2014-2015 Chamber of Commerce Guide to Huntsville by Kimberly Ballard at KimberlyWritesCreative, LLC

2014-2015 GUIDE

A PUBLICATION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

huntsville/madison county schools

From Preschool to Institutes of Higher Learning, Huntsville Has the Smarts!

R By Kimberly Ballard

Residential realtors throughout Madison County agree that quality and accessibility to good schools are the foremost considerations for newcomers relocating to Huntsville and the surrounding area. “Engineering drives Huntsville’s economic development,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “We have the highest per capita concentration of engineers in the country at two times the national average, and our background in technology brings engineers to Huntsville.” With that many smart people moving here, providing a quality education for their kids is mandatory and all three—Huntsville City Schools, Madison County Schools, and Madison City Schools—live up to expectations. Huntsville/Madison County have three of the top ranked high schools in the state of Alabama: Number 7 ranked Virgil Grissom High School located in South Huntsville; #8 ranked New Century Technology High School located in the heart of downtown;

Groundbreaking ceremony for the new Huntsville City Schools’ Jemison-McNair Campus in northwest Huntsville.

son County Schools, Buckhorn, Hazel Green, and Sparkman High Schools also rank above the national average in college preparedness according to the same report. Approved for a combined capital plan to bring $297 million in new and renovated schools to Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County in late 2013, $147 million of that commitment comes from Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) funds. The remaining $150 million comes from capital funds invested by the school districts. Of the $147 million, Huntsville received $64.7 million; Madison County received $55.9 million; and Madison City Schools, $26.4 million. HUNTSVILLE CITY SCHOOLS

and #10 ranked Bob Jones High School in the city of Madison. All three join Columbia High School located in Cummings Research Park (CRP), and Huntsville High School in maintaining college readiness scores above the national average according to U.S. News & World Report. Furthermore, out of five Madi22

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The Huntsville City School System consists of 24 elementary schools; four magnet schools for elementary, middle and high school students; 11 middle schools; and seven high schools. “Working in the school system anywhere is a lot of responsibility but you have to do your homework, think things through,

make a case for why what you are proposing is better than doing nothing, or continuing whatever was done before,” said Huntsville City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Casey Wardynski. The superintendent is rightfully proud that the Huntsville School System is ranked in the country’s biggest 100. “To put it into perspective, Kansas City has 18,000 kids; Huntsville has 24,000. New York has eight million. Chicago, 800,000,” said Wardynski. “With the money to build new schools, we are renovating, building, and even replacing some structures while at the same time, retiring 700,000 square feet of overly large schools, replacing them with right size schools.” According to Wardynski, the days when sales, property and income taxes funded smaller class sizes, more tutors and remediation is gone, therefore the school system has to be more effective. “In business, when technology took hold, we redesigned our work habits so we are always engaged, never really disconnected from work; but with kids, when the bell rings, it is over. We needed to make

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

facilities to keep up with BRAC-related student growth; $46 million of those funds are earmarked for a new high school in Monrovia, a highly developed area located adjacent to CRP, and scheduled to open in 2017. MADISON CITY SCHOOLS

Jullian Boles, a 2nd grader at Goldsmith Schiffman Elementary works with her iPad. Behind her is Garett Riley.

better use of our 5½ hours of academic daytime.” He said Huntsville City Schools are the only fully digital system in the country. “We have 20,000 laptop computers for third through twelfth graders and 6,000 iPads for pre-K through second graders to take home. Homework is now graded digitally, so teachers can focus on creating higher-level strategies for students, who for instance, are struggling with math or having problems in other areas. That makes teachers more effective.” MADISON COUNTY SCHOOLS The Madison County School System is one of the largest in the state. When families from major metropolitan cities relocate to Huntsville, they often choose quieter, suburban parts of the City in which to settle. To live “out in the county” rarely requires more than a 17-minute drive into the city for work or school. Madison County Schools focus on technology and on expanding the district’s career technical programs and pre-kindergarten curricula. The County learned last year that it was receiving $55.9 million for new and expanded

The Madison City School system is one of the fastest growing in the state serving nearly 10,000 students. After separating from the Madison County School System in 1998, it consists of two high schools, two middle schools, and seven elementary schools, with an operating budget of $60 million. Madison is an affluent suburban community linked to Huntsville via Cummings Research Park, where a vast majority of the residents work in highly technical jobs with companies likes SCI, Intergraph, Boeing, NASA and the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command. Nearly 70 percent of Madison residents hold bachelor’s or advanced degrees, so they demand excellence in education for

Hazel Green band performs at halftime at Madison City Stadium.

their children. Test scores on national standardized tests are above the national average at all Madison schools; and they have active support for school functions and activities including theatre, music, and sports; and parents actively participating in booster clubs, PTA, and school volunteer programs. PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Pre-K students at Rainbow Elementary School in Madison. The school district, which received a grant this month from the state for a new pre-K classroom, is moving all of its pre-K students to a central location in a former day care center near Rainbow Elementary this fall.

There are currently 53 private schools of varying grade levels and curriculum in Madison County. According to the Huntsville Madison Private Schools Association that represents over 20 private, religiously affiliated, or independent schools in Huntsville and Madison, private schools provide a variety of education alternatives, including day care, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten through grade 12. Most people see the private school alternative as offering smaller class sizes to ensure

Contributed by Madison City Schools

Eighty-two students graduated during Randolph School’s Commencement Exercises on the Garth Campus Saturday, May 24, 2014.

