Revitalizing 3 key streets

[MadVlad]

I've been fortunate enough to have had routes in Hartford the last couple days, and something occured to me. There are 3 streets that are heavily under-utilized and have enormous potential. These 3 streets are Homestead Ave, Windsor St., and Hawthorne St. All 3 look to have been homes to large manufacturing bases in the past, and have the infrastructure to support growth. Better yet, all are located on rail lines, whether those can be utilized for some sort of mass transit is for someone else (who has knowledge of available lines) to say, but it would be nice. Imagine Hartford having commuter lines coming to and from the city and having some stops along these 3 streets. The older brick buildings could be redone into nice loft-style condos, the empty spaces built into row-house/town-house type stuff, and the few oddball buildings such as the House of Antiques building on Homestead could be changed into Art-Space type stuff. I think it could work....

[ctman987]

I can really only talk with more knowledge about Homestead Avenue.

It runs from Albany Avenue by the North End/West End border and continues into downtown by the Isham Terry House and I-84.

It is a very nice street that does not have as much traffic on it as Albany Avenue. There are some very nice buildings on Homestead...some used and some not.

If im correct the Salvation Army is in a very nice restored building on Homestead Avenue. Lebon Press has its office on Homestead Avenue.

A sad site though right across from Lebon Press there is a city placed sign welcoming people to the neighborhood. There is part of the skyline in the distance but right behind the sign is a beautiful apartment building that is boarded up.

[MadVlad]

Well, on the north side are some of the toughest neighborhoods in the city, Sterling, Edgewood and Cabot are pretty rough, I've had more potential problems on Edgewood Street than anywhere else, including about 3 death threats. We used to cringe when we'd see that on our route in the morning. That being said, I think if a nice area revitalization went on, it could shape up in a real quick way....

[ctman987]

Despite the crime avenues like Homestead and Albany are used by many West Enders and suburbanites to get to their jobs every day from West Hartford, Avon, Simsbury, Canton, etc.

[rotten777]

Those streets are on the North End right?

Man, I never go up there, so I was a little confused when the topic was about those 3 streets...

[MadVlad]

Hawthorne is not in the Northend, Hawthorne is on the backside of Aetna parallel to Capitol Ave....

[ctman987]

I took a drive today and a very nice part of the city is the area by Pope Park by Park Terrace. There are homes that overlook the park, there were people sitting in the park and playing soccer. They are also doing a lot of renovations to the historic homes there. This area then heads towards the Trinity College area.

[Bill Mocarsky]

MadVlad,

Would you reconnect Windsor Street to Main Street? It aligns perfectly with Main Street in downtown. About the time when I-84 went through, it was shortened as part of a scheme to create a buffer between downtown and the north end.

[MadVlad]

Well, that would cut down on the size of the building put in the lot that separates it. The traffic patterns there are already odd, adding yet another little oddity. I'd rather have the big lot with a nice big building or Arena there....

[HartfordTycoon]

Well, that would cut down on the size of the building put in the lot that separates it. The traffic patterns there are already odd, adding yet another little oddity. I'd rather have the big lot with a nice big building or Arena there....

You can always put the Arena above the street level in that spot and have a reconnected Windsor St. pass underneath it providing direct access to/from the North and providing access to underground parking areas.

[MadVlad]

You can always put the Arena above the street level in that spot and have a reconnected Windsor St. pass underneath it providing direct access to/from the North and providing access to underground parking areas.

I really like that idea, but think of the streets around there. Coming north, you'd hit the north intersection of the Stilts building. It's be a 5 point star (Main south, Main north, Morgan from west, Morgan to East, Windsor northeastish). Then 2 blocks later, you have another odd intersection where Main, Ann, and Albany meet. People trying to navigate the city would have their head spin....

[HartfordTycoon]

I really like that idea, but think of the streets around there. Coming north, you'd hit the north intersection of the Stilts building. It's be a 5 point star (Main south, Main north, Morgan from west, Morgan to East, Windsor northeastish). Then 2 blocks later, you have another odd intersection where Main, Ann, and Albany meet. People trying to navigate the city would have their head spin....

Very true. I don't think re-connecting it needs to be a major priority. Building the Arena on the other hand.......

[Bill Mocarsky]

What type of impact do you think the arena would have on Windsor Street?

[HartfordTycoon]

What type of impact do you think the arena would have on Windsor Street?

I think it could spur some additional development due to the fact that the infrastructure will be improved and something big, nice, and new will be there. This is completely unscientific, but I think that's the best way to get other developers to step up. I could see some luxory towers, a new hotel(s), renovation of the Crowne Plaza, retail, bar/lounge/restaruant, etc. I envision pretty much an Arena District in this area.

[MadVlad]

What type of impact do you think the arena would have on Windsor Street?

That depends on how it's played. It is really segmented from most of the North End with the exception of Bellevue Square, which could be rehabbed (again!!) or knocked down. It could definitely be an "Arena district" with mixed use residential/commercial lining the street. It's very straight and walkable, and literally right there from downtown. The real problems are Rensaellear(sp?) and the Travelers building, they kind of cut off Windsor from downtown. If something could be done with the parking of those 2 buildings along the street to make it a different feel it could/should work, and well in my opinion.

[drc72]

Very true. I don't think re-connecting it needs to be a major priority. Building the Arena on the other hand.......

Any word on the arena???

[rotten777]

Hawthorne is not in the Northend, Hawthorne is on the backside of Aetna parallel to Capitol Ave....

Hawthorne is not in the North End...dang...

I should really think of seeing the city that I live in more, I rarely go more north than Park st....