Capitol West Building

[MadVlad]

Well, I noticed that our lovely billboa... I mean building named Capitol West has absolutely no windows anymore. I guess the work has really begun in earnest. Does anyone remember what this is going to be?

[drc72]

Yeah I was wondering myself. I passed by the building on I84 last week and noticed the windows where out.

[Bill Mocarsky]

That is the real butt ugly building.

[drc72]

That is the real butt ugly building.

LOL! No Kidding!

[asylumhill]

Well, I noticed that our lovely billboa... I mean building named Capitol West has absolutely no windows anymore. I guess the work has really begun in earnest. Does anyone remember what this is going to be?

I'm concerned about the yellow "AVAILABLE" banner that appeared over the weekend. Land owner better not have changed his mind in mid-demo.

[Hiramicus]

I noticed that there looks to be some work on the Capitol West Building. The upper floors have some of the boarded up "vents" opened and there is some orange safety net towards the bottom of the vents (implying that there're doing some construction. Anyone know about this? Did The Hartford decide they might want to reopen this parking garage???

[The Voice of Reason]

I noticed that there looks to be some work on the Capitol West Building. The upper floors have some of the boarded up "vents" opened and there is some orange safety net towards the bottom of the vents (implying that there're doing some construction. Anyone know about this? Did The Hartford decide they might want to reopen this parking garage???

so, there is a plan for Butt Ugly.

NEXT...

[Bill Mocarsky]

A story in the Courant about the Capitol West Building. Will it be demolished?

Redevelopment Zone Proposed For Removing Vacant Building

[The Voice of Reason]

A story in the Courant about the Capitol West Building. Will it be demolished?

Redevelopment Zone Proposed For Removing Vacant Building

Yeah I posted those redevelopment zones the other day in their own thread, so I am glad to be able to read an aticle about them. or one of them

the city also has now posted an additional zone that straddles I-84 in Parkville. it includes the scrap metal place North of the Highway, and a huge strech of land heading south along the tracks including the lofts in the ols warehouse down there. sadly the key elements are building connector roads, and while I think these will help, I think the 8 or so million spent on roads could spur more development if used differently.

back to the subject. It will be interesting to see what happens with this capitol west building. The location is pretty good, but I sure hope they do not creat just parking there.

[ctman]

Yeah I posted those redevelopment zones the other day in their own thread, so I am glad to be able to read an aticle about them. or one of them

the city also has now posted an additional zone that straddles I-84 in Parkville. it includes the scrap metal place North of the Highway, and a huge strech of land heading south along the tracks including the lofts in the ols warehouse down there. sadly the key elements are building connector roads, and while I think these will help, I think the 8 or so million spent on roads could spur more development if used differently.

back to the subject. It will be interesting to see what happens with this capitol west building. The location is pretty good, but I sure hope they do not creat just parking there.

The location is good? It is directly next to the interstate in a crime filled city!

[The Voice of Reason]

The location is good? It is directly next to the interstate in a crime filled city!

The location is at the edge of the CBD. the CBD is relatively crime free, so any positive development at this location would only extend what is the livable workable playable downtown. as far as being right on a Highway, I dont see this as an obsticle. the reality is that soundproofing takes care of any noise concerns, and city views almost always contain a highway of some sort. The part of the (new) building closest to the highway would surely take this into concideration. The interaction with the street at this location is also pretty good. it is extremely close to the corporate complexes of Aetna and The Hartford, and also a short walk to the Offices around the old state house.

The building I would say is almost the epicenter of negativity for its immediate surroundings, so if you remove it, and replace it with something positive, the immediate area would see a huge improvement right away. The apartments right around it are not that bad. they are the bettter ones in the area actually. so something nice here could really bring up the area, and help bring Asylum hill back.

[drc72]

The whole place looks gutted now.

[HartfordHope]

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-the-harford-capitol-west--1117-20101116,0,1107101.story

Looks like the Hartford has gotten sick of looking at the Capital West Building. They are giving 2 million towards the demolishion and redevelopment. In all They are devoting 7 M to redevelop the neigborhood.

[HartfordTycoon]

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-the-harford-capitol-west--1117-20101116,0,1107101.story

Looks like the Hartford has gotten sick of looking at the Capital West Building. They are giving 2 million towards the demolishion and redevelopment. In all They are devoting 7 M to redevelop the neigborhood.

This is absolutely fantastic news. I'm very heartened by The Hartford's investment in the neighborhood and now think they really may do something worthwhile with the old Conn Mutual site in conjunction with this. They need to team up with Aetna, the city, and the state, and work on a large scale mixed use project that can really be a catalyst for change in the area. Hartford is making some good progress addressing these blighted properties. Now if only the AI Tech Center can become a reality and the Clarion can be redeveloped momentum for Downtown will officially be picking back up after a little lull.