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huntsville/madison county schools

Morton Hall at University of Alabama in Huntsville.

a greater degree of individual attention; they demand a higher level of academic performance; and they usually promote moral values and discipline in a strict atmosphere. Many of Madison County’s private schools also address learning disabilities such as the Greengate School for Dyslexia and the Rise School for developmental disabilities; faith-based preferences like Covenant Classical School; and even programs for troubled teens like Pinnacle School’s Elk River Treatment Program. Most of Madison County’s private school environments also provide secure learning environments that require limited access to modern, high-tech facilities and administer standardized testing programs, such as the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching and curriculum. Most also require state-certified teachers and are accredited by the Alabama Board of Education.

to replace today’s workforce as they age out and retire.” University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) Few U.S. college programs have direct access to technological analysis, testing, research, and development like UAH. Surrounded on all sides by Fortune 500 companies, engineering firms, Redstone Arsenal (RSA) with its U.S. Army research and development centers, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), capable engineering graduates do not have to look far to find work after graduation. At any given time, UAH’s fully accredited College of Engineering (COE) enrolls about 1,800 students in its undergraduate program

with nearly 600 enrolled in the graduate program. UAH’s COE has accredited undergraduate engineering degree programs in mechanical and aerospace; chemical, which includes biotech; electrical including industrial & systems; computer and software; and civil engineering. They also offer masters and doctorate degrees in all of the above. The Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering offers post-graduate research leading to a master of science in engineering degree, while the doctor of philosophy degree is available through the materials science Ph.D. program, the biotechnology science and Engineering Ph.D. Program or the Mechanical engineering Ph.D. program has an option in chemical engineering. According to Dr. Jennifer English, Associate Dean & Professor in UAH’s COE, “Engineering is an interdisciplinary field with many specializations available. The first two years of undergraduate study at UAH gives a student a bird’s eye view over the wall. During this time they learn to talk the language of all engineers, and with faculty advisors helping them narrow their talents and interests, by the third year, the retention rate for graduating has greatly increased.” With both short-term internships and co-operative employment opportunities with companies throughout the city where students both work and attend school fulltime, studying any of the multidisciplines of engineering at UAH offers a positive job outlook for graduates.

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES According to Mayor Tommy Battle, the educational opportunities offered by North Alabama’s colleges and universities are the driving force behind Huntsville’s engineering superiority. “Our institutes of higher learning like UAH, Alabama A&M, Calhoun, Drake State and Oakwood University are key to providing a sustainable engineering workforce here in Huntsville,” he said. “Those schools are preparing the future workforce in new areas of expertise like in cyber and energy, while filling the pipeline with talented young people

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A view of stormy skies over the Alabama A&M campus.

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Alabama A&M University As the new Dean in the College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences at Alabama A&M University, Dr. Chance Glenn, Sr. has wasted no time in growing all aspects of A&M’s status in the engineering disciplines. From developing a new unified student success and achievement effort focused on student retention, to building a community connection advisory board to strengthen partnerships with technology companies all over North Alabama to enhance their internship opportunities and co-operative programs, AAMU completed a notice of intent with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). It is applying to the State of Alabama for both a degreed biotechnical engineering program and a nuclear engineering program. Equipped with high tech equipment including a Mach 5 supersonic wind tunnel for aerodynamic studies, class 1000 clean rooms for microelectronic circuits and device fabrication, and a particle accelerator, AAMU is located less than five miles from CRP, RSA, and MSFC. The school stresses the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) projects, and hands-on research in nuclear and material sciences. Alabama A&M’s CET&PS Program consists of accredited fouryear programs in civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer science. It also offers four-year programs in physics, chemistry, and mathematics. All of these programs lead to a bachelors

of science degree in the specified discipline. Students may pursue a five-year master of science degree in physics, computer science, or technology, and elect to apply for the masters of engineering degree in material engineering, and a Ph.D. in applied physics. “Research in nuclear is happening here and now,” said Dr. Glenn. “Scientific applications create technology and at A&M, we are in the thick of it, building bridges to help our students across the threshold.”

Calhoun Community College Aerospace Training Center.

Calhoun Community College Calhoun Community College is the largest feeder school for UAH’s engineering program offering both a two-year technology program and transfer program that leads to a 4-year degree in many engineering disciplines. “A two-year program like Calhoun offers students an associate of science degree in preengineering, which provides a seamless transition into a program at any of the four-year colleges,” said Janet Kincherlow-Martin, executive assistant to the president for public information, community relations, and special events. “Financial limitations make Calhoun a more affordable option since it is significantly less expensive than a four-year college.” Students can take their 100 and 200-level introductory engineering classes including statistics, calculus, physics and chemistry, which lay the foundations for baccalaureate degrees in aerospace, bioengineering and biomedical, chemical, civil, computer

sciences and software, electrical and systems engineering, industrial and manufacturing engineering, mechanical and nuclear. According to Kincherlow-Martin, in two years, students have a better idea of what area of engineering they want to pursue, and although enrollment is higher than at UAH or A&M, the classes are smaller and students receive individualized attention. JF Drake State In a commitment to workforce development for the Huntsville community, JF Drake State’s new electrical engineering technology programs now let students transfer certain professional-level classes without penalty. “We essentially revamped our former industrial and electronics program into a better program,” said Karl Henry, electronics instructor and divisional chair for engineering technology at Drake State. “We now have an electrical engineering and computer engineering articulation with UAH; an electrical engineering technology articulation with Alabama A&M; a bachelor of science agreement in technology at Athens State; and an articulation with Oakwood University that ensures students don’t lose earned credit if they transfer or take classes at Oakwood.” Furthermore, students with an associate’s degree, regardless of their program of study, will not lose credits or coursework. Oakwood University Although Oakwood University is a fouryear school, it offers a three-year transitional engineering program to UAH with dual degrees in any engineering discipline UAH offers. “Many engineering students just want the Oakwood experience,” said Kathleen Dobbins, Dean of Arts & Sciences and Chair of Mathematics and Computer Science. “They can take the general engineering classes like chemistry, statistics, engineering graphics, biological science, math, and computer science. After the third year, they can transfer everything to UAH and in two years at UAH, they are awarded dual five-year bachelor degrees in applied mathematics and engineering.” From there students can pursue a masters or doctorate in any discipline UAH offers.

This statue on the Oakwood University campus in Hunsville depicts Simon of Cyrene from North Africa helping Jesus carry the cross.

