The Hampton Cove planned community is part of the city of Huntsville but shares a zip code with the adjacent small town of Owens Cross Roads. The area began development in 1992 and now is home to an estimated 8,000 residents in 20 neighborhoods with about 2,000 dwellings that range in size from townhomes and patio homes to luxury estates, says Ronda Miskelley, director of the Hampton Cove Owners Association. “We attract residents in all stages of life from families to retirees,” she says. “Three of our communities have contracted lawn maintenance services.”
Miskelley’s family has lived in several of the community’s neighborhoods over the years. She and her husband moved up from their starter home as their family grew. “Once you move out here and see what a nice retreat it is, and yet is convenient to the city, you don’t want to leave,” she says. “And you don’t have to in order to scale your lifestyle up or down.”
Situated in a valley in the foothills of Monte Sano, the community is a short commute over the mountain for those who work in Huntsville but want to live in a more rural area. Hampton Cove has its own fire station, as well as an elementary and middle school. Shopping and other services are plentiful nearby. “We’re like a small town unto itself,” Miskelley says.
The community’s main entrance includes a visually striking waterfall and fieldstone springhouse. Amenities include the Hampton House, which serves as the area’s recreational facility, the Hays Nature Preserve, a multitude of lakes, a 54-hole Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail golf course and more than 20 miles of continuous sidewalks.
“We’re so fortunate to have such a well-designed community located within the city limits of Huntsville,” Miskelley says.
Kathy Hagood and Dennis Keim are freelance contributors to Business Alabama. She is based in Homewood and he in Huntsville.
