Florence library books Trump as fundraiser speaker

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Huntsville Times

Nonprofit groups are always happy to lasso a well-known speaker for their fundraisers. The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library landed a big name this past weekend.

Business mogul and celebrity Donald Trump was scheduled to give his remarks Saturday night at a cocktail party and dinner at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence to help raise money for the library's foundation. Word is Trump didn't even charge an honorarium or speaker's fee for his visit.

Why Florence?

Judge Edward Tease, a member of the library's board of directors, said Trump is friends with Joel Anderson, a Florence native and founder of Birmingham-based Books-A-Million stores. Anderson asked Trump to attend the event, and the millionaire businessman and best-selling author agreed.

Tease said Trump is "an avid reader and understands the importance of a strong library to the life of a community."

Bridge Street update

Yes, that's real dirt you see being moved at the site of World Famous Bridge Street at Cummings Research Park. But developers say they aren't yet ready to announce any new retail tenants.

Plans for Bridge Street, a $200 million commercial-services project on Old Madison Pike at Research Park Boulevard, are moving forward, said Alex Hardy, business-development manager and director of public policy for O&S Holdings, which is developing the site.

The project was first announced three years ago. Despite delays working with local and state government and dealing with some drainage issues, Bridge Street is on target for a spring 2007 opening, Hardy said.

"A big project just takes time to pull together, and this one is complex," he said. "Now that there's work being done with tangible costs, we're definitely moving forward on the project."

So far, developers have announced a Regal cinema and Westin Huntsville Hotel & Residences will be built at Bridge Street. Several retail deals "are about as solid as you can get," Hardy said.

"I've heard a few of those names floating around the community. Some are accurate, some are not."

Current work at the 100-acre site involves grading and digging for drainage pipes and a subterranean parking deck.

Clay linings for the lakes should be installed soon, he said.

New diner planned

A while back this column mentioned that a tea room may move to the old Five Points Restaurant site on Wellman Avenue.

Looks like the tea room won't happen, but Randy Taylor, leasing agent for the spot, says a diner may be opening there soon. A lease has been signed and the space has been undergoing some renovations, Taylor said last week.

In other restaurant rumors and news, Taylor said a recent meeting of retail professionals in Mobile identified the best place in Huntsville for a Ruth's Chris Steak House as the Summit office building downtown.

A top-floor restaurant would be particularly nice, with a panoramic view of the city and mountains beyond.

Here's another possibility: Chatter at a walk-through of the Embassy Suites construction site last week noted that Ruth's Chris frequently locates restaurants in Embassy Suites hotels.

Ruth's Chris Steak House Inc., which was founded in New Orleans but is currently moving its headquarters to Orlando, has 90 Ruth's Chris restaurants, including 10 international franchisee-owned ones in Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Canada.

Maybe Huntsville will soon be added to its map.

Gina Hannah may be reached at 532-4531 or ginah@htimes.com