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huntsville/madison county public services

Ongoing Capital Improvements Keep the Port of Huntsville Always Focused on the Future

In 1967, Huntsville converted 7,000 acres of cotton fields into the Huntsville Jetport. Originally designed to provide better access to and from Washington, DC, to accommodate the need for interaction between aerospace industry professionals, it is doubtful even the economic visionaries of the 1960s couldn’t have foreseen the ongoing evolution of Huntsville’s little airstrip into the international cargo waypoint, regional logistics hub, and economic development apparatus the Port of Huntsville has become. Today the Port of Huntsville consists of the Huntsville International Airport (HSV), the International Intermodal Center (IIC), the Jetplex Industrial Park; Foreign Trade Zone #83; Signature Flight Support; the Four

Points by Sheraton Hotel; and the Sunset Landing Golf Course. HSV provides air travel to over 1.2 million passengers a year with nonstop service to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, and both Dulles and National airports in Washington, DC. As part of massive preparations for economic growth, the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority approved a five-year, $92 million capital improvement project for the Port of Huntsville to renovate, upgrade, improve, and expand every aspect

of the airport and its supporting facilities. Starting with a new $21 million, 219-foot tall control tower, HSV spent $60 million on terminal improvements. That included a 5,000-square-foot concession area on the main concourse; a new public waiting area outside security where friends and family

Jetplex Industrial Park.

The Four Points.

The International Intermodal Center.

By Kimberly Ballard

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

parking deck; five escalators; a glass elevator; two state-of-the-art jumbotrons; new ground transportation and rental car area; and expanded curbside loading and unloading. In the past year alone, HSV has made additional technological improvements. Passengers can now use electronic boarding passes to check in with their smartphones from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint. Because Huntsville caters heavily to the business traveler, they invested $63,000 on electronic charging stations throughout the concourse and public waiting area so passengers can reload their portable devices now that passengers can use them during all phases of flight. Other improvements include redesigning the roadway entrances to the gates and terminal; installing a new guardrail system to keep motorists from unsafely using the me-

dian as a turnaround; and the installation of shared-use gate counters for the airlines on the concourse. They even opened an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location, new to HSV. The IIC services a high-tech air cargo market, led by Huntsville’s international air carrier, Panalpina, who operates 10 nonstop flights a week at HSV from Europe, Mexico, Hong Kong and Brazil. The Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority approved a $65 million construction contract for expanding the IIC, with $13.3 million going towards upgrading facilities to accommodate Panalpina’s new Boeing B747-800 freighter cargo jet. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified HSV for the jet, in spite of being the smallest of 21 airports to receive the certification. It puts HSV in the same league with Chicago’s O’Hare International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International,

Huntsville International Airport’s Control Tower.

could meet passengers; and a new parking deck and 6-lane toll booth plaza to improve traffic flow in and out of the airport. The project culminated in a $26 million baggage claim expansion that quadrupled the size of the original area, and features contemporary vaulted, arched ceilings and a bright glass facade with lots of natural light. It has three underground-fed baggage carrousels; a second elevated crosswalk to the

The new Boeing 747-800 Panalpina is able to carry 20 more tons of cargo on each flight than its predecessor. The nose opens up to allow loading and unloading of cargo.

Miami International, and John F. Kennedy International in New York. As part of a 10-year, $85 million budget to improve runways and taxiways, they spent $27.8 million to renovate the west runway and adjacent taxiways to accommodate the B747-800 freighters; and $15.7 million to improve its east runway with widened, strengthened pavement and better lighting and signage. The Jetplex Industrial Park provides a centralized transportation and logistics hub for international warehousing and distri-

New baggage claim area.

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Airport public waiting lounge.

Sunset Landing Golf Course.

bution centers. The designation of Foreign Trade Zone #83 and on-site U.S. Customs offers many substantial benefits to international manufacturers, expanding Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO), and distribution operations. The Port of Huntsville also operates Signature Flight Support, providing numerous operations to general, business and commercial aviation customers including fueling, maintenance, cleaning, and deicing

services; baggage and ground handling; counter operations, concierge, catering, and lav cart services; pilot and executive support services; private hangars; and charter service for corporate and leisure travel. The Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and the Sunset Landing Golf Course are located onsite to provide comfortable and affordable travel accommodations, meals, and activities for short and long-term travelers.

Great Ideas Grow Here Retreat to the Garden and watch your business ideas grow! An exciting and unique setting for your next business retreat or meeting… Seminars • Picnics • Banquets • Holiday Parties Retirement Parties • Recognition Events

At a corporate meeting at the Garden, you are surrounded by nature – making any business meeting a retreat!

Call Facility Rental at 256-430-357 2 ext 237 or 243 for more information.

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4747 Bob Wallace Avenue Huntsville, AL 35805

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There is Always Something Out of this World Happening at Redstone Arsenal

A By Kimberly Ballard

About the time Dr. Wernher von Braun and a team of rocket scientists transformed Huntsville from the Watercress Capital of the World to the Rocket City and converted dozens of acres of cotton fields into a technological breeding ground for NASA and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), someone at the time was overheard saying, “It’s coming, and we are ready.” Well, it came and we were. Redstone Arsenal is an active sponsor and participant in dozens of community-wide projects and events from picnics and parades to sports competitions and holiday celebrations. They engage the community in technological breakthroughs; support scientific innovation at local colleges and small businesses; and they promote economic development efforts throughout North Alabama. RSA is the catalyst for nearly 20 major international manufacturing companies employing over 18,000 workers; nearly 50 Fortune 500 companies; dozens of foreign-based companies; and Washington Technology’s Top 100 Federal Prime Contractors including

Artist concept of Space Launch System (SLS) launching. Inset photo: This “twin towers” design will let Marshall Space Flight Center and Boeing engineers hang a 185-foot-tall fuel tank for the Space Launch System and stress test it. Renderings courtesy of NASA

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business in huntsville/madison county Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin with combined contracts totaling nearly $38 billion. Today, Redstone Arsenal is one of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) most strategic technological assets, employing over 35,000 civilian and military personnel, occupying over 38,000 acres with 19 million square-feet of building space, and equipped with unprecedented technological resources. Managing over $100 billion dollars in annual federal budgets, over a dozen of the government’s largest commands, agencies and offices reside there. SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEMS MSFC in Huntsville is leading the development of the next advanced, heavy-lift launch vehicle known as Space Launch Systems or SLS. These systems will carry humans, equipment, cargo, and scientific payloads on new missions beyond low-Earth orbit. They are constantly working to develop safe but affordable vehicles and systems that ensure astronauts are living and working safely and comfortably in the harsh space environment; while preparing the way for human and robotic excursions to points all across the solar system. An aggressive construction schedule began summer 2014 to build two new test article stands for testing the structural integrity of the core stage of NASA’s next generation SLS heavy lift vehicle. The first, known as Building #4693, is a twin-tower high-rise that will house the Hydrogen (LH2) Tank test article which will be suspended between the two columns. Built on top of an historic stand where MSFC tested the original F-1 engine that powered the Saturn V, the new edifice has the ability to withstand megaton forces. It has what looks like a roof and a structural crosshead that can be raised and lowered like an elevator. The second stand, Building #4697, is squat and L-shaped and will house the Liquid Oxygen (LOX) tank test article. Tim Gautney, MSFC Team Lead for SLS Core Stage Testing said test stands for rocket launch testing are not built anywhere in the country on a regular basis. “We haven’t built new testing facilities in a long time,” he said. “We tend to reuse what we already have and modify it, morph it into use for the next project. We didn’t have a test stand we could

