The Residences at Front Row is getting ready to sign its first leases for a targeted June move-in date.
Why it matters: The sprawling mixed-use development under construction across from the Von Braun Center has been years in the making and is expected to help transform that “gateway” into downtown.
- Also in the works nearby is the city’s wide-reaching PARC project, including “Skybridge” and the Pinhook Creek restoration/greenway project.
Zoom in: On Tuesday, developers Essex Capital and Ascend Property Group announced the launch of pre-leasing and an official website offering the first look at apartment layouts.
- The development is offering “a blend of thoughtfully designed rental residences, curated retail, class-A offices, curated art, and vibrant green spaces,” the announcement said.
- The website shows multiple layouts for studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment layouts.
- Front Row will also have a central green space, patios, public art, gathering spaces, and pool decks in each building.
What they’re saying: “Front Row is designed to be an asset that businesses can point to when recruiting,” said Dan Shields of Ascend Property Group, a co-manager of the development’s ownership team.
Catch up quick: Front Row is being constructed at the site of the former Coca-Cola Bottling facility, which closed in 2012 and was later demolished.
- The 13-acre property was listed for sale in 2016 and identified as a “key site” in Huntsville’s Downtown Master Plan. First approved in 2021, the Front Row project was initially set to start construction in 2022.
- In 2023, the city and developer agreed on an amended project scope, splitting it into phases and setting a May 1, 2024, deadline for the project to break ground.
By the numbers: The $220 million first phase of the estimated $375 million project includes nearly 50,000 square feet of retail, per Tuesday’s announcement.
- The development includes 545 apartments across the two buildings, with 40,000 square feet each of amenity space and Class A office space.
What we’re watching: Two buildings, dubbed 1 and 2 Front Row Boulevard, frame the central green space and will open separately.
- 2 Front Row opens in June with an initial 190 apartments and 2,600 square feet of retail.
- 1 Front Row is scheduled for completion in 2027, set to include the office space, more retail, and potentially a hotel, shown in earlier renderings as a taller, central building.
The bottom line: “If people are speaking about the Front Row neighborhood in downtown Huntsville by saying ‘I’ll meet you at Front Row,’ that would be a success to us,” said Mitch Rutter of Essex Capital, co-manager of the ownership team.