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IN PROGRESS: Coltsville Nat'l Park/Colt Gateway


MadVlad

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A lot of the Columbus Boulevard traffic is probably due to a lack of options. East-west traffic must use Columbus Boulevard to get over the river.

meh

really, it was designed to be a major N-S surface street for all the highway drivers coming to and leaving work.

its designed for high traffic and intersects multiple highways

Whithead on ramps accessing I-91S

the I-91 onramp heading N between the science center and convention center

Jewell St/Albany ave access to I-84 through the whitehead

I-84/RT 2 east from central row

I-84/I91 near morgan St Garage

and this road is where all of the neighborhood traffic was designed to flow towards in order to access these larger highways heading in all direction from downtown.

and honestly, it seems like Travelers produces most of it

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  • 7 months later...

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There is a renewed focus on getting Coltsville designated as a national park and redeveloped into a mixed use museum, residential, and commercial area. Hopefully this time around the stars align the right way and we can make this happen. It is one of the biggest missing peices of the puzzle regarding turning Downtown Hartford and it's periphy around.

Hartford Courant

The big change is that the National Park Service and the Obama administration are now expected to endorse the project. The park service's failure to back a previous proposal was a major setback in the past. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has also emerged as a strong supporter — with a promise of millions of dollars in economic development money to help restore the factory's east armory building as a museum.

"We have a governor excited about the prospect of a national park in Hartford, a mayor working with us to get this across the finish line, and a community dedicated to seeing this become a reality,'' U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman said in a statement released by his office.

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  • 2 months later...

as many if you might allready know, the secretary of the interior was at coltsville last weekend meeting with the mayor and other state leaders like Sen Bluminthal.

He is now putting his support behind a national park!

in this Op Ed piece in the courant there was lots of good and interesting information

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-coltsville-national-park-20110929,0,6831808.story

I have noticed that the new magnate school has been done and looks like its been open since school started this year, so thats just solid good stuff!

but there was a good amount of other info in the op ed piece.

for one, there are At present, 420 people work in the brick buildings that made up the renowned 19th-century factory village in South Hartford, 80 children go to school there and 44 apartments are occupied, with six more coming on line this month.

Thats right from the article, so apparently the new owner is putting money into the project I was unaware of any new apartments being developed, but it seems with the lease of the 2nd school space the owner might be revenue positive, so he is adding apartments as he can afford them. This is just awesome if you ask me because its sustainable. they can slowly fill out the one building they have going now and then maybe someday start to address the main armory, or maybe even one of the other out buildings untill the main armory is les of an obsticle.

I drive by this building by highway and on street level quite often and i have to say the potential makes me shiver every time.

the article says it all hinges on the east Armory (onion dome) and that the govt would need a place for museum and such and well it needs the building fixed up.

the developer says the cost 24 million is something that would require public help, but I suppose the feds might help with that and so might the city. If indeed something can be worked out we might be up to 260+ apartments in this location before you know it.

we will have to see if that congressional bill passes and if the city is able to help the developer move along.

in the mean time I hope the 6 apartments coming online are just a phase in wich others keep coming.

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Is the Colt Firearms Collection to be part of this museum?

The Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company Factory Collection was given to the Museum of Connecticut History in 1957. The collection constitutes one of the finest assemblages of early Colt prototypes, factory models and experimental firearms in the world. The collection also includes Colt-made Gattling guns, shotguns and automatic weapons. In 1995 the original "Rampant Colt" statue that had adorned the Hartford Colt factory was acquired by the museum. The Colt Firearms Collection, coupled with historic photographs and other related materials, is a "must-see" for both firearms enthusiasts and students of American history.

colt.giffire.gifpr10000409_6685982ec.jpgpr10000409_668a65a6e.jpgpr10000409_668f7716d.jpg

This is a stunning collection. I believe it is somewhat broken up with the Wadsworth owning part of it.

Edited by beerbeer
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This project is potentially one of the biggest game changers in the history of the redevelopment of this city. If we get national park status investment will literally flow into this area and the spill over effect will make the Convention Center much more marketable as well as Front St. It will help all of the historic sites in Hartford such as the Twain and Beecher-Stowe houses. I really don't want to get my hopes up about it. It just doesn't seem like something this good could actually happen in Hartford sometimes.

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  • 7 months later...

From the most recent article I read, they opened the 8 new units bringing them up to 50 in total, and they only has 1 vacancy left, so I'd say demand has been quite strong despite minimal press.

Maybe they are taking all those signs down because they are about to start work on their upcoming projects...

