A new hotel development in Huntsville means that the largest Starbucks location in Alabama will be coming to the Rocket City.
The Moxy, a 100-room boutique hotel under the Marriott brand, will be located adjacent to the AC Hotel and the Eclipse.
It is part of the third phase of CityCentre, the project on the southern border of Big Spring Park near the Von Braun Center, anchored by the AC Hotel by Marriott and the Eclipse luxury apartment complex.
David Branch is the senior project manager and director of firm operations for Fifth Dimension Architecture and Interiors of Birmingham, the designers of the project.
He says the Starbucks planned for the Moxy will be the largest location in Alabama, eclipsing the Starbucks at the University of Alabama’s Ferguson Center.
“Starbucks has the drive-thru locations that average around 1,600 to 1,800 square feet,” Branch said. “This will one will be around 2,800 square feet.”
Rendering showing a mixed-use development (right) at CityCentre on the site of the former aquatic center along Monroe Street. The parking deck (center) is a future possibility but not yet finialized and a Moxy hotel will be built next to the Eclipse (top left). (City of Huntsville)
At one time, the Ferguson Center Starbucks was the largest in the U.S., though a massive location is now open in Chicago, with more than 35,000 square feet.
The plans calls for a Starbucks with outdoor café space on Monroe Street and indoor seating areas.
The location will be directly connected to the hotel, but should open ahead of The Moxy and operate independently of the hotel, he said.
So people enjoying events at the Von Braun Center can get their cup of latte if they wish.
The development will also have three different dining amenities, including a rooftop bar.
The mixed-use development will be at the former site of the Huntsville Aquatic Center on Monroe Street near the downtown library. In addition to apartments, it will include office and retail space. The long-planned food hall would be about 15,000 square feet on the ground floor of the Moxy hotel.
