on a new BMW! Here in Huntsville, AL the market is still relatively healthy so we have not experienced anything like this. Does anyone have any stories or experiences of sellers offering unusual or clever incentives to get their house sold? Also, could these incentives lead some agents to favor one home over another that better fit their buyer's needs? Here is the article

Huntsville expecting "Apartment Boom"

An apartment survey in Huntsville and Madison markets show significant growth in the next few years. Over 4,200 new apartments are "in the pipe line" to be constructed although some developments are speculative. A few apartment development include the 372-unit Ashbury Woods, luxury apartments on Zierdt Road, Brook Haven, and a 63-unit low-income housing tax credit property on Meridian Street. Click below to read the whole article.

Apartment Boom Article

Huntsville earns high rating from Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

Mayor Loretta Spencer announced at a press conference held May 9, that the City of Huntsville was granted a Aa1 credit rating by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. This is the highest rating the city can achieve. conservative budgeting and sound fiscal management were cited by Moody's as the basis for this upgrade. Only a few mid-sized cities have achieved an Aa1 rating. "The benefit to Huntsville is that the interest rate on city debt is lower, so more tax revenue can be used for public services. In addition this outside evaluation can give Huntsville residents and business a high degree of confidence in the financial management of the city which helps insure stability in the services the city provides." - Denise Taylor, Director of Public Communications.

Arts stroll returns Downtown

The Sidewalk Arts Stroll is back

The popular Thursday evening visual- and performing-arts bazaar that invaded the Courthouse Square three times last summer will be back up for five strolls throughout this summer.

An addition to this year's strolls, though, is a featured artist and performer for each evening throughout the summer.

Check out the website for a schedule and hope to see you there!

Kiplinger.com Ranks Huntsville as one of it's "Best Cities for Mid-Level Professionals"

I posted the write-up on Huntsville but you can click the link below to read the entire article.....

"Best cities for Mid-level Professionals"

"Huntsville is a small city that's big on charm. The people are friendly, the tea is sweet, and the city is welcoming to newcomers. Downtown, boutiques and cafés line the streets, Big Spring Park hosts arts and music festivals, and Cook Avenue has a farmers' market. And in the summer, the 110-acre Huntsville Botanical Garden hosts concerts.

Home to NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville has a growing creative economy that's technology-centered, with a focus on aerospace and defense. Boeing and Raytheon are joined by tech giants Northrop Grumman and LG Electronics. The city is home to the second-largest research-and-technology park in the U.S. and has the highest per-capita ratio of engineers in the country.

Job opportunities are plentiful. And with a cost of living 8% below the national average, setting up shop won't break the bank. Housing costs alone could draw professionals from across the country -- mortgage payments here rival rents in larger metro areas." -- Jessica L. Anderson

Project to pump $150M into heart of Huntsville

Huntsville developer Scott McClain has announced his plans for the former site of the Market Square shopping center, originally the Heart of Huntsville mall. The $150 million project will be called Constellation, after Huntsville's space heritage, and will feature two 160-room hotels, 60,000 square feet of office space, several restaurants, a high-rise apartment or condominium complex and a multideck parking garage surrounded by 40,000 square feet of retail space. Construction could begin in the fall, with completion in about two or three years. Click on the link for more information and we will try to update with a picture in the future.

Click here to read the article from the Huntsville Times