Project 1: finishing up the S Armory apartments. They are getting a bunch of City bond money to finish off the 79 apartments remaining in the S armory. they got 5.8 million I think. So, this is very real and should be starting soon, just no clue when.

Project 2: New roof for East Armory. (most likely candidate) the State gave them 1 million to replace the roof of the East Armory. this will surely require the removal of the banners and stuff so they dont get ruined.

other possibility....

They are getting old, or they want to save them for when they have more vacancies (after the renovations) or their new office tenant wants their sign up there(not likely)

yup definately not "packing it in"

I would more say ramping up!

EDIT: vacancy rate was 98% (1 vacancy) in the last article I saw, but that could easily be full by now.

http://courantblogs....r-colt-factory/

I suppose it should also be noted that they are hoping that the East Armory can get built out after getting the new roof from the state and the new apartments from the city plus that new tenant.

Apparently if they get get those apartments built and stuff, they might be able to finance the East Armory project. seems a stretch, but at the same time, even these baby steps are steps in the right direction.

Edited by The Voice of Reason
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  • 4 weeks later...

work has began on the new roof for the East armory.

since the bonding that is paying for this came at the same time as the moneys to finish off the 70 apartments in the S Armory I can only assume they are being worked on or construction is imminent.

I saw work crews on the roof at 5pm yesterday, they had stripped, and started re-covering a large section

Edited by The Voice of Reason
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I saw on the planning site that they are looking to expand one or maybe some of the schools on the property to be both Highschool and middle school.

not sure if this will expend the space leased or whatever or just administrative work to fulfill something we already saw posted on here.

Either way, the more people in this area the better. As these apartments are built out and the new office tennants filter in Coltsville will be pretty cool. Just add an eatery or something in a few years....

think ~50 new students, 130 new apartment dwellers and 100 new office workers will be here within a year. and possibly more since who knows what the capacioty is of those academies, and more office tenants can sign any day (there in plenty more vacant space in the S Armory)

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  • 3 months later...

So, I have been traveling alot for work and that has me driving through Hartford towards the Airport at wacky hours.... I noticed that The apartments are under construction. you can see framing up on the 3rd floor and the 5th floor Had framing, now seems like walls. I am guessing that some units will be finished but just after the new year. take a look if you drive N on I-84 at night. its easier to see at weird hours like 4:45AM because there are less spotlights and stuff.

The roof project seems to still be coming along slowly. but surely

and lastly, i was thinking that even though this project might not be the MOST viable project downtown, it is probably one that the city and state will continue to support, so there is a good change that some of the remaining $42.3 million in the development authorities kitty.

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  • 4 months later...

A new Cafe has opened at the Colt complex

 

http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/hartfords-colt-redevelopment-gets-first-retail-tenant/

 

Yet another positive step for the property.  Let hope they apartments move forward soon and are promptly rented as this area is begining to become more attractive in general.

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  • 2 months later...

I drove by the Colt Building today and the old home office building which is right next to the armory is completely gutted and had an entire construction team with heavy equipment working on the entire building. When the heck did this happen??? It seems like it happened overnight... does anyone know what is planned for this building? Its the building on the right in the picture below:

 

4109550583_108db560b0_z.jpg

Edited by Luca Brasi
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  • 1 month later...

The home office building is absolutely a magnet school BTW, it made the paper a while back, and is coming along quite nicely at this point.

 

I also noticed that the East Armory is progressing with window replacements it seems.

 

not exactly what the timeline is, but all the windows are gone on the lower floors now.  clearly work is being done.  I am  not sure if this is part of a specific phase of the project, or if they are just being removed as part of the environmental cleanup (lead is common in old window frames, paint etc)

 

Regardless, with the magnet schools, and other projects, this part of town is slowly and constantly improving.

Lets hope CIL keeps the momentum going with its projects at Capewell and Dutch Point area

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  • 3 months later...

Apparently the national park hearings are happening... so we are close to a judgement and then I think next would be an implementation plan.  might be intersting to see how this shakes out.  I mean there will surely be a gift shop, a museum, and probably money to help oush along all the planned residential etc...

 

after that I can even see development near by to capitalize on the increased security (federal park rangers right?) and improved facilities/tourist traffic

 

on that, what kind of tourist traffic would historic coltville get?

 

 

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on that, what kind of tourist traffic would historic coltville get?

 

I've often wondered the same thing.  I think creating the perception of a connection between Adriaen's Landing and Coltsville will be key.  Make sure that all of the conventioners that come through know that there is a cool national park a couple blocks away.

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  • 3 weeks later...

More progress.

