Growth is cyclical, according to Limestone County Economic Development Association President Tom Hill, and now it’s time for our county to get a bigger slice of the area’s prosperity.

U.S. Census Bureau figures show Limestone growing by 7.3 percent in the past five years, coming in just under Madison County’s 7.7 percent. Morgan County grew at just 2. 4 percent over the same 2000-2005 time span.

Limestone unemployment ranks 4 percent, compared to Madison’s 3.3 percent and Morgan’s 4.2 percent, according to Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce figures. Compared statewide, U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show that over the last decade, Alabama reached its highest unemployment at 6.2 percent in June 2003, and its lowest at 3 percent in April 1998.

Hill hesitates to play the numbers game in comparing the three counties. In recent years recruiting officials talk in terms of region, rather than county when talking growth because what’s good for one county is generally good for those surrounding, but Hill admits to being especially pleased with Limestone’s growth spurt.

“We have a wonderful region in north Alabama,” said Hill. “Thanks to TVA we have abundant power at a competitive price with no worries about black-outs. They are forward thinking, just like bringing Unit 1 back on line. We’ll have power for a long time to eome.”





TVA started growth





Hill said that, historically, it was the Tennessee Valley Authority that spurred today’s growth decades ago.

“TVA was instrumental in bringing growth to Decatur and NASA and Redstone brought jobs to Madison,” said Hill. “Then in the late 60s, Browns Ferry came to Limestone and in the 70s, Saginaw Steering and Steelcase. This is not about Morgan and Madison versus Limestone. They provided early growth and jobs for our people. Now, we’re catching up.”

However, Hill said he has found that in recruiting prospective companies show special interest in local education.

“What really attracts people is our schools,” he said. “Athens has an excellent system and the county system is very good. They all have concerns about their families. Once they get off schools, they are concerned most about residential development…Then they are interested in retail, which we have a lot of going on. It’s a question of whether we have more retail because of the housing or more housing because of the retail.”

Athens’ high-growth area is in the so-called “hospitality sector” at U.S. 72 and Interstate 65. Hill said highway officials have counted some 100,000 cars per day that pass through that intersection. He credits developer Bill Ming with snaring the occupants of those vehicles.

“Bill Ming had the vision to see what this community needs and he had the resources to acquire the land and encourage stores to locate there,” said Hill. He said the added sales revenue is making it possible to build a new fire station at U.S. 72 and Lindsay Lane. City Council members have also authorized a study and are working with the congressional delegation to locate a post office in that area.

Ruby Tuesday’s, Backyard Burgers, Holiday Inn Express, Bojangles’, and Starbucks have opened in the U.S. 72 corridor in the past year with Lone Star Steakhouse just approved by the Planning Commission. Ming said Thursday that a nine-store shopping complex he has developed is about 50-percent leased and “building out” of the units should begin within the next 30 to 60 days. Ming said he is not prepared to announce his new tenants.

“The response has been very favorable,” said Ming. “We have been very selective of who is going into that building. Starbucks, next door, has been exceptionally pleased with the response from the local community as well as the interstate traffic.”





Building boom





Hill said Limestone is especially well poised to house the families of workers transferring to Redstone Arsenal as a result of Base Realignment and Closure, which the president signed into law in November. Low interest rates and low unemployment combined to ignite a building boom in Limestone.

Numerous new subdivisions have sprung up in the East Limestone community and the east side of Athens. Among the fastest growing is the golf community Canebrake, which has 150 homes, according to spokeswoman Mary Baugher.

Canebrake management recently hired Baugher as a liaison with its Homeowners Association, public and media. Manager David Wright has also hired an inspector to work with the Architectural Review Committee and also to make sure residents abide by covenants and that builders keep construction sites and streets clean.

Baugher said that since 2004, there has been a “dramatic increase” in Canebrake home and lot sales. “In 2005, we had 61 homes sold, compared to 10 sold for all of 2004,” she said. “In the first quarter of 2006, we have sold 14.”

The west side of Athens also has an upscale subdivision under development. Joe Christopher is developing the five-phase Watercress off Lucas Ferry Road. According to spokeswoman Kim Hodges, Phases I and II, called “The Springs,” will each have 46 lots. Successive phases, “The Creeks,” “The Woods,” and “Timbercress,” will have a like number of lots in each.

Amenities include picnic area, tennis court, walking path, pool with clubhouse, putting and chipping green, driving range, 10-acre lake, and fishing pier.

In the western part of the county contains the upscale Brigadoon on the banks of the Tennessee River , Bay Hill Subdivision in the former Lucy’s Branch marina and campground, which includes condominiums, and the recently announced The Pointe, another condominium development. A Huntsville real estate broker, John Dumbacher, in March announced the development of the 22-lot Beechwood Airpark to include a private plane runway.