IN PROGRESS: Front Street @ Adriaen's Landing

[mikel]

Their probably surveying the site.

They're probably getting ready to pave it over for parking.

[grock]

I don't know if I would trust that Channel 30 story.

[spatulashack]

I find it odd that the Courant didn't cover the groundbreaking of Front Street at all! They covered every tiny tidbit of new information on the project for six years and then just dropped the ball on the biggest news of all! It makes no sense.

[MadVlad]

There's definitely something shady going on. With a project this high profile, they'd be tripping over themselves to get the plans out to the media. This one, they're sitting on it. Doesn't make sense to me....

[Bill Mocarsky]

I find it odd that the Courant didn't cover the groundbreaking of Front Street at all! They covered every tiny tidbit of new information on the project for six years and then just dropped the ball on the biggest news of all! It makes no sense.

What reporter would want to cover that? How do you put together a story with absolutley nothing new to unveil?

[sp1dey]

The construction work going on now is environmental remediation work. They are in the process of removing two large tanks believed to contain petroleum contaminants. This work will take 6-8 weeks and completes the site for actual construction to begin in the spring.

[Luca Brasi]

A lot can happen between now and the spring. Like I said, they didn't release any plans because there aren't any yet. Nitkin just signed a formal deal with the state last week! Up to that point there was nothing. How can there be plans to release?

This "groundbreaking" was all symbolic to make it look like the project is actually moving forward. It was pure PR.

[spatulashack]

What reporter would want to cover that? How do you put together a story with absolutley nothing new to unveil?

It isn't a matter of what the reporter wants. Besides, the media itself thrives off of reporting news with very little actual information in it. Not to mention the Courant has small articles all the time updating people on projects downtown.

[sp1dey]

A lot can happen between now and the spring. Like I said, they didn't release any plans because there aren't any yet. Nitkin just signed a formal deal with the state last week! Up to that point there was nothing. How can there be plans to release?

This "groundbreaking" was all symbolic to make it look like the project is actually moving forward. It was pure PR.

All groundbreakings are symbolic gestures, hence the shiny shovels. That being said, actual work is getting done as I type... site prep in the form of environmental cleanup. I'm happy this work will be done before the snow flies. Maybe I'm a little too optimistic but I guarantee there are plans. Maybe they are being tweaked but generally renderings and plans are worked on very early in the process. Just because we haven't seen them doesn't mean they don't exist.

[MichaelQReilly]

I think everyone needs to calm down a little bit. I understand that this project has dragged on for too long; and I also understand that Hartford has a bad history of mis-executing projects like this. But the fact remains that this project is, more or less, a give away to Nitkin. So little of his own money is invested in this, he would be a fool not to build.

[HartfordTycoon]

I think everyone needs to calm down a little bit. I understand that this project has dragged on for too long; and I also understand that Hartford has a bad history of mis-executing projects like this. But the fact remains that this project is, more or less, a give away to Nitkin. So little of his own money is invested in this, he would be a fool not to build.

Exactly, and with state dollars basically paying for it all, the quality that we all want should be there as well. I'm as anxious to see the renderings as the next guy, but I'm sure they have something and maybe just don't want to release it before tweaking it a little bit so no one gets too attached to what may or may not be the exact final design.

[jcrc]

Exactly, and with state dollars basically paying for it all, the quality that we all want should be there as well. I'm as anxious to see the renderings as the next guy, but I'm sure they have something and maybe just don't want to release it before tweaking it a little bit so no one gets too attached to what may or may not be the exact final design.

I hope you are right. I hate to see tax money paying for crap while enriching some well-connected developer.

[Luca Brasi]

Nitkin needed to know exactly how much the state was willing to give up before he could do anything. Up until a compromise was reached in the last week, he and the state were far apart and had very different ideas as to how much "phase 1" ( that term scares me) of Front St. was actually going to be.

It would seem thats why construction is starting next spring and not this year.

If the state didn't implement some kind of penalty for not completing the second phase of this project in a certain amount of time, I would be very disappointed. With the amount of subsidy this guy is getting, the state would be well within reason to do so.

Edited October 24, 2006 by Luca Brasi

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

Exactly, and with state dollars basically paying for it all, the quality that we all want should be there as well. I'm as anxious to see the renderings as the next guy, but I'm sure they have something and maybe just don't want to release it before tweaking it a little bit so no one gets too attached to what may or may not be the exact final design.

....see Sage-Allen thread for an update on what state $$$ gets you.

If there was environmental cleanup to do, that could've gotten started long ago regardless of what was going on top of it!!!

[Carter711]

....see Sage-Allen thread for an update on what state $$$ gets you.

If there was environmental cleanup to do, that could've gotten started long ago regardless of what was going on top of it!!!

I hate to rehash this whole thing, but I just don't understand why the state doesn't say - this is how much $$ we'll contribute, this is what kind of development we want - and then give developers a window to throw in proposals -then pick the most impressive one. I don't understand why they lock themselves into negotiating with just one developer.

