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IN PROGRESS: Front Street @ Adriaen's Landing

Cotuit

By Cotuit
in Greater Hartford

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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Posted

MVlad, you are correct. His portfolio is mostly crappy. This will be the nicest thing he ever built if it looks like the rendering. I don't think they are building on the half of the site that is behind the Times building, so that will still be empty until phase two gets built. I'm am just going to hope for the best at this point though. The Convention Center and Hotel really do need to have something attractive across the street.

That side of the Phoenix building is pretty horrible on the eyes. it makes that wall of the Travelers building look good, and well that is quite a satement. I think the nicest looking part of that whole street wall is the facadeof the parking garage they recently built. scary thought!

At least whatever Nitkin builds will be more inviting that all the rest of that stuff.

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HartfordTycoon
HartfordTycoon

I wanted to go Friday but had to pick my daughter up from day care and wanted to get home to catch the UConn game. I'm definitely going to try to see a movie there over the Thanksgiving weekend though

MichaelQReilly
MichaelQReilly

I went today. The theaters themselves are beautiful. We got there too late to eat at the restaurant, but that looked pretty good. It seems like they might be getting some of the kinks out still, but o

HartfordHope
HartfordHope

Capital Grille is now official as well. http://courantblogs.com/java/capital-grille-makes-it-official-its-coming-to-hartford/

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HartfordTycoon Town

HartfordTycoon

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That side of the Phoenix building is pretty horrible on the eyes. it makes that wall of the Travelers building look good, and well that is quite a satement. I think the nicest looking part of that whole street wall is the facadeof the parking garage they recently built. scary thought!

At least whatever Nitkin builds will be more inviting that all the rest of that stuff.

Exactly, something has to go there. Might as well be an OK looking retail area if that's the best we can get.

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MadVlad Town

MadVlad

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I don't know what annoys me more, the project or you guys just accepting the inevitability of mediocrity. I never thought you guys were the types to think anything is better than nothing. Let's just put an outhouse there, it would be what ends up going there anyways....

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HartfordTycoon Town

HartfordTycoon

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I don't know what annoys me more, the project or you guys just accepting the inevitability of mediocrity. I never thought you guys were the types to think anything is better than nothing. Let's just put an outhouse there, it would be what ends up going there anyways....

I know, but nothing annoys me more than the hole in the ground. I guess I just can't take that anymore and in this credit environment, I do feel that this is as good as it gets. I'm not happy, but would like to see it do well and just keep my fingers crossed that phase two happens and greatly impoves the overall project.

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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I don't know what annoys me more, the project or you guys just accepting the inevitability of mediocrity. I never thought you guys were the types to think anything is better than nothing. Let's just put an outhouse there, it would be what ends up going there anyways....

I have written my letters and my e-mails, I have phoned and phoned. I have done this at state and city level, and even Nitkins company.

clearly this is happening regardless of my actions. Sp what do we do instead? well we have hope. not so much in this project, but in Phase II. and maybe, just maybe something better than we are getting will develop here.

I am by nature a positive, even optimistic person, so I must at some point in every negative situation look at the bright side. so, HTs post made me make that choice. continue to rail against what can not change, or hope that the next chapter is better than the one we are stuck in the middle of right now.

so bring on Phase II

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HartfordTycoon Town

HartfordTycoon

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If you go to the leasing company's website, the Front Street rendering is different and the posting claims that the project is 57% leased. Check it out (Front Street is on the 3rd page of listings)...

http://www.gvawilliams.com/ctwclistings.xml

That was an older un-official rendering that was put out a while back. They were posted here as well. I'm not sure I believe that they have any leases at Front Street yet, but if they do that's great news.

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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Its a nice pamphlet for an ill conceived project.

other than the obvious lack of scale, and lack of residential, the one thing that actually willl some day make retail a success in this city... What I dislike is that there is going to be a huge parking garage in terms of space right along one of the streets, and it will only have 250 spaces. If this project is really supposed to create a retail foothold in this city, it needs build this project in a way that allows for future expansion. it would be VERY easy to build this in a way that put the garage in the middle of that block with retail on the whole ground floor, and leave room around the garage to add future residential. build the garage large enough to actually support current retail plans as well as future residential plans.

how will it be possible to put enough parking in later for the supposed planned future housing?

Also this makes Arch street tavern face the exit ramp of a garage. not really a compliment to the only thing that has ever been good about the area. show a little class and respect what is there. Hell Arch street tavern likely willl bring customers to the tennants of this project, so how about plan for some synergy?

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Luca Brasi Hamlet

Luca Brasi

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This is very disappointing. With the one story buildings, the abscence of residential and the whole "phase 2" BS, this project has become a mere shadow of what it was supposed to be which leads me to believe it will have a shadow of an impact with downtown.

1,000 new apartments downtown will not create a lively downtown streetscape. You are going to need at least 10,000 people living downtown. This was a golden opportunity to add to the existing number of residential units downtown that has been completely blown. I hate to say it, but unless there is a large convention in town, the Front St. area is going to be a tough draw to consumers. Look no further than Blue Back Square and the recipe there. If the developer was unable to secure financing for say... 8-10 story buildings with loft style apartments/condos above... the state should have financed it. They have as much at stake here as anyone.

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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Considering that it's already been around a decade now, what's the odds that this current proposal never sees fruition as well?

Sadly, I actually seeing this one happen.

The developer only has to put in 10, Million, and gets a free parking garage etc for it. so, the retail does not need to hardly have tennants, and they will make money. and then make more when selling this joke so a real developer can turn it into something usefull 20 years from now.

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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Posted (edited)

Yes, thats what the big PDF says.

and in this case I think it is good to connect them.

The riverfront plaza is a nice connection to the river (concidering we cant easily move I-91) and connecting the science center to it is obviously a good idea. With those two plazas we end up with a very large plaza space that would facilitate larger scale events down there. This will be able to handle existing events as they grow like Pipes in the valley so they do not need to find a new home in a few years.

Connecting the combined plaza to the convention center is just an additional invitation to explore the area. The convention center is so huge you really need anitional pedestrian acess. Its not exactly right up against the street and I understand the bridge to be closer to the river not the road. This further extends the plaza and allows for further river views.

I could see events using this whole stretch for a reviveed restaurant week thype thing from the past.

Edited by The Voice of Reason
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MichaelQReilly Whistle-Stop

MichaelQReilly

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Posted

Ok, so I finally have few minutes to post the recap of the Hartford Magazine article. The article quotes Peter Christian, Nitkin's Director of Development and Acquisitions. Here are the highlights:

  • The first phase of Adriaen's Landing will primarily be a restaurant district.
  • The entertainment portion "might be a small music venue" and there may be some small convenience retail.
  • The second phase doesn't have a set start date , but a market study is ongoing. The plan is for the residential component to be made up of studio and one bedroom apartments, not condos.

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