Hartford on the hook for new Magnet School

[MadVlad]

Please don't forget the issue of resources. Hartford is nothing more than a large town and does not have major city funds to get major city projects done. That's why we are dependent on the state for help in many such cases. Also just think about how much prime Hartford land the state occupies and pays no taxes on. The state is responsible for funding Hartford the way I see it. It's not a favor.

[blackstone]

Then who's responsibility is it to try and fix that problem? Perez seems to want to, but uses the wrong avenues. If your parents give you an allowance, then you go do something they've asked you not to do, they'll take your allowance away. Hartford, as you've said is dependant on the State. That being a given, is it wise for the Mayor to agitate the hand that feeds him? I would think it would be in his, and the city's, best interest to try and work closely with them to get a maximum effect.

[HartfordTycoon]

regardless of what anyone here thinks about eddie being right or wrong, i am going to say that this is the end of eddie. blumenthal has spoken.

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

[MadVlad]

I agree with that. It does look terrible. This is certainly a mess and while I have no major objections to the site selected, Perez should have been more careful especially seeing as how he's now very vulnerable.

[drc72]

I'll ask again. How many city controlled vacant lots are there near downtown that can accomodate a school? Until someone actually can give me a concrete answer I'm going to be of the mind that there are not any and that this is probably the best option the city has to meet the needs of this particular magnet school. I wouldn't mind seeing them add a governmental/political studies wing or campus component to the school seeing as how it's so close to the capitol. Or maybe the capitol can donate some of it's surface parking in order to allow school construction on a less congested parcel nearby.

[HartfordTycoon]

Man, I still say it's a great location for a school. Walking distance to the Capitol, Downtown, located conveniently in Asylum Hill's business district right accross the street from the Courant. Maybe I'm being dense, but I just don't see what all of the fuss is about this time. I really really don't. The state should not have turned this into what it has become in my opinion. There's no need to have this so public and nasty over whether to build a school on some vacant land that has been vacant for decades. Now that's not saying that Eddie shouldn't have been more diplomatic, but it's his city and they are holding his hands on a decision that he and obviously most of school board feel is the right one. I'll stay comfortably in the minority here with my opinion. I'm not going to budge.

[newlondonboy]

Man, I still say it's a great location for a school. Walking distance to the Capitol, Downtown, located conveniently in Asylum Hill's business district right accross the street from the Courant. Maybe I'm being dense, but I just don't see what all of the fuss is about this time. I really really don't. The state should not have turned this into what it has become in my opinion. There's no need to have this so public and nasty over whether to build a school on some vacant land that has been vacant for decades. Now that's not saying that Eddie shouldn't have been more diplomatic, but it's his city and they are holding his hands on a decision that he and obviously most of school board feel is the right one. I'll stay comfortably in the minority here with my opinion. I'm not going to budge.

[Bill Mocarsky]

you are not alone. the plan was to fix the traffic paterns and the pedestrian experience as part of the school development. great views. it is a fine location for the large apartment complex across the street. this could and should work.

[HartfordTycoon]

The problem was that the school was ready to start construction before these infrastructure improvements were implemented.

This is an interesting area of the city that may be transformed. Neighborhood leaders and officials are beginning to think something needs to be done with I-84. Not the $100 million band aid that will last 10 - 20 years. A school might work here if it was part of a grand vision for the surrounding area. Eddies' plan was not cohesive with any of this.

[blackstone]

Okay, now that's a fair and open minded critique. I think I pretty much agree with that. If there is a "Grand" plan to redevelop the area he hasn't communicated it effectively. I honestly think that the traffic improvements are on the table, but that the I84 dream is a bit of stretch at the moment. However, the state should then be working to figure out how to best develop the area as a total package and not allowing any more hair brained construction projects spearheaded by ConnDOT. The state should see the merit of having a school in this area of the city and as I suggested earlier look into adding a wing or campus to also emphasise on planning and government since it would be the perfect location for that type of program as well. They should NOT be turning it into a circus to embarass Eddie and the City of Hartford once again. This can and should have been worked out.....

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

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

How about the Clarion / WFSB site?????

[grock]

That site is too expensive. WFSB isn't going to give the mayor a deal on it.

