The developers behind Front Row say they are not building apartments.

They are building something Huntsville hasn’t had before.

Standing amid cranes and concrete, co-developers Mitchell Rutter of Essex Capital and Dan Shields of Ascend Property Group say Front Row is a different kind of downtown living.

“For us, it’s not about delivering apartments,” Shields. “It’s about delivering a lifestyle. We believe people in Huntsville aspire to something better. It hasn’t been available to them yet. Now we’ll see if our theory resonates.”

Rising on the former Coca-Cola bottling plant site at the edge of downtown, the 11-acre mixed-use development is designed to feel more like a hospitality-driven urban district than a traditional apartment complex, complete with concierge-level service, rooftop decks, curated retail and a central plaza designed to function as a public backyard.

 

Pre-leasing interest suggests the concept may already be resonating.

“We’ve gone live with our website,” Rutter said. “We have an amazing amount of pre-registers.”

The target audience includes both local renters who have been waiting for a higher-end downtown option and newcomers relocating from cities such as Nashville, Washington and Denver.

“They’re used to a high-rise building with a certain level of finishes and amenities,” Rutter said. “We’ve been able to deliver that here.”

“As you can see, all pieces of Phase One are blooming out of the ground,” Rutter said during an onsite interview. “Our first apartments will be delivered in June in the building closest to Pinhook Creek.”

The full 11-acre mixed-use development will include 545 residential units, 47,000 square feet of curated retail and food and beverage space, 42,000 square feet of new Class A office space and a central plaza designed as a public gathering space.

The first phase includes approximately 190 residential units and roughly 20,000 square feet of indoor amenity space.

The project’s hospitality-inspired approach is intentional, Rutter said.

“This isn’t cold and cool like a hotel,” he said. “But it has that hospitality theme. Both buildings will have concierge-level service.”

Planned amenities include dual fitness centers with distinct themes, rooftop decks, a private dining room, co-working space designed at a commercial standard and landscaped pool decks designed for year-round use. One fitness concept focuses on wellness, the other on power training, including an outdoor workout component.

“We didn’t just build a couple of tables and call it co-working,” Shields said. “We curated real workspace with meeting rooms and separate areas for focused work. It’s commercial level.”

On supply and demand

With 545 units coming online downtown, questions about apartment supply are inevitable. The developers say they are not concerned.

“There clearly was an oversupply going back to COVID,” Rutter said. “But that oversupply was generally in the greater Huntsville area. It wasn’t specifically downtown, and certainly not at the core.”

“Our investment thesis from day one was to build something different,” he said.

Shields agreed, noting that much of the recent inventory has already been absorbed.

“We say it’s a Tiffany versus Walmart approach,” he said. “We’re providing what we believe to be a true luxury.”

While specific pricing for Front Row has not yet been released, rates are expected to be above the Huntsville market average.

Curated retail and office

The retail component will not resemble a typical strip center, the developers stressed.

“Don’t expect Walmart. Don’t expect McDonald’s,” Shields said. “These are curated spaces. More experiential. Something you can’t replicate on the Internet.”

Rutter described the retail strategy as focused on new-to-market regional food and beverage concepts drawn to the density of residents above and the proximity to the Von Braun Center, which attracts more than a million visitors annually.

He said the “end caps,” corner areas of the perimeter of the property, will include indoor/outdoor dining amongst lush landscaping and connectivity to surrounding areas.

“Those are key strategic venues that are garnering a tremendous amount of interest. Think of the Gulch,” he said referring to a popular Nashville destination.

In addition, the project includes 42,000 square feet of new Class A office space. Rutter said it’s the first significant new downtown office delivery in roughly 15 years outside of banks.

“The attractant is that you can work upstairs and then go downstairs and grab any variety of food,” Rutter said. “And go out after work.”

The plaza as public backyard

At the center of the development is what the team currently calls “the Plaza,” a landscaped green space designed as both a tenant amenity and a public gathering place.

“It’s not a forest, but it’s highly thought out,” Rutter said. “We’ve spent a lot of money on the design and execution because it’s a way to generate activity.”

The space could host movies, art shows, yoga classes and programming tied to broader downtown events such as Panoply.

“We don’t want to take anything away from Big Spring Park,” Shields said. “We want to complement it.”

The goal, Rutter added, is to embrace Huntsville’s strong outdoor culture.

“We want to show this is an indoor-outdoor community.”

Why Huntsville

The New York-based developers said Huntsville’s growth trajectory was never a gamble, but a calculated decision.

“We wanted to find the next Austin, the next Denver,” Rutter said. “We did an economic study and Huntsville met all the parameters: education level, median income, job growth, population growth.”

The announcements of Space Command, Eli Lilly’s investment and other major expansions were welcome confirmations, not surprises.

“We didn’t know the details,” Shields said. “But the overall growth was not a surprise. We believe we’re still in the early innings here.”

Both praised the city’s leadership and long-term vision.

“Things we were told about eight years ago have either come to fruition or we see the city headed toward them,” Shields said. “It’s been amazing.”

What excites them most

After nearly eight years of planning and construction, what excites them most?

“I’m a developer. I open buildings,” Rutter said. “For me, the most exciting moment will be standing on the Plaza with a beer and seeing everybody living, working and playing.”

Shields offered a more subtle milestone.

“When people stop calling it the Coke site and say, ‘I’ll meet you at Front Row,’” he said. “And when I open Instagram and see people posting pictures of themselves there.”

As for whether this is their favorite project?

“It’s absolutely my favorite,” Rutter said. “We’ve developed great relationships here. Now we’re going to see all of that come together.”

And they are not finished.

Front Row Phase Two is already under development, potentially including a hotel and additional office development. The developers also hinted at future projects in Huntsville, including workforce and affordable housing concepts.

“We see a lot of opportunity,” Rutter said. “And we’re very creative.”