IN PROGRESS: Front Street @ Adriaen's Landing

[Luca Brasi]

The city council seems like a bunch of morons.

One member doesn't like the name Front Street because she believes it's not welcoming enough for city minorities! What an idiot!

They ARE a bunch of morons. Hartford City Council has accomplished absolutely nothing good for the city for as long as I can remember. Race and special interests, not the well being of the city, fuel everything. The less power these cretins have, the better it is for all of us. Why do you think Rowland and the state oversaw the current effort to turn Hartford around? Would you trust the simpletons on city council with such a task and the billions of dollars involved? Neither would the state.

This idiot Winch is now going to try to make an issue of the name of this development at such a critical time? A name that has its roots in this city's history and that has played an intregral part in Hartford's past? And make it a racial issue? Grow up, get the big picture and try to contribute for God's sakes. Hartford NEEDS a neighborhood that caters to the upper class... whether they are white, black, latino or whatever (how the name "Front St." is not welcoming to minorities is beyond me). This reminds of another idiotic City Council member comment from a few months back. Asked why she was the only member to vote against breaks for a NYC developer looking to build condos on Pearl St, Elizabeth Horton Sheff responded... "we don't need anymore condos downtown." Unbelieveable.

Disband City Council as we know it. They are an embarrassment.

[Luca Brasi]

The $12 million tax break should be approved within weeks and construction should start by the fall with 18-24 months of construction.

Courant Article

So much for a spring ground breaking...

Not so sure I like the idea of 75% restaurants and 25% "convenience retail." What does that mean? A bank, a dry cleaner and a drug store? Not exactly what I had in mind. I was hoping for a unique shopping district that would draw in suburbanites and convention goers.

[HartfordTycoon]

So much for a spring ground breaking...

Not so sure I like the idea of 75% restaurants and 25% "convenience retail." What does that mean? A bank, a dry cleaner and a drug store? Not exactly what I had in mind. I was hoping for a unique shopping district that would draw in suburbanites and convention goers.

Not what I was expecting either, but who knows for sure how this is going to turn out. If they can get some great local and national restaurants in there, at least it should entertain our visitors and residents. That is really the idea I suppose, amusements moreso than heavy shopping so I'm still optimistic.

[blackstone]

The city council seems like a bunch of morons.

One member doesn't like the name Front Street because she believes it's not welcoming enough for city minorities! What an idiot!

she is not an idiot. she is just covering her ass with the populus. what else is new at city hall? its all political, all the time. what about these surface parking lots? a mayor (that in how many years?) does not at least begin a process to put an end to some of these lots, has to be looked at with suspicion; for either being weak, indifferent, or corrupt (by being one with the lot cartel). this councilwoman should be seeking jobs for city residents at these new businesses, but her ass is what she can't stop thinking about long enough to think of jobs. too bad.

Edited January 5, 2007 by blackstone

[uconn99]

Great post! It's certainly interesting to hear your perspective as well. I myself am a proud graduate of Hartford High c/o 99 so I know exactly what you mean about that debate team you worked with. The kids really and truly do have all of the potential in the world, however people don't expect much from them and that's part of the problem. They need to be pushed and not patronized.

Great post as well.

Sorry to be off topic, but did you play football @ HPHS Tycoon? My team (Windham High) lost 8-6 to you guys in 98, making us not make the playoff's. We still won the CCC East however.

Darian Williams was a great player.

Edited January 5, 2007 by uconn99

[HartfordTycoon]

Great post as well.

Sorry to be off topic, but did you play football @ HPHS Tycoon? My team (Windham High) lost 8-6 to you guys in 98, making us not make the playoff's. We still won the CCC East however.

Darian Williams was a great player.

No, I didn't. I don't think I would have helped either. Darian was a great player. He was kinda like the Bo Jackson "Mr. Play it All" type of guy at school.

[robm324]

No, I didn't. I don't think I would have helped either. Darian was a great player. He was kinda like the Bo Jackson "Mr. Play it All" type of guy at school.

Ha...sorry to continue to off topic chatter, but I played for SWHS, graduated in 01....and I remember Darian running up and down the field against us....granted we were terrible, but I did alright.

[drc72]

The $12 million tax break should be approved within weeks and construction should start by the fall with 18-24 months of construction.

Courant Article

About time the project get underway.

The city council seems like a bunch of morons.

One member doesn't like the name Front Street because she believes it's not welcoming enough for city minorities! What an idiot!

Honestly the race card is starting to get old now.

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

WHERE IS THE !@#$%^&*& SITE PLAN?!? ANY WORD AT ALL FROM ESPN??? WTF!?

Sorry, just a little irked by the delay.......

Edited January 11, 2007 by Theophrastus Bombastus

[HartfordTycoon]

WHERE IS THE !@#$%^&*& SITE PLAN?!? ANY WORD AT ALL FROM ESPN??? WTF!?

Sorry, just a little irked by the delay.......

