A question routinely asked by Hartford residents is if attending the endless number of public meetings serves any purpose. People feel their voices are not heard. Sometimes nothing comes from these conversations. Some suspect that these feedback sessions are held just so various entities can check “public engagement” off their lists before moving on to the next stage.
Last week’s Downtown North Park meeting did little to improve confidence in such things.
The public was informed of the meeting one week before it happened; it was also held on the same night and time as several other meetings that would appeal to many of those likely to attend — City Council, Board of Education, Frog Hollow NRZ, and likely others. Surely an evening could have been chosen when fewer civic meetings were planned?
Not knowing every person in attendance, a liberal estimate is that there were fourteen people participating who were not employed with the City of Hartford or Boston-based design firm Utile.
When asked where everyone was, the response given indicated the the Utile Principal believed this was a Hartford problem, saying that another city had no trouble turning out 200 participants.
When asked where the Clay Arsenal NRZ was — the lack of racial diversity at the meeting was another elephant in the room — I was given a defensive response, saying that the NRZ was represented at the stakeholders meeting held one week previous. Having heard nothing up until that point about such a meeting raised other questions, such as why the general public was divided from the stakeholders when everyone could benefit from a wider range of opinions.
When asked how those not present at this sparsely attended meeting could provide input for Utile and the City of Hartford, there was no real response for that. After pressing, I was told those not present could “contact Caitlin and Laura.” No last names, no introduction of who they are, no explanation of their affiliation, no email addresses provided. A vague promise was given to put information on “the website.”
What is a stakeholder?
Apparently it is not someone who has a vested interest in one of the spaces that Utile has suggested be radically modified.
During the presentation, New Ross, County Wexford Park (AKA Heaven) was referred to as a space to potentially be turned into a “village green.” There was no acknowledgement that this is actively used by skateboarders, nor was there mention of the plans that have been in the works since at least 2009 to create a skate park here. The skate park is not some far off pipe dream; last year, the Tony Hawk Foundation awarded grant money for it. There have been planning meetings in the same space as where this Downtown North Park meeting was held. Several active members of the Skate Board Task Force that I spoke with did not seem to know that there was a Downtown North Park stakeholders meeting, nor that Heaven was even up for discussion.
When the existence of this park and Skate Board Task Force was described to Utile, I was told by Tim Love, its Principal, that the skate park may need to move because it might not be in line with the goals of redevelopment.
Is the public being heard?
As with the previous meeting, when the public shared its concerns, people were generally greeted with a kind of defensiveness.
Suzanne Hopgood of the Capitol Regional Development Authority asked several times for the notetakers present to repeat back to her what questions and concerns were going to be relayed from the public to the City of Hartford where adjustments would be made to these plans. The summaries left out some of the public’s concerns, including where funding for this would come from or any of the discussion about New Ross, County Wexford Park.
When some challenged data — like the assertion that “Downtown West” has 72,400 square feet of supportable retail — the public was told that the Gibbs Market Analysis was correct, nothing more. This same study claims that the Downtown North area can support a 31,000 square foot grocery store and that there would be an additional 235,000 square feet of supportable retail in this area by 2017.
As questions about the market analysis went largely unanswered, so did questions about how the XL Center would figure into all of this. The civic center is considered outdated by many and in need of a major overhaul if it wants to compete with other area arenas. When asked if any of the vacant parcels had been considered for use by a new civic center, Utile suggested follow up meetings with those interested in it.
Abandoning Standards for Marketability?
Much of the presentation was given to justify a weakening of standards.
After being shown example after example of how strong market/strong demand areas like Battery Park City could mandate curb cut locations and building heights, the public was reminded that Hartford, to no one’s surprise, was at the opposite end of the spectrum from sites in Manhattan and Boston. Or, as Tim Love put it, he didn’t think the “level of guidelines would be as stringent in Hartford” because developers would “require more creativity.”
The message was delivered about a dozen ways in case anyone missed it, with Utile Principal saying, “we want to require some minimum standards,” but want “zoning to be reasonable enough that developers don’t circumvent.”
Standards are not currently rigid in Hartford, yet some properties have remained vacant for years. Is sacrificing the character of architecture or the culture of an area required to seduce businesses into the area?
Other Plans
Most of the meeting was a rehashing of what was discussed back in July, with few new details. One item given more attention was how to connect Riverside Park more directly to the rest of Downtown. There is currently a pedestrian and cyclist bridge that crosses I-91 so that people can make such a connection. One access point is in Riverside Park. The other access point is behind an empty lot beyond a gas station. No mention was given of easy fixes, like installing low cost signs that point the way to the bridge.
Instead, changes discussed included holding a public art competition in order to decorate the bridge to make it “more inviting.” This does little to inform people how to approach the bridge if they are seeking access to the park.
Another proposed change was to add lighting for this structure.
Both of those are inexpensive proposals when compared to other ideas thrown out about connecting Downtown to the area along the Connecticut River. Some plans were shown of a gradually sloping earthen berm that would connect to the I-91 pedestrian bridge so that people did not need to use the stairs.
Another idea was to create some kind of ramp off of the Bulkeley Bridge’s bike path. Love said, “we’re still monkeying with what the best connection is,” a relief to hear since this bridge’s path is extremely narrow, difficult to access on the Hartford side, and generally less appealing than the Charter Oak Bridge or Founders Bridge.
Next Steps
Utile said that its next stage is to “coordinate with citywide zoning study and in-progress city design guidelines to formulate design guidelines based on preferred massing and street sections.”
What should be the next steps for those who already live and work here?
Brendan
I deserve to be cited for use of FUtile!
Nobody thinks that a sea of parking lots is what residents want, but why is Google earth the only research tool for these urban design firms?
Kerri Provost
My usage was different 🙂
Because Google Earth is easier to consult with than residents who might disagree with proposed uses? I don’t know.
Brendan
Also, I think the 91 spiral bridge has lights, they’re just not on.
Kerri Provost
Public art on bridge — is that something you