Theophrastus Bombastus

Good news - UConn in Hockey East, and will play conference games in Hartford (even more reason to get a new arena!) http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/men/pres1112/201206/jun21hea.php

Here are some 'people mover' articles - love how they think $4MM is a lot of money.... http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zC5SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JzYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5713%2C4084666 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VOlHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n_8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1460%2C2483461

Anyone have any photos they can post here of the "people mover" / monorail that was installed at BDL, and then ripped out, in the 1970's? Kind of reminds me of the busway boondoggle. Also, what was the projected path of the "Griffin Line"?

At least one thing is moving along. http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/scenes-of-coming-attractions-hartfords-front-street-movie-theater/

so it begins... i cannot see how this succeeds

5/22/12: They fixed it, thank goodness.

I saw them taking down all of those vertical ads on the facade facing I-91 today touting rentals/leases.... does this mean they are packing it in? What's the vacacy rate there?

It's still spelled "Adriaen", right? They just put up a sign on 84 West in East Hartford: "EXIT 54 - Adrian's Landing District" Yo, Adrian!!!!!

Jeez Louise...... it's been empty so long they now have a MOLD problem.... http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/construction-truck-outside-hartfords-front-street-but-not-the-one-youd-expect/

I haven't seen this website mentioned here before - has a lot of good pictures (including towns in CT other than Hartford). http://historicbuildingsct.com/?cat=8

more stellar news... why is it that whenever the courant mentions some company working on a project and i go to their website, that project is never listed.... http://www.courant.com/business/hc-200-constitution-plaza-foreclosure-20111222,0,551935.story The new owners of the old Clarion on the plaza are planning to convert the former hotel into as many as 200 apartments, mostly studios and one-bedroom units. Developer Girona Ventures and Wonder Works Construction and Development Corp. are working out financing, city officials say, including seeking mortgage insurance from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. http://www.gironaventures.com/ http://www.wonderworkscorp.com/

Good to see something new, no matter how pie-in-the-sky. http://www.courant.com/sports/hockey/hc-xl-center-renderings-gallery,0,386853.photogallery http://www.courant.com/sports/hockey/hc-whale-xl-center-1116-20111115,0,3405456.story 8:45 a.m. EST, November 15, 2011 Howard Baldwin unveiled his vision for the XL Center at the Metro Hartford Alliance breakfast Tuesday morning at the Bushnell, which includes the return of the NHL to Hartford by 2017, according to Rick Green via Twitter.

Huh? Maybe based strictly on ticket sales, definitely not by fan experience / amenities. Hope this doesn't kill motivation to upgrade or build new. http://www.courant.com/business/hc-xl-center-top-100-20111014,0,818505.story

Zero activity at the site - movie theater dead???

Man, did they ever eff up this city. http://hartfordhistory.net/postcards.html

On the flip-side, here's a cautionary tale about a city with a brand-new stadium (but no pro team yet). http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6743732/hard-times-paris-plains

Hopefully some leases are forthcoming. Some new pix here: http://www.eaglerockretail.com/properties-for-lease/Front-Street/ Brew Pub, Bakery, Coffee Shop, Bowling, Live Music, Restaurant, Theater, Wine bar (?) - that would work for me. http://www.eaglerockretail.com/properties-for-lease/Front-Street/lease-plan.pdf

Looks like this outfit is the latest to try and lease space at Front Street (at least they tacked up posters in all the empty storefronts): Founded in March 2010 - yikes. Of course, ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION of Front St. on their website - typical.

Un-effing-believable..... build ANYTHING but this. State Sen. Andrew Roraback ripped the proposed New Britain to Hartford busway Friday morning before the measure was approved in a fast vote. Roraback said the $567 million project was a waste of money at a time when the state and federal governments are running up large deficits. A Litchfield County Republican, Roraback said that the state could buy 28,350 new Jeep Patriots with the amount of money that was being spent on the 9.4-mile busway. After comments by Roraback and Rep. Sean Williams, Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy immediately called for a vote. Neither Malloy nor any of the proponents for the busway made any comments before the vote. The measure passed by 7 to 3.

Is this still killable, or on his say-so, do the railroad track digger-uppers start rolling?

Jeez, anyone who can still remain optimistic about this project is a better theophrastus than I.

Any word from this new theater company? Not for nothing but their website is pretty dippy, and only lists the one location (not Hartford).

Front St. seems like the culmination of this really fascinating history of how Hartford got to where it is now: http://books.google.com/books?id=e4I2fveWvw4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+progressive+city:+planning+and+participation,+1969-1984&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false Start on Page 19, it shows how the Civic Center was located, the royal f-up of Constitution Plaza, etc.

Hartford - 25th Braniest City in America. http://www.portfolio.com/graphics/BrainiestBastions.pdf (5,999th in Christmas light displays.)

Important question.... how do Segarra and Malloy stand on the whole arena situation?? If both aren't on board I don't see it happening (assuming Segarra runs and gets re-elected)