Great Post!!!! Maybe someone in charge of something will see it and start to understand how frustrated we're getting!

[jcrc]

Just spoke with someone at Arts Council who I am assuming knows a bit about the inside scoop. He is pretty negative about Front Street, while he did not say it won't happen he mentioned the slow moving condo market is not helping.

[mikel]

Just spoke with someone at Arts Council who I am assuming knows a bit about the inside scoop. He is pretty negative about Front Street, while he did not say it won't happen he mentioned the slow moving condo market is not helping.

I wish they could just build the guts of the buildings, put in the ground-floor retail, and then fill in the upstairs living quarters at a later date. I've actually seen this in Europe.

[penetcostal_iglesia_faith]

What happen if someone was trying to stop them from doing it???

[uconn99]

I wish they could just build the guts of the buildings, put in the ground-floor retail, and then fill in the upstairs living quarters at a later date. I've actually seen this in Europe.

They did this at Kierland commons in Scottsdale and it works.

Edited January 24, 2007 by uconn99

[beerbeer]

Let's see if they start construction later it the year as scheduled. "Someone at the Arts Council" doesn't really seem like an inside source to me.

If you said some at Nitkin or CCEDA or the even the Mayor's office, that might have some credibility. But this project has less than nothing to do with the Arts Council.

Edited January 24, 2007 by beerbeer

[jcrc]

Let's see if they start construction later it the year as scheduled. "Someone at the Arts Council" doesn't really seem like an inside source to me.

If you said some at Nitkin or CCEDA or the even the Mayor's office, that might have some credibility. But this project has less than nothing to do with the Arts Council.

I hope you are right, Arts Council is sort of like the downtown merchant association/chamber of commerce all roll into one, so I assume he knows a bit about what is going on.

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

I hope you are right, Arts Council is sort of like the downtown merchant association/chamber of commerce all roll into one, so I assume he knows a bit about what is going on.

If Nitkin has received ANY PUBLIC $$$ yet (Has he?), he is required to make public his plans. Where does Giggles Blumenthal stand on all this?

[ctman]

If Nitkin has received ANY PUBLIC $$$ yet (Has he?), he is required to make public his plans. Where does Giggles Blumenthal stand on all this?

hahahah, thats a good one. weren't the owners of the main/pratt lot required to build there when they tossed out the farmers market? wasn't marty kenny supposed to start immediate construction/renovation on the vacant building next to trumbull on the park in exchange for the sweatheart deal he got for that building? so why would we hold nitkin to any different standard?

[drc72]

If Nitkin has received ANY PUBLIC $$$ yet (Has he?), he is required to make public his plans. Where does Giggles Blumenthal stand on all this?

If he's not gonna do anything then he should give the money back.

[jcrc]

hahahah, thats a good one. weren't the owners of the main/pratt lot required to build there when they tossed out the farmers market? wasn't marty kenny supposed to start immediate construction/renovation on the vacant building next to trumbull on the park in exchange for the sweatheart deal he got for that building? so why would we hold nitkin to any different standard?

There we have it folks. Let no one accuse the city of Hartford is not business friendly.

[Whaler0718]

I'm sorry, but Front Street is drifting sideways. They have to move on this or the city will lose momentum, and they need a commitment from a national retailer, like Borders. I realize that after the state fired Cohen, the word was that national retail wouldn't be interested yet, but I think the market is here, there just has to be buzz. You can create demand by creating supply.

[mikel]

I'm sorry, but Front Street is drifting sideways. They have to move on this or the city will lose momentum, and they need a commitment from a national retailer, like Borders. I realize that after the state fired Cohen, the word was that national retail wouldn't be interested yet, but I think the market is here, there just has to be buzz. You can create demand by creating supply.

Who cares if its a national retailer? I'd prefer local stores if possible, especially for something like books where you save nothing by shopping at a chain store. But most of all, I'd prefer ANYTHING, local or not. I want to be able to buy anything I need in the city center.

[spatulashack]

What exactly are we all complaining about now? The project is basically under construction as we speak. Sure it might not be what we all hoped but contrary to what some of you are implying, it is not on the "backburner" and it is being built as we speak. I know because I walk by the site every day.

[beerbeer]

Don't believe your eyes...believe someone from the Arts Council. Even though construction isn't schedule to start until summer/fall, all that prep work must be a hallucination.

[JHChris280]

Don't believe your eyes...believe someone from the Arts Council. Even though construction isn't schedule to start until summer/fall, all that prep work must be a hallucination.

No hallucination, the prep work has been happening for years. Do all the prep work you want, no plans=nothing to build.

Considering the initial Arts Council comment, all that was stated was the obvious-condo market is soft and people are down on the Front Street project. Evergreen Walk and Blue Back Square have been either completed or nearing completion in this time frame. It's pretty much ensuring the district won't be nearly as unique-could've had a 5 year head start over South Windsor and West Hartford. Who knows if this project had been completed either before or in conjunction with the Convention Center opening, what impact that would've had.