 

HBJ

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20131024/NEWS01/131029951

 

Then Courant

http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/construction-set-to-begin-on-colt-factory-apartments/

 

The city is helping the developer (OK to be fair, the whole universe is, from City, State, and especially CREC!)

to complete the South Armory.

there are 50 apartments there now and they are going to finish off the other 79

I had seen work underway over there for a while then it stopped.

 

edit:

adding 79 more is going to make a large impact down there.  its really quiet right now

 

more than doubling the population will be great.

also, it will help cafe colt out

 

The big theory too if you remember back to 2012 when this was first talked about, is that by making the S Armory fully developed it stabalized the property overall.

Im sure the schools are getting sweet deals and ther3 is the one office with ~100 workers.  Monthly revelues are surely mostly generated by residents.

 

taking that 50K a month up to 129K a month will go a long way in saying that the developer has a viable project.

 

Also it will prove demand for the East Armory.

 

they are saying that banks would then feel comfortable investing, but Im not entirely sure thats an accurate statement.

 

I think that in 2 years we will be hearing about CRDA stepping in with a deal.

Edited by The Voice of Reason
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  • 4 months later...

This project keeps gaining steam.

 

This article confirms my post about the 79 apartments being under sonctruction right now but also adds a bunch more info on the East Armory.

 

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-colt-east-armory-renovations-20140323,0,2216911.story

 

Good news is that it is begining to take shape, bad news is that the details are a little underwhelming.   for now.

 

 

the only residential in the East Armory will be 24 loft apartments on the 4th floor.

 

the second floor already has some CREC classroom space but will apparently be fully built out as a CREC middleschool. 

 

The third floor is going to be office space, but seemingly already has a tenant.. (I expect to hear more about this soon because this is a big expansion for that company.  the name excapes me but its in the article.   there was also mention of another office tenent. 

so, it seems 2,3,4 will be pretty well filled out.

the ground floor they mention a welcome center and access to the onion dome   that would be cool, but thats a HUGE welcome center. I suppose they are saving spoace for any kind of museum needed for national park stuff.

 

the 24 apartments I think will be pretty big because each floor is pretty huge.

 

Also, I think the North Armory will be almost entirely apartments if they ever get to it.  so that will help the 24 hour population out here if that happens... otherwise, with most of the project being spoken for

the total would settle at 153 apartments on the complex.

50 built and occupied in the S. Armory

79 U/C in the South Armory

24 Planned in the East Armory

 

All those schools are almost a little crazy.  I hope the commercial tenents are able to thrive out there without overwhelming the area with a need for parking. 

 

anyways, with the schools and office piece, the daytime population should be pretty damn good on weekdays.

 

Weekends and nights, it will definately still need help.

The people I know that live there drive everywhere, so it definately needs more residents and maybe some neigh borhood amenities.

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

It appears as though there may be some work begining on the 2nd floor on the East Armory.  this is the space that is going to become more CREC svhools and office space.

 

Cant 100% confirm my observation though.

 

Also, you can see just a ton of work happening on the apartments in the S Armory.

 

 

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  • 5 months later...
  • 3 months later...

So Im sure you guys saw it..

 

but its official, we have a national park in Hartford!

 

this will be cool to see it materialize.

 

And this should be the centerpiece.

 

The Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company Factory Collection was given to the Museum of Connecticut History in 1957. The collection constitutes one of the finest assemblages of early Colt prototypes, factory models and experimental firearms in the world. The collection also includes Colt-made Gattling guns, shotguns and automatic weapons. In 1995 the original "Rampant Colt" statue that had adorned the Hartford Colt factory was acquired by the museum. The Colt Firearms Collection, coupled with historic photographs and other related materials, is a "must-see" for both firearms enthusiasts and students of American history.

colt.gif fire.gif pr10000409_6685982ec.jpg pr10000409_668a65a6e.jpg pr10000409_668f7716d.jpg

In addition to this stunning collection. Which should be the center of a Colt firearms museum.

 

The Wadsworth Atheneum also has a number of Colt firearms in its collection, which I would suggest being put on permanent loan to the national park. The Wadsworth collection goes beyond Colt weapons to the Colt’s personal collection of firearms, edged weapons and armor from around the world.  The latter gathering not only includes prototype weapons from Colt’s firearm company, but also rare and historic pieces given as gifts to Colonel Colt by czars, princes and sultans.  Highlights include the wooden model carved by Colt aboard ship in his youth that led him to the design of the perfect revolver, Moorish swords, Italian armor, and scarce examples of Colt’s own products, such as the Walker-Texas holster pistol—perhaps the most storied of all handguns on the Western Frontier.

 

This would prove to be a unique and world class tourist attraction.

Edited by beerbeer
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