beerbeer

According to the Hartford Business Journal. Bradley is looking to start service to Ireland through their national carrier. The idea is to use 5 million as a cushion for potential losses. This is a common practice and has worked very well for the Pittsburgh airport to support their European routes. This is probably the practice that Bradley needs to follow.

A fire broke out on one of the higher floors. http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-hartford-fire-0329-20150328-story.html It was contained pretty fast. Wonder if this event will alter the schedule?

Just awful.

Th ball park is suppose to be open for the first pitch of the 2016 season. Phase two (apartments and some retail) is suppose to begin in Oct/Nov of this year.

Goat is the worst thing you can call a baseball player. It means it was his fault you lost the game.

I've worked with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Arlington Rapid Transit, Virginia Railway Express, Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, and have attended and spoken at numerous American Public Transportation Association conferences. In short, I've worked with bus, fast rail and heavy rail. I am a very big fan of public transportation but have very mixed feeling about Fastrack. People love trains, they hate buses. Getting them on buses is a tough sell. Even younger commuters, who are more attracted to public transportation than previous generations have negative feeling toward buses. The greatest BRT success are outside of America. Hartford has done some things right. The dedicated route gives it a chance for success. Leaving the route and getting into city traffic, seems like a very bad idea. Look for a few things once service begins. Total ridership numbers, actual trip times, incident (accident or slow downs) rates, off peak ridership, cleanliness, favorability ratings ( a baseline should be established then watch f the ratings go up or down), how these traits trend will give a very good idea if the system is succeeding or failing. BTW, I have rarely seen public transportation reduce traffic although this is usually the major selling point for systems. It simply allows more people to access the city at peak times.

The 90+ page renovation document is here. https://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/256304972?access_key=key-kqCLYHjqvsmydPQCnpRl&allow_share=true&escape=false&view_mode=scroll

No inside info but I heard a rumor that they have contacted the company that sets the rules for NHL arena standards so that any new arena or renovation will meet NHL criteria.

The Hartford Business Journal reported a while back that Qdoba Mexican Grill has signed a lease to take up about 2,600 square feet next Infinity Hall. Is this still true? I haven't read anything about the other supposed lease.

They broke ground, next milestones. Work on a parcel that would include the grocery store, a fitness center, retail, residential units and mixed use retail and on another parcel that would include residential units, the brewery, possible office space and a parking structure must commence by Nov. 1. Construction on a parcel that would include ground floor retail, a parking structure and residential units must commence by Jan. 1, 2018. Work on parcels that would feature residential units, commercial and retail spaces and parking must commence by Jan. 1, 2020, according to city documents.

Ground breaking February 17th. More details http://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-hartford-rock-cats-stadium-documents-0211-20150210-story.html

My guess is that Landino was generously rounding up when he said 300 apartments. Regardless, if they break ground on what they call lot E later this year, that would be a very, very good sign. I am also wondering if the "New Proposal" item on the CRDA Housing Committee agenda (from the Residential thread) listed as "1279 Main Street" was referring to this parcel. The point about the market rate apartments is that they require no subsidy. Then subsidy is only needed if the low rent apartments drag down the profitability of the new apartments. I find the request very strange and not to the city's benefit.

I think there are a couple of things in here. http://www.courant.com/real-estate/property-line/hc-downtown-north-affordable-housing-subsidy-20150206-story.html First.--Robert A. Landino, chairman of Middletown-based Centerplan Cos., said Friday the original plans for DoNo called for all the apartments to be market-rate. But some city council members pushed to have some rentals set aside for low- and moderate-income households, which carry lower rents. "Our original pitch was not going to require any subsidies," Landino said. "With affordable housing, there is a gap between the cost of development and the revenue generated, and we would be looking to fill that gap." Not sure adding low income units is such a good idea. Many of the other developments in the city already provide some low income rate apartments. Second.--DoNo Hartford hopes to begin construction on the first phase of housing this fall. Those buildings would be located across Main Street from a minor league stadium and include 300 apartments, a grocery store, street-level shops and parking. Good to see construction on those items while the ball park is being built. It jump starts the development of a real neighborhood. No long wait for phase two while the ball park sits alone.

http://wnpr.org/post/developer-hartford-baseball-stadium-groundbreaking-approaches Not much new, but the two vitriol filled comments on the bottom of the article show some of why Hartford is always fighting against the tide.

