The Big Picure: Your Study. Your Vision. Your Plan for the City of Huntsville

Medical District Neighborhood Master Plan

One of the oldest neighborhoods in Huntsville has been experiencing incredible growth pressures over the past decade. In an effort to accommodate that growth while still maintaining the character and charm of the area, the community contributed to a master plan.

Vision

  • New residential redevelopment has occurred without further sacrificing the existing historic character of the neighborhood.
  • Around the perimeter of the district, new development and redevelopment has grown, adding to the quality of life of the neighborhood without encroaching into it.
  • A well-developed sidewalk network connects the neighborhood to the amenities around it.
  • Whitesburg has slowly redeveloped over time, into a de facto neighborhood “main street” that serves as a town center for the local neighborhoods.

Summary

One of the oldest neighborhoods in Huntsville, the area bounded by Governors Drive, California, Bob Wallace and the Parkway has been experiencing incredible growth pressures over the past decade. In an effort to accommodate new development while balancing the neighborhood character that made the district so desirable, the community came together to shape a master plan. Focusing density along parts of the perimeter, the plan calls for redeveloping neighborhood-scale retail and adding sidewalks to create a “Walkable Whitesburg”. Over time, the Medical District can experience a variety of scales of new shopping opportunities while preserving the unique vibe that makes it such a great place to live.

 


Last modified: March 27th, 2019 at 5:37 pm

Actions

  • This action has not been completed.

    Preserve the “Vanderbilt” subdivision’s residential character by limiting commercial incursion from the Parkway frontage road.

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    Through zoning updates and engagement through the Urban Development Department, encourage denser, complementary mixed-use development between the Parkway frontage and the railroad corridor. Ensure that designs maintain/improve/create pedestrian connectivity with the adjacent neighborhood.

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    Improve ped connections between the neighborhood and the Hospital District/Downtown, north of Governors Drive. Focus on making pedestrian improvements at key intersections – Lowery and Gallatin – and improving the pedestrian facilities (wider sidewalks, buffered from traffic, street trees included) along Governors itself.

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    Apply for National Register Status for the district. This would not offer the same restrictions as local historic districts (Twickenham or Old Town, for example), but would provide recognition of the history of the neighborhood – known originally as the “Clerk and Salaried Man’s Addition” – and offer opportunities for promoting that identity (such as street sign toppers, gateway markers, or car stickers).

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    Work with homeowners and local builders to modify existing residential zoning. Study the impact of reducing maximum height in exchange for increasing allowable lot coverage. This will help reduce the discrepancies in massing between old and new, while still allowing for sufficient return on new construction or renovation.

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    Work with Whitesburg businesses and land-owners to craft a “Walkable Whitesburg” overlay. This will mandate no changes, but as properties redevelop over time, it will require rear-loaded parking, front-facing buildings, and a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

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    In order to create a more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environment, study how to reconfigure traffic on the “Walkable Whitesburg” segment, between the existing curbs, if possible. This may involve strategies as simple as a “tactical urbanist” approach that temporarily closes one lane to analyze impact, or as complex as introducing traffic circles at one or both ends of the segment – at Longwood/Brandon, and potentially near/at the Bob Wallace/California confluence. The latter would obviously require extensive study, and continued communication with the local residents and business owners before any changes would be considered.

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    Work with the HMCRRA and adjacent property owners to determine feasibility of a greenway connection along the railroad corridor. Ensure that the project is listed within the Greenway Master Plan as a visionary project.

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    Develop a sidewalk network plan for the neighborhood, focusing on major through-streets and connections to “Walkable Whitesburg”, Huntsville High School, and the Whole Foods shopping center.

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    Update zoning designation on Longwood (west of Whitesburg) to ensure that as home-office develops along the street, it does so in a form that is more consistent with the existing character of the adjacent neighborhood.

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    Improve operation of Governors/California intersection. As part of this effort, analyze the impacts of implementing a “cul-de-sac treatment” of Longwood and Westmoreland (where they meet on the west side of California). There is currently minimal through traffic on these roads, and the Longwood intersection in particular places an additional traffic signal too close to the Governors/California intersection. Closing off the west side of Longwood (and potentially Westmoreland) may improve the flow of traffic along California, and improve the pedestrian environment along the two residential streets.