Downtown site open to development

Proposals sought for 2.6 acres at Holmes, Jefferson

The City of Huntsville has a downtown site it wants developed into a "signature" mixed-use building that could dominate the skyline.

A legal notice this week solicits proposals from would-be developers.

The 2.6-acre site at the northwest corner of Holmes Avenue and Jefferson Street is now a city parking lot. The property is across the street from the Siniard Timberlake and League law firm and is often used as a staging area for the annual Whistlestop Barbecue Festival.

City Planning Director Dallas Fanning said Thursday several investors had expressed interest in the site so Mayor Tommy Battle asked the planning department to issue a formal request for proposals.

"We're just seeing if there's any interest out there in the development community," Fanning said. Interested parties have until April 20 to submit their bids.

Fanning said the city envisions a major building that would bring vibrancy to downtown.

"We would prefer to see retail office and residential. That's a preference. The market might dictate something else," Fanning said. "We'll see what the response is."

Fanning said a parking garage would probably be part of the deal, although it remains unclear whether the developer would build it or the city would build the garage and lease the air space above for development.

City leaders have been trying over the years to increase commerce downtown to keep the city core from drying up as it has in many cities. Several private developers have led the way, opening restaurants in and around the courthouse square, renovating old department stores into condos, and filling in some gaps with renovated office buildings. City investments in Big Spring Park, downtown streets and other improvements have helped promote such growth.

The economic downturn threatens much of that momentum. Just recently, a proposed six-story city parking garage off Lincoln Street was shelved, killing an attached condominium development that would have accompanied it. The project was scuttled amid controversy over a downtown building height limit that threatened to reduce the development to four stories.

The City Planning Department has since begun taking steps to remove the overall 10-story, 150-foot limit for core downtown and set two- and four-story height limits only on buildings adjacent neighborhoods.

Randy Schrimsher, the would-be developer of the Lincoln project, said Thursday that he remains open to renegotiating the condo portion to four stories, but six would be better to make the units more affordable.

Schrimsher said landing a major building for the Holmes-Jefferson site may be challenging given today's economic climate.

"I've heard there are some developers interested. I hope so. Wouldn't it be great?" Schrimsher said.