ATHENS — In the civic version of “keeping up with the Joneses” – in this case, Huntsville, Madison and Decatur – the Athens City Council approved plans for a shopping center near I-65 and U.S. 72.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do, the infrastructure work. But it’s an exciting time,” Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said. “And we’re growing along with the whole North Alabama area, and the city of Huntsville, and Madison, and Decatur and others.”
Just a couple hours after Gov. Kay Ivey announced the award of a Community Development Block Grant to aid infrastructure at the new Food City site on the west side of Athens, the City Council voted Monday night for a development agreement with NRE Swan Creek for a shopping center on the city’s east side, at the southern end of Braly Boulevard near I-65 and U.S. 72.
The agreement includes an anticipated investment of $34 million, the creation of jobs and the generation of annual taxable sales of approximately $30 million…