HARTFORD, Conn. — Hartford is a step closer to seeing the south downtown area be completely transformed. What are currently parking lots that often go unused, would become vibrant residential and commercial areas.
"This is an opportunity to take that sea of surface parking and create a new neighborhood. Create residential, mixed-use development that connects Main street to the capitol area, said Mayor Luke Bronin.
A selection committee for the Capitol Region Development Authority has chosen The Michaels Organization, a developer out of New Jersey, to bring the vision to life.
"The group that was selected, Michaels, is a national development firm with tremendous experience all across the country and it's exciting to be able to bring that expertise and experience to Hartford," Bronin said.
The Bushnell South project looks to bridge the gap between downtown Hartford and the Park street area and make Bushnell Park the center of the city. It's something people who live in the neighborhood say is strongly needed.
"I can't tell you how thrilled we are. My wife and I have lived here for 18 years we absolutely love this neighborhood but those parking lots act as a dead zone and it just breaks up the whole community," said Frank Sentner of Hartford.
"The parking lots literally divide the neighborhood in half and we'd love to see them become better and come closer together," said Robin Zaleski, chair of the South Downtown NRZ.
It's still early on in the process, but the idea has been there for years. Renderings from the CRDA show what it could be like when it's finished. Green spaces, storefronts, and a variety of housing options to help bring more life into the area.
"Just more housing, more feet on the street, more low-income housing, more median-income housing, more homeowners," Zaleski said.
"This like a lot of other developments will be a mix of market-rate and affordable. We think that's the best, most responsible, most sustainable way to develop," Bronin said.
All while preserving the historic aspects of the area.
"It's about getting that balance of scale that fits the neighborhood and honors the history all around it," Bronin said.
The CRDA still needs to approve the developer. That is on the agenda for their meeting Thursday evening.
Gaby Molina is a reporter and anchor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at mmolina@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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