Interesting that 1279 is an empty lot.

Excerpted from the Courant - (bold is mine) HARTFORD — The city's planning and zoning commission voted on Thursday to grant a special permit to the developers of a $56 million minor league baseball stadium to be built just north of downtown. The permit allows the developers to build the stadium near the intersection of Main and Trumbull streets. City officials have said they are aiming for a groundbreaking next month on the ballpark, where the New Britain Rock Cats would play. Before the commission's unanimous decision Thursday, the developers, collectively known as DoNo Hartford LLC, had withdrawn their application for the permit to make amendments. Modifications were made to landscaping, accessibility, retail plans and the number of bike racks, among other things, and it was resubmitted, said Robert Landino, the chief executive officer of Centerplan, which is part of DoNo Hartford. In addition to the stadium, the overall plan for downtown north includes, retail, housing, office space, parking and a brewery. Commission members said they were happy with the improvements. Chairwoman Sara Bronin said members had reviewed hundreds of pages of documents and listened to hours of public comment...... The commission on Thursday also approved permits for the other parcels included in the project, on which residential units, a grocery store, a fitness center, parking structures, a brewery and more would be built. Before ground is broken on the stadium, ownership may change hands. Under the current plan, the stadium would be built and owned by DoNo Hartford, which would lease it to the city. The city would then sublease it to the Rock Cats. But last week, city officials announced a plan to form a municipal authority that would own and finance the ballpark. The authority would borrow the money needed to build it, and the cost to borrow would be lower for the authority than for the developer — a move that could save the city millions, they said. Under that proposal, the city's payments would go to the authority — instead of the developer — and would total less than it would have paid DoNo Hartford. The plan is being considered by the city council. A public hearing is planned for Jan. 20.

Here's the schedule as found on page 38 of the Do No proposal. Line 68, Construction. Duration 63 wks. Start 1/16/15. Finish 3/3/16 This is a big file over 200 pages http://www.hartford.gov/images/Planning/Centerplan-PPP-Submission-2014.pdf I don't know if they need PZC approval or not. They absolutely need 63 weeks to build the ball park according to their proposal. On page 12 they list the architect as Peter Stevens of JCJ. They also list a pre-construction manger, Robert Landino and a construction manager, Michael Lombardi.

The one common thread through the entire process has been the unwavering commitment from the mayor. Segarra wants this ball park to happen. He has plowed though the opposition without losing a step. The opposition has been astroturf. There is no real grass roots opposition to the proposal and NoDo seems to have enough momentum to make this happen. That said. If the ball park is to meet the time frame established by the city and the Rock Cats, shovels need to go into the ground in February. That's a month away. If they start the project by Valentine's Day's it will happen. If not..... From the HBJ --"The proposal does not appear to alter the retail, housing and restaurant elements of the Downtown North project, which has a total estimated price tag of $350 million. The proposed arrangement, if approved, would shave between $10 million and $15 million off the project's price tag, because an authority could borrow at lower interest rates than DoNo Hartford could, Segarra said in a statement. The change echoes of Segarra's original plan, first unveiled in June, for the city to borrow the money itself. That plan drew criticism that the city couldn't afford to borrow so much money, which led to officials structuring the public-private arrangement and selecting DoNo Hartford — led by Middletown's Centerplan Development — as the city's partner. The council is expected to set a public hearing on the proposed ordinance for Jan. 20."

