HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Apartments, offices, and retail are coming soon to Cummings Research Park East – and it’s all going to be housed in the same building.
Groundbreaking for Arcadia, the newest addition to Cummings Research Park East, is slated for spring 2022, but there’s been plenty of activity on site already; crews have demolished the former site of Catholic High School, which is now known as St. John Paul II Catholic School and is now located on Old Madison Pike.
In a 2016 master plan, Cummings Research Park East, the oldest part of the complex created in the 1960s, was eyed for redevelopment and re-investment.
“Arcadia has been conceived by developers with purposeful intent. CRP East needed to become a more viable and healthy part of the market, as we’ve already seen in developments in the western portion of CRP. Looking at occupancy rates from last year, CRP East was just over 88 percent occupied, whereas CRP West was nearly 98% occupied.”
Cummings Research Park Executive Director Erin Koshut
The mixed-use development, located at the corner of Bradford Drive and Wynn Drive, will contain 12,000 square feet of office space, 7,000 square feet of retail space, and 251 apartments.
Arcadia joins a Northrop Grumman facility and its 500 jobs as one of the latest developments in the nation’s second-largest research park.
“This development is the result of a comprehensive, strategic planning initiative to ensure Huntsville’s CRP is able to meet the evolving needs and demands of the business and research We look forward to welcoming Arcadia to CRP.”
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle
“This development is the result of a comprehensive, strategic planning initiative to ensure
Huntsville’s CRP is able to meet the evolving needs and demands of the business and research
market,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “We look forward to welcoming Arcadia to CRP.”
Other developments in CRP East include the Orion Amphitheater, Encore in the MidCity District, and the Alabama School for Cyber Technology and Engineering, the latter of which is being built across the street from the future site of Arcadia.
Arcadia is being developed by a partnership of Bobo Development Group and Retail Specialists, the latter of whom is leading the retail portion of the development.
“With the current and projected growth in the Huntsville market, the timing is perfect to introduce the newest project in the community.”
Bobo Development Group Chief Executive Officer James Bobo
“We are excited to begin work on such a significant development in Huntsville. Our team looks forward to bringing new restaurant and retail options for the growing area.”
Retail Specialists Chief Executive Officer Robert Jolly
UAH has also announced plans to redevelop the Executive Plaza area between Wynn Drive, University Drive, and Sparkman Drive into what officials call “a new social heart for our campus.”
