3 Developers Propose Major Project in Bloomfield

[HartfordTycoon]

Tycoon:

An IHOP will be moving into the COPACO center? It will be the second IHOP in bloomfield -- the first was where the Acme is now. What is in the old Zayre/Ames store? Did they torn down the CG building (can't remember the name)?

JimS

[Whaler0718]

I totally disagree with the Buckland comment. I've yet to see an empty storefront and in fact they fill them as fast as they build them. I just watched two new "centers" go in and are already at capacity and they are expanding the Evergreen walk already. An old shopping center was knocked down and a BJ's is being built there. Two new restaurants just opened too. The one empty strip mall which isn't even in the Buckland area has been purchased and being demolished for a new 18 acre retail center.

Buckland doesn't have a problem attracting anything, right now it's white hot...I see it in real time as I live here.

Well said.

[JayHass]

I realize this isn't directly on topic and I apologize--but I have to make a comment because Buckland was mentioned. I was there this weekend and, yes, it is "hot"--jumpin' in fact. AND HORRIBLE. Man did I hate trying to drive around there, and from one strip mall to another. Ugh.

[mikel]

I guess one mans garbage is another mans treasure. I have a lot of family in other parts of the state who visit us just to shop that area and love the place...I think it's great to have as well. To each his own.

As for that IHOP in Bloomfield, send one over to Manchester!

[JayHass]

Why would anyone TRAVEL to the Buckland area, when it's all generic chain stores that are available nearly everywhere? That area is completely disgusting. I will love seeing it deserted when gas prices go up.

[Whaler0718]

All true--the girls can shop in one place. Sort of. They can shop in one or two stores, get in their car, drive around in a circle, stop, shop in another place, get back in the car ... rinse and repeat! Shopping in one place would be driving (or better yet, taking the train) into downtown Hartford (or any other urban center) to walk around all the shops, truly located in "one" place. To the extent one is a little farther down the road, the density of the area (and the absence of huge surface lots) would make for a convenient shuttle route. And instead of having destinations--which one must when she heads to Buckland, lest you end up driving for hours--there would be window shopping. I promise you that if you ask your ladies which they'd prefer, it would be what I have just described. But our zoning laws, property taxes, and the lobbies of big-box and subdivision builders as well as auto makers have prevented that kind of choice. Ever wonder why millions of people cram themselves on Manhattan island? It's not just because there is a Prada, it's because you can walk to it. In fact, most of my friends couldn't afford anything there, but they enjoy window shopping. No such thing at Buckland. It's hideous, ill-conceived, congested, and depressing. I had to wait in traffic to get off the highway exit ramp only to hit red light after red light and get cut off by one SUV after another. I had to circle for a parking space, TWICE, since the stores I ventured to were on opposite sides of the monstrosity. I appreciate no end that the market exists for these stores in the region, but I hold equally great contempt for their location.

[JayHass]

All true--the girls can shop in one place. Sort of. They can shop in one or two stores, get in their car, drive around in a circle, stop, shop in another place, get back in the car ... rinse and repeat! Shopping in one place would be driving (or better yet, taking the train) into downtown Hartford (or any other urban center) to walk around all the shops, truly located in "one" place. To the extent one is a little farther down the road, the density of the area (and the absence of huge surface lots) would make for a convenient shuttle route. And instead of having destinations--which one must when she heads to Buckland, lest you end up driving for hours--there would be window shopping. I promise you that if you ask your ladies which they'd prefer, it would be what I have just described. But our zoning laws, property taxes, and the lobbies of big-box and subdivision builders as well as auto makers have prevented that kind of choice. Ever wonder why millions of people cram themselves on Manhattan island? It's not just because there is a Prada, it's because you can walk to it. In fact, most of my friends couldn't afford anything there, but they enjoy window shopping. No such thing at Buckland. It's hideous, ill-conceived, congested, and depressing. I had to wait in traffic to get off the highway exit ramp only to hit red light after red light and get cut off by one SUV after another. I had to circle for a parking space, TWICE, since the stores I ventured to were on opposite sides of the monstrosity. I appreciate no end that the market exists for these stores in the region, but I hold equally great contempt for their location.

