PROPOSED: 160 Jewell Street/Northland YMCA Tower

[Whaler0718]

They had a picture of this at the Rising Star Breakfast in like January or February; I don't know why it took so long to end up on the website, and I don't know why there's no splash. I guess my concern is that even though we just found the rendering, it's still status quo, whatever that is, b/c this rendering has been around for a while. I suppose the fact that they put it on the website should be encouraging, but it looks more like it was just part of the website's redo, which involved such "drawing board" images. Sorry not to be too excited about this, but I just don't believe Larry is ready to stick another shovel in the ground given the slow pace with which H21 residential and, especially, retail, are moving.

[Lone Ranger]

Well no matter what it looks good, but if that's condo, I'm really impressed.

A residential building at 43 floors, give or take, I would guess in the range of 500 feet, maybe upwards of 530. Compare for example this newly built residential tower in Minneapolis or this one proposed for San Diego or even this one in Seattle (but it's rental and I suspect has slightly low-ish ceilings).

In any case, I doubt it would be a new tallest, but it could come pretty close to City Place.

[MadVlad]

Well no matter what it looks good, but if that's condo, I'm really impressed.

A residential building at 43 floors, give or take, I would guess in the range of 500 feet, maybe upwards of 530. Compare for example this newly built residential tower in Minneapolis or this one proposed for San Diego or even this one in Seattle (but it's rental and I suspect has slightly low-ish ceilings).

In any case, I doubt it would be a new tallest, but it could come pretty close to City Place.

[drc72]

They have to knock down the YMCA first.....

[Lone Ranger]

, unless Boston is building something new,

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

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

A Picture's Worth 40 Stories

Developer Plans Luxury Condos

June 1, 2007

By JEFFREY B. COHEN, Courant Staff Writer It's a pretty picture.

With more than 40 stories of residential units built atop the old home of the downtown YMCA, a glass tower of luxury homes alongside Bushnell Park, it's the kind of image that enthuses city enthusiasts.

But for now, it's just a picture.

"It's conceptual," said Chuck Coursey, a spokesman for developer Lawrence R. Gottesdiener. An illustration of the project was recently posted on the website of Gottesdiener's company, Northland Investment Corp. "It's what we'd like to do there, but we're still working with the city to see what can we do there."

[heyyyitsrob]

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

A Picture's Worth 40 Stories

Developer Plans Luxury Condos

June 1, 2007

By JEFFREY B. COHEN, Courant Staff Writer It's a pretty picture.

With more than 40 stories of residential units built atop the old home of the downtown YMCA, a glass tower of luxury homes alongside Bushnell Park, it's the kind of image that enthuses city enthusiasts.

But for now, it's just a picture.

"It's conceptual," said Chuck Coursey, a spokesman for developer Lawrence R. Gottesdiener. An illustration of the project was recently posted on the website of Gottesdiener's company, Northland Investment Corp. "It's what we'd like to do there, but we're still working with the city to see what can we do there."

[MadVlad]

I think Jewell St is still there, just the dumb fencing that prevents idiots from driving onto the grass isn't shown. It also appears like someone from the Courant must read this forum....

[HartfordTycoon]

I think Jewell St is still there, just the dumb fencing that prevents idiots from driving onto the grass isn't shown. It also appears like someone from the Courant must read this forum....

[robm324]

I almost wrote that same post this morning but I thought "Nah...".

But I don't think this is the first time topics that have come up in this forum have quickly come up in the Courant....

[ctman]

I'm not too optimistic about them building a 40 story condo tower downtown. I'd love to see it, would be great for downtown, but just not optimistic. cutter/wtc/metroII all had signed tenants and did not go through. this project has 300 empty condos.

[beerbeer]

Has Northland ever said they would do something, then not do it?

[NewEnglandsTeam]

Well Northland has talked about this building for 2 years (since they announced the YMCA was moving), has talked about a new arena, talked about a new NHL team... now granted these may all happen but for now it's all talk. I think Larry sometimes bites off more than he can chew. Don't get me wrong I think Northland has done pretty darn good for Hartford, I'm also skeptical that this project will happen any time soon. If it does it will almost surely be scaled down. (I hope I'm wrong)

[beerbeer]

Well Northland has talked about this building for 2 years (since they announced the YMCA was moving)

They bought the land under the YMCA. That means they actually spent money and are moving forward with planning. Those are actions not talk.

He has talked about a new arena, talked about a new NHL team... now granted these may all happen but for now it's all talk.

They took over the existing arena exactly as he said he would. That keeps his plan in motion. He also bid on the Penquins. Those are positive actions not talk.

