[beerbeer]

There have been a number of huge projects, CCC, CSC, H21, both types of projects are needed. And as I said, the most important aspect of any project is to be successful. let's give Front Street a chance.

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

beerbeer, on 17 August 2009 - 08:13 AM, said:

There have been a number of huge projects, CCC, CSC, H21, both types of projects are needed. And as I said, the most important aspect of any project is to be successful. let's give Front Street a chance.

Look like some good steel going up now...

ANY idea what's gonna go in there????

This post has been edited by Theophrastus Bombastus: 26 October 2009 - 08:57 AM

[grock]

ESPN will have some sort of venue there, though not a zone.
There were some rumors the owners of Spris want to open a clothing store there. One of the owners also owns Brooks Brothers.
There were also rumors Ruth's Chris Steak House was going to move there. The Berlin Turnpike isn't exactly an ideal location for an upscale steak house and with expense accounts Ruth's could cash in on conventions at the Connecticut Convention Center.

[The Voice of Reason]

I forgot to add these photos.

since these were taken (2 weeks ago I think) there is now siding on one building.

[HartfordTycoon]

As I've said before, this is going to be way better than nothing. Just having visible construction is better than nothing as far as I'm concerned.

[beerbeer]

HartfordTycoon, on 28 October 2009 - 09:13 AM, said:

As I've said before, this is going to be way better than nothing. Just having visible construction is better than nothing as far as I'm concerned.

Absolutely agree, a city needs a little of everything, high rises, mid rises and low rises. The small scale of this project gives it a very good chance to succeed. Feet on the street with merchants and restaurants making a profit are the best things that can happen here.

[MadVlad]

Awesome, we can put a chinese restaurant, nail salon, and liquor store there. Win!

[beerbeer]

Do not underestimate the power of nail salons, they create more jobs than the stimulus package.

[MadVlad]

beerbeer, on 02 November 2009 - 08:55 AM, said:

Do not underestimate the power of nail salons, they create more jobs than the stimulus package.

Can I get 10 stories worth?

[The Voice of Reason]

So I walked through Front street today as I have a few times now. I even took more pictures not long ago that I have yet to post here.

But I have to make this statement that I might have made before.

I completely fudgeing hate how the placed their garage!!!!!!!


Not only does it face Arch street Tavern, which I concider being a bad neighbour and completely uncalled for, but now that I see it mostly built, its damn ugly, and has NO street presnce. I mean, the first 5 feet from the street are solid concrete.

Congrats to the state for letting someone build this crap

This project damn well better bring people downtown, it damn well better bring new businesses downtown and not just steal places from the rest of downtown.

This place better build a phase II with over 100 housing units in it or the whole thing is just crap!!!

this garage has me really peeved!!!

on the flp side, the main road in the development has taken shape, and you can see the scale of phase I pretty easily from the edge of the property while walking towards the Travelers plaza from Arch Street. Its nothing special, but its not terrible either. I can not stress enough that 1 additional floor would have taken this project visably into a whole nother category. It reminds me of the shops in Canton right now, or maybe evergreen walk but smaller. 1 more floor would make this start to looks like it belongs in a city. another floor would give it a chance to have the same density of Thayer Street in Providence. of course more steril, and corporate, but scale wise.

and that god damned garage.

the city has their act together and does not allow this kind of thing to happen any more, but the state just came in and allowed the 80's style bunker garage to happen. bad bad bad state!!!!!
bad!

if you dont understand my complaint drive down columbus and take a right on Arch. check out that beast. its almost as pretty as the church street garage

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

The Voice of Reason, on 04 December 2009 - 02:30 PM, said:

So I walked through Front street today as I have a few times now. I even took more pictures not long ago that I have yet to post here.

But I have to make this statement that I might have made before.

I completely fudgeing hate how the placed their garage!!!!!!!


Not only does it face Arch street Tavern, which I concider being a bad neighbour and completely uncalled for, but now that I see it mostly built, its damn ugly, and has NO street presnce. I mean, the first 5 feet from the street are solid concrete.

Congrats to the state for letting someone build this crap

This project damn well better bring people downtown, it damn well better bring new businesses downtown and not just steal places from the rest of downtown.

This place better build a phase II with over 100 housing units in it or the whole thing is just crap!!!

this garage has me really peeved!!!

on the flp side, the main road in the development has taken shape, and you can see the scale of phase I pretty easily from the edge of the property while walking towards the Travelers plaza from Arch Street. Its nothing special, but its not terrible either. I can not stress enough that 1 additional floor would have taken this project visably into a whole nother category. It reminds me of the shops in Canton right now, or maybe evergreen walk but smaller. 1 more floor would make this start to looks like it belongs in a city. another floor would give it a chance to have the same density of Thayer Street in Providence. of course more steril, and corporate, but scale wise.

and that god damned garage.

the city has their act together and does not allow this kind of thing to happen any more, but the state just came in and allowed the 80's style bunker garage to happen. bad bad bad state!!!!!
bad!

if you dont understand my complaint drive down columbus and take a right on Arch. check out that beast. its almost as pretty as the church street garage

I just drove by... as far as Arch St, goes, at the very least it may give them MORE business b/c people will see it when they drive in, and it's right across the street (assuming anyone drives in from cul-de-sac-ville, plus who the f knows what else is going in there. I'm more worried about what people will see when they face west. Are they going to do anything to make "phase 2" look non-crappy, or will it be an open pit with the rotting hulk of the Times building in full view. At least put a small park there for now. I'm still giving Front St. a chance (for now....)

