Jump to content

Rate your favorite buildings in the city


beerbeer

Recommended Posts

1- The Phoenix Boat, an icon, historic and sophisticated, classic yet still modern even today.

2- The Travelers, especially at night with its unique beacon, clean classic lines yet ornate enough to be interesting.

3- The Stilts Building, quirky and imaginative, turns the classic Van Der Rohr box on it's head, it's location next to I-84 also turns heads.

4 - The Old State House, a historic classic, Hartford isn't the same city without it.

5- The Chapel at Trinity College, it's bell tower dominates when you enter the city from the west, beautifully proportioned and positioned.

6 - The Mark Twain House, intricate and self-assured, like the man.

7 - 100 Pearl Street, I loved the deep blue, the curved glass, the horizontal silver pinstripeing, even the solid anchor of the lower floors.

8 - 130 Scarborough St, the Chick Austin House, ''The house is just like me -- all facade'' (it is 86 feet wide and only 18 feet deep) as much a piece of art as it was a home.

There are others that stand out, like the Aetna Building or Colt Building, but this group from all over the city, are for me signature, uniquely Hartford buildings that I enjoy just looking at. I imagine the Science Center will join this list in the next 12 months or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 14
  • Created
  • Last Reply

1. City Place I - I love Tall buildings, and to me, I see that building and I think home.

2. Travelers Tower - A unique symbol of the city's past and present

3. Hartford 21 - I know this building isn't a beautiful specimen, but the fact that it was built to me stands for the comeback of downtown

4. Phoenix Mutual Building - One of a kind

5. Hartford Trust Building - A classic 1920's skyscraper

6. One Corporate Center (Stilts)

7. 100 Pearl St. - I love the blue glass

8. One State St. (Uniprise)

9. Aetna Headquarters

10. Richardson (City Steam, Residence Inn)

This list isn't necessarily in a specific order...but those buildings are a few of my favorites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hartford steamboiler on asylum

aetna

travelers

goodwin

the chase building

gold building

capitol building

marriot

convention center

science center (soon)

atheneum (inside)

bushnell

old state house

richardson building

960 main

trumbull on the park

55 on the park

there are many more. don't have time right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1- The Phoenix Boat, an icon, historic and sophisticated, classic yet still modern even today.

2- The Travelers, especially at night with its unique beacon, clean classic lines yet ornate enough to be interesting.

3- The Stilts Building, quirky and imaginative, turns the classic Van Der Rohr box on it's head, it's location next to I-84 also turns heads.

4 - The Old State House, a historic classic, Hartford isn't the same city without it.

5- The Chapel at Trinity College, it's bell tower dominates when you enter the city from the west, beautifully proportioned and positioned.

6 - The Mark Twain House, intricate and self-assured, like the man.

7 - 100 Pearl Street, I loved the deep blue, the curved glass, the horizontal silver pinstripeing, even the solid anchor of the lower floors.

8 - 130 Scarborough St, the Chick Austin House, ''The house is just like me -- all facade'' (it is 86 feet wide and only 18 feet deep) as much a piece of art as it was a home.

There are others that stand out, like the Aetna Building or Colt Building, but this group from all over the city, are for me signature, uniquely Hartford buildings that I enjoy just looking at. I imagine the Science Center will join this list in the next 12 months or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

asylumhill ----I have to admit I love the giant doors on the front of Joe Black's. As a piece of ornamentation on a building, they are really terrific. But I didn't think the whole building is as interesting as some others. To me Pratt Street as a whole is greater than the sum of the buidlings that make it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 buildings that haven't been mentioned and are minor gems:

The building on Wyllys St due south of South Green. Run down a alittle, but any owner with any gumption would see the value in revamping it. Great brick (light grey/brown), gargoyles on the corners and along the top.

The building on Asylum at the corner of Flower St. Not sure the address off the top of my head, but it's a great little jewel. Imagine that part of Asylum lined with buildings like that, it would truly be a great street.

