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Hartford Stage Expansion Plans Take Shape

HartfordTycoon

By HartfordTycoon
in Greater Hartford

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HartfordTycoon Town

HartfordTycoon

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This should be really good for Hartford Stage and the city. I hope the renderings are really impressive when they are released.

Courant Article

The endowment-renovation plan - whose price is undetermined - will be the first part of a two-phase project. The second component will center on expanding the theater complex to Trumbull Street with a new, second stage, additional patron amenities and educational facilities.

The first-phase costs will be financed by a three-year campaign that will begin this fall. A previous study indicated the theater could raise $23 million privately through individuals, corporations and local foundations toward its longtime goal to renovate, expand and endow the theater.

Contributions from the city, state and federal government and national foundations have not been factored in. They are expected to be a major part of the campaign's second phase, though.

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MadVlad Town

MadVlad

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This should be really good for Hartford Stage and the city. I hope the renderings are really impressive when they are released.

Courant Article

The endowment-renovation plan - whose price is undetermined - will be the first part of a two-phase project. The second component will center on expanding the theater complex to Trumbull Street with a new, second stage, additional patron amenities and educational facilities.

The first-phase costs will be financed by a three-year campaign that will begin this fall. A previous study indicated the theater could raise $23 million privately through individuals, corporations and local foundations toward its longtime goal to renovate, expand and endow the theater.

Contributions from the city, state and federal government and national foundations have not been factored in. They are expected to be a major part of the campaign's second phase, though.

How are they going to expand it through that Parking Garage?

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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Hartford Stage Receives $1 Million Grant for Expansion

The Tony Award-winning theatre company received the endowment from Hartford Stage Board member George Estes and his wife Laura.

Hartford Stage intends to utilize the funding to support a proposed renovation project that will modernize the current venue and allow an expansion of the current 489-seat theatre. Representatives for the Connecticut theatre said that full details of the renovation will be announced in late 2008.

www.hartfordstage.com

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T52 Whistle-Stop

T52

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There are great improvements planned for Hartford Stage which do include some expansion into the parking garage, improved public areas, entrance, modest additional seating capcity, technical upgrades and enhanced perfomance capabilities but current plans do not include expansion west to Trumbull with an entrance down there as has been mentioned here.

There has been pricing of a lot of options but the reality of costs has pared the project to an affordable scale. I am posting this so that there is no impression of bait and switch and to encourage those interested in Hartford Stage expansion to step forward and help from a financial perspective.

Hartford Stage is an asset to Hartford and is a critical component for the future of the city.

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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There are great improvements planned for Hartford Stage which do include some expansion into the parking garage, improved public areas, entrance, modest additional seating capcity, technical upgrades and enhanced perfomance capabilities but current plans do not include expansion west to Trumbull with an entrance down there as has been mentioned here.

There has been pricing of a lot of options but the reality of costs has pared the project to an affordable scale. I am posting this so that there is no impression of bait and switch and to encourage those interested in Hartford Stage expansion to step forward and help from a financial perspective.

Hartford Stage is an asset to Hartford and is a critical component for the future of the city.

Thanks T52

It is good to hear that they are thinking about reasonable and intelligent improvements. The last thing that Hartford Stage needs to do is replicate the mistakes of The Old State House and Mark Twain House. I give a little to the arts, but I try to do most of my giving by attending the shows. Unfortunately some how I have yet to go to Hartford Stage or Wadsworth. Kind of crazy, but my wife and I try and well we have other social plans, and in 2 years we have hit pretty much everything else. Seems like I better remedy this ASAP.

One shame is that if the stage had a Marquee on Trumbull I bet they would immediately attract much more attention and it might pay for its self. People avoid Church street like it were the plague!

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Chessplayer Whistle-Stop

Chessplayer

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One shame is that if the stage had a Marquee on Trumbull I bet they would immediately attract much more attention and it might pay for its self. People avoid Church street like it were the plague!

Absolutely; a facade upgrade and a marquee would do wonders for Church Street.

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Chessplayer Whistle-Stop

Chessplayer

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The current Hartford Stage building is really bland, any kind of change to the facade would be a vast improvement. I'm wondering, does anyone think there could be any room for retail along Church St?

Yes, get rid of that useless plaza in front of the Stilts Building, extend the bottom the building to the street, and add retail there. Or stick the parking underground and wrap a series of smaller retail/residential buildings around the block.

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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Yes, get rid of that useless plaza in front of the Stilts Building, extend the bottom the building to the street, and add retail there. Or stick the parking underground and wrap a series of smaller retail/residential buildings around the block.

The Stilts building holds the most potential, but the street itself is actually unfriendly to pedestrians due in part to the Stilts and the Arena. it is the windiest place in CT I would bet. If they re allign the Arena as is the current far fetched plan, Church street might warrent such things. 280 Trumbull has one retail spot, but it is not being used, and not really on the street. Also the Bank location is not configures for the street. and it would likely do nothing for them to change that. But it is possible that if something crazy happened, and Harford Stage got a 20 million dollar grant, A new arena was built solving the wind issue, 280 Trumbull re configure its limited retail space at the bank to be outward looking and does the same with the empty space on the corner, then the Stilts building builds a new courtyard that is street and retail friendly... they church street has a chance. But for now and the forseeable future it is just the home of Hartford Stage, a crap load of wind and loading docks/parking garages.

I think a more likely scenerio would be somebody coming along some day that proposes the other planned tower above the church street garage. In the process of getting approvals I could see Hartford Stage getting a new and better space with a new frontage on Trumbull. but this is all in the dream world I think. I am just glad they are sprucing things up and doing well enough to do so!

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T52 Whistle-Stop

T52

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The current Hartford Stage building is really bland, any kind of change to the facade would be a vast improvement. I'm wondering, does anyone think there could be any room for retail along Church St?

Like most projects, Hartford Stage's current expansion/renovation has struggled to find the balance between what they would like to have and what they can afford as they did when our company built the original building (which I think was an attracive addition to Hartford in it's day). The building was designed by Robert Venturi and I am not sure I would descibe it as bland. At the time that it was built, Hartford and construction in general was in a bit of a downturn with doule digit inflation (home mortgages at 18%). Venturi did a great job with the available resources.

The current project is being designed by Mitchell Kurtz out of NYC and will be a great improvement from both an aesthetic as well as a technical perspective.

Hartford stage does an amazing job with a shoestring budget and deserves our full support.

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The Voice of Reason Town

The Voice of Reason

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http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news15062.html

The Hartford Stage is raising the curtain on $4 million in improvements to the downtown theater in time to debut its first fall performance.

Tomorrow at 10AM the Gov and Mayor will be there to re-open the joint!

First show is Antony and Cleopatra. Friday

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