[MadVlad]

The Voice of Reason, on 04 December 2009 - 01:30 PM, said:

So I walked through Front street today as I have a few times now. I even took more pictures not long ago that I have yet to post here.

But I have to make this statement that I might have made before.

I completely fudgeing hate how the placed their garage!!!!!!!


Not only does it face Arch street Tavern, which I concider being a bad neighbour and completely uncalled for, but now that I see it mostly built, its damn ugly, and has NO street presnce. I mean, the first 5 feet from the street are solid concrete.

Congrats to the state for letting someone build this crap

This project damn well better bring people downtown, it damn well better bring new businesses downtown and not just steal places from the rest of downtown.

This place better build a phase II with over 100 housing units in it or the whole thing is just crap!!!

this garage has me really peeved!!!

on the flp side, the main road in the development has taken shape, and you can see the scale of phase I pretty easily from the edge of the property while walking towards the Travelers plaza from Arch Street. Its nothing special, but its not terrible either. I can not stress enough that 1 additional floor would have taken this project visably into a whole nother category. It reminds me of the shops in Canton right now, or maybe evergreen walk but smaller. 1 more floor would make this start to looks like it belongs in a city. another floor would give it a chance to have the same density of Thayer Street in Providence. of course more steril, and corporate, but scale wise.

and that god damned garage.

the city has their act together and does not allow this kind of thing to happen any more, but the state just came in and allowed the 80's style bunker garage to happen. bad bad bad state!!!!!
bad!

if you dont understand my complaint drive down columbus and take a right on Arch. check out that beast. its almost as pretty as the church street garage

**Claps**

I ate at Tamarind on Pratt St today. The guy that works there and i had a chat, and he was also dismayed that Front St has no residential. So, the chinese waiter that barely speaks English gets it, but the City/State/developers have no idea....

[The Voice of Reason]

just to be clear, front street can not be blamed on the city at all. This is 100% state.

I even found out recently that the city will not even get taxes for this land because it will remain state owned.

crazyness!!

the planning department had no say what so ever, and this project did not have to go to a design review board or anything. they just said, ok were ready to build, and then they built.

[MadVlad]

The Voice of Reason, on 05 December 2009 - 11:55 AM, said:

just to be clear, front street can not be blamed on the city at all. This is 100% state.

I even found out recently that the city will not even get taxes for this land because it will remain state owned.

crazyness!!

the planning department had no say what so ever, and this project did not have to go to a design review board or anything. they just said, ok were ready to build, and then they built.

And whose fault is that? If the City wasn't a corrupt, self-serving, irresponsible entity, it would have had full say on the project. Maybe we need the Mob to run the city. Providence was corrupt (maybe still is, I have no idea), but at least they could strong-arm the pieces they needed for the betterment of all, Hartford just hooks friends up with parking contracts and creates a vacuum...

[JayCT]

MadVlad, on 08 December 2009 - 01:35 PM, said:

And whose fault is that? If the City wasn't a corrupt, self-serving, irresponsible entity, it would have had full say on the project. Maybe we need the Mob to run the city. Providence was corrupt (maybe still is, I have no idea), but at least they could strong-arm the pieces they needed for the betterment of all, Hartford just hooks friends up with parking contracts and creates a vacuum...

If anyone cares to remember, it was the city that held back critical funding that delayed the project. That delay hurt the project significantly because the economic climate changed. In all, there is plenty of blame to go around here. JMHO, Jay

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

HartfordTycoon, on 28 October 2009 - 09:13 AM, said:

As I've said before, this is going to be way better than nothing. Just having visible construction is better than nothing as far as I'm concerned.

Just curious, when does a developer typically start announcing tenants? According to the website there are 8 stores to fill - wouldn't announcing 1 or 2 (assuming they have any) create a little buzz to help the marketing effort?

This post has been edited by Theophrastus Bombastus: 18 December 2009 - 12:56 PM

[The Voice of Reason]

Theophrastus Bombastus, on 18 December 2009 - 12:54 PM, said:

Just curious, when does a developer typically start announcing tenants? According to the website there are 8 stores to fill - wouldn't announcing 1 or 2 (assuming they have any) create a little buzz to help the marketing effort?

you would think, but from the tiny bit I know, most of these tenants do not actually sign leases, they come to agreements, and therefore are not in a legal obligation. they can wait and see, and if the developer gets no one else they can just back out and not be the only tenant in a building.


So I guess if there were a major anchor signing things might be announced, but I think front street is supposed to a a bunch of smaller type places. so who knows.


having any interest at all is a great thing.

I tell ya, if AI can get some more tenants and maybe a few retail ones, this part of the city will change dramatically


EDIT: I just looked at their site, and there are only 8 spaces being built. 4500sf up to 17000, but just 8 in total.

This post has been edited by The Voice of Reason: 19 December 2009 - 12:12 PM

[beerbeer]

Saw this on cceda today, looks fairly new.

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

[quote name='beerbeer' date='12 January 2010 - 04:55 PM' timestamp='1263329702' post='1102331']
Saw this on cceda today, looks fairly new.



Also see:http://frontstreetdistrict.com/photos.html

This post has been edited by Theophrastus Bombastus: 12 January 2010 - 03:02 PM

[HartfordTycoon]

Beats a hole in the damn ground any day.