[Whaler0718]

All the patrons must be unenlighted stooges.

[JayHass]

Well, we agree on one thing.

[Recchia]

The bottom line is that places like Buckland are successful because 90% of Americans are lazy. Sitting in traffic for hours is more desirable to most people than having to lug shopping bags down a street a half mile to their home (healthy people, nonetheless). I think it's a shame.

People who DO like to window shop should at least have the option of doing so, but most cities offer their residents suburban style shopping centers or boutique shopping in a downtown. Why should people who do like to walk around their downtowns be forced to get their basic goods at sprawling messes like Buckland? Just like a lot of people like to drive to each store, some like to walk to each.

[MadVlad]

The bottom line is that places like Buckland are successful because 90% of Americans are lazy. Sitting in traffic for hours is more desirable to most people than having to lug shopping bags down a street a half mile to their home (healthy people, nonetheless). I think it's a shame.

People who DO like to window shop should at least have the option of doing so, but most cities offer their residents suburban style shopping centers or boutique shopping in a downtown. Why should people who do like to walk around their downtowns be forced to get their basic goods at sprawling messes like Buckland? Just like a lot of people like to drive to each store, some like to walk to each.

[JayHass]

The bottom line is that places like Buckland are successful because 90% of Americans are lazy. Sitting in traffic for hours is more desirable to most people than having to lug shopping bags down a street a half mile to their home (healthy people, nonetheless). I think it's a shame.

People who DO like to window shop should at least have the option of doing so, but most cities offer their residents suburban style shopping centers or boutique shopping in a downtown. Why should people who do like to walk around their downtowns be forced to get their basic goods at sprawling messes like Buckland? Just like a lot of people like to drive to each store, some like to walk to each.

[Recchia]

I don't know if you people realize this, but the insults about other's home towns and places is getting old. Really old. I don't come here and say Hartford is a crime ridden filthy place with nothing but undersirables hanging around a bus stop. I could, but I don't. How about some reciprocation here? If you don't like something, fine - but there is no need for the over the top wording.

NOW, let me say this in response. We live in a different place then it was 50 years ago. 50 years ago taking an hour to walk downtown and walk home might have been an option. We live in a much more revved up world today and I simply don't have time and desire to walk to work. Sorry. Do you still hand write letters? No? You must be lazy then. See my point?

I'd rather have the time to stick my canoe in the water because I drove to the Walmart than walk there and watch the day disappear just to get toilet paper.

And BTW, again - Buckland HAS walkable areas if you want to do that. Some of you should actually go to Evergreen Walk before making a comment. And I'm always in DT Manchester walking around getting lunch, going to my dentist, library etc In fact I'll be in DT in about an hour. BUT I'm not going to sit here and call Buckland an ugly not needed mess. It serves it's purpose - well.

If the Hartford market will support the local retail you want for the local residents. Good! But dont' try and build one thing up by tearing another down or on the flip side force me to have to drive 15 miles into Hartford to buy a pair of pants.

You don't like Buckland, don't go there. Put your money where your mouth is. It's that simple. Lots of people do, and lots of people enjoy it. If that doesn't fit into the world peace, drive a bicyle, live in a high rise village ubranite dream - too bad, because it works for me and I'm glad we have the area.

/soapbox

[HartfordTycoon]

You complain about having to drive into Hartford, I would complain if I lived IN Hartford that I'd have to drive to Buckland to get what I need.

