IN PROGRESS: Front Street @ Adriaen's Landing

[beerbeer]

As I understand it, although the building is one-story, the outside facade rises over 40-feet in places. That should give the appearance of three or four story structure, giving front street a more urban, less strip mall feel. It also allows the stores/restaurants the ability to add mezzanines inside the structure.

We won't have to wait long, it opens next May.

Edited June 12, 2009 by beerbeer

[mikel]

Tell them to stop wasting your time and use their time to build phase 2 instead...

Development is a waste of time? Again I'm glad you're not a decision maker.

Edited June 12, 2009 by mikel

[MadVlad]

Development is a waste of time? Again I'm glad you're not a decision maker.

Learn to read.

[The Voice of Reason]

I did a half assed job getting pictures today. I did not even get yelled at

[mikel]

Doesn't look like the buildings will even have basements, sheesh.

[The Voice of Reason]

easier to tear up and re-develop into a proper urban project that way

[MichaelQReilly]

Great job with the frequent picture updates Voice.

[HartfordTycoon]

easier to tear up and re-develop into a proper urban project that way

I agree, this will surely be better than nothing. We really just have to hope for a successful product for the time being that will help ensure that phase 2 is done properly for the long term. Then eventually phase 1 can be redeveloped. None of this has to be permanent, just successful so that it can keep evolving and growing.

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

http://frontstreetdistrict.com/directions.html

Grrrrrrrrr... someone send these people a note - both sets of directions are wrong. You can't turn left on Columbus from the southbound State St. exit off 91, and Exit 48 is in Enfield.

[beerbeer]

I don't think these building can have basements. I think it is a brownfield and would need to meet hazmat standards if they started digging. Same reason the Science Center and Convention Center are all above ground.

Looks like progress to me compared to a decade of nothing. Finish this up and then move on.

Edited July 15, 2009 by beerbeer

[mikel]

I don't think these building can have basements. I think it is a brownfield and would need to meet hazmat standards if they started digging. Same reason the Science Center and Convention Center are all above ground.

Looks like progress to me compared to a decade of nothing. Finish this up and then move on.

They've been cleaning up the site for over a decade! I think it has been decontaminated by now. I hope. If the buildings were three stories, there would be a basement. But it's one story now and doesn't need one. Somerset Square most likely doesn't have a basement either.

On a positive note, it's amazing to see that big Front Street banner and see actual construction in front of it. I'm used to seeing banners and nothing happened (Renaissance Place).

http://frontstreetdistrict.com/directions.html

Grrrrrrrrr... someone send these people a note - both sets of directions are wrong. You can't turn left on Columbus from the southbound State St. exit off 91, and Exit 48 is in Enfield.

That's pretty bad...

[Bill Mocarsky]

Doesn't look like the buildings will even have basements, sheesh.

Columbus boulevard already feels like the basement.

[The Voice of Reason]

Thr courant did a little piece on Front Street today.

not much to it, but I like the picture. I am going to have to walk over there and try and get some more pictures.

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-frontst...0,1592648.story

[beerbeer]

I don't mind the scale of this project. It needs to prove itself. BTW, walked around Bethesda, Maryland yesterday. Very lively restaurant/retail area -- much of the r/r was in the same one story scale as Front Street.

[MadVlad]

I don't mind the scale of this project. It needs to prove itself. BTW, walked around Bethesda, Maryland yesterday. Very lively restaurant/retail area -- much of the r/r was in the same one story scale as Front Street.

It doesn't fit though, brother. Putting a one story building in the middle of the downtown of a large American city is an asinine concept. Put this on Albany Ave, Franklin Ave, or something, fine, downtown, stupid.

[The Voice of Reason]

I want to link a thread I was reading on Minnescraper.com about the downtown retail thingie they built a few years ago. Its right next to the Target center, so it gets NBA games and concerts, and its a city 3X as big with over 10,000 downtown residents...... BUT

it is struggling because it attemps to bring the burbs to a city. it even represented burbs stores.

if you think of the best cities you have been to the streets are not filled with suburban retail concepts, or high end stores, they are packed with small cheap or affordable anyways places.

[MadVlad]

...they also have density. A one story retail, with a pie-in-the-sky "phase 2" that we all know will never happen, is not desnity. The residential was THE most important part of this development, and the buffoons that run the city ok'd Nitkin to push it off. Bethesda, Maryland might have a thriving r/r area, but so does downtown Chicago, and they have 100 story buildings. So, while Hartford isn't Chicago, it certainly is not Bethesda. It's a mid-sized city that can definitely sustain a 6-15 story building with r/r on the ground floor.

[beerbeer]

Tough to worry about density when half of downtown is vacant lots.

Hartford needs to in fill it's empty lots. Once it does it will make more sense to go up. Right now, anything that puts feet on the street is good idea. The fact that this project isn't too large enhances its chances of success. And if it is successful, others will flow. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Edited August 11, 2009 by beerbeer

[The Voice of Reason]

[MadVlad]

We've been taking baby steps for 30 years. Time for some adults to take over.

Edited August 17, 2009 by MadVlad

[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]

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????

Edited October 26, 2009 by Theophrastus Bombastus

[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.