Huntsville leaders talk growth and infrastructure at annual builders meeting

Published on October 5, 2023

Mayor Tommy Battle and members of his urban development team offered their insights at the Huntsville Madison County Builder Association’s annual roundtable meeting. Growth and infrastructure dominated the discussion between leaders and builders.

Mayor Battle sees the City’s annual growth rate of 3-4% continuing over the coming years, a rate he calls healthy and sustainable. He said an estimated 7,000 people have moved to Huntsville since 2020.

Successfully meeting that growth is determined by infrastructure, which Director of Urban & Economic Development Shane Davis refers to as the City’s “secret sauce.”

“We’ve seen a down-trickle in residential housing starts, so we’ve focused on areas where there are some pockets that – if we had the right infrastructure in place – could potentially create thousands of new residential lots,” Davis said.

Those pockets are in all corners of the City, but Mayor Battle believes there’s untapped potential within annexed portions of Limestone County.

“We’re always looking for our next growth corridor,” he said, adding that corridor would likely be south of Interstate 565 and east of Interstate 65. “It’s just some beautiful land and a beautiful place to build for the future.”

He anticipated growth in North Huntsville would also continue to surge, especially upon completion of the northern bypass. The widening of U.S. 72 from Providence Main to County Line Road was also discussed, which Davis estimated would begin in early 2025.

Davis said the City’s commitment to improve the transportation network not only helps builders and citizens, but also puts Huntsville in the running for the next large-scale industrial project.

“It shows we’re investing in our future today,” he said. “Any city can have a good day, but it’s more important to have good tomorrow.”