COMPLETED: Blue Back Square

[redbaron]

Do you know how much more they will be adding?

As many as they can get away with, with people gobling up half milliion to million dollar condos....

[SOCOM]

Do you know how much more they will be adding?

If I remember correctly they said they were doubling the amount of condo's. Now the only thing is, I don't know if 31 was the original plan and they already doubled it to make 62, or if they plan on doubling the 62 to 124.

[jcrc]

Do you know how much more they will be adding?

They doubled the original units planned to over 100 units

[MadVlad]

Wow, what will West Hartford do with all that density?

[drc72]

Wow, what will West Hartford do with all that density?

Lets give it all to Hartford!!!

[beerbeer]

Projected opening is late 2007.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=...11035&rfi=6

[drc72]

Looks like it's coming together nicely.

[MadVlad]

I think I read yesterday that they would try to replace some of the condos with rentals, not add rentals to the equation. I'd rather have the number go up, not stay the same and shift from condos to rental.

[Yankee.Peddler]

I think I read yesterday that they would try to replace some of the condos with rentals, not add rentals to the equation. I'd rather have the number go up, not stay the same and shift from condos to rental.

Here's the article from today's Courant. It looks like one building will become apartments now...

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hr/hc-wh...hc-headlines-hr

I wouldn't get too worried about this. It mirrors a trend occuring all over the country because of a softening housing market.

[jcrc]

$1,500 for a loft to $2,500 for a two-bedroom apartment

At this price level, I'd rather buy.

[HartfordTycoon]

At this price level, I'd rather buy.

But a lot of people wouldn't. There are many young professionals I know here working for my company who just don't know if they are going to stay and therefore still rent and have been renting and will more than likely continue to rent until they start a family or something. Renting works for some, not for others. At least now we can have both types of people living in WHC at BBC.

[Afro Saxon]

I haven't really followed the developments in WHC, but, it seems to be rather Bland, Cheese Cake Factory?. West Hartford should watch out lest it becomes Manchester. I don't see West Hartford as the most interesting of cities but it has character I hope Blue Back doesn't eliminate that.

I think Blue Hills is prime for some sort of development, I feel the area is severely underrated.

Off topic question. I am bias so I am looking for an outside opinion. Do you view Albany Ave as worst than Park Street?

[JayHass]

I haven't really followed the developments in WHC, but, it seems to be rather Bland, Cheese Cake Factory?. West Hartford should watch out lest it becomes Manchester. I don't see West Hartford as the most interesting of cities but it has character I hope Blue Back doesn't eliminate that.

I think Blue Hills is prime for some sort of development, I feel the area is severely underrated.

Off topic question. I am bias so I am looking for an outside opinion. Do you view Albany Ave as worst than Park Street?

First off, I'm not sure what the off handed remark about Manchester is all about. They are two different cities with two different demographics. Moreover, Manchester has one of the few downtowns for a city it's size that is still doing reasonably well. You should visit sometime...bring your laptop for the downtown wi-fi and have a seat at one of the cafe's...if it's in good weather you can grab an outside table. We just happen to have a retail mecca that no where else in the state can rival on top of it. Anyhow...I digress.

Regarding this thread: Perhaps bringing back the Farmington Street Railway would be a great thing for both West and Downtown Hartford. A trolley going from West Hartford Center, to DT would be a really nice touch for the cities.

To answer your question Albany avenue needs a ton of work and yes I think Park street has a leg up at this point. ( Although it's not as bad as Manchester. ) Sad part is, neither street is acceptable to the general masses outside of the neighborhoods yet.

[GHartford]

First off, I'm not sure what the off handed remark about Manchester is all about. They are two different cities with two different demographics. Moreover, Manchester has one of the few downtowns for a city it's size that is still doing reasonably well. You should visit sometime...bring your laptop for the downtown wi-fi and have a seat at one of the cafe's...if it's in good weather you can grab an outside table. We just happen to have a retail mecca that no where else in the state can rival on top of it. Anyhow...I digress.

I'm with you on this one, Hass!

[Afro Saxon]

First off, I'm not sure what the off handed remark about Manchester is all about. They are two different cities with two different demographics. Moreover, Manchester has one of the few downtowns for a city it's size that is still doing reasonably well. You should visit sometime...bring your laptop for the downtown wi-fi and have a seat at one of the cafe's...if it's in good weather you can grab an outside table. We just happen to have a retail mecca that no where else in the state can rival on top of it. Anyhow...I digress.

Regarding this thread: Perhaps bringing back the Farmington Street Railway would be a great thing for both West and Downtown Hartford. A trolley going from West Hartford Center, to DT would be a really nice touch for the cities.