What about 12B? The city owns it, and could start construction immediately.

Also what about the corner of Washington and Park? There are some vacant buildings there and it is near the Learning Corridor.

[HartfordTycoon]

you are implying that eddie has been embarrassed before. i am not sure if you are implying that the state embarrassed him before or if you are talking about eddie already having embarrassed himself. if it is the state that has embarrassed him before, please elaborate, as i am not aware of the event of embarrassment.

[MadVlad]

I would say the whole revaluation debacle could have been handled better by all involved....

The state is not handling this diplomatically at all.

[HartfordTycoon]

I don't think it's the State's behavior that requires our concern here, I think it's the Mayor's....

[Bill Mocarsky]

I saw a clip with Eddie saying "everybody wants this school to be built here except the elected officials". I don't know about others on this board........ but I don't recall Eddie asking what I thought. Since I don't live in the city limits and am not part of his voting base, it probably doesn't matter to him.

I like how he gathered all the children at the site. These children must think adults are mean people.

[HartfordTycoon]

I saw a clip with Eddie saying "everybody wants this school to be built here except the elected officials". I don't know about others on this board........ but I don't recall Eddie asking what I thought. Since I don't live in the city limits and am not part of his voting base, it probably doesn't matter to him.

I like how he gathered all the children at the site. These children must think adults are mean people.

[Bill Mocarsky]

He's using his strengths. Can't really say I blame him. Of course this is being built for them and it does seem as if the students and parents like the site, for what it's worth. Apparently not much to the state. It can be made to work and could all be turned into a positive development. That's the part I am really having trouble with. The level of negativety and lack of cooperation. It's so unnecessary.

[Whaler0718]

Personally, I'd let them build the school there. Far worse decisions have been made about Hartford in the past, and so many have been edicts from the capitol. If the city wants to build there, let them.

But the state isn't letting them, and Perez's approach is totally unproductive. It's a classic short-sighted move, wherein he garners support from those who want the school and think the state sucks, but at the loss of any credibility or bargaining power he might have with the state for this or other projects. It's very George Bush of him, except he's not the leader of a superpower.

[MadVlad]

We can agree to disagree on this one. There was no need to force him into this corner. They know that the school system likes the spot. They've known that for years. They should be working to make it possible. I for one am rooting for Eddie on this on. I hope we are able to get the school built on the desired parcel. Then years from now when it's a great fully functioning school, no one will forget how hard it was to get it built.

[jcrc]

Maybe this is a fight worth picking, maybe it is not, I don't know. But when should the mayor, Perez or a different mayor, stand up for Hartford i.e. be confrontational with the state, and when should the mayor be cooperative with the state?

[HartfordTycoon]

The same could be said for the Mayor, he's known for years that the State doesn't want a school there. They own and control the land, he doesn't, so in reality, what he wants is secondary to what they want. If they say no 50 times, then no it should be. You;re assuming he tried his best to work with people. His actions speak differently, he appears to me to be a guy to ask once, then do what he wants regardless. I guess we're at a stalemate...

[MadVlad]

I've never said I completely agree with his handling of this. All I'm saying is that I also don't agree with the way the state is handling it. If we had a governor who was friendly with the mayor this wouldn't be happening this way. We have a governor who knows absolutely nothing about urban issues or Hartford. She won't even take up residence here. Now I'm not just trying to bash Rell, but she is clearly not more qualified on Hartford issues than Hartford officials are. The point I'm trying to make is that they could at least be helpful. Offer to help find another site that will meet the city's criteria instead of just saying no to what the city views as the number 1 choice without offering a counter plan.

[Bill Mocarsky]

School Dispute Remains In Play

Sometimes I think Eddie Perez thinks of this as an education issue. It is much more than that........Just like the construction of an arena (unless you're the NHL) is more than a sports issue.

[Bill Mocarsky]

This is a view from the State Capitol/Bushnell Park looking toward the magnet school site. The ramps of I-84 are in the foreground. DOT is planning on putting a $100 million bandaid on this area of the highway so it can stand for another 10 - 20 years. More and more neighborhood leaders are coming around to thinking that a permanant solution should be done sooner than later.

If it is done right, this site would be great for a magnet school or 3.