IN-PROGRESS: Spectra Apartments on Constitution Plaza

[The Voice of Reason]

this is under construction.

 

noticed Friday.

 

excited to see progres!!

 

 

[HartfordTycoon]

Great to see two major residential projects in this area underway! Hopefully by Spring there will be tangible signs that this part of the city is really in for major growth.

[The Voice of Reason]

http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/conversion-of-old-hartford-hotel-swings-into-high-gear/

 

a couple of highlights

 

, the developers are expecting the construction of 193 apartments to be completed in May, 2015.

 

 

The Sonesta conversion is expected to create 54 studios, 118 one-bedroom units, seven one bedrooms with a den and 14 two-bedroom units. Of the 193 units, 32 are rent restricted based on income and the remainder are market-rate.

 

I have seen breakdowns before but nothing this detailed.  Never heard mention of the 1 bedrooms with den.  I am guessing these units were the difference between the 199 number we kept hearing, and the 193 we are getting.   Likely a tough space that made layouts a challenge.

 

the den will likely be used as a second bedroom in many cases.  To me this is a good thing because as much as demand is a little soft for 2 bedroom space right now, we have such a huge ammount of studios coming online, that some 2 bedrooms will be start to gain real value soon I imagine.

14 2 beds is nice as are the 7 oversized 1 beds.  a project this size should easily sustain these numbers.

 

 

I am also glad to see a completion date.  Its almost time to put these projects onto a timeline and see where they stack up.  maybe after we hear more on the Front Street Apartments.  and confirmation on Allyn/Colt

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

....and these great old pictures.

 

http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/hc-pictures-hotel-america-opening-20131212,0,7912641.photogallery

[beerbeer]

This is dynamite news.  This is the first project in years that has transformational possibilities. Success here translates to success at Pearl Street and 777 Main It also provides the impetus for new building.  Very good news that they are underway. 

 

Lastly this fixes a 60 year old mistake. Housing should always have been part of CP. This project should transform the plaza into a true 24-hour a day space with a true sense of place. Better late than never.

Edited December 12, 2013 by beerbeer

[The Voice of Reason]

yup yup yup

 

 

the interesting bit is that 200 CP is being turned into a school, this building will be 193 apartments, 1 and 100 are nice office buildings leaving us 3 CP which will hopefully happen and be mixed use. and....

 

100 CP which is offices for the city that I think would make nice smaller apartment building when the city relocates into a new building...

 

note I said when, not if because I am certain its going to happen.  it actually makes sense for the city, the wadsworth, and all that

 

 

 

 

[HartfordTycoon]

This round of development is going to finally start to turn the perception of Downtown completely around. The first round was truly transformational for the city, however Hartford was at such a low, underdeveloped point that people haven't really taken enough stock of the progress. This round will be impossible to ignore, once entire blocks are enlivened and critical mass starts to become apparent at Front Street. Having 777 Main, Pearl St., Front Street, Constitution Plaza, and the other historic buildings renovations all come on line within the next few years is going to be awesome.

[The Voice of Reason]

Yeah, I posted a thing about what the city will be like in 5 years a while ago.  I really think 5 years from then, will have made a hige difference.  Not sure how long the highways stuff will take to ramp up and get started, but by 2017 we are supposed to have commuter rail, a busway, UConn downtown, and almost 3000 downtown apartments.  upgraded parks, iQuilt well under way, maybe even a new city hall and an expanded Wadsworth, lots of relocated state office workers, likely some housing on the S side of the park where office workers are today.. a rennovated state office building... a national park at Colt, The list is impressive!

[Luca Brasi]

I REALLY want to see something happen (as I'm sure we all would) at 3 Constitution Plaza. The hole in the ground and the temporary fencing is an eyesore to anyone coming into the city from the East. It really makes CP look awful.... and its been 4 years. Unfortunately, I hear this project is dead.

[beerbeer]

I REALLY want to see something happen (as I'm sure we all would) at 3 Constitution Plaza. The hole in the ground and the temporary fencing is an eyesore to anyone coming into the city from the East. It really makes CP look awful.... and its been 4 years. Unfortunately, I hear this project is dead.

 

Isn't that where they are putting the space needle?

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

Isn't that where they are putting the space needle?

 

click on the youtube link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/07/17/885023/-Build-the-Big-F-n-Thing#

[Siedler von Hartford]

So in its most recent meeting, the State Bond Commission approved 1.8million to help with the redevelopment of 3 Constitution Plaza.  Perhaps this project isn't dead? I wanted to post a snapshot of the approved minutes but was having issues.  Here is a news article commenting on it though:

 

http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/state_bond_commission_looks_to_borrow_more_money_for_job_creation/ 

[The Voice of Reason]

that link didnt work for me

 

but this is from the article about the recent bonding from 1-6

 

Also on the agenda is $1.8 million for Tarob Inc. to assist with the development of the Residences at Riverview, a 10-story mixed-use, mixed-income high-rise building with 48 rental units and 20,000 square-feet of commercial space at Constitution Plaza in Hartford.

 

http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/state_bond_commission_looks_to_borrow_more_money_for_job_creation/

 

 

I didnt think it was dead, so it will be good to see what happens.