NASA’s Super Guppy, a wide-bodied cargo aircraft, landed at the Redstone Army Airfield near Huntsville, on March 26, 2014 with a special delivery: an innovative composite rocket fuel tank. At right: Tank being placed in the test stand. Photos courtesy of NASA

morph into with SLS because the loads are so large. The difference in size and shape of the two test articles—the LH2 tank being much taller than the LOX tank—required two new test stands.” The Super Guppy Delivers a Big New Fish Aero Spaceline’s amazing Super Guppy delivered an innovative composite cryogenic fuel tank to Redstone Arsenal this past spring. The liquid hydrogen tank is the largest ever made for heavy-lift launch vehicle testing. Installed at MSFC’s test stand building #4699, the 18-foot cryotank, filled with liquid hydrogen and then pressurized with relevant fly loads, is undergoing testing for temperature, pressure, and stress in its relevant space environment. Huntsville and RSA, from a technological perspective, have the most advanced manufacturing skills and expertise in working with composite design materials, to test a new component of this size and inimitability. Straight from NASA’s Space Technology Game Changing Development Program, the Cryotank and its composite makeup are the future in air and space missions.

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Raytheon’s New Missile Integration Expansion The $75 million, 70,000-square-foot Raytheon Redstone Missile Integration Facility located near Gate 3 underwent its first expansion in March 2014, adding a new test cell meant to increase capacity and boost production in order to stay ahead of growing missile demand. Raytheon uses robotic technology in the testing, integration, and final assembly of the Navy’s sophisticated Standard Missile-3, part of the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) seabased Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense; and in the Standard Missile-6 interceptors, one of their anti-air warfare missiles. Raytheon is the only defense contractor

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The International Space Station. Photo courtesy of NASA

that manufactures missiles on the arsenal, and the facility has continued to create about 300 jobs over the past couple of years. The expansion of the state-of-the-art facility will allow for a 30 percent increase in Raytheon’s production capabilities. They now have three test cells in operation with a fourth coming online in the future. Dream Chaser MSFC has expanded its collaboration with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) in the advanced planning and development of potential science research during future Dream Chaser spacecraft missions, SNC’s multimission-capable spacecraft designed for lowEarth orbit. Marshall’s Mission Operations Laboratory will provide technical expertise for planning the integration of scientific payloads on the Dream Chaser spacecraft under their Advanced Development program. MSFC’s decades of knowledge and expertise in payload development for space shuttle missions, as well as operating and maintaining science research on the ISS is the main reason for the extended alliance, which has been in effect for a couple of years.

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SNC Dream Chaser flight vehicle. Photo courtesy of NASA

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Destiny Laboratory at Huntsville S5a2 LabExt_Huntsville_S402 The Destiny laboratory module for the International Space Station is shown during its construction by Boeing at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

Support for International Space Station MSFC has led the design, testing, and development of the International Space Station (ISS) life support system known as ECLSS for over 20 years. These systems make it possible for people to survive in outer space. These systems consist of the Wastewater Recovery System, which “recycles” wastewater into potable water; and the Oxygen Generation System, which provides breathable oxygen onboard the ISS, reducing the need to transport it, which is quite costly. Marshall engineers are currently designing

and testing a new generation of life support systems as part of a project called Exploration Life Support systems. This involves developing hardware to remove carbon dioxide and humidity from the atmosphere of future crewed exploration vehicles, and developing and testing a wastewater processor that recovers a higher percentage of potable water from wastewater. In 2001, MSFC began 24/7/365 staffing and support for the Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) the command post for space station science for the Destiny laboratory onboard the ISS. Since the completion of the space station in 2011, MSFC has played a major role as crew science operations have accelerated. The ground crew in Huntsville works aroundthe-clock operating experiments and getting data to investigators. According to Tracy McMahan, MSFC Public Affairs Specialist, as of the fall of 2013, the payload operations team had worked with investigators around the world to complete more than 1,600 investigations and new investigations are added during each six-month station expedition. “We have been supporting some of these scientific experiments for many years and after more than a decade, this hard work is coming to fruition,” McMahan said.

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60 Years of Small Business Technology Shows No Signs of Slowing Down

F By Kimberly Ballard

For over 60 years, Huntsville’s proud heritage as a complex problem-solver has assured that the City, along with its strategic engineering capabilities, stays ahead of technology while remaining an integral part of it. From modeling and simulation, designing and integrating large composite systems, managing cyber security, developing innovative communications, and exploring clean energy options, here are a few good reasons why Techie.com named Huntsville among the top 10 Most Promising U.S. Tech Hubs to watch in 2014. Cyber Security Moved by a speech on the threats of cyber warfare, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle came away with an ingenious idea. Since Huntsville was already teeming with the world’s brightest degreed engineers and computer systems experts, who better to take on the challenges of cyber security? “It is a perfect fit for our workforce,” he said. “It comes down to Huntsville’s economic and intellectual appeal. We are already doing systems engineering, design, modeling, simulation, research and development, and testing. Huntsville has the fourth highest level of security clearances in the country; performs on a daily basis, some of the most 52

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Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.