I think Larry sometimes bites off more than he can chew. Don't get me wrong I think Northland has done pretty darn good for Hartford, I'm also skeptical that this project will happen any time soon. If it does it will almost surely be scaled down. (I hope I'm wrong)

What does "soon" mean? These types of developments take years. If he breaks ground in '08 is that soon? By Hartford standards it would be warp speed.

[drc72]

Well Northland has talked about this building for 2 years (since they announced the YMCA was moving), has talked about a new arena, talked about a new NHL team... now granted these may all happen but for now it's all talk. I think Larry sometimes bites off more than he can chew. Don't get me wrong I think Northland has done pretty darn good for Hartford, I'm also skeptical that this project will happen any time soon. If it does it will almost surely be scaled down. (I hope I'm wrong)

[T52]

I hate to be a cynic too, but to many projects in Hartford either don't get off the ground or are built in a scaled down version.

[ctman]

We need to step back for a second. I was as excited as anyone seeing this picture, but all northland did is put a picture on it's website. they have no idea how tall the building will - or won't - be, nor do they know how much it will cost to build it. this is nothing more than a sketch picture. the end product will most certainly look nothing like the rendition, as they don't even give a ballpark of the expected height. I'm curious as to how this thing went from originally being 19 stories when the real estate market was white hot to 40 stories in a softening market. i feel this is solely a marketing ploy, put this pic on the site and get some press coverage & see if anybody is interested in learning more. if the phones don't ring and people aren't interested in a sleek glass highrise on the park, they probably won't be interested in a more mundane cast concrete mid to low rise. then the Y sits there dark and vacant, deteriorating, just like the building on the corner of pearl and trumbull and 410 asylum (plans on the board, but still NO progress)....

[beerbeer]

Northland wanted H21 to be condos but the deal with the city was to build rentals. 262 is a lot of high end rentals to move. The tower is at 40% occupied. It opened 9 months ago. I think the projections were it would fill in two years. So it is more or less were Northland expected.

Northland is building value in the city. This is a long term plan. They need to generate revenue along the way but the real payout for Larry G. should come in five to tens years.

This condo tower on the park is part of that long term plan. Will it change shape? Probably? But the number of units has always been between 200 and 350. I expect the final design will have somewhere between those two numbers.

[jcrc]

Northland wanted H21 to be condos but the deal with the city was to build rentals. 262 is a lot of high end rentals to move. The tower is at 40% occupied. It opened 9 months ago. I think the projections were it would fill in two years. So it is more or less were Northland expected.

Northland is building value in the city. This is a long term plan. They need to generate revenue along the way but the real payout for Larry G. should come in five to tens years.

This condo tower on the park is part of that long term plan. Will it change shape? Probably? But the number of units has always been between 200 and 350. I expect the final design will have somewhere between those two numbers.

[beerbeer]

According to the Northland they have rented 100 apartments.

[ctman]

According to the Northland they have rented 100 apartments.

[The Voice of Reason]

I noticed earlier today that the H21 building looks alot more lived in. Most units have the blinds in random levels of openedness, and the interiors of each room appears different. there are 2 exceptions that I can see to the entire eastern saide of the building. (these observations are made from my office with a direct view level with H21s 12th floor)

I checked the building at 430(before people get off work, but light enough to need/want a light on) and about 20% of the units had lights or TVs on. I am guessing these 20% are mostly wives or retired couples. Looking at 620 the building is much more like 35-40% lit. I am assuming that there are many more that live there, but they are like me(still working) or like I will be in 20 minutes... Having a few beers around town.

Heres to hoping this building fills up so Northland pushes harder for Conddos at the YMCA

[The Voice of Reason]

After watching the News 3 video on Blight with Perez, I think it wise to opdate this thread. He said the city is giving Northland the fire house so they own the whole block. He also said they addded another 100 units to their plan. I am begining to think that the 40+ story rendering was no fluke after all. 400 units would be just plain amazing in that location.

And the mayor expects construction to begin next year. this means we will be hearing more about this project in 2008. Should be a very interesting year for Hartford.

and related to the above posts, I was in town one Friday night recently for a Play, and the building is easily 1/3-1/2 OCCUPIED on the West side. so many units were lit up I was very impressed. Also since then I have seen a lot more units lit up on the East side in the hours around 6pm most weeknights.

and a final observation is that there are a lot more dogs living in the city now. I see people walking their pets it seems nightly as i walk to the car.

Cheers

[Luca Brasi]

I always thought that housing would be a tough sell adjacent to a fire house... especially downtown with all the false alarms. The city is probably giving Northland the fire house with the intent of moving to the long proposed safety complex downtown on the other side of I-84.

[HartfordTycoon]

This is certainly encouraging news. I think that the atmosphere is definitely improving for Hartford and that 2008 will see the city's redevelopment really pick up steam. I think this project will ultimately get built, and when that occurs it will be a huge sign that we have not only turned a corner, but have become a development hotspot.