Building the new north Huntsville

Multiple projects are coming together in one area of north Huntsville, set to bring infrastructure, retail, health care and residential projects online in the coming years.

Why it matters: It's yet another hot spot for development and investment —and an area to watch — in a city continually working to manage its growth.

The latest: Huntsville City Council last week approved a 500-acre rezoning for the Harris Farms development, a master-planned development set to bring around 1,800 homes in the next decade or two.

• The council granted multiple variances, including smaller setbacks and narrower streets, a trade-off for amenities like wider sidewalks, 350 acres of open space and another 15 of recreational space.

Zoom out: It sits along the first phase of the Northern Bypass, a section of Huntsville's aspirational "ring road," and is aiming to cut commute times and ease traffic in the center of the city.

• At the intersection of the Northern Bypass and Memorial Parkway there, by the new Food City, is the North Village Town Center, anchored by Target and Home Depot, a $240-million retail destination.
• Huntsville Hospital is also quickly moving forward with a $50-million facility in the vicinity, too.

What they're saying: Thanking Shane Davis, director of urban and economic development, and Planning and Zoning Director Thomas Nunez for their work Thursday night, District 1 Council Member Michelle Watkins said, "You gave me Christmas in July."

• "I think what's good for north Huntsville is good for all of Huntsville," said District 4 Council member Bill Kling. "It spreads it out, and takes away the congestion in the central portion of the city

Zoom out: "This just follows in the progression of how these things work," said Mayor Tommy Battle.

• "We started out with jobs up there in the North Huntsville Industrial Park. ... We added infrastructure," he said. "We've been able to add retail, and along with the infrastructure, the last thing that comes in is residential."