To answer your question Albany avenue needs a ton of work and yes I think Park street has a leg up at this point. ( Although it's not as bad as Manchester. ) Sad part is, neither street is acceptable to the general masses outside of the neighborhoods yet.

I guess I can't say I like Manchester much, the only place that I have fonds thoughts about is Cavey's. But it was an unfortunate remark and apologize if it offended anyone. I don't believe West Hartford would like to become Manchester, that's is all I really meant, it has a different character than Manchester. Manchester a retail mecca? Madison AVE. in NY and Bond Street in Boston I can see being called mecca's , but Buckland and the Shoppes, no way. I'd say Greenwich had the best shopping in CT in my experience and New Haven one of the better atmosphere and less bland than Manchester.

[ctman987]

I haven't really followed the developments in WHC, but, it seems to be rather Bland, Cheese Cake Factory?. West Hartford should watch out lest it becomes Manchester. I don't see West Hartford as the most interesting of cities but it has character I hope Blue Back doesn't eliminate that.

I think Blue Hills is prime for some sort of development, I feel the area is severely underrated.

Off topic question. I am bias so I am looking for an outside opinion. Do you view Albany Ave as worst than Park Street?

First Blue Back Square is being created in the terms of smart growth ..and not just placing putting street facing retail with on street parking like at Evergreen Walk. There will be office space, residential space, retail space, a supermarket, medical offices, town hall, library plus the 150 other shops, restaurants and officess at West Hartford Center. The streets will tiny, parking limited, parking in garages and pedestrian friendly streets...something we should all wish for.

And on the note of Park Street vs. Albany Ave. Albany Ave is a tough street although it is a very busy street but it needs work and has TONS of potential. Park Street is personally one of my favorite streets. Thanks to the streetscape improvements by the state and to the tons of investors Park Street is home to tons of shops, restaurants, bakeries, offices, a supermarket (el mercado that Bill Clinton visited), housing (apartments, condos, etc),etc. that all cater to the Hispanic community. People come from all over to shop on Park Street. Past the heart of Park Street are the former factories that are being renovated into design centers such as Design CenterCT as well as lofts...a much better alternative to knocking things down. Park Street is filled with people walking the streets and slow moving traffic...like the tiny streets of Chinatown almost in Manhattan...and it is in my opinion one of the busiest streets in the area.

[Afro Saxon]

First Blue Back Square is being created in the terms of smart growth ..and not just placing putting street facing retail with on street parking like at Evergreen Walk. There will be office space, residential space, retail space, a supermarket, medical offices, town hall, library plus the 150 other shops, restaurants and officess at West Hartford Center. The streets will tiny, parking limited, parking in garages and pedestrian friendly streets...something we should all wish for.

And on the note of Park Street vs. Albany Ave. Albany Ave is a tough street although it is a very busy street but it needs work and has TONS of potential. Park Street is personally one of my favorite streets. Thanks to the streetscape improvements by the state and to the tons of investors Park Street is home to tons of shops, restaurants, bakeries, offices, a supermarket (el mercado that Bill Clinton visited), housing (apartments, condos, etc),etc. that all cater to the Hispanic community. People come from all over to shop on Park Street. Past the heart of Park Street are the former factories that are being renovated into design centers such as Design CenterCT as well as lofts...a much better alternative to knocking things down. Park Street is filled with people walking the streets and slow moving traffic...like the tiny streets of Chinatown almost in Manhattan...and it is in my opinion one of the busiest streets in the area.

Thanks for the post. I never got that perspective on Blue back puts it in a better light. I enjoy WHC; Grants, The Elbow Room and Max's Oyster Bar are among my favorite restaurants. I also enjoy Maggie Moos, WHC retail seems to be pretty impressive also, Khaki and Black seems pretty hip. Though I'm still bother by The Cheesecake Factory..lol.

Albany Ave does have plenty issue and people are scared of it. It also has very little retail diversity, there are more 20 Jamaican restaurants. I'd like Black Americans and Jamaicans take more ownership in Albany and try to clean it up a bit and invest in it. I don't visit Park Street much, as I don't know much about Latino culture and not particularly interested in it. I did visit a restaurant over there one late night maybe 2am and it had pretty good food and friendly service. I was impressed, specially at 2am.

I'm realizing now that I could be hi jacking a thread,I am sorry,nd this is the last off topic post I'll submit.

[ctman987]

Thanks for the post. I never got that perspective on Blue back puts it in a better light. I enjoy WHC; Grants, The Elbow Room and Max's Oyster Bar are among my favorite restaurants. I also enjoy Maggie Moos, WHC retail seems to be pretty impressive also, Khaki and Black seems pretty hip. Though I'm still bother by The Cheesecake Factory..lol.

