As our community grows, so does the Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The need for additional office space was the initial catalyst for the remodel. A portion of the onsite storage area, which is located behind the Visitor Information desk, has been repurposed to offices for existing staff, as well as a small conference room, which may serve as an office when the CVB team expands.
As with any public facility, the Visitor Center has seen significant foot traffic over the past two decades and was showing its age in several areas. It made sense to refresh the Visitor Center, upgrade the Visitor Experience as well, and update the 2nd-floor offices.
The decision was made to temporarily relocate so the contractor and their crews could accomplish the tasks as quickly as possible. So last August, we moved into our temporary location, just two blocks away, and work began there.
The first phase included construction of the office space and moving the loading dock doorway. New flooring, lighting, and new sound abatement elements were installed in the Visitor Center, along with extensive upgrades to the restrooms. The windows have been tinted to improve energy efficiency, and shades were installed to further regulate light. Upstairs offices, restrooms, and the break room received similar enhancements.
The 2nd-floor lobby area was reconfigured and now includes a monitor over the reception desk and a glass wall at the top of the spiral staircase, which serves to limit sound transfer between the floors, and provides more modern aesthetics to visitors. While several improvements seem inconspicuous, they are important elements in creating the all-important first impression for visitors to the facility.
In the Visitor Center, we worked with True Omni to install a four-panel video wall along with an interactive digital Visitor Kiosk. These new interactive elements add to the visitor experience, and aid in providing community information, in numerous formats, seven days a week.
Static displays are also renewed to reflect the quality of life we enjoy and share with visitors. With the help of our partners at the U. S. Space & Rocket Center, a wall of updated graphics providing a summary of Redstone Arsenal and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s role in the U.S. Space program has also been installed.
On March 19, 2024, we invited our Board of Directors, local elected officials and dignitaries, our partners, and the media to help us celebrate the Grand Re-Opening and 20th Anniversary of the Visitor Center. Guests were greeted by balloon arches and decorations by Balloons Huntsville along with delicious treats prepared by local caterer, Chupper Time Catering. Guests were also invited to sign a matte that will be framed to commemorate the event.
We invite you to stop by the Visitor Center and explore the new look, find a new adventure using our digital kiosk, and enjoy the sights and sounds beaming from our new video wall.
