University of Hartford Developments

[spatulashack]

After browsing around this forum for years I noticed there was little mention of all the projects going on at UHart. After languishing in the early and mid 90's from severe debt, University of Hartford is having something of a renaissance lately. Admission has increased and with the number of incoming applicants more than doubling, admission selectivity has become highly competitive over the past 5 years. US News and World Report has recognized the changes and even lists UHart ahead of many more popular and competitive schools. The school has been pulling in money and it shows! The campus has never looked better but more importantly the amount of building projects either currently under construction or about to break ground is amazing. Here is a breakdown of the projects with some links. I just graduated from the school and am now living in Hartford and thought the improvements to the school are just as much a part of Hartford's overall upswing as anything else is.

ISET Complex - 34 million dollar new Science Building (Completed: December 2005)

Arts and Technology Center - Beautiful new building under construction next to Taub Hall. (Completion: Fall 2007)

Home Field Advantage Project - 10 million dollar Outdoor Athletic Field Complex (Completion: September 2006)

Freshmen Dorm Initiative - 20 million dollar new glass residence hall and reconstruction of older dorms (Completion: Spring 2007)

Performing Arts Center - 30 million dollar center involving three new buildings and an overall annex of the campus involving the conversion of that old car dealership off Albany Ave. It was delayed for funding problems but is now scheduled to break ground Fall 2006 with a late 2007 / early 2008 opening. This project is part of an overall revitalization of Upper Albany which the University has been an integral part of.

University High School of Science and Engineering - Brand new magnet school which just opened on the University Asylum Ave. campus with a new building to break ground on the main University campus late this year. This project involves a second entrance to the University off Mark Twain Drive which would improve campus traffic and give the school a true Hartford entrance.

I just thought it was interesting that as the much more renowned Trinity College sinks deeper and deeper into debt and has to cut funding from all their programs, this school has had such a drastic turn-around that it boggles the mind. Links to most of the renderings and information on the projects if anyone is interested can be found HERE. And no, this post isn't to get people to donate, that is just the best link for the renderings.

[drc72]

Are the improvements more on the West Hartford side or the Hartford side?

[spatulashack]

Are the improvements more on the West Hartford side or the Hartford side?

I'd say equally distributed. The Performing Arts Center is right at the entrance to Upper Albany and the new Magnet School would be Blue Hills. Either way, the school bares the name of the city.

[drc72]

I'd say equally distributed. The Performing Arts Center is right at the entrance to Upper Albany and the new Magnet School would be Blue Hills. Either way, the school bares the name of the city.

If only Hartford could annex West Hartford.

[ctman987]

Also dont forget some UHART students will be housed in the newly resotred Sage Allen Building downtown.

[spatulashack]

Also dont forget some UHART students will be housed in the newly resotred Sage Allen Building downtown.

Indeed I completely forgot about that! I wish I was still going to be a senior so I could live there!