Some of Huntsville's top developers gathered last week to discuss the future of the area's most anticipated mixed-use projects.

David and Todd Slyman of The Village of Providence and The Village at Oakland Springs joined Sealy Management operators Charlie and Sasha Sealy at a luncheon Thursday with Leadership Huntsville/Madison County in Cummings Research Park. Wesley Crunkleton, principal of Crunkleton Commercial Real Estate Group, also spoke on the panel about his firm's projects in downtown Huntsville.

Here's an update on a few ongoing local developments:

The Village at Oakland Springs, which broke ground in August 2015, will operate at the intersection of Huntsville Browns Ferry Road and Holladay Boulevard in Madison. The $250 million traditional neighborhood project, developed by the Slymans and Placemaker's Oakland Springs, will cover more than 150 acres and feature over 400 single-family homes, town houses, condos, apartments and a village retail center.

David Slyman said Oakland Springs will be a smaller version of Providence.

"It's very much like The Village of Providence in that we've got a town center (and) mixed uses," he said. "You'll have multi-family neighborhood retail and a mix of housing."

He said they will break ground on houses at Oakland Springs in about 30 days.

The Village of Providence will welcome its third hotel, a Hampton Inn and Suites, late this year. The $10.5 million, four-story hotel will be home to Taco Mama, a Birmingham-based taco bar with a location at Twickenham Square.

"They look to be progressing very well, installing HVAC as we speak," Slyman said.

A 4,300-square-foot Edgar's Bakery & Cafe is set to open late this month in a two-story office facility at the intersection of Biltmore Drive and Providence Main Street. The building will also house private investment company AUM Capital Group and the AUM Charitable Foundation on the second floor.

Slyman said they just recently signed a Hilton product, which will be the fourth hotel at Providence.

"We're developing the master plan for that and will have more on that in the coming months," he said.

The Avenue is preparing for a full fall debut at the corner of Holmes Avenue and Jefferson Street in downtown Huntsville. More than 140 lofts are now available at the five-floor building, with the remaining 55 to open late next month when the second phase of construction is over.

The Avenue includes a 400-unit parking deck, two galleries for socializing and events, and an indoor/outdoor open air gallery with Wi-Fi and TVs that overlooks the pool. Street-level commercial space is also available at the development.

Church Street Purveyor, which hopes to launch Jan. 1, is the only tenant confirmed so far for The Avenue. Charlie Sealy has said more commercial tenants will be announced this fall.

"We've got a few restaurants going in, a coffee shop," Sealy said Thursday. "We've got some neat things coming."

The residential lofts feature up to three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, include wood, carpeted or concrete floors, and have tall ceilings. A saltwater pool, resident fitness center, and outdoor fireplace, grill and social area are available.

Sealy said they're working with the City of Huntsville on streetscape improvements around The Avenue.

"We want the building to really activate downtown and create a lot of pedestrian, urban friendliness," he said. "People walking, people shopping, people visiting people that live there."

The Avenue will include a new public art display by sculpture artist Christopher Fennell, who was chosen after a panel received more than 30 artist qualifications and proposals for the partnership. The project will include two pieces, Light Tree and Light Arch, in the plaza along Jefferson Street and at the southwest corner of Jefferson and Meridian streets.

Sasha Sealy said they unearthed brick foundation from the 1800s during excavation of the former parking lot and have incorporated the materials into the building. Fennell also will use old railroad ties in his art display, she added.

"It's kind of bridging the gap between the past, present and future," Sasha Sealy said.

The Garage at Clinton Row is nearing completion in the Clinton Avenue parking deck near Kaffeeklatsch, UG White and The Clinton Row Project. Crunkleton, whose firm is spearheading the project, said they hope to have a grand opening at the development Nov. 3.

Retail can be tough in downtown settings, especially in cities without a lot of pedestrian traffic or existing retail. Crunkleton hopes The Garage will change that.

"Retail requires synergy, which means one store just can't be by itself," he said. "You actually have to line them up in a row and give someone a reason to come downtown."

Elitaire Boutique launched Saturday at the project and offered a 22 percent discount to the first 22 shoppers. Other tenants - Frios Gourmet Pops, Roosevelt & Co., and Indigo Shoppe - will open soon.

Crunkleton said they are interviewing five potential tenants for the last available parcel at The Garage.

"We're in a good spot that way," he said.