HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Big changes are headed to Huntsville!
Mayor Tommy Battle on Monday shared the city's fast-track to growth and development with his annual 'state of the city address. He gives a snapshot of where the city stands.
“2020 Census places Huntsville as the largest city in the state. We’ve grown nearly 20% in the last ten years. But as I’ve said many, many times, I don’t want to be the biggest, we want to be the best,” said City of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.
The Rocket City’s demographic is also shifting.
“The Census shows the biggest demographic growth is our Hispanic community, and it’s a segment of our city that we’re working hard to partner with.”
Battle also said more millennials are headed to Huntsville. More than 51% of people ages 18 to 44 make up the city.
And the Rocket City’s reputation for space and exploration just got bigger.
“We were surprised that Huntsville Redstone Arsenal was selected from sites expanding 24 states as a new headquarter for U.S. Space Command," said Battle. "That move is expected to bring 1,500 jobs and the prestige that goes along with it.”
Residential structures are also on the rise. Battle said altogether, it's a $400 million investment, with half of them currently under construction during the pandemic.
“In the early years, it was about a vision about what Huntsville could become. The city we wanted to grow into. We’ve might have grown into it,” added Battle.
Those cranes you see in the sky across Huntsville are part of the growth you’ll see over the next several years.
“New developments are everywhere,” said Battle.
If you look around, you’ll see construction on every corner. “Beach company project on Governor’s Drive, to the Gateway to EUL expansion, and HudsonAlpha’s groundbreaking, for 90,000 square feet for its Discovery Life Sciences Global Headquarters at Cummings Research Park.”
“With the mixed-use office and residential components at MidCity which will build another $380 million dollars this year.”
“The city helped facilitate and urban redevelopment to repurpose Old Builders site on North Parkway.”
Huntsville City Schools is included in this plan.
“The new school offices will be built there along with other offices and retail components.”
“Cecil Ashburn, and soon Research Park Boulevard. The orange barrels you see around today represent another $200 million of road work and there’s much more to come.”
Battle says in the next ten years our city would see a total of one billion dollars invested in our roadways. “This is for our city council right here, we have milled, we have repaved, we have fixed those dreaded potholes”
Battle says infrastructure includes fast access to internet and adds Huntsville is marked the 12th city for fastest internet in the U.S.
“Our gig city initiative provided residents with super-fast internet, something I believe was essential in our ability to manage through the pandemic,” said
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