IN PROGRESS: 917 Main Street

[beerbeer]

He has changed his mind again. It looks like the housing market in Hartford has gotten hot enough to encourage additional residential development on Main Street. I think this is a good move.

Don't worry about overbuilding, Hartford should be able to absorb 3-5000 new units of downtown housing according to an expert in the story I read.

[HartfordTycoon]

He has changed his mind again. It looks like the housing market in Hartford has gotten hot enough to encourage additional residential development on Main Street. I think this is a good move.

Don't worry about overbuilding, Hartford should be able to absorb 3-5000 new units of downtown housing according to an expert in the story I read.

It's crazy how many skeptics there are. I met with a high ranking city official last month and was more enthusiastic and encouraged about what was happening in the city than he was. I think the housing that is being built will be easily absorbed and still will not meet the pent up demand for urban living here. I personally think/hope that this is one of the problems causing us to lose our younger residents and that a real solution has begun to emerge.

[MadVlad]

This is great news, in my opinion.

[GregV]

This certainly is good news, although I believe this redevelopment was previously slated as condos. I have friends who this week are looking at apartments in downtown Hartford, and rental prices are rising as supply dwindles. This is a very encouraging sign for developers.

[Luca Brasi]

It will be interesting to see how this renovation will be designed for condos. It was originally a department store. The floor space is huge and there are only windows on the front of the building that are small. It seems they would have to put windows in opn the sides on the building.

[MadVlad]

I was in Woody's today and they seem really excited about this. The lady there said there will be "major changes" but wouldn't elaborate other than to say they were good changes...

[GregV]

That building needs major work done if it wants to be marketed as luxury condos. The facade is not very attractive.

[MadVlad]

They are removing some of the crappy concrete fillers or whatever the hell they were that had been filled in around the windows. There's some nice architecture under there!!!! Looks like some friezes or something, very hard to see while driving and trying to crane my neck around at the same time....

[asylumhill]

They are removing some of the crappy concrete fillers or whatever the hell they were that had been filled in around the windows. There's some nice architecture under there!!!! Looks like some friezes or something, very hard to see while driving and trying to crane my neck around at the same time....

There was an article in the Courant last week- apparently that building is 100 years old and the friezes date from a 1920s remodel- makes me wonder what else is hidden behind 60s facades in this city.

[redbaron]

There was an article in the Courant last week- apparently that building is 100 years old and the friezes date from a 1920s remodel- makes me wonder what else is hidden behind 60s facades in this city.

Lots of Gems, look what was covered up at Sage Allen...

[Luca Brasi]

The Wise Smith Department Store was built in 1919 during the golden age of department stores in downtown Hartford. Its an art deco beauty that in its original state rivals the G Fox Building. It would be nice to restore it all the way back to its original design, but I don't know if David Nyberg is willing to spend that kind of cash.

The same architect who covered the beautiful facade of the Sage Allen Building in brown brick in the 1970's must have been responsible for the brown brick encasement of this architectural gem as well.

[HartfordTycoon]

The Wise Smith Department Store was built in 1919 during the golden age of department stores in downtown Hartford. Its an art deco beauty that in its original state rivals the G Fox Building. It would be nice to restore it all the way back to its original design, but I don't know if David Nyberg is willing to spend that kind of cash.

The same architect who covered the beautiful facade of the Sage Allen Building in brown brick in the 1970's must have been responsible for the brown brick encasement of this architectural gem as well.

Wonder what that guy is doing now, destroying more historic structures most likely.....

[jcrc]

Here are some pics of what once was...

http://www.hogriver.org/issues/v01n03/palaces.htm

[drc72]

Here are some pics of what once was...

http://www.hogriver.org/issues/v01n03/palaces.htm

It's truely sad, that a lot of these historical buildings were demolished.

[ctman987]

Its nice to see work finally going on there. Wish there was a sign telling people who dont know whats going on there so they dont think its another vacant building.

Two weeks ago I was at the Christ Church Cathedral for that forum on sprawl and saw that all of the windows in the back had been replaced or were being replaced....looking good

[Luca Brasi]

Speaking of the Cathedral - they bid against David Nyberg for the AA building. They wanted to knock it down and make a park with a pond and use it as some kind of religious retreat. Thank God the city wasn't hearing any of that.

[JimSawhill]

Hartford had some nice department Stores -- G. Fox, Brown Thompson's, Sage-Allen and the Wise-Smith (EJ Korvettes). My favorite store was EJ Korvettes, because of the old fashioned (this is in the 60s) elevator and elevator operator.

[SOCOM]

Speaking of the Cathedral - they bid against David Nyberg for the AA building. They wanted to knock it down and make a park with a pond and use it as some kind of religious retreat. Thank God the city wasn't hearing any of that.

I remember that. My God that would have been a tragedy. I'm actually more religious than most people, but that's just a flat out dumb idea.

[drc72]

I remember that. My God that would have been a tragedy. I'm actually more religious than most people, but that's just a flat out dumb idea.

I totally agree. We don't need any more buildings knocked down.

[beerbeer]

If they knocked it down and put in a park, that would have been alright. Some green space at the head of Pratt Street would actually work.

If they knocked it down and put in a surface parking lot, that would have been a disaster.

If Nyberg does restore the building, then that's the best outcome.

[grock]

The Cathedral only wanted to knock down the newer, lower part of the building next to the church. It was not part of the original department store.

[Luca Brasi]

The Cathedral wanted to purchase and knock down the whole AA building. Once they lost the bid, they asked Nyberg to consider knocking down the smaller add on to give them some "breathing room."

I think it was Matt Hennessy who said the city trying to fill in too many gaps in Main St. already and that we didn't need anymore.

[jcrc]

Having some green won't be a bad idea. If they can keep the bums out. I won't mind if they change the parking next to Joe Black into a nice little park. But I doubt that will happen. That is the last parcel in downtown Hartford left for any kind of development.

[MadVlad]

That parcel is way to vital to be a park. That is ground zero for downtown, to use it as a park would be a travesty. Maybe part of it as a park....

[HartfordTycoon]

That parcel is way to vital to be a park. That is ground zero for downtown, to use it as a park would be a travesty. Maybe part of it as a park....

I would have to agree, that spot should be Renaissance Place by now. They need to dust off those plans now that Downtown development is in full swing. I still want that Westin we were promised all those years ago.