Revitalized landmark opens

Saturday, December 08, 2007

By MARIAN ACCARDI

Times Business Writer marian.accardi@htimes.com

$12 million renovation has Commerce Center ready for business

One of Huntsville's landmark buildings opened Friday after a two-year, $12 million makeover.

The eight-story, 96,000-square-foot building at Memorial Parkway and Clinton Avenue - now called Commerce Center - was once occupied by Intergraph Corp. and SAIC and was, mostly recently, the corporate headquarters for SCI. The Breland Companies, led by its Chief Executive Officer Louis Breland, acquired the vacant building in 2005, and it was gutted except for the concrete in the structure.

Entrances to a city should be vibrant and exciting, Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer said at the building's ribbon-cutting ceremony. "That's what Louis has done with this landmark."

The Commerce Center project helps extend downtown west of Memorial Parkway, Spencer said, and makes "a strong statement" to those entering Huntsville.

The building may have been considered a financial risk, said Breland. "We saw a golden opportunity." He said that after two years of hard work, he was ready to bring a historic building back to the community.

The building's very visible location, with more than 110,000 cars passing by each day, is "second to none," Breland said. "I saw (the building's redevelopment) as a no-brainer."

Two other major projects are planned nearby.

On the east side of the Parkway, the $150 million Constellation project, developed by Scott McLain, will feature two Marriott hotels - Courtyard and SpringHill Suites - stores and restaurants.

The Huntsville City Council recently approved a $5.25 million contract with Pearce Construction of Huntsville for a new downtown fire hall/police precinct office on Clinton Avenue just west of Memorial Parkway.

Tenants for Commerce Center are First National Bank, a Pulaski, Tenn.-based bank that will open its first Alabama location here on Jan. 15, and Lanier Ford Shaver and Payne, Huntsville's largest law firm, which will move into the center in early 2008. Other tenants are Future Electronics, Systems Development Corp., HPH Homes, Kuehne + Nagel Inc. and Breland Companies.

About 12,000 square feet of space in the building is not leased yet, Breland said.



Revitalized landmark opens Saturday, December 08, 2007 By MARIAN ACCARDI Times Business Writer marian.accardi@htimes.com $12 million renovation has Commerce Center ready for business One of Huntsville's landmark buildings opened Friday after a two-year, $12 million makeover. The eight-story, 96,000-square-foot building at Memorial Parkway and Clinton Avenue - now called Commerce Center - was once occupied by Intergraph Corp. and SAIC and was, mostly recently, the corporate headquarters for SCI. The Breland Companies, led by its Chief Executive Officer Louis Breland, acquired the vacant building in 2005, and it was gutted except for the concrete in the structure. Entrances to a city should be vibrant and exciting, Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer said at the building's ribbon-cutting ceremony. "That's what Louis has done with this landmark." The Commerce Center project helps extend downtown west of Memorial Parkway, Spencer said, and makes "a strong statement" to those entering Huntsville. The building may have been considered a financial risk, said Breland. "We saw a golden opportunity." He said that after two years of hard work, he was ready to bring a historic building back to the community. The building's very visible location, with more than 110,000 cars passing by each day, is "second to none," Breland said. "I saw (the building's redevelopment) as a no-brainer." Two other major projects are planned nearby. On the east side of the Parkway, the $150 million Constellation project, developed by Scott McLain, will feature two Marriott hotels - Courtyard and SpringHill Suites - stores and restaurants. The Huntsville City Council recently approved a $5.25 million contract with Pearce Construction of Huntsville for a new downtown fire hall/police precinct office on Clinton Avenue just west of Memorial Parkway. Tenants for Commerce Center are First National Bank, a Pulaski, Tenn.-based bank that will open its first Alabama location here on Jan. 15, and Lanier Ford Shaver and Payne, Huntsville's largest law firm, which will move into the center in early 2008. Other tenants are Future Electronics, Systems Development Corp., HPH Homes, Kuehne + Nagel Inc. and Breland Companies. About 12,000 square feet of space in the building is not leased yet, Breland said. © 2007 The Huntsville Times © 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.