complex and high level computer computations used by the U.S. Army; and has for more than 60 years been a leader in cuttingedge technology. I see it as a long-term economic development issue.” Since the announcement of his Cyber Huntsville Initiative, the North Alabama Cyber Summit has grown to more than 650 attendees and exhibitors. Today, that initiative has developed a “Why Huntsville for Cyber Missions” presentation for government leaders to raise the awareness of Huntsville’s cyber capabilities with the intent of developing

an Indefinite Quantify Indefinite Delivery (IQID) contract to make it easy to bring cyber-related work to North Alabama. Members of the Initiative are also planning a second Table Top Exercise to test community response to Cyber-attacks; creating endowed teaching positions for cyber and implementing a Cyber curriculum developed by the U. S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), in the Huntsville City School System. They also fielded a Cyber Team who came in second at the National Competition; and established an Education Initiative between UAH, Cyber Huntsville, and the 8th Alabama District. Companies like Huntsville’s DESE Research and Noetic Strategies specialize in cyber security research and development, while Aleta Technologies and Intelligent Decisions provide cost-effective cyber security and other cyber support services to federal agencies and commercial customers. Energy Huntsville knows that the greatest challenge facing the nation is the exploration, conservation, and generation of energy. Mayor Tommy Battle’s Energy Huntsville Initiative “promotes the growth of clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy security.”

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The scope of Huntsville’s technological input in the energy industry will eventually rival Huntsville’s defense and space work. From Intergraph Corporation’s engineering software that helps with the design, construction and operation of plants, ships, and offshore oil and gas facilities, as well as helping oil and gas refineries eliminate plant shutdowns and comply with federal regulations; to Teledyne Brown’s work in nuclear and deep-sea oil exploration, are just a few of the energy technologies coming out of Huntsville. Huntsville’s American Wind Technologies’ micro wind turbines and Nexus Energy Center’s clean energy strategies are all utilizing technology to bring public and private sectors together to provide accessible, high quality energy solutions and improvements that save money and create new jobs. Entrepreneurial EcoSystems Huntsville abounds with entrepreneurial eco systems and technology hubs that are providing infrastructure and resources to encourage and support the birth of new ideas and the growth of technology-related small business. Dr. John Whitman, the Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship (ICE) lab director at the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) was one of the first to catch on to the supportive eco systems idea when he started HOTCoffee, Huntsville’s fastest growing ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. Inspired by Huntsville’s legacy of innovation and reputation, HOTCoffee has embraced as its mantra: Innovate Hard, Live Easy. They offer an open invitation to anyone interested in technology startups to join them every other Friday morning at the UAH business school to discuss their needs, share news and brainstorm ideas with likeminded folks. The Women’s Business Center of North Alabama (WBCNA) embraces technologyrelated entrepreneurship. According to executive director Joanne Randolph, “We have dozens of senior-level, top-tier executives willing to volunteer their time as advisors to help people get a technology business started and to help them grow.” One area where Randolph believes Huntsville has a lot of potential is in mining and commercializing pent-up technologies. “The government has a long list of problems that need solving, and they offer grant money

in the form of SBIRs (Small Business Innovation Research) to find solutions. The WBCNA is part of an effort to push innovators towards SBIRs and encourage people with special expertise and skills to submit proposals. We will even show you how to write white papers, show Proof of Concept, develop proposals, and if accepted, use the grant money to develop those technologies for commercialization.” BizTech, Huntsville’s first technology incubator, has now reached out beyond technology to provide guidance to entrepreneurs in the early stages of developing ideas or inventions into marketable assets. If accepted into the incubator, BizTech will nurture that concept with office space, developmental and marketing guidance, and business support. Graduating from the BizTech incubator means new technology is ready for integration into the marketplace. In May 2014, BizTech launched a Vertically Integrated Business Ecosystem known as The VIBE Downtown. Following the concept of “coworking” or sharing a work environment with a combination of shared desks and open space intended to promote collaborative relationships, Jonathan Pease, director of marketing and community relations for BizTech said VIBE is a hybrid between a co-working space, Internet café, and relaxed, lounge-style atmosphere. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UAH is a mentor, consultant, trainer, and matchmaker for potential new technology-related small business owners. According to SBDC’s director, Foster Perry, “Some of these entrepreneurs are developing software and getting involved in biomedical research, energy production, and telecom-

munications.” He said UAH and Cummings Research Park are primed for a college student with an innovative invention or entrepreneurs with clever ideas. “When someone comes to the SBDC with an idea or invention, we have graduate students who help test their ideas, do the research and perform market opportunity analyses.” Professional Organizations Founded in the 1990s so small, one and twoman companies have opportunities to meet the movers and shakers of large technology companies and government agencies that will enable them to grow and become successful, the Huntsville Association of Small Businesses in Advanced Technology (HASBAT) today consists of 175 organizations. Made up of technology-related small businesses, HASBAT provides a platform on which smaller companies can mesh their technological capital with more diverse technological capital than their own, to get contracts that will grow their small businesses. According to Phil Carey, vice president of Army Programs at Wavelink Inc. and HASBAT’s president for the past five years, the organization is all about developing relationships. “In Huntsville, you have a world of small businesses that are providing technology services and products used around the globe. Small business is the engine that drives any local economy and that is especially true in Huntsville. It is imperative that when legislators create policy, they understand the potential impact their decisions have on small businesses.” There are hundreds of new start-ups with unique skills and capabilities forming every

Common Bean Genome Sequence Provides Powerful Tools to Improve Critical Food Crop Jeremy Schumtz, Jane Grimwood and the team at HudsonAlpha’s Genome Sequencing Center have helped unlock the genetic makeup of the common bean, a food critical to the world food supply. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture director calls the study—published in the June issue of Nature Genetics— “groundbreaking.”

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

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business in huntsville/madison county

Services for Small Businesses The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County is one of the first stops people make when they want to start or expand a company. That’s one of the most traditional roles the Chamber takes in fulfilling its mission statement: Prepare, Develop and Promote our community for economic growth. “We provide information and tools to people wanting to start their own technology business—or any kind of small business, actually—and we help our Members who are looking to grow or improve a business that is already up and running,” said the Chamber’s Director of Small Business & Events, Pammie Jimmar. “And we provide a networking platform as well as some amazing professional development opportunities in a compressed schedule because we recognize that time is one of the most precious resources for small business owners.” Professional development includes human resources and finance training, two areas that scientific minds looking to become entrepreneurs can utilize. Also, the Chamber will organize

Banker Louis Michetti (top) leads a “financially fit” training series for Members. Above, Small Business Training Series cover a wide array of topics. Ribbon cuttings, such as this Trideum event (top right), are a great way to celebrate the milestones of Member companies. Business leaders and government officials often attend ground-breaking ceremonies for Chamber Members (lower right, the VA groundbreaking).

