HARTFORD - Once (and Future?) Great City

[beerbeer]

Next week Hartford hosts major PGA Tour stop as it has for 50 years. It is held in Cromwell but is definitely a Hartford event. I think many forumers make the mistake of thinking of Hartford as the downtown area rather than the metro-area.

West Hartford Center is one of the most livable urban environments in the northeast. It is about 4 miles from downtown. In any normal sized city it would be well inside the ciity limits.

Objectivity, Metro-Hartford has more feet on the street and a lot, more going on (like the PGA). And by this time next year, Trumbull Street will be rockiing.

[HartfordTycoon]

Next week Hartford hosts major PGA Tour stop as it has for 50 years. It is held in Cromwell but is definitely a Hartford event. I think many forumers make the mistake of thinking of Hartford as the downtown area rather than the metro-area.

West Hartford Center is one of the most livable urban environments in the northeast. It is about 4 miles from downtown. In any normal sized city it would be well inside the ciity limits.

Objectivity, Metro-Hartford has more feet on the street and a lot, more going on (like the PGA). And by this time next year, Trumbull Street will be rockiing.

Exactly. Greater Hartford is one of the best Metros in the U.S. Period. We deserve major league sports and a much better national reputation. I don't care how good your city looks, if you don't have a strong corporate sector I am not really interested in it.

[SOCOM]

Exactly. Greater Hartford is one of the best Metros in the U.S. Period. We deserve major league sports and a much better national reputation. I don't care how good your city looks, if you don't have a strong corporate sector I am not really interested in it.

No argument here. West Hartford center is spectacular, and will only get better with BBS set to open next year. Metro wise, we're top 10 in the country in pretty much every catergory. However, we have to continue to recognize the downfalls of our city (just like any other major city has downfalls), fix them, and build on the potential. Hartford has pretty much always been New England's second city. The only thing we have been lacking in the last 40+ years is actual residents living in downtown Hartford. That is certainly going to change in the next year or so, but 1,000 extra residents won't bring us back to our glory days. We'll probably need 3,000 or more, which is certainly withing reach.

[HartfordTycoon]

No argument here. West Hartford center is spectacular, and will only get better with BBS set to open next year. Metro wise, we're top 10 in the country in pretty much every catergory. However, we have to continue to recognize the downfalls of our city (just like any other major city has downfalls), fix them, and build on the potential. Hartford has pretty much always been New England's second city. The only thing we have been lacking in the last 40+ years is actual residents living in downtown Hartford. That is certainly going to change in the next year or so, but 1,000 extra residents won't bring us back to our glory days. We'll probably need 3,000 or more, which is certainly withing reach.

It's definately within reach. Once the retail and residential space Downtown really fills, the vibe will be totally different. I think we will start to see some of this over the summer and going into the fall. I expect it to be most noticable next year in Spring when the winter weather begins to break. If you really think about last year, Downtown is much livelier this year so I'm really optimistic about next spring.

BBS is gonna be awesome. I also drive by the condos they are building on Albany Ave and Trout Brook everyday. Those are coming along nicely as well. I'm happy to see them polishing up Bishops Corner a little.

[SOCOM]

BBS is gonna be awesome. I also drive by the condos they are building on Albany Ave and Trout Brook everyday. Those are coming along nicely as well. I'm happy to see them polishing up Bishops Corner a little.

Speaking of Bishops Corner, the strip of stores on the north side of rt. 44 (the strip that includes McDonald's) is getting a full facade makeover and the addition of Panera Bread. That location should thrive given that the closest Panera Bread is about 8 miles away in Canton.

In the most recent edition of the Hartford Business Journal there was a report that the large building on the corner of N. Main Street and rt. 44 (building that includes PetCo, Macaroni Grill, etc) was recently sold for $25 million. About 5 or 6 years ago its worth was only $11 million. That says alot on how far the Corner has come.

[drc72]

It's definately within reach. Once the retail and residential space Downtown really fills, the vibe will be totally different. I think we will start to see some of this over the summer and going into the fall. I expect it to be most noticable next year in Spring when the winter weather begins to break. If you really think about last year, Downtown is much livelier this year so I'm really optimistic about next spring.

BBS is gonna be awesome. I also drive by the condos they are building on Albany Ave and Trout Brook everyday. Those are coming along nicely as well. I'm happy to see them polishing up Bishops Corner a little.

BBS construction is really taking full steam now.