 

I tonight noticed that the old hotel is really going now.   asbestos removal and such.

lots of activity.

[The Voice of Reason]

So in its most recent meeting, the State Bond Commission approved 1.8million to help with the redevelopment of 3 Constitution Plaza.  Perhaps this project isn't dead? I wanted to post a snapshot of the approved minutes but was having issues.  Here is a news article commenting on it though:

 

http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/state_bond_commission_looks_to_borrow_more_money_for_job_creation/ 

Also,

 

Welcome to the forums!

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

 

Ah, the good old days (1967).....

Edited February 21, 2014 by Theophrastus Bombastus

[Hollin.Tolland]

Saw a small hardhat crew at the WFSB hole today. Some suits and some jeans. And a yellow construction machine, maybe a dozer. There are also the Klewin signs o the fence. Nothing since March on the Klewin web site though.

http://www.klewin.com/project/residences-at-river-view/

http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/what-apartments-at-former-wfsb-site-in-hartford-could-look-like/

[Luca Brasi]

I had heard about a month or two ago that awful six story motel looking apartment building was getting approved by zoning and moving forward. Although no one likes the design and everyone feels the building should be much bigger, it's getting approved because something at this point is better than nothing.

[The Voice of Reason]

I think thats a fair assessment of where we are.

 

I know AI is a good dude and he really wants to help Hartford, but he did screw up his timing and he is out 2 mill or so of his own money

 

so the issue is really that he and his company do not have the resources to really build an appropriate building for the location.   so they need to settle for an underwhelming projet.

 

I truely wish there was a better option.   I want to see AI succeed, yet I want more here than 40 apartments

 

There must be demand for hotel rooms in that location... cant he add like 150 hotel rooms?

[Hollin.Tolland]

this is under construction.

 

noticed Friday.

 

excited to see progres!!

Did you mean Sonesta or WFSB? I saw a smaller crew in hard hats at the CP hole this week. A mixture of suits and jeans. And the Klewin banners are on the fence too. Those two make close to 200 units on CP alone, right, if the hole still gets built as apartments not commercial?

[The Voice of Reason]

that post was from December and was about the Clarion

 

AI engineers buileding has its own topic

[beerbeer]

The old Sonesta hotel will be called "On The Plaza." It is scheduled to open May of 2015 with 193 apartments, mostly one bedrooms and studios.

 

The Front Street Lofts will open July 2015 with 121 units.

 

The AI "former Broadcast House" proposal is 42 units. I haven't seen a completion date.  So who knows.

 

At this point just filling in the gaps is an improvement.

Edited June 30, 2014 by beerbeer

[The Voice of Reason]

i agree to.... um a degree

ryming  

 

anyways, I almost think that as these first apartments open they will lease up quite well which will kick off more projects and make Hartford an easier market to get financing in and find investors etc....

 

so, I dont want get locations to be filled with crap when if maybe they wait a moment they can be filled with something better..

 

179 Allyn Street 121 Ann will open pretty soon I bet.  Heck 121 must be close

 

When On the plaza opens and when 777 Main start opening units, I think we will really start to see the market respond with new proposals turning into projects

[Hollin.Tolland]

I saw today that beside the Channel 3 hole in the ground, there were new rectangular holes cut out of the cinder blocks at what seems like the basement of the Sonesta "On The Plaza". Has anyone found any artist renderings? I checked on WonderWorks, Girona Ventures, Crosskey Architects, HBJ and Courant/Tribune and CRDA. Maybe I'll email Ken Gosselin and see if he's seen anything (or can get anything). Crosskey did 410 Asylum, but I have no idea if the style will be anything like that at On The Plaza.

 

Also, anyone heard anything about movement on "Residences at River View" at 3 Constitution/200 State Street? Is it still stuck with Tarob, LLC looking for money? There isn't a page for it on CRDA if that means anything. Klewin has banners up on the fencing and they have a page, http://www.klewin.com/project/residences-at-river-view/, but Ken Gosselin had reported in March that they had $5 million in bonding lined up through CRDA and Klewin shows the price tag at $13.5 million. Doesn't sound too tough to borrow $8.5 million, right? I think "On The Plaza" was going to be about $30 million.

[The Voice of Reason]

no clue about the holes you mention.  I have not looked since your post, but I do know there have been some holes down there all alone.   they are for where the 3 CP development would integrate with the CP garage

 

regarding 3 CP, they have funding and went to the planing board as per a post I put in some thread here.  so they were on the city planning agenda a week or so ago

[Hollin.Tolland]

no clue about the holes you mention. I have not looked since your post, but I do know there have been some holes down there all alone. they are for where the 3 CP development would integrate with the CP garage

regarding 3 CP, they have funding and went to the planing board as per a post I put in some thread here. so they were on the city planning agenda a week or so ago

Here's what I meant by holes in the basement of the Sonesta visible through the 3 CP vacancy. Maybe they are windows, right now with no glass. They have painted the concrete also.

FIXED PIC URL

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/gallery/image/3386-ontheplaza-hartford-08072014/

Edited August 7, 2014 by Hollin.Tolland