Downtown’s new Vista at Councill Square to ‘define urban living at its best’

HUNTSVILLE – The 6.1-acre lot at 600 St. Clair Avenue in downtown Huntsville was one of the city’s last large parcels of land up for sale.

For Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, the property next to Councill High Memorial Park was ground zero for development in the downtown Huntsville area.

For Chicago-based T2 Capital Management, now, it is the exciting new site for a multi-use residential development: Vista at Councill Square.

The T2 team and Battle celebrated the groundbreaking Monday for the five-story, 336-unit, multi-family apartment building. It is just steps from the public library, Von Braun Center, Big Spring Park, shopping, schools and a hospital.

One of many pillars in Battle’s BIG Picture outlook over the past 10 years that celebrates the future of economic growth, neighborhood redevelopment, parks and greenways, transportation, and quality of life for all citizens, he said Vista at Councill Square is the type of project the city envisioned – repurposing an underutilized and aging property.

“I have been watching this space since before I began mayoring and I was still in commercial real estate. It has such potential and it is one of the last remaining large parcels of land left in the center core of Huntsville.”

“When completed, Vista at Councill Square will define the best of urban living in the city and it will greatly contribute to the vitality of our city.”

Phase I of the project came together quickly for T2, said Jeff Brown, cofounder and CEO of T2 Capital Management.

“It is reflective of how our relationship with Huntsville has been and working through a purchase contract, working through what can be built here, what’s viable, what’s aesthetically pleasing, what works for everybody,” he said. “It has been an accelerated process from introduction to being ready to break ground in 18 months. That is really quick by any industry standards.

“We have worked with a lot of different municipalities around the country and in the Southeast and Huntsville is unique.”

Brown also said as Huntsville gets more sophisticated and dynamic, the developments need to become ever more sophisticated and dynamic to keep up with that.

“We will see high-quality, multi-family units integrated with townhomes, office and retail,” Brown said. “Vista represents another innovative and strategic step forward in downtown Huntsville.”

T2 is working with Huntsville-based Matheny Goldmon Architects + Interiors and Chicago-based OKW Architects on Vista’s design. Schoel Engineering is administering the site civil design.

“We may be from out of town,” Brown said. “But we are putting a stake in the ground today stating we will strive to be great neighbors, great partners and ultimately great stewards of Huntsville’s growth and quality of life.”