In early October, President Bill Clinton signed the Transportation Appropriations bill, which provided an additional $12 million in funds for the intermodal facility. On September 30, 1999, it was announced that the Huntington Urban Renewal Authority was in negotiations with the Transit Authority and an unnamed Columbus, Ohio developer for the Superblock. Another $400,000 was allocated from the Federal Transit Administration to the Huntington Transit Authority for the feasibility study and master plan for the intermodal facility. Byrd allocated $8 million to federal appropriation bills for the Superblock project. Chi-Chi's refused to leave the Superblock, however, citing that they wanted to "upgrade and remodel" the restaurant. In order to complete the Superblock, Chi-Chi's would need to be evicted however, it was granted and opportunity to have a restaurant within the proposed development. A ground breaking ceremony was planned in early 2000 with initial completion of the project in 2001.
Yet another study suggested that retail, entertainment, dining, housing, cultural, and educational aspects be included in the project. A later study by Woolpert suggested at least 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m 2) of retail and a parking structure that has 800 to 1,400 spaces. The proposed facility was for a Tri-State Transit Authority (TTA) bus transfer station, retail development and associated parking structures and would occupy a two-block surface parking lot between 8th Street and 10th Street along 3rd Avenue. Then Governor Cecil Underwood had promised $700,000 in 1999, with local lawmakers funding the additional $1.3 million an additional $4 million was to be allocated from the state over the next two years. In 1998, $27 million for an intermodal facility was appropriated from Congress an additional $6.7 million came from state and local funding. A Holiday Inn was constructed adjacent to the Big Sandy Superstore Arena between 8th and 9th Street in 1998. These developments were mostly suburban in nature and was not conductive to improvements in downtown Huntington. In 1988, the city's grant to help develop the project was revoked.Īnother instance included an outlet mall proposal that was announced on however, two months later, the Herald-Dispatch reported that the project was "dead" and that the "13-year history of failure haunts (the) Superblock." Another proposal, on Apreported on a development that was "on tap," followed by an article several years later that stated, "super development dream fails to become reality." In 1992, a two-story shopping center was proposed but the idea failed to receive tenant support.Ī Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurant was constructed on the corner of 3rd Avenue and 10th Street in 1991. The project failed when two large tenants could not be found to anchor the project. In 1987, the Webb Companies presented a plan for a $110 million mixed-use complex called RiverCenter that would feature a 20-story office tower, an underground parking garage and a skyway to the Harris Riverfront Park. In the spring of 1986, the Huntington Development Corporation suggested that an off-track betting facility be constructed however, the idea died after Governor Arch Moore vetoed an off-track betting bill that was critical to the project's success. By mid-1985, however, the lease ran out and the developers could not receive financial backing due to the failure in their $15 million Urban Development Action Grant request. In 1983, the National Shamrock Development and Investment Company wanted to develop the property and took a two-year lease on the project. One year later, a group of entrepreneurs wanted to construct a 350-room hotel and retail stores however, the plan died by 1980.
In 1977, the Huntington Civic Arena was constructed on one parcel.
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