Biotechnology

ground-breaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies for Members’ milestone events. Participation in CEO Roundtables can help new executives find mentors who have been-there, done-that with growing their businesses. Networking events include Breakfast and Biz, where Member companies can interact with possible new clients, and Business After Hours—including get-togethers for only those tenants in Cummings Research Park. “Innovation is a key factor in Huntsville and Madison County’s success, and the Chamber is honored to play a role in supporting that innovation through our Small Business services,” Jimmar said. For more infomration, contact her at pjimmar@hsvchamber.org. 54

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year. “There are many dynamics at play in doing business with the Federal Government,” Carey said. “It is very difficult to gain a full understanding of what is required. We have monthly senior-level speakers or briefers from more established companies who share information and opportunities with newer, smaller companies.” Joe Yearta, director of Solvability at Decosimo and chairman of the HASBAT Government Affairs Committee said the association has provided great networking and educational opportunities for Decosimo and many other small to medium-sized businesses here in Huntsville. “Remember, small business is truly the pulse and heartbeat of our local economy and they are to be valued as a whole. Our company specializes in cost accounting solutions and federal contract compliance consulting so we work every day with small business contractors.” The Huntsville Association of Technical Societies, formerly known as HATS but recently changed its name to The Association, has been providing information, coordination and networking opportunities to anyone interested in the advancement of science and engineering since 1969. The Association awards the Joseph Moquin Award to a Professional of the Year who stands out above their peers through involvement, exemplary leadership and a long-standing commitment to the North Alabama technical community.

An incubator starts with an undiscovered idea or concept. Jim Hudson said he prefers the word “accelerator” for his Hudson-Alpha Institute of Biotechnology. “We take a big, established idea that has some level of success, and accelerate its validity through research and experimentation.” Hudson played a key role in the breakthrough mapping of human DNA and put Huntsville on the map as a leader in biotechnology. He believes the best way to have scientific ideas make a difference in our world is to get them out into the marketplace through

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

HASBAT Board of Directors Standing Left to Right: Robert Dunn – Treasurer (Kaya Associates), Teri Heusel – Secretary (Rocky Research), Steve Bolton – 1st Vice President, Chad Leathers (Brockwell Technologies), Joe Yearta (Decosimo Solvability, LLC), Phil Carey – President (WaveLink, Inc.), Tim Thornton (nLogic), Paul Stutts, Ben Lowe, Carl Kloock (Aranea Solutions). Sitting Left to Right: Tracy Swayne – 2nd Vice President (Tec-Masters, Inc.), Courtney Romine – HASBAT Executive Assistant, Mary Kate Gygax, Allison Rhen (MJLM), Joni Grounds (Interweave Technologies). Not Pictured: Chris Jackson, Jim Samuelson, Bob Shows. Photo by Linda Freeman (Tec-Masters, Inc.)

Proximity

Visibility

private companies. “The Institute’s open-air design in which CEOs and investigators overlook the lobby from glassed-in offices creates an interactive atmosphere and promotes a ‘can-do’ spirit that encourages research, sharing ideas, talking to one another, and creating collaborative tools to help each other.” While Hudson-Alpha is connecting the dots between genetics and hereditary diseases, Clearview Cancer Institute is one of only three cancer-testing sites in the world. Their search for a cure to cancer using molecular therapy or nuclear therapeutic medicine is unprecedented. Other Huntsville biotech innovators include EGEN, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing nucleic acid-based therapeutics for cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases using proprietary nanoparticle delivery systems; and Conversant Bio who seeks to improve human health by connecting patients, medical professionals, and the research community to catalyze breakthrough research and novel therapeutic solutions.

efficiency

Redstone Gateway is the premier location for contractors seeking immediate access to their customers at Redstone Arsenal.

www.redstonegateway.us Bart Smith Managing Broker Graham & Company 256.382.9010

Our expertise in building mission critical facilities that are operationally efficient will ensure that we can meet your specialized needs, and advance your mission at Redstone. Join other defense contractors who are making the move to Redstone Gateway, Huntsville’s new 468-acre, masterplanned business park located at Gate 9 of Redstone Arsenal, just off I-565.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

Derrick Boegner SVP, Asset Management / Leasing Corporate Office Properties Trust 256.895.9820

Redstone Gateway is a joint venture development of COPT and Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC.

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huntsville/madison county real estate

Huntsville: A New Home Buyer’s Market

A By Kimberly Ballard

Applications for new homebuilding permits are soaring. Interest rates are still at an alltime low. Property taxes in Madison County are some of the lowest in the country. Dozens of residential subdivisions spanning a variety of price ranges are sprouting up in key parts of Huntsville, Madison and the surrounding suburbs. According to the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association’s

Most Optimistic Cities in America, based on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. According to Bill Stewart, president of the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors (HAAR), newcomers quickly change their buying parameters once they get here. “The average homebuyer approaches buying a house with a set of criteria based on what they need and what they think they can afford,” Stewart said. “Those parameters are based on where they are moving from, but for people who move here from anywhere in New England, California, even as nearby as Virginia, they tend to evolve as they look at homes here in the Valley. They can buy a lot bigger house with more amenities than they could in most metropolitan cities, and it doesn’t take long for them to see and understand that.” “Nine-foot ceilings, granite countertops, crown moldings, and upgraded contemporary chef-style kitchens with double ovens are among the amenities

Ranked No. 30 on the list of the nation’s 100 Best Places to Live in 2014 by Livability.com, and the only Alabama city on the list, Huntsville earned high marks for its amenities and education, as well as “social and civic capital.” many people find affordable in the Tennessee Valley that would be well out of their price range in most cities,” said Robert Simons, managing broker for Keller Williams Realty. “And you can find a custom home

A spacious apartment at Belk Hudson Lofts in downtown Huntsville.

Photos of the Village of Providence.