The former Lyceum. Possibly Babcock, could be Putnam st. Great old building, creepy looking, like an old church. In it's past it's been a punk rock club, a home for an architectural firm, and a church amongst many other things. You have to look for it, it's on one of the streets that run parallel to Broad and Park Terrace, between Capitol Ave and possibly Russ St.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In no order...

1. The Goodwin Hotel - an intricate brick victorian downtown icon.

2. The original Phoenix building on Elm St. - looks like an old Tuscan Palace

3. The office building on the corner of Hudson and Elm diagonal from Pulaski Circle. - Beautiful stately Italiante design with an interior to match.

4. The Phoenix Boat Building - a city icon and post modern classic

5. Travelers Towers - stately and graceful. Uses middle eastern influences in its tower design.

6. The Richardson - maybe the most important architectural building downtown.

7. The Capitol - the most beautiful capitol building in the country.

8. The Old State House - finished in the 1700's, it is the oldest state house in the country. Pure New England.

9. The Church of the Good Shepard - Built by the Colts in Colt Park

10. City Hall - beautiful Beaux Arts building with a stunning interior

Honorable Mention - The Hartford Seminary, Hartford Steam Boiler, Goodwin Square tower, The original Hartford Fire Insurance Building, Mark Twain House

Link to comment
Share on other sites

asylumhill ----I have to admit I love the giant doors on the front of Joe Black's. As a piece of ornamentation on a building, they are really terrific. But I didn't think the whole building is as interesting as some others. To me Pratt Street as a whole is greater than the sum of the buidlings that make it up.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The former Lyceum. Possibly Babcock, could be Putnam st. Great old building, creepy looking, like an old church. In it's past it's been a punk rock club, a home for an architectural firm, and a church amongst many other things. You have to look for it, it's on one of the streets that run parallel to Broad and Park Terrace, between Capitol Ave and possibly Russ St.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are my comments and criticism on some of Hartford's buildings.

CityPlace

I like everything about CityPlace. A good location for a building of this mass. The storefronts follow the grade of Trumbull, Asylum and Haynes streets.

The Gold Building

A great filler. It fits in nicely between BOA and the Travelers Tower. When it was built, it was part of the trio that formed the core of the skyline. Street level leaves a lot to be desired. I wish the bottom one or two stories was more distinguished from the rest of the tower. IMO, the parking garage sits on a site that I would consider to be prime space. Too bad that they didn't build a garage under the entire site and leave the possibility for a second tower at Lewis and Pearl.

The Boat Building

A Hartford icon. I wish it was built to be the tallest in the Constitution Plaza development...........about 24 stories. I would like to see something done with the vast plaza at the southeast (near the Marriott). I could see the plaza terracing down to meet the street level. I believe it will bring out the tower when viewed from the Convention Center. Right now (from the Convention Center) it looks like the tower rises from the interior of a bunker.

Stilts Building

The only benefit that the "stilts" accomplished is that the lowest office floors are already 5 or 6 stories up. Other than that, the garage that it is built on still looks like a garage. I would think a building on stilts would provide all sorts of potential for the ground level.

One Commercial Plaza

If you don't work in this building, the skywalk that spans Church Street amounts to something that only spoils the streetscape. If there must be an indoor connection to the garage across the street, why can't it be underground?

State Capitol

Beautiful building. If the grounds to the northwest were improved, it would enhance the building. If it was also oriented with Farmington Avenue, it would feel more like a centerpiece for the city.

The Goodwin tower

The relationship between the Goodwin and CityPlace reminds me of Boston's old and new John Hancock buildings.

Hartford 21

This is more like how I envisioned the Civic Center block should have been developed. I like the slenderness of the tower. It reinforces a tight cluster on Asylum Street.

Bank of America

I always thought this building looked taller than it is, especially coming into the city from lower State Street. It forms a nice backdrop for the Old State House.

100 Pearl

Looks like a gem. I would say this location is about as deep as you can get amid Hartford's skyscrapers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.