And this should be the centerpiece. The Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company Factory Collection was given to the Museum of Connecticut History in 1957. The collection constitutes one of the finest assemblages of early Colt prototypes, factory models and experimental firearms in the world. The collection also includes Colt-made Gattling guns, shotguns and automatic weapons. In 1995 the original "Rampant Colt" statue that had adorned the Hartford Colt factory was acquired by the museum. The Colt Firearms Collection, coupled with historic photographs and other related materials, is a "must-see" for both firearms enthusiasts and students of American history. In addition to this stunning collection. Which should be the center of a Colt firearms museum. The Wadsworth Atheneum also has a number of Colt firearms in its collection, which I would suggest being put on permanent loan to the national park. The Wadsworth collection goes beyond Colt weapons to the Colt’s personal collection of firearms, edged weapons and armor from around the world. The latter gathering not only includes prototype weapons from Colt’s firearm company, but also rare and historic pieces given as gifts to Colonel Colt by czars, princes and sultans. Highlights include the wooden model carved by Colt aboard ship in his youth that led him to the design of the perfect revolver, Moorish swords, Italian armor, and scarce examples of Colt’s own products, such as the Walker-Texas holster pistol—perhaps the most storied of all handguns on the Western Frontier. This would prove to be a unique and world class tourist attraction.

Renderings of the proposed ball park and neighborhood. (Apparently they want to please VOR). Each rendering in the gallery is followed by a photo of what exists in the same spot today. The Park is unlikely to be named Hartford Ballpark, the naming rights will be sold to someone. http://www.courant.com/real-estate/property-line/hc-downtown-north-before-and-after-20141124-photogallery.html

Ann Street apartments start to rent next month. "The Grand" will open (alll one bedrooms) in December. As the article says, it is the first barometer of the appetite for downtown housing. http://www.courant.com/real-estate/property-line/hc-downtown-hartford-connecticut-apartments-leasing-20141115-story.html#page=1

Another interesting and very optimistic article on Hartford apartments. It's in the HBJ excerpt below. According to Axiometrics, the 11,487 Hartford-area apartment units tracked in its latest third-quarter 2014 survey in September, boasted 97 percent occupancy. That compares to an occupancy rate of 95.1 percent for the entire nation in the same period. A year earlier, the Hartford region's third-quarter occupancy rate was 96 percent; and 94.4 percent in the same period in 2009 – the height of the recession. It, too, was a period when rising home foreclosures forced more households to seek shelter in apartments and other rentals.Other Axiometrics data show the Hartford region's effective rents for the surveyed units as of this September was $1,244 a month, up 3.6 percent from September 2013. Nationally, September apartment rents averaged $1,171, a 4 percent gain from a year ago. Boston's WinnCompanies manages three downtown Hartford living spaces: ArtSpace Hartford, Lofts at Main and Temple and The Hollander Building. According to Andrew Lund, senior vice president at its WinnResidential unit, its Hartford properties' occupancy rates average better than 95 percent. Also, Lund said, they have been successful in passing along modest rent hikes as leases come up for renewal. All of which bodes well for the apartments coming onto the market in 2015.

Interesting article on downtown housing. Some very perception comments about the housing that will surround the ball park which will NOT have low income units. http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20141013/PRINTEDITION/310109950/a-balanced-housing-policy-for-hartford

So, Albany Ave doesnt get interesting till you get to Chestnut street. An aweful lot more development will need to happen before the North end truly ties into downtown. While that is undoubtedly true, if the only thing this development does is fill the empty lots north of downtown with street life and activity, that would be huge. The important thing for the city right now is to demonstrate its competence and have the ball park ready in time for 2016. I have looked at minor league parks that have moved downtown in L'ville, Fort Wayne and Charlotte. All of them are thriving and have served as catalyst's for real estate development. This was a very smart move. Frankly, I'm surprised it came from the mayor. He definitely punched above his weight on this. But this needs to be the focus of the city. Make it work. Make it succeed. After that, I think the focus should be from Trumbull Street to the train station, filling in the the parking lots and tending to the health or replacement of the XL Center.

Looks like the unions are in. http://wnpr.org/post/unions-will-build-hartford-baseball-stadium-and-could-increase-its-cost That should seal the deal for Democrat votes. Hartford's city council will likely approve a deal to build a new minor league baseball stadium on Tuesday, and there’s one new change to the deal: union laborers will do the work. The developer has said that tweak could easily add ten percent to the stadium's cost. The council has also decided to put a hard cap on the cost of the stadium at $56 million. Taken together, that means the council has fixed the cost of the project while potentially making it more expensive.