(ACCRA) Cost of Living Index, Huntsville’s housing index is about 81 percent of the national average, significantly lower than that of major metropolitan cities and comparable technological hubs. With facts like those, it is no wonder Huntsville ranked as one of the 56

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Entrance to Belk Hudson Lofts on Washington Street.

for under $100-per-square-foot with other comforts like whirlpool tubs.” With $100 to $150-per-square-foot being the watershed for most custom homes in just about any market in the country, newcomers to Huntsville will find real value. A higher quality of life at a lower cost of living also paves the way for people who wish to build their own home. “Here is what people can expect when they move to the Tennessee Valley and decide to build a home,” said Mark Rovere of Action Builders, Inc. and president of the Huntsville/Madison County Homebuilders Association (HMCHBA). “You can build a custom home with a floor

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

Hampton Cove

plan that best meets your family’s needs in a variety of price ranges in a part of the city that best suits your lifestyle. You will find lower energy costs and lower property taxes than in most cities Huntsville’s size. You can build a high-tech home with dozens of amenities and new products that are energy efficient under Alabama’s new energy Code. No matter where you build inside Madison County, you have a short commute to work; and you are within 50 miles of several state parks for camping, hiking, and picnicking; with

the Tennessee River at your backdoor for boating, waterskiing, and fishing.” “You cannot play down the economic significance of having the largest population of college-degreed residents and more engineers per capita than any city in the country,” said Rise Real Estate managing broker Walt Hennessee. “We have great City leadership and we are unified in a plan to keep the quality The Ledges Golf Club, 1,582 feet up, offering a beautiful view of the Tennessee Valley.

The medical care you need, right here at home. As a full-service community hospital, Crestwood offers a wide range of services, including outpatient surgery, emergency care, cardiology, women’s services and much more. It is our mission to serve by providing quality patient care and excellent service for patients and their families who choose Crestwood. Ask your doctor about Crestwood. • Bariatric Surgery Center • Behavioral Health Sciences • Cardiology • Emergency Department • Gastroenterology • Maternity Center & Women’s Services • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit • Outpatient Diagnostic Imaging • Outpatient/Inpatient Surgery • Pediatrics • Robotic-Assisted Surgery (gynecology, general, urology, bariatric & ENT) • Sleep Center • Spine Surgery Center • Therapy Services • Total Hip & Knee Center • Vascular Lab • Vein Center • Women’s Center with Digital Mammography • Wound Care • 150 Private Patient Rooms

One Hospital Drive • Huntsville, AL 35801 256-429-4000 CrestwoodMedCenter.com

Crestwood Medical Center is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

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huntsville/madison county real estate of living high with plenty of arts and music, sports, shopping, and culture; but as I have heard Mayor Tommy Battle say many times, we are also committed to keeping taxes low. To give you an example, we recently disclosed to a new homebuyer our estimated property taxes on their new home. When I told them $1,500, the buyer said, ‘That’s a little higher than I was expecting. Fifteen hundred dollars a month is a lot!’ and I had to break it to them that it was $1,500 for the year, not month!” Hennessee also said with no taxes on retirement income, many people who have lived here before but moved because they were transferred somewhere else for a job, come back here to retire or to start a business. Forbes magazine confirmed this last year when they ranked Huntsville among the 25 Best Places to Retire. Sandra Lowrey, managing broker for Re/MAX Distinctive said their average home sale is a 1,600-square-foot, 3-bedroom, 2-bath brick rancher in the $175,000

range. “Schools and resell values are among the most common questions newcomers ask when they move here,” she said. “We attempt to get them approved before they get here to save time and to give them a better shot at bidding on a home.” She continued, “If they want, we take them on a tour of the City, but we have so many great areas that may be of interest to families with schoolaged children, we try to help them narrow

it down. Once we get them interested in this area or that, we encourage them to go to GreatSchools.org and score the schools in those neighborhoods and decide which best fit their expectations.” According to HAAR statistics, in 2013, Huntsville Area Home Sales totaled 9,954 with an average selling price of $164,320.

Global Recruiters of Huntsville is a professional recruiting firm specializing in recruiting and placing top talent in the areas of Engineering and Business Development, Environmental Services, Manufacturing, Logistics, Information Technology, Human Resources, Project Management and Veteran Support.

Edgewater Community pool looking out over the vast 120-acre Lady Ann Lake.

We currently have seven highly trained recruiters in our office ready to assist you with your hiring needs. While we are located in Huntsville, Alabama, we recruit and place across the country. We are one of over 190 offices around the country in the Global Recruiters Network. We have built this network to better serve our Clients and Candidates with the best possible opportunities. We offer client companies and candidates’ integrity, personal attention, confidentiality and professional standards. We attract and present qualified and interested candidates in record time because of our unique team approach. We welcome the opportunity to present to you the most highly qualified talent in the industries we serve.

Global Recruiters of Huntsville 102 Clinton Avenue West, Suite 201 Huntsville, AL 35801 USA Tel: 256.533.1444 | Fax: 256.418.4485 www.grnhuntsville.com

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

revitalization

Blending sustainability with history brings new life to downtown Huntsville

D by Kimberly Ballard

Downtown Huntsville is a truly diverse urban community. It successfully intermingles history with contemporary arts and culture; manages a vibrant nightlife with an energetic, vital workforce; and embraces technology, inspires commerce, and encourages unanimity. According to Downtown Huntsville, Inc.’s CEO Chad Emerson, Huntsville had become by default, a suburban-centric city, but his 501(C)(6) organization along with partnerships with local developers, retail store 68

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Panoply lights up the night.

Street musicians in the square.

owners and restaurateurs, event coordinators, and city leaders, etc., have committed to creating a vibrant, diverse and economically sustainable downtown. “When you look at successful historic cities that are comparable to Huntsville like Charleston, SC; Savannah, GA; Raleigh, NC; Chattanooga, TN—they all have a healthy, growing, dynamic downtown,” he explained. Downtown Huntsville provides a quality of life experience that includes a healthy mixture of arts, history, excellent food, contemporary urban housing, outdoor music

A view of downtown Huntsville.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

festivals and entertainment, shady sidewalks, urban biking and hiking, and a busy marketplace for shopping, inventing and living. These advantages make the city a viable competitor for a young, dynamic workforce.