Quite honestly the chain restaurants coming to Blue Back are a little bothersome to me to. Its like were creating a Times Square enviorment right next to things truly unique (downtown Hartford and West Hartford Center). Times Square has all the comforts of home...McDonalds, Starbucks, Dave & Busters, Hilton, Marriott, Comfort Inns, etc....but those are things you can get everywhere. I do see though that people do like the comforts of home at other places...and so I guess the best way to look at this is that the Cheesecake Factory for example is at least opening up in a smart growth friendly development...where people will be able to walk to it, live near it and work near it...as opposed to it being at Buckland or something

[mikel]

Thanks to the streetscape improvements by the state and to the tons of investors Park Street is home to tons of shops, restaurants, bakeries, offices, a supermarket (el mercado that Bill Clinton visited), housing (apartments, condos, etc),etc. that all cater to the Hispanic community. People come from all over to shop on Park Street. Past the heart of Park Street are the former factories that are being renovated into design centers such as Design CenterCT as well as lofts...a much better alternative to knocking things down. Park Street is filled with people walking the streets and slow moving traffic...like the tiny streets of Chinatown almost in Manhattan...and it is in my opinion one of the busiest streets in the area.

I just want to get something straight. Not everything on Park Street caters to the "latino community". They're really going to have stop identifying this street with only Puerto Ricans if they want it to work. Calling Franklin Avenue "Little Italy" worked (kinda) because people love Italian food. Puerto Rican shops and food don't draw outsiders. Somebody has to realize this eventually and just let it be a thriving street in general.

[JayHass]

I just want to get something straight. Not everything on Park Street caters to the "latino community". They're really going to have stop identifying this street with only Puerto Ricans if they want it to work. Calling Franklin Avenue "Little Italy" worked (kinda) because people love Italian food. Puerto Rican shops and food don't draw outsiders. Somebody has to realize this eventually and just let it be a thriving street in general.

That is one of the most bigoted comments I think I have ever heard on this board.

The Italians are okay, but those grimey Puerto Ricans? Bleh, who wants to go hang around with them...

Don't be a racist.

Besides, who cares if it brings in outsiders. Remember, we are just a bunch of rich idiots with big highways that live on farmland and only want to pillage the city for culture self gain.

[ctman987]

I just want to get something straight. Not everything on Park Street caters to the "latino community". They're really going to have stop identifying this street with only Puerto Ricans if they want it to work. Calling Franklin Avenue "Little Italy" worked (kinda) because people love Italian food. Puerto Rican shops and food don't draw outsiders. Somebody has to realize this eventually and just let it be a thriving street in general.

Is there anything wrong with catering to the "latino community"? Whatever Park Street is catering to it is nevertheless filled with activity and is one of the busiest streets in the region. Neighborhoods in NYC can be compared to this...for example Kingsbridge in the Bronx, Riverdale in the Bronx, Washington Heights in Manhattan, Harlem in Manhattan, etc. These neighborhoods are filled with shops, restaurants, apartments, etc. There are also people walking the streets and the areas are bustling. Does this mean a person from Bergen County, NJ or from Westchester County is going to head to the Bronx or upper upper Manhattan (not a typo). No suburbanites probably wont but nevertheless these areas are thriving...is there really anything wrong with that?

[Afro Saxon]

That is one of the most bigoted comments I think I have ever heard on this board.

The Italians are okay, but those grimey Puerto Ricans? Bleh, who wants to go hang around with them...

Don't be a racist.

Besides, who cares if it brings in outsiders. Remember, we are just a bunch of rich idiots with big highways that live on farmland and only want to pillage the city for culture self gain.

Saying you don't think people like Italian food more than PR food doesn't make you a racist.

[JayHass]

Saying you don't think people like Italian food more than PR food doesn't make you a racist.

If that was all the post was about, I would agree. But the comments were more about "culture" than just "hey what kind of food do you like".

If I said X neighborhood was "too black" they need to change that so everyone feels welcome - how would that be taken? See what I mean?

[Afro Saxon]

If that was all the post was about, I would agree. But the comments were more about "culture" than just "hey what kind of food do you like".

If I said X neighborhood was "too black" they need to change that so everyone feels welcome - how would that be taken? See what I mean?

Not really the same. Black is a race and in Hartford could mean Jamaican or Black American culture. If you dislike soul food, African inspired arts and Jazz, you probably won't like to visit the Artist collective, which not many average middle class white people do. If you don't like reggae and jerk chicken you might not like to attend functions thrown by Jamaicans. You'd be racist if you dislike something simply because it has Blacks around. Same goes with PR's, if you dislike their culture and food cool, but disliking White PR's because they aren't real PR's for example would be racist.

[beerbeer]

I'm a racist too. I like Italian food.

And am I ever tired of people just waiting around to be offended.