[Whaler0718]

And, there's my only complaint. I don't mind Buckland being there, but it would be nice to have a decent shopping area Downtown. I recently moved Downtown and could easily and happily walk to Front Street if it were there. I live in a large and diverse apartment building with plenty of college students, young professionals, and younger families. Many in my building just walk to work everyday, as I would like to. However I work in Simsbury and still have to drive to regional malls to do moderate shopping. If they put this type of shopping Downtown, people would come. Let's be real here. Many of the people in Westfarms and Buckland live in Hartford anyway and would prefer to shop here, so lets get started with adding some retail. There are enough people here to support these developments already in my opinion between residents, office workers, and convention visitors there just needs to be some critical mass to tie it together. It can't be one little store at a time, we need a bunch of retail to make a big splash. I still have my fingers crossed that we will see something like this within the coming year or so.

[Recchia]

Thank you.

I grew up in a suburb. I shopped at malls, which my folks had to drive me to. I went to gigantic cinemamegamovieplexes, which my folks had to drive me to. I even went to parks ... which my folks had to drive me to. Then I went to college and I got to walk everywhere. I was a fat kid in high school--not surprising these days--and in my first year I shed 30 pounds, even drinking beer.

[MadVlad]

I'm starting to consider suburbs parasites sucking off the host. Every time I read about developments in places like Bloomfield and Manchester, I hear a giant sucking sound, and it's coming from Downtown Hartford.....

[HartfordTycoon]

I'm starting to consider suburbs parasites sucking off the host. Every time I read about developments in places like Bloomfield and Manchester, I hear a giant sucking sound, and it's coming from Downtown Hartford.....

[MadVlad]

Point taken and I agree with you in principal. However we do need to keep in mind that Hartford specifically is only 17 square miles and all of the ingredients for a real successful metro can't fit here. Metlife going to Bloomfield from Downtown is absolutely without doubt parisitic, A shopping complex for the local residents of the Bloomfield area is not. A regional shopping complex that draws from across and out of state in Manchester is certainly parasitic to regional retail that was once Downtown, but that ship has sailed. Now if they build another Evergreen Walk before Front Street get's built, that would be the definition of parasitic.

[mikel]

What y'all (I used that redneck term so JayHass can understand me) need to understand is that this region isn't growing and it's still spreading outwards. At this point, no development on undeveloped land is going to help this region one bit except somebody's pocket. It's going to suck something away from the core. Granted, Rentschler Field is an exception because that's currently wasted quasi-urban land.

What anyone who cares about this region wants is that money to go as close to the central city as possible. Buckland has a negative effect on this region, but it's already built (cheaply, privately and hardly permanently, I might add). Developing rural Bloomfield is not a good thing for the region.

At some point people will say "enough is enough" and stop supporting sprawl and being lemmings. It's coming. 30 years and you'll see a dramatic change in the way things are here.

[JayHass]

What y'all (I used that redneck term so JayHass can understand me)

[JayHass]

Nobody's insulting your precious little suburbia, merely pointing out what is wrong with it (i.e., it's a mess!).

[drc72]

Point taken and I agree with you in principal. However we do need to keep in mind that Hartford specifically is only 17 square miles and all of the ingredients for a real successful metro can't fit here. Metlife going to Bloomfield from Downtown is absolutely without doubt parisitic, A shopping complex for the local residents of the Bloomfield area is not. A regional shopping complex that draws from across and out of state in Manchester is certainly parasitic to regional retail that was once Downtown, but that ship has sailed. Now if they build another Evergreen Walk before Front Street get's built, that would be the definition of parasitic.

[mikel]

By who's standards? Not mine! I dont' think it's a mess at all. Sorry. Insults are insults. I could say really nasty things about Hartford and just say "hey, just pointing out what's wrong with it" and you and others would jump all over my comments.

I don't own an SUV. In fact, I'm willing to bet my car is smaller than yours! It's got a 1.8 liter engine and weighs just 1900lbs. I'm interested in the Smart when it arrives as well. I do have a work truck, but that's for a purpose. I also ride a motorcycle whenever I can. There goes that arguement.

[JayHass]

I appreciate your interest in the smart.

We'd all be heroes if we quit using petroleum, though.