IN-PROGRESS: Storrs Center

[MadVlad]

That is Blue Back Square in Storrs, yet Hartford can't even get that at Front Street....

[HartfordTycoon]

That is Blue Back Square in Storrs, yet Hartford can't even get that at Front Street....

UConn being there makes this seem like a great investment for the developer and the tenants. Hartford's biggest issue is a lack of tenant interest. We need a tipping point that will allow us to get to that critical mass point where Downtown Hartford will finally be on a sustainable upswing.

[MadVlad]

Yeah, it's called residential, which was to be phase two.... well, if you're naive enough to believe that.

[HartfordTycoon]

Yeah, it's called residential, which was to be phase two.... well, if you're naive enough to believe that.

I agree it would have helped but the issue here is that Hartford's big projects need huge public subsidies just to get off of the ground and the builders had to make due with what was immediately available. Even in the residential developments Downtown like H21 demand for the retail space is very underwhelming. It's a chicken and egg scenario right now. Downtown won't be truly attractive to residents until there is more retail and retail won't be interested until there are more residents. Somebody has to go first.

Storrs Center is putting a college town where there is nothing at one of the more prominent public state universities in the country. It's truly a no brainer.

[The Voice of Reason]

I agree it would have helped but the issue here is that Hartford's big projects need huge public subsidies just to get off of the ground and the builders had to make due with what was immediately available. Even in the residential developments Downtown like H21 demand for the retail space is very underwhelming. It's a chicken and egg scenario right now. Downtown won't be truly attractive to residents until there is more retail and retail won't be interested until there are more residents. Somebody has to go first.

Storrs Center is putting a college town where there is nothing at one of the more prominent public state universities in the country. It's truly a no brainer.

and while you are both absolutely right, it should be said that Storrs center is planned include a CRAP LOAD of residential.

If Hartford had 20,000 residents with no place to shop etc, Front Street would have 6 tenants as well. but there are over 800 residential units planned for Stoors. If you were to build 800 residential units anywhere in the country you would be able to get at least a cafe to open in there. and probably a bank too.

it is obvious that front street is failing hartford, but Hartford is failing front street in some small manner.

twin apartment front street with over 600 apartments as innitially planned would have been at least half leased out. I'd bet my last nickle on that

[MadVlad]

Residential was the MOST important part of that Front St development, not the LEAST important. they had a strip mall builder make a strip mall, that's the no-brainer. they picked the wrong horse. Anyways, enough with hijacking this thread...

[The Voice of Reason]

Yup, more green lights here

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news16351.html

Mansfield is ready to formally partner with two private developers to begin work on the two, $60 million first phases of the proposed Storrs Center retail-housing-public space development in the shadow of the University of Connecticut campus.

[HartfordTycoon]

Yup, more green lights here

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news16351.html

Mansfield is ready to formally partner with two private developers to begin work on the two, $60 million first phases of the proposed Storrs Center retail-housing-public space development in the shadow of the University of Connecticut campus.

Definitely looking forward to this project. This should go a long way towards making Storrs/Mansfield a true college town.

[HartfordTycoon]

Storrs Center will be holding a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday to officially begin the construction phase of this project. This is really something that has been a long time in coming and is sorely needed to transform the environs around UConn into something more befitting a world class institution of higher learning.

Hartford Courant

Master developer LeylandAlliance LLC of New York will own and manage the 70,000 square feet of street-level commercial space planned for the first two phases, expected to be completed in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Moe's Southwestern Grill, Vanilla Bean Café, Cosimo's Italian Restaurant, Select Physical Therapy, Wings Over Storrs, Storrs Automotive and Insomnia Cookies have all signed letters of intent to lease space.

[The Voice of Reason]

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news23783.html

as thought this project is well on its way to the slam dunk we had thought.

the first 3 buildings are now mostly built, and all apartments are pre leased, and retail is "almost" 95% leased too!

they are about to start building phase 2 which already has tenants for most of the retail, and surely will fill its apartments before completion.

Just crazynes!

what a great ides.

[HartfordTycoon]

http://www.hartfordb.../news23783.html

as thought this project is well on its way to the slam dunk we had thought.

the first 3 buildings are now mostly built, and all apartments are pre leased, and retail is "almost" 95% leased too!

they are about to start building phase 2 which already has tenants for most of the retail, and surely will fill its apartments before completion.

Just crazynes!

what a great ides.

This is one of those things where it should have been done long ago, but I actually think that it will be higher quality with today's designs than it would have been 10 years ago or so. It's going to be an awesome project for the area surrounding UConn.

[The Voice of Reason]

They now have a 100 room hotel looking to join the mix.   there is concern that there is not enough demand, but the theory is that Storrs center will help to drive demand.  who knows, I suppose we will find out.

[HartfordTycoon]

I think adding a hotel to this project wouldn't be terrible.  I certainly understand why the Nathan Hale Inn is concerned.  I think this second hotel could have waited until Storrs Center was complete and the new character of the area was firmly demonstrated, but I'm sure building it while large-scale construction is is still underway is a lot more cost-effective. 

[The Voice of Reason]

the issue is not only Nathan hale but they are replacing arpartments with hotel rooms.

Seems kinda silly.  I would not sacrafice housing for hotel, I think, as you said, adding a hotel might be good, especially in addition to the housing. but in the placde of housing I dont see it.

 

An ideal situation would be to add some floors to one of the next housing phases to include the hotel. 

[The Voice of Reason]

more happening

http://www.courant.com/business/real-estate/hc-storrs-center-update-20140224,0,3557487.story

 

the next major phase of the $120 million project, adding 200 apartments, a daycare center and more storefront space.