Limestone County
Limestone County was once again the fastest-growing county in Alabama in 2024. It grew by 3.6% from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, adding 4,139 residents, and took its place among the top 10 most populous counties in the state.
As the county continues to grow, a number of projects are keeping pace.
In March, the County Commission unanimously approved an agreement with Morell Engineering Inc. and the Alabama Department of Transportation for roadway improvements on Airport Road and to construct a new access road at Pryor Field Regional Airport. Both projects will support the construction of a new hangar for a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for commercial and military aircraft. Officials broke ground on the $32.7 million hangar project in June.
Also in March, Gov. Kay Ivey announced plans for a safety project at the heavily traveled intersection of State Route 53 and Pinedale Road in Limestone County. The $1.25 million project is funded through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II), a program created in 2019 by the Rebuild Alabama Act. The project will add turn lanes and other improvements.
Last October, the Limestone County Animal Care and Control facility opened its doors to the public. The new county-run facility replaced the Athens-Limestone County Animal Shelter, which closed after the County Commission decided not to renew its contract.
Limestone County Schools broke ground on an expansion of the Limestone County Career Technical Center in May. The $12 million project will add 11 classrooms, additional restrooms, expand the auditorium/meeting room, create a new front entrance and add office space.
Athens, the county seat, was the second-fastest growing city in the state in 2024, and saw its population increase by 5.3%. To help accommodate the influx of new residents, more than 7,400 single- and multi-family housing units had been approved as of early 2025.
Plans are in place to bring a new Publix to the intersection of Highway 72 and Mooresville Road, a project that includes improvements to nearby roadways, estimated to cost around $1.4 million. An economic development project that will bring a new Food City to the west side of town also is underway and includes street improvements to the area.
Last September, the Athens City Council approved economic development agreements for a Texas Roadhouse and 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee on Highway 72 and a Five Guys and Nothing Bundt Cakes on Kelli Drive. Athens Alehouse and Cellar and Ro’s Grille both received Athens Main Street grants to renovate and expand their downtown locations.
In March, the city of Athens broke ground for a park on the site of the former Pilgrim’s Pride chicken plant. Sunrise Park will feature an inclusive playground and splash pad, along with furnishings, civil and utilities work, general work, site electrical and landscaping, which is estimated to cost around $6.6 million. Plans for a future phase include adding a dog park, amphitheater, green space, food truck area and a Singing River Trailhead.
In March 2024, Julian Newman Elementary School in Athens broke ground on the HEART Academy project. The $26 million, 85,000-square-foot facility is set to welcome students this fall.
Morgan County
A new $7 million Morgan County Event Center is scheduled to open this fall in eastern Morgan County. The 34,627-square-foot facility will feature a double gym and walking track; basketball, pickleball and volleyball courts; and a 1,102-square-foot multipurpose room for events.
Behind the event center, the county’s first-ever agricultural center also is under construction. The facility, funded by a $4 million donation from the State Products Mart Authority, will provide a dedicated space for farm-related activities and host livestock shows and other events.
Morgan County Schools’ Rural Development Park will launch in August after a multi-million renovation of the former Sparkman Elementary School. The new trade school is a partnership with Calhoun Community College and gives juniors and seniors from all Morgan County high schools the opportunity to earn their high school diploma and a license or credentials to take directly into the workforce. Areas of study center on health care and manufacturing.
Communities in Morgan County are steadily growing, and Decatur, the county seat, is stepping up efforts to diversify its housing options to better accommodate newcomers.
Several residential development projects are underway, including Bank Street Station, a mixed-use development with roughly 200 apartments and retail space in downtown Decatur; Kenzie Meadows, which plans for 60 three-bedroom townhomes and 200 single-family homes; and River Loft Apartments, a mixed-use complex with 100 apartment units.
And several more developments have recently become available, including Glenmont Acres, 350 lots for three- to four-bedroom homes; Princeton Place, 101 patio homes and 75 single-family homes; and River Road Estates, 151 residential lots and 39 townhomes with plans for a new phase of construction on the horizon.
For visitors, a new Fairfield Inn by Marriott opened in downtown Decatur in January 2024, and a new $10 million Decatur Municipal Parking Deck with 230 spaces opened next door a few months later. The four-story hotel features 80 rooms, an indoor pool, fitness center and meeting room.
A new 20-acre community recreation center in Decatur is expected to be completed by next summer. It will feature a 103,000-square-foot enclosed recreation building with basketball and volleyball courts, a natatorium, a mezzanine running deck, office space, conference rooms and a concession stand with kitchen. Outside, the updated park will feature walking trails overlooking Wilson Morgan Lake and new hardscapes to accommodate food trucks, outdoor events and seating.
The Mental Health Center of North Central Alabama broke ground on a 16-bed crisis residential unit in Decatur in December. The in-patient psychiatric facility will serve 18 counties and is expected to be completed by October.
Decatur City Schools serves more than 8,500 students in 18 schools, including 11 Blue Ribbon Lighthouse Schools of Excellence and two National Blue Ribbon Schools. Last August, Career Academies of Decatur officially became the district’s third high school. It offers specialized training in skilled trade and technical programs, including automotive technology, barbering, cosmetology, culinary arts, cybersecurity, health sciences and sports medicine.
About 10 miles south of Decatur, the town of Hartselle is moving forward with plans for a new fire station, library and event center.
Hartselle has two fire stations, both originally planned to house one person and currently struggling to accommodate four people per shift.
“We need more room,” says Hartselle Mayor Randy Garrison. “We’re also spreading [the stations] out a little further so that the coverage area will be better.”
The new Station 1 facility will have space for eight firefighters and the department’s new ladder truck. Upon its completion, the town plans to renovate one of the remaining facilities.
The William Bradford Huie Library, currently located downtown in a former bank building, will nearly double in size at its new location, growing from 4,000 square feet to 7,800 square feet. The expansion is designed to serve a new generation of library patrons, particularly with access to technology.
“It’s really more of a media center,” Garrison explains. “There will be computer access, there will be space for people to come in and have meetings or training and a lot of seating areas where people can just hang out and enjoy themselves.”
A new event center, the city’s first, also will be built next to the library. Both facilities will occupy the former site of the Hartselle Medical Center on Sparkman Street.
Renovations are in the works for Sparkman Park, including additional parking, improvements for accessibility and upgraded restroom facilities and lighting.
Hartselle City Schools celebrated the opening of Crestline Elementary School in fall 2024; it serves 1,100 students with room for future growth.
“Hartselle is growing, and I’m excited to be a part of it,” says Garrison. “I was born and raised here, and it’s great to be able to serve the place that’s given me so much.”
This article appears in the August 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
