Q&A: Bridge Street development is new territory for Huntsville

Gary Safady, managing partner of O&S Holdings, the Los-Angeles developer of Bridge Street Town Centre, spoke at the project's opening ceremony Thursday. The company and its affiliates own more than 80 properties nationwide.

Why did you decide to build this development in Huntsville?

"Huntsville is truly an underserved market. (With its population density and income and education levels), I think we're in the best location in the market."

Besides the main Bridge Street development between Governors Drive West and Research Park Boulevard in Cummings Research Park, "we've got a strip at Governors West and Old Madison Pike we'll open probably in the summer. We have more demand than we have spaces."

Some retailers are opening this first weekend, while others will open later this year and into next year. Why open the retail part of the development in phases?

"It's a huge project (with 550,000 square feet in the so-called retail lifestyle center). Many projects of this size open in phases.

"That's not our choice. ɠThat's tenant-driven. Many tenants jumped in at the end. We've got the best tenants in the industry. Once you get key ones, others will follow."

Do you think the open-air "lifestyle center" concept will be successful here?

"Many of the people in Huntsville are transplants, they're from other areas, and I think (Bridge Street) will offer a different shopping experience. A mall can't do what we do: Give them better shopping, a better experience, the events." Bridge Street has shops and restaurants with outdoor features such as a walking trail, paddle boats, a gondola and carousel.

Opening this late in the year, is the weather a concern?

"Certainly it can be an impact, but this is not a snow-driven climate. And people are used to the outdoors here. We have some covered areas, and we have convenient parking. There are projects that thrive in much colder environments," such as Oakbrook Center near Chicago.