$82M Metronome at MidCity Marks Development’s First Residential Component

Passing rain and a chill breeze could not dampen the spirits of local elected officials and the many principals involved in the groundbreaking for the $82 million luxury Metronome at MidCity District. 

Located in the heart of Huntsville’s MidCity District, the five-story, 296-unit multi-family complex is at the intersection of MidCity Drive and Stax Street. It is the 140-acre development’s first multiuse residential component and will feature shops, boutique services, fitness, and a variety of retail and restaurants lining the main road at ground level.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks an exciting next chapter in our commitment to bringing vibrant mixed-use communities to life across Huntsville,” said Nadia Niakossary, business development manager for RCP Companies. “This unique project will bring a one-of-a-kind modern and amenity-rich residential experience to North Alabama.”

Designed by Memphis-based architects Looney Ricks Kiss, Metronome offers studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment homes with 12 floor plans. Featuring contemporary living including smart thermostats, high-speed internet, security-dedicated WiFi, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and a full-size, in-home laundry, some units also include high ceilings, a balcony, an office/den space, and kitchen island. 

Lincoln Property Company will manage the property and begin pre-leasing in late 2022. The complex is expected to open in mid-2023. 

The $1 billion MidCity project is Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle’s vision for the former site of Huntsville’s Madison Square Mall, which he laughingly says was listed high on the list at DeadMalls.com.

“Max (Grelier, co-founder of RCP Companies) and I started talking about this project seven years ago and agreed we had to do something better for our community, for our city, and for our people,” said Battle. “Because of the proximity to Research Park East and Research Park West, we decided to do the best urban development has to offer and make it a place where you can live, work, and play. If you look around, there are a lot of places to play, and we are just beginning to build the places where you can live.

“MidCity anchors what I call the retail quarter, all the way up U.S. 72. Great things will happen here. It will be a great place for not only the people of Huntsville, but for all of North Alabama.”

The development is a partnership between MidCity developers and Rise of the Rest Real Estate, a nationwide platform focused on investing in regional startup hubs across the non-coastal U.S.

“The residential component strikes a balance of the urban design and builds on the proposition of MidCity in Huntsville,” said Grelier. “Metronome at MidCity will be an ideal home base for residents moving here from urban markets who appreciate the benefits of a dense neighborhood and nearby amenities. 

“The MidCity District appeals to the socially active community — it’s a place where people can walk to parks with their kids and dogs, shop Trader Joe’s for groceries, explore new restaurants and bars and engage in entertainment options like the Huntsville Amphitheater and Topgolf.”

The Metronome is within walking distance of Topgolf, The Camp, the upcoming Huntsville Amphitheater, Dave & Buster’s, and High Point Climbing and Fitness, to name a few. Trader Joe’s grocery store, the first in Huntsville, will open this year.

Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong said MidCity shows what a city can do with a vision and unity in working together. 

“This property needed to be refreshed and RCP Companies did not make a new commitment – it made a renewed commitment in redeveloping this property,” he said. “It represents who we are … not just shooting from the hip but planned effort, planned development.”

Some of Metronome’s community amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center with 24-hour access, a resort-style saltwater pool, an expansive outdoor kitchen, pocket parks with a fireplace/firepit, and a rooftop lounge, perfect for entertaining family and guests.

It will also provide business accommodations such as a smart-shelving package room, a conference room, private work zones, a collaborative lounge with a refresh bar that opens onto the entertainment lawn and Jake’s Mews, and a pedestrian streetway with community gardens and urban seating. 

Starling Cousley, partner at Rise of the Rest Real Estate Initiative, said the site has unlimited potential.

“Huntsville is a unique place,” he said. “I’ve lived all over, and you drive through cities and remember how vibrant that city once was and wonder what the driver of economic growth was for that city’s downtown area because it is hard to see now, and it makes you reminiscent.

“But Huntsville is a lot different. You look around and see so much potential here, and that is a credit to city leadership, private developers, and investment companies based here. We are very happy to be a part of it.”

Josh Przyborowski, principal and director of Business Development at ARCO Murray National Construction, the builder and general contractor for the Metronome facility, said he was happy to be back in Huntsville and MidCity, having built the popular Topgolf facility adjacent to the Metronome site. 

“It has been a long time and a lot has changed since we were here and when I think about how I see this project, I always find myself talking about the energy and passion everyone has for their community and their city,” he said. “It is pretty contagious for all of us.”