You might say Jim Hudson's entrepreneurial drive is in his genes. His father attempted numerous business startups before establishing a successful Huntsville foundry.
"By the time I was 14, I think he tried to start eight businesses," said Hudson, a Huntsville biotech pioneer lauded for bringing other biotech research firms here and helping jazz up Huntsville's downtown.
Hudson, 63, and his wife, Susie, are credited for sparking much of downtown Huntsville's redevelopment over the last several years through potentially risky investments.
Their company, CityScapes, has bought and resurrected old buildings and transformed them into a collection of restaurants, loft apartments and condominiums. They formed CityScapes using money from the sale of Hudson's Research Genetics, which he started from scratch and sold 12 years later for more than $120 million.
Joe Vallely, director of economic development for the City of Huntsville, said CityScapes has helped inspire much of the growth Huntsville is now seeing downtown.
"When you look at other cities that have improved downtown, two words come to mind: private investment," Vallely said. "Cities can do a lot of things, but if private investment doesn't lead or follow, you won't see the success we're starting to see. Jim and Susie have been pathfinders in that regard."
Huntsville historians will look back at 2000-2005 as the era of downtown Huntsville's makeover. The linchpin, of course, will be the new Embassy Suites convention hotel recruited by Mayor Loretta Spencer. But the Hudsons' contributions played a major part.
Jim Hudson came to Huntsville in 1952, graduated from Huntsville High School in 1960 and earned a master's degree in physics from the University of Alabama. His father worked for the John Blue Co. and dabbled in other business startups before founding Hudson Metals.
After serving in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, Jim Hudson went to work for Hudson Metals. "I was in business with dad for 12 years. In my heart of hearts, I always wanted to be this mad scientist," he said. "I went back to UAH to study molecular biology so I could fulfill that dream. The foundry business was going overseas. We managed to sell the business in 1982."
Susie Hudson moved to Huntsville in 1974. She worked as an administrative assistant for mayors Joe Davis and Steve Hettinger. That up-close involvement helped her come to love the city and its downtown. "I felt like I was responsible for it," she said recently. Susie Hudson, along with CityScapes President Ralph Gipson, have focused the company's development interests on downtown projects. Gipson and Susie Hudson worked together in the mayor's office.
Jim Hudson divides his time between CityScapes and building up the city's biotech industry.
The Hudsons reflected on their life in Huntsville from a loft apartment CityScapes built in a major renovation of the historic Terry Hutchens building.
Both believe a vibrant downtown is key to getting young engineers and scientists to choose Huntsville over swinging hot spots like Atlanta, Austin and San Jose. Convincing young, tech-savvy professionals that Huntsville can be a cool place to live has proved challenging for recruiters.
The Hudsons know that first hand. Two of their four children opted for more exciting cities in which to make their careers. Jim Hudson said he encountered that roadblock while trying to recruit young talent to Research Genetics.
"Even if we got them over the hurdle of Alabama, we had the problem that there really was no nightlife, nothing for young people in their late 20s or early 30s to do," Hudson said.
Hudson's firm was North Alabama's first biotech company and quickly grew to become the state's largest before being sold in December 1999 to Invitrogen Corp. of San Diego for $126 million in stock.
Since its inception in 1987, Research Genetics is credited for helping spawn at least a half-dozen other local biotech businesses in Huntsville.
"In business technology, he's really the father of biotechnology in Alabama," said Brian Pollack, chief executive officer of Open Biosystems. Pollack and business partner Troy Moore worked for Hudson and later Invitrogen before forming their own biotech firm. Pollack said Hudson has put Huntsville in position to become a major center for biotechnology. "He's involved in almost every biotech company in Huntsville," Pollack said.
One of the Hudsons' boldest investment plans was the proposed Electric Avenue project, a collection of downtown restaurants, nightclubs and condominiums. The plan was announced just six days before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. A soft economy soon got worse, the stock market failed to rebound, tax incentives failed to materialize, and plans were called off two years later.
Other projects have done well. Examples: the Terry Hutchens makeover, the recent opening of two trendy restaurants in Five Points, and the newly renovated Washington Square downtown.
The Washington Square improvements carved out several popular gathering spots including Pauli's Chophouse, Humphrey's Bar and Grill, and the Cotton Row Deli.
They next plan to renovate the old Hale Brothers Furniture Building into possible retail and residential units.
Their contributions to Huntsville extend beyond the business and entertainment sector.
The Hudsons have also been big boosters for UAH.
Dr. Frank Franz, UAH president, said Susie Hudson contributed more than $1 million for Greek housing at the university, and Jim Hudson has helped bring biotechnology seminars and key science faculty to the university.
"Jim has been very supportive of and encouraging research and interaction at UAH in the biotechnology area," he said.