Mayor Tommy Battle sees a future of promise and prosperity for Huntsville

As Mayor Tommy Battle looks to 2025, there is a lot to see.

Indicators of prosperity can be found throughout the City and growth is expected to continue. About 7,000 people are moving to Huntsville every year.

"I see a very bright future," Mayor Battle said. "It's nice to see all elements of the city being successful."

Indeed, look at any Council district, and quality of life improvements are evident. From the highly regarded Food City grocery chain building a much-desired store in north Huntsville (along with five more across town), complementing the under-construction Northern Bypass to more homes being built in every district, the economic engine of north Alabama is continuing to sizzle.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

The most fundamental part of that engine, however, is jobs. To Mayor Battle, jobs represent opportunity and that's never far from view.

"Our main focus is jobs," he said, noting the diversified workforce that Huntsville has developed. Known nationally for its connection to Redstone Arsenal and the jobs supporting the variety of national defense missions as well as NASA, Mayor Battle has overseen a growing industrial base that has provided thousands of jobs benefiting north Alabama and southern Tennessee.

The City is continuing to evaluate more industrial possibilities as well.

"There are exciting prospects on the industry side," Mayor Battle said. "We're going to continue to bring in new jobs, which means new opportunities."

Space Command

Mayor Battle acknowledged participating in high-level conversations about the possibility Space Command will be relocated from Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado to Redstone Arsenal. "After an exhaustive multi-year review, Huntsville was the #1 choice for Space Command headquarters by an independent site selection committee," he said. "We're waiting to hear if the initial decision awarding Space Command to Redstone will be honored by the new administration."

Whatever the decision, the Mayor says Huntsville and Colorado Springs will continue working together to support Space Command. "Both cities have significant talent and contributions to make."

Road Warriors

Road infrastructure is "work that will never end," Mayor Battle said. With the Northern Bypass extending to U.S. 231/431 near Bob Wade Lane, plans are continuing to continue the "loop road" to U.S. 72 East. And improvements on the Memorial Parkway/Interstate 565 interchange are under review, a major project that will involve state and federal authorities.

"We're going to continue to work with our congressional delegation and make sure to recognize opportunities that are there," Mayor Battle said. "We have to have support for our continued growth, which we've been getting out of Washington."

Downtown Development

Even in downtown Huntsville, where projects such as Front Row, Bartley Lofts and Vista at Councill Square are under construction, there is room for more growth. Mill Creek, an affordable housing development with retail and an emphasis on improved healthcare, will break ground later this year.

And flood mitigation work will begin on Pinhook Creek as part of the Pedestrian Access and Redevelopment Corridor (PARC) project.

"There are still a lot of opportunity sites left in downtown," Mayor Battle said. "The build-out of downtown is going to be a 20, 30, 40-year project."

Quality of Life

Add in the City's ongoing emphasis to preserve and build parks and greenways and expand recreational opportunities and the future looks a lot like the past: A City providing opportunities through good-paying jobs and enhancing quality of life for its residents.

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