[jdrct]

I hate to rehash this whole thing, but I just don't understand why the state doesn't say - this is how much $$ we'll contribute, this is what kind of development we want - and then give developers a window to throw in proposals -then pick the most impressive one. I don't understand why they lock themselves into negotiating with just one developer.

That's actually what the state does. It's called a request for proposals or RFP. The state sets the parameters and then developers respond with a plan they feel best fits the parameters. Even after the state picks a developer, there is a ton of technical negotiations that need to be complete, so you are always going to find yourself negotiating with one party.

[HartfordTycoon]

....see Sage-Allen thread for an update on what state $$$ gets you.

If there was environmental cleanup to do, that could've gotten started long ago regardless of what was going on top of it!!!

Point taken, understood, and considered before I made my comments. I just meant that Front Street is more like the CCC, Marriott, and CSC. Showpeices for state dollars. I'm sure it will be well designed and that corners won't be cut like on Sage Allen. Anyway, we all know that Fingold doesn't think highly of the city and therefore why would he put his best effort into anything he does here?

[MichaelQReilly]

Point taken, understood, and considered before I made my comments. I just meant that Front Street is more like the CCC, Marriott, and CSC. Showpeices for state dollars. I'm sure it will be well designed and that corners won't be cut like on Sage Allen. Anyway, we all know that Fingold doesn't think highly of the city and therefore why would he put his best effort into anything he does here?

As said, this project is different than Sage-Allen. The Marriott and the Convention Centers are really well done. This project has to complement them or Adrien's Landing will be a failure. The state has too much invested in this project to let Front Street be second-rate. Whereas Sage-Allen, while nice and good for Hartford, isn't part of the center-piece revival effort in the city. I think that, in the end, that is why this project has dragged for so long. The state/city wants it done right. That's supposedly why they jettisoned Cohen.

Edited October 24, 2006 by MichaelQReilly

[drc72]

They're probably getting ready to pave it over for parking.

I doubt it. Anyways I firmly believe Northland should of took over this project, when the state had a chance to give it to them. It probably would of been 40% done.

[jdrct]

I doubt it. Anyways I firmly believe Northland should of took over this project, when the state had a chance to give it to them. It probably would of been 40% done.

I think the state asked Northland and Northland wasn't interested. At least, that's what I recall from the media articles after Cohen was dropped.

[spatulashack]

Just what I thought. This "groundbreaking" was a way for Rell to get credit for something she had no part in.

http://www.courant.com/hc-hta-1026-ht44sco...0,1580846.story

[drc72]

Just what I thought. This "groundbreaking" was a way for Rell to get credit for something she had no part in.

http://www.courant.com/hc-hta-1026-ht44sco...0,1580846.story

DeStefano would of done the same thing. It's politics.

[mamul]

Just what I thought. This "groundbreaking" was a way for Rell to get credit for something she had no part in.

http://www.courant.com/hc-hta-1026-ht44sco...0,1580846.story

This actually does not prove that the "groundbreaking" was a way for Rell to get credit for something she had no part in. This is effectively an op/ed article talking about the unusual circumstances surrounding the forced groundbreaking. I think it is very common that a groundbreaking takes place well before the cranes move into place. Groundbreakings are purely ceremonial photo opportunities for candidates and developers alike. Regardless of the intent by Rell and others I do think it was in poor taste for the Courant to not even mention the event after 8 years of covering Meeting House Square and Front Street on a nearly daily basis, as it was still a monumental and significant occurance for the project. It signified that the city, the state, and a developer are all finally on the same page to actually get something built there. The Couarnt could easily have covered the story without any political spin and I believe they did a disservice to folks like us who are interested in the day-to-day progress at Front Street.

[HartfordTycoon]

This actually does not prove that the "groundbreaking" was a way for Rell to get credit for something she had no part in. This is effectively an op/ed article talking about the unusual circumstances surrounding the forced groundbreaking. I think it is very common that a groundbreaking takes place well before the cranes move into place. Groundbreakings are purely ceremonial photo opportunities for candidates and developers alike. Regardless of the intent by Rell and others I do think it was in poor taste for the Courant to not even mention the event after 8 years of covering Meeting House Square and Front Street on a nearly daily basis, as it was still a monumental and significant occurance for the project. It signified that the city, the state, and a developer are all finally on the same page to actually get something built there. The Couarnt could easily have covered the story without any political spin and I believe they did a disservice to folks like us who are interested in the day-to-day progress at Front Street.

I would have to agree.

[Luca Brasi]

Typical Hartford Advocate bashing. And in true Advocate fashion, they failed to get accurate information. "Richard" Cohen was the previous developer who had invested in and presented plans for Front St. previously. "Laurence" Cohen is a columnist for the Courant who is actually as anti urban as you can get.

Bravo Advocate - you've done it again. Its no wonder no one takes you seriously.

Edited October 26, 2006 by Luca Brasi