jcrc

I am not sure about there are multiple developers. I thought it's just Leyland. Anyway a 6 year construction period seems long to me.

6 years? I think BBS took about 2, is the scope of this project so much larger?

Why should the city and state government show such favoritism? Using your logic, then the state and city should have evaluate their food service and event contracts and give as many to Joe Black and other failing eateries as possible. As of this fall, over a third of City Place II will be vacated by Met Life, whose workers are we going move there to save Larry G? It just doesn't work this way. State and city contracts should be put out to bid in the most transparent fashion so the tax payers get their money's worth.

Someone mentioned Brooks Brothers awhile ago. It will go from park to parking in no time.

While you are in Middletown be sure to visit my friend Neal at Java Palooza. I think if the town narrow the main street and slow down the traffic will make Middletown much more pedestrian friendly. Other than that I agree with you about the authentic feeling of the place. If you want to visit a real nice place try Northampton, Mass.

So until housing is added - if ever, what will be on th site? hmmm....surface lot?

try this link http://www.stamford-downtown.com/index.php...9&Itemid=97

Having Tiffany or Versace in Hartford is totally wishful thinking. Having indies that made Newbury Street charming is not impossible. We just need a lot of residents with disposable income, an accommodating city hall, realistic rent, and no must open 7 day a week nonsense dedicated by landlord who is clueless about retail (somehow I think this is face saving BS by Northland to excuse themselves from their inability to rent the damn place, but I am the trustworthy type). Now back to your regular scheduled reality.

The apartments and condos in Hartford are too expensive for most young professionals. The need is not $1,400 one bedroom. We need $800 - $900 one bedroom apartments. We need public and private incentives to encourage people to live in Hartford. If we don't have at least 5,000 downtown residents, we can have the swankiest arena with the most outlandish luxury boxes in the country and on non-event day/night, Hartford will still be dead.

Hartford population: 1980: 136,392 1990: 139,739 2000: 121,578 2003 estimate: 124,387 In downtown area, I think the population is less than 2,000. 2K in Hartford vs. 30K in Glastonbury, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where to put a shop. There are about 60,000 office workers, I think that peaked at 100,000. Obviously if downtown workers can support more retail, then Hartford would have more retail shops. Unfortunately office workers cannot keep most retailers in business. Office workers are great for coffee and sandwich shop, but not for book store, gift shop, jewelry store, art gallery, grocery store....If you look at NYC's financial district where tons of people work there, on weekends that too is a ghost town, and that too has very little retail.

That will just create a large supply of retail square footage without a corresponding increase in demand, i.e. no increase in shopper. Once upon a time Hartford had a lot of retail shops. They went away went residents moved out and malls opened. Hartford's problem is not lack of retail store front, it is lack of shopper.

When Northland first mentioned a new arena, they suggested total cost is about $400 million, and they were seeking about 75% public financing. While they did say it was their starting position, it suggested heavy public financing.

He has every right to make out like a bandit, he took bulk of the risk. If Northland also take on bulk of the risk, then they too should have to chance to make out like a bandit. However, if the public sector is to take 75% of the risk, then public sector should take in 75% of the loots. Just trying to be fair instead of the typical connection driven corporate welfare in Hartford.

Can someone explain why Civic Center with AHL = $42 million direct spending and new Arena with AHL = $75 million direct spending? Page 6 of the study. Why would a new arena increase attendance by 78%? Also, the example given in the study, Verizon Center in DC cost sports team owner Abe Pollin nearly $220 million. The District provided financial assistance in the amount of $70 million for land and site preparation costs. Does that mean Northland should cough up 75% of the cost and public funding should be 25% of the new arena?

That is after they didn't like the recommendation the other group of experts who were against a new arena from a few months back.

That is not a valid comparison. For one thing car depreciate in value, real estate appreciate in value. Car is, unfortunately disposable, building can and should be preserved. If upkeep and maintenance cost out weight the cost of a new building (assuming new building has lower cost for upkeeping), then why not tear down Mark Twain House, Wadsworth Atheneum, Old State House (and make surface parking lot as one proposal called for), current gold dome State House and build new one. I mean they are all pretty old. Right?

heavily use as Chicago Stadium(1929-1994)? Boston Garden(1928-1995)? I thought the reason for a new arena is because the current one is under used and cannot attract top tier venues (even though Civic Center gets similar things KC's brand new arena gets) due to it's size, lack of luxury box, or whatever inadequacy arena proponents say it lacks. If the place is heavily used, I would think the shops inside would still be there. Most here are all for saving the Mass Mutual building even though the argument for its demolition is because the building is obsolete, but the same people have no problem tearing this one down. I am not sure I understand the logic.

If the place is 60% leased, and most are not corporate leases, then don't you think the place should be at least 50% lighted at night? It is not. I drive by there every night at 8pm.

On any given night, I'd say 20% of the units are lighted. Assuming 10% of the units are leased but tenants have not move in, that means about 30% of the units are corporate leases or 50% of the units that were leased. Another way to guestimate it is use the same percentage as Bushnell Park apartment.

Was in DC just before the new year and went to the Eastern Market (capitol hill neighborhood area). The building was badly damaged by fire and is being reconstructed. Merchants are selling outdoor or in a temp building. Even with pretty steady rain, the place was hopping. My wife and I both thought Hartford could use something like that. http://www.easternmarket.net/

I don't think we are talking about bringing ESPN into Hartford, but ESPN Zone the sport bar. http://espnzone.com/

He did not say Hartford should have a seafood market. He said Hartford should have a local products market.

Do you have some links for us to look at? I am curious to see how a company stay in business if EVERY residential or commercial project they have done from Florida to Texas to New York to Connecticut has failed miserably.

What Colin McEnroe wrote makes a lot of sense, but I wonder if Front Street can use that concept because Paradise Village Center is sort on the same track. I would love to see a Pike Street type market featuring mostly local farm products in Hartford. http://www.paradisevillagecenter.com/

If they are unique and interesting retailers people will come. The biggest draw will be ESPN. Hopefully the developer can get some non food retailers to pepper around ESPN. Maybe the developer, Hartford and the state can provide some kind of rent subsidy for targeted retailers? That is what Yale did to lure qualify retailers into New Haven.