Hartford Courant

Hartford's efforts to remove one of the most blighted buildings in the city — the Capitol West building near I-84 — got a big boost today as The Hartford committed $2 million to buy it, tear it down and redevelop the property.

[The Voice of Reason]

awesome!

[The Voice of Reason]

OK, so I looked at this from google maps.

the building once removed does not exactly make a great developable lot.

if you check out the highway alignment and the surrounding roads, and then remember the I-84 HUB of Hartford project, I think just knocking it down is the best move for right now. Heck, we may need to acquire those 2 small multi familys as well and move them elsewhere in Asylum Hill.

The Cap west building will be a nice subtraction for sure, but I am not sure what kind of addition we will get in this location until after the highway realighment project gets figured out and the train tracks are moved.

[beash19]

OK, so I looked at this from google maps.

the building once removed does not exactly make a great developable lot.

if you check out the highway alignment and the surrounding roads, and then remember the I-84 HUB of Hartford project, I think just knocking it down is the best move for right now. Heck, we may need to acquire those 2 small multi familys as well and move them elsewhere in Asylum Hill.

The Cap west building will be a nice subtraction for sure, but I am not sure what kind of addition we will get in this location until after the highway realighment project gets figured out and the train tracks are moved.

I was thinking the same thing. It definitely is an eye sore that should be removed but planning something now, before there is a solid idea of what to do with the highway right next door and the rail tracks that might have to go right through there...it doesnt make sense. I do want something new and not another parking lot though.

[Luca Brasi]

"Segarra said he hopes the $2 million contribution from The Hartford would cover the full cost of the acquisition, demolition and redevelopment."

How is that possible??? No way 2 million will cover that. I really hope this doesn't just become another parking lot for the Hartford.

[beerbeer]

It's a huge ugly boil being removed from the city's face. Nothing is far better.

[The Voice of Reason]

and so here we go

The city is exploring a range of development options, Panagore said, including constructing a large, concrete staircase on the hillside similar to the outdoor performance space of Riverfront Recapture along the river downtown.

[HartfordTycoon]

and so here we go

The city is exploring a range of development options, Panagore said, including constructing a large, concrete staircase on the hillside similar to the outdoor performance space of Riverfront Recapture along the river downtown.

At first I was like WTF, but after thinking about it we actually do need attractive pedestrian features linking Downtown to Asylum Hill so maybe that would not be a bad idea.

[The Voice of Reason]

yeah, and they can just tear it up for the highway if need be and it would not cost a fortune

[MadVlad]

So, here I sit directly next to this building. While I agree with knocking it down, I don't see what a giant staircase will do. The lack of a building will certainly open up the view of the skyline, but it won't remove the big elephant in the room, which is I-84. Now yes, I understand plans are in the works to move the highway, but a giant staircase won't draw anybody to walk down it... why would they when they can just walk down the sidewalk on Myrtle St, it's a much straighter walk.

[The Voice of Reason]

I am sure you guys read...

The city voted to persue eminent domain

The owner wanted 2 million

the city was willing to pay 1 million

the city values the property at 477K (i think)

legal fees are expected to be 90K+

I hope the owner is not screwed, but I also hope the city does not over pay.

the 1 million seemed pretty fair.

the owner paid 1 million when he bought it and he has put something like 700k into it over the years.

so, sure, he wants 2 mill, but he isnt doing anything, and the city made itself clear 2 years ago with the downtown improvement zone, so its not like any of this is a surprise. Lets hope it ends up being somewhere near a million. 477k would be a huge insult to the developer who added a new roof and removed asbestos

[HartfordTycoon]

I am sure you guys read...

The city voted to persue eminent domain

The owner wanted 2 million

the city was willing to pay 1 million

the city values the property at 477K (i think)

legal fees are expected to be 90K+

I hope the owner is not screwed, but I also hope the city does not over pay.

the 1 million seemed pretty fair.

the owner paid 1 million when he bought it and he has put something like 700k into it over the years.

so, sure, he wants 2 mill, but he isnt doing anything, and the city made itself clear 2 years ago with the downtown improvement zone, so its not like any of this is a surprise. Lets hope it ends up being somewhere near a million. 477k would be a huge insult to the developer who added a new roof and removed asbestos

I agree. It's seems pretty obvious that he is not going to be able to complete this renovation anytime soon if ever. The site would be more valuable empty I think and the view would improve greatly. We definitely have to be fair here though.