WHERE

INNOVATION

Historic Big Spring & Twickenham Square From the time John Hunt founded “Twickenham” in 1805, life centered on the Historic City Square, graced on its Westside corner by a bank Jesse James either did, or didn’t (according to who you talk to!) attempt to rob. Along its East side lies an underground spring the Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians called “Big Spring” and from which a tranquil but bustling park has emerged. From concerts in the Park; to UAH’s annual LIT (Light + Innovation + Technology) event showing how the collision of arts with engineering produces an overall enlightenment; to Panoply, the Southeast’s premier arts weekend sponsored by The Arts Council every spring—there is something going on year round at Big Spring Park. The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA), Early Works Children’s Museum, and a variety of historic attractions like Constitution Village and the Huntsville Railway Depot and Roundhouse provide ongoing cultural reenactments, tours, and sponsored events. The HMA’s fundraising foundation has introduced unique events like the City’s first outdoor ice-skating rink bringing a Christmas-in-Manhattan feel to Big Spring Park; and they even trucked in 400 tons of sand to replicate a beach-like landscape on the 200-yard section of Fountain Circle behind the Early Works Children’s Museum for the Rocket City Beach Bash. From June through August, live music is played at the Downtown Huntsville Sounds of Summer in the Square. Every Thursday, dozens of local vendors sell everything from produce to handmade soap at the Greene Street Market, just a block off the Square. Summer events include PuttPutt on the Square at the Downtown Open; and the Quigley Arts and Entertainment District’s annual Sidewalk Arts Stroll features 60 artists, artisans, and entertainers sharing and displaying their work and talents in the sidewalk marketplace set up along Gates Avenue and Franklin Streets, winding through Constitution Village. Whet your appetite at Street Food Season as more than a dozen food trucks camp out around the

FINDS

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

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revitalization

Square with free, live music April through October; bring your own or borrow wheels and take a ride through the City Center during the Thursday Night Bike events. Come watch the kids solve a mystery during Box Car Days. Eat, Drink, Shop

Views of Downtown from the skyline to the Square and Big Spring Park.

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Dozens of restaurants and craft beer breweries located downtown and in Five Points sponsor food and drink gatherings like Behind the Scenes, the Downtown Street Food Gathering, and the All-American Food Truck & Craft Beer Rally. There are networking events like Downtown with the Rocket City Bloggers (RCB). Many eateries hold holiday events like Humphrey’s Cinco De Mayo Celebrity Margarita Mixing Contest, and Straight to Ale Brewery’s Anti-Valentine’s Day Party. There are holiday celebrations and parades in the streets, and recognition ceremonies at the Veterans Memorial. Choose from distinctive dining at Cotton Row, The Eaves, Commerce Kitchen, and the 1892 East Restaurant and Tavern; or enjoy casual cuisine from D’Licous Dining & Smokehouse Grill, Pane e Vino, The Office Breakroom & Bar, and A Cup of Everything. Sitting on the southside corner of the Historic Square is the iconic Harrison Brothers Hardware, built in 1897 as a dry goods store. The store retains its original appearance but the merchandise is pure miscellany with regional and local arts and crafts, contemporary housewares, locally published cookbooks and travel logs; edibles; handmade jewelry and pottery; and toys both new and vintage. The Railroad Station Antique Mall has three floors of independent vendors, the largest collection of sterling silver in North Alabama, and their very own Civil War-era ghost.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY

Downtown shopping got a boost from the Clinton Row Project, located at the corner of Clinton and Jefferson Streets where startup companies are converting metal storage units into fashionable retail space, a la NYC’s Warehouse and Soho Districts of the 1970s and 1980s. Artists, unique retailers and innovators are occupying the 10’ x 10’ spaces at affordable rates. Tastefully decorated every year for the holidays, downtown Huntsville offers numerous local, national and traveling shows, musicals and sporting events at the Von Braun Center. Both Santa’s Village and the Tinsel Trail are open through January 1 every year. Tech Hub Answering the need for the popular new concept known as entrepreneurial eco systems, which provide infrastructure, resources, and support to entrepreneurs, the tech community congregates at VIBE Downtown on Northside Square where they will find a cup of hot coffee and a shared work environment intended to promote collaborative relationships. NASA held a NASA on the Square event to keep people apprised of what is happening in the industry that made Huntsville famous. Quality Living Twickenham is Alabama’s oldest antebellum district. Together with Old Town and Five Points, a crossroads where five streets converge into a single intersection, the homeowner or renter will find diversity and convenience in urban living. Downtown-dwellers have a choice of a 150-year-old historic home, a quaint open-space bungalow, or any number of fixer-uppers for the so-inclined. The Artisan Lofts at Twickenham Square and the Belk-Hudson Lofts offer large, airy, contemporary space adaptable to any lifestyle. Several former commercial high-rise buildings have converted their space into stylish highrise apartments and condominiums like 301 East, Lincoln Square, and the Terry Hutchens Condominiums.

Greene Street Market by Kimberly Ballard

Inspired by Father Andy Anderson of Huntsville’s Church of the Nativity, downtown Huntsville’s Greene Street Market is a popular producer-only outdoor farmer’s market for buying fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs, and flowers. Coordinated by market director Marilyn Evans on behalf of Nativity, nearly 50 vendors set up their stalls on Nativity grounds encircling Greene and Eustis Streets every Thursday 4 until 8 p.m. from May until October. Located just a block east of the Square, all of the beef, pork, chicken and eggs are organically grown, while some vendors offer preprepared meals, gourmet popsicles, traditionally made relishes, pickles, cheeses, preserves, jams, honey, and homemade breads, cakes, candy and cookies. Huntsville’s Green Mountain Soap has all-natural, locally made alternative soaps. Many local artisans offer handcrafted jewelry, baskets, artwork and clothing. Greene Street is a great place to buy healthy plants and flowers that haven’t been overdosed with fertilizer. At Children’s Corner, kids under 12 can make “Veggie Prints”, paint reusable bags, play with bubbles, draw with sidewalk chalk and horse around the Spoiled Rockin’ Kidz Salon booth. The Market is free to attend and there is plenty of music and atmosphere.

Live music at Sidewalk Arts Stroll. Putt Putt in Downtown.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY