What Does Hartford Need?

[Cotuit]

Everytime I go to New York, I delcare how much I hate Connecticut upon reaching the state line. In reality it has a lot of really great areas (it's cities could use some work). But driving 95 all the way across it is hell. Thank maude for the Merritt Parkway.

P.P.S.  I don't know if I can say "Masshole" on this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I say Masshole all the time, just watch it saying Cow Hampshire, you might get cut!

[LeTaureau]

I recently flew out of Bradley International Airport, and it was disastrous. They need to invest money in this airport if they want to grow. The terminal wasnt big enough for the plane, so we had to be bussed onto the runway in the pouring rain. Ahg! Parking was a huge hassle too..

[Cotuit]

I recently flew out of Bradley International Airport, and it was disastrous.  They need to invest money in this airport if they want to grow.  The terminal wasnt big enough for the plane, so we had to be bussed onto the runway in the pouring rain.  Ahg!  Parking was a huge hassle too..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've you flown out of Providence or Manchester before? Could you compare them?

[LeTaureau]

I've you flown out of Providence or Manchester before? Could you compare them?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I haven't flown out of Manchester before, but I have a lot of friends who do and like it. Southwest flys out of Manchester, which is a big draw. If Bradley could draw in discount airlines, that would make them more competative with larger regional airports.

[Loughlin]

It just needs some things fun to do its like springfield mass or manchester NH, they are citys you would work in and not go there on vacation although manchester is improving unlike the other two, there is a notable dig on hartford in an episode of the simpsons were they advertise a free trip to hawai and when they get there it is realy to hartford CT, evryone was pissed

[Loughlin]

Well if the NHL does indeed collapse, perhaps Hartford could get in on a Canadian league. I think the Canadians would let the northern teir US cities play with them. Do they have a minor league team now, Providence and Springfield do I know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was a whalers fan until the franchise went under.

[bret15]

I think the city should be Renammed, and for the entire area to be redevolped, cause' they only have historic crap there.

[KRC]

I think the city should be Renammed, and for the entire area to be redevolped, cause' they only have historic crap there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Historic crap? That's a bit harsh. Remember, historic crap has gone a long way for Providence and Boston. "Highrise plopped on a plaza" hasn't worked for Hartford. Don't forget, we in Providence have used our history to try to help define our future. Hartford has quite a bit also and should work it more.

Off topic a bit - I was in downtown Hartford a couple of weeks ago. May I ask exactly which rocket scientist the city hired that came up with a nice large surface parking lot in front of the new convention center right on Columbus? Also, the new hotel exits out onto the street directly across the street from some loading bays for trucks. Of course, nothing is open yet so I may be missing some pieces of the puzzle. However, I wouldn't be too happy about that if I were a conventioneer in town for a few days. It's not a very nice urban experience.

Also, took a look at Hartford 21. Nice, very nice. I think that looks great and will help revive that part of the city. The residential tower looks very attractive in renderings. The steel looks like it was starting to go up.

[Southron]

I think the city should be Renammed, and for the entire area to be redevolped, cause' they only have historic crap there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, I think bulldozing "historic crap" and replacing it with dreadful urban renewal developments, freeways and surface parking lots is what trashed the city to begin with.

Hartford 21 is a great project and will help generate a lot more foot traffic downtown. Hopefully more downtown residential and mixed use projects are coming soon.

[Loughlin]

Merge Merge Merge!!!

I'm sick of comparing cities when what we should be comparing is METRO AREAS.

What we are trying to do here in Pittsburgh is DIS-INCORPORATE then the county has to take us over, thus the city proper is also the county, although all the other suburbs remain they answer to PITTSBURGH CITY HALL cause there is no county its all the city/county of Pittsburgh  HA HA HAHAHA.  Sooooo Evil! 

And hey Invade Raliegh-Durham and get your NHL team back, those traitors lol.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dont hate somthing cause its superior (J/K )

[Loughlin]

oops quoted the wron person sorry.

[ctman987]

Hartford is a unique city and one that has in some cases been hurt by bad decisions. For example, although the intersections of I-84 and I-91 in downtown Hartford are very helpful to travelers it also means that people who will not even be visiting the city have to go through it. A beltway was one of the original ideas for the capital city but the idea never pulled through. Instead I-91 was built along the CT river which meant that the historic Front Street neighborhood was torn down to make room for the highway. The neighborhood was home to many immigrants and had a large Italian population. When the highway was built many Italians moved to the South End or to Wethersfield (1st suburb south of Hartford, Exit 25S off I-91). Underground highways would be very helpful because currently on one side of I-84 sits the thriving central business district and on the other side is many vacant properties which are an eyesore. Past this though is the North End which is home to thousands of families and family owned businesses.

Constitution Plaza is another interesting project in Hartford. More of the Front Street neighborhood was also torn down for this project. The project started in the early 1960's and consists of numerous office buildings, a hotel, a restaurant, parking garages, and a news station, all of which are interconnected and have an open upper level plaza. Currently the offices are home to many businesses and corporations, the hotel sits vacant (Hotel closed in 1994 and was sold to a developer who promised to turn it into a school of some sorts but never did and the property is currently on the market) The news studio has been fully functioning for years as the local CBS affiliate but in the past year it announced it would move to suburban Rocky Hill to build a new facility because the one in Constitution Plaza was to small and there were no other good sites in the city. This project just brought droves of people into the city to work and not to live in and this is somehting the city is trying to fix.

Historic Renovation is being used in many buildings in the city as they are being renovated in apartments that cannot be created with the same historic feel through new construction. The city is also home to many historic brownstones.

The Hartford-Springfield area is already served by Bradley International Airport which is currently growing as many additions have been built and numerous hotels have been built around it.

Bringing together all of the communities of the Greater Hartford area into one is a touch subject and one that I really dont have a firm grasp on. The area is home to

many scio-economic classes. Some of Hartford's suburbs are extremly wealthy while some suburbs face some of the same problems Hartford faces. Even within the city there are differances. The West End of Hartford is home to many historic mansions that worth well over a million dollars. On the other hand, down the street is the North End which is plagued with violent crime and unemployment.

Also just to respond to other postings:

Hartford did lose the bid for the Bassmaster Classic becasue the decision committe was concerened about the number of hotel rooms in the city at the time when the event would be. The new Marriott Hotel attached to Convention Center is exptected to open in August with 409 rooms but there could always be hidden delays. Also during the decision process the 392 room Hartford Hilton was still underhoing major renovations leaving the Goodwin Hotel and Holiday Inn Express as the only fully operating hotels in the central business district that were fully operating.

[AmericanUrbanDesigner]

I don't understand why Bradley doesn't have non-stop flights to Europe. It's easier to get to Bradley from almost anywhere north of Stamford or west of Route 128 (outside Boston, MA) than it is to get to Boston's airport or JFK!

[ctman987]

I also dont understand why there are no international flights. It is New England's second largest airport and is located right off I-91. People from the New Haven area, Hartford area, Springfield area, and Pioneer Valley would choose Bradley over JFK or Logan if they could for international flights

[hpboy82]

I have a lot of pride when I tell people from out-of-state that I am from Connecticut in the southwest suburbs of Hartford (Southington). Hartford is truly a beautiful city with lots to offer. At the same time, it has an astounding amount of underutilized resources (referring to a comment posted about its underutilized historic resources) and the potential to become a great major city.

If I were to do one thing in Hartford to reinvigorate it, I would focus on its arteries. As with any major city, its arteries are what keep it flowing and beating. However, with cities growing the way they are, and the amount of automobiles increasing everyday, it is hard to upkeep a smooth flow. I would like to focus on I-84, for example. Everytime I have to go into Hartford, I dread the drive along 84. It is too twisty and narrow for such a busy area. I-91 is a smooth drive in and out of Hartford, though 84 is a complete terror.

In cities such as Providence, the twisted, congested roadways are being rebuilt in a much more "straightened" manner (ex: I-195 Relocation and the new Providence River Bridge). The intersection of major highways are also being revitalized to handle the amount of traffic coming in and out of the city. I believe Hartford should embark on this endeavor. Allow I-84 to be a smoother ride with easy on and off capabilities, wider lanes, less corners, and an easy transition onto I-91.

In time, I foresee much more happening in Hartford than what is happening now. I see more culture being brought into the city, more life and foot traffic, more businesses, and more recognition - since many people that I have spoken to have little thought about the city.

I would love to see a National Trust Conference be brought to Hartford... what a welcoming thought. Recognizing Hartford's architectural heritage on a national level with awareness on its amazing resources. It will happen soon. I can definitly see it happening.

[ctman987]

I strongly agree with hpboy82 and I to have lots of pride in Hartford. I-84 and I-91 though are both congested and very hard to drive on at times. With the influx of people who enter the city and leave then city after work I-84 is always congested from Manchester through downtown Hartford and into West Hartford with gridlock conditions in downtown. I-91South backs up from Windsor to downtown Hartford in the morning and from downtown Hartford to Rocky Hill in the afternoon and I-91North is congested from Rocky Hill to downtown each morning.

This is because there are so many people driving these roads but also because they were poorly designed in some areas. In downtown Hartford in order to stay on I-84 East one needs to make sure to stay on the highway and not enter the "Exit Only Lanes" for Capital Avenues and Asylum Avenues. When people enter from these streets they then must move over one to two lanes in a short period of time which usually leaves the lane for I-91 at a standstill.

On I-91 South by Jennings Road one must watch signs closely as the exit for I-84 East, State Street, I-84 West, Jennings Road, and Trumball Street are all in the same area.

On the Buckley Bridge which is part of I-84 which brings drivers over the CT river and into East Hartford there are options to stay on I-84, exit onto East River Drive, exit to Route 2 and at the same time people entering the highway.

As previosuly mentioned about the CT river this could be one of the reasons that CT roadways are sometimes so congested. People who live in the suburbs east of Hartford HAVE TO TAKE I-84, Route 2, and Route 3 in order to get over the CT river unless they want to swim

In conclusion it is quite apparent that these roads need to be fixed but in a state that has numerous problems with other roads like I-95 in Bridgeport and New Haven, I-84 and I-91 take second priority and so Hartford area residents need to be nice to people from out of town who do not know the roadways and are probably in the wrong lane because of a poorly designed road and interstate system.

[jcrc]

My wife and I recently moved and set up a business in Hartford, so obviously we have great hope and expectation for Hartford. However, here are some things that I have noticed, 1) For a city that is suppose to be a 9 to 5 only working city, there are a lot of vacant office spaces. Some office towers are less than half full, and it seems Hartford is losing more jobs each month. 2) Most of the streets are not pedestrian friendly. If and when people don't want to walk, then parking become an issue. 3) There is practically no shopping in Harford, even less on weekend. Whenever out of towners ask me what can they do and where they can go, I send them to West Hartford. I try to send them to Wadsworth, but usually West Hartford gets the visitors spending dollars. 4) People are not happy in Hartford, even New Yorkers are suprised by the rudeness of retail clerks, and the nasty CT drivers. I don't know why Hartford's the most stressed out city in the country, but it shows. I guess my feeling is Hartford's problem is not 84 and 91, but once people are in town, do they have a positive experience?

[HartfordTycoon]

My wife and I recently moved and set up a business in Hartford, so obviously we have great hope and expectation for Hartford. However, here are some things that I have noticed, 1) For a city that is suppose to be a 9 to 5 only working city, there are a lot of vacant office spaces. Some office towers are less than half full, and it seems Hartford is losing more jobs each month. 2) Most of the streets are not pedestrian friendly. If and when people don't want to walk, then parking become an issue. 3) There is practically no shopping in Harford, even less on weekend. Whenever out of towners ask me what can they do and where they can go, I send them to West Hartford. I try to send them to Wadsworth, but usually West Hartford gets the visitors spending dollars. 4) People are not happy in Hartford, even New Yorkers are suprised by the rudeness of retail clerks, and the nasty CT drivers. I don't know why Hartford's the most stressed out city in the country, but it shows. I guess my feeling is Hartford's problem is not 84 and 91, but once people are in town, do they have a positive experience?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The biggest piece of the puzzle for right now is getting people to live and play downtown. Once that happens every business in the city will feel some residual impact. The ones downtown will see the pay off for their gamble the most. I just drove through downtown 20 minutes ago and for a Monday night there was a good amount of activity. Once people live there this will increase exponentially.

[MadVlad]

In order:

1) merge the County (never gonna happen)

2) bury the highways (probably never gonna happen)

3) unbury the Park River (rumblings have been heard)

4) build a Space Needle (my own idea, unique in the area, including NYC)

5) I guess Airport, but Bradley can be easily updated to full International

[Cotuit]

3) unbury the Park River (rumblings have been heard)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That sounds interesting, tell us more.

[HartfordTycoon]

That sounds interesting, tell us more.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Park river runs across the city from west to east and into the CT river. It was burried in the mid 20th century by the US Army Corp of Engineers to prevent danger from flooding. There have been talks about unburying it. It runs right through bushnell park downtown and would be similar in size to the small river you guys have in Providence. I think would compliment the Mighty Connecticut River well due to it's more human scale. It's hard to ride a gondela on a raging mile wide river, but the park river would be perfect for such enterprises.

[MadVlad]

The Park River is a river that flowed through downtown Hartford and was burried after it flooded, the last noticable time was exactly 50 years ago today. It was buried under the city from just beyond Park Place Towers all the way to the CT River. It ran where I-84 is, past Aetna Headquarters, then took a southward curve near the Capitol and along the edge of Bushnell Park. It then went under what is now the Whitehead Expressway into the CT River. For a time, we even had a guy that ran canoe trips under the city, which was super inventive and unique anywhere, but the city stopped it because they thought there were health hazards due to sewer overflow during heavy rains (despite the guy than ran it claiming to the contrary). They could easily uncover the stretch that runs by Aetna through to the Rotary next to Bushnell Park, but nobody has come up with a plan or financing. I've seen it suggested about once a year in various places for the last 5-7 years or so, but I never hear anything substantial. I even believe they were inspired by what Providence has done with the River through their burg. To me, seeing what cities like San Antonio and Providence have done with rivers running through their cities should be inspiration enough for Hartford to get on the stick with this....

[Mike D]

I for one would like to see them uncover the Park River and put a nice landscaped next to it. I thought the canoing thing was a great idea. I know people go canoing and rafting on the rapids of the James River in Richmond, VA. It would be nice for Hartford to have that too.

[GregV]

That sounds interesting, tell us more.

Here's a link:

Park River

[TaylorG4444]

In order:

1) merge the County (never gonna happen)

2) bury the highways (probably never gonna happen)

3) unbury the Park River (rumblings have been heard)

4) build a Space Needle (my own idea, unique in the area, including NYC)

5) I guess Airport, but Bradley can be easily updated to full International

what would updating to "full international" entail? would it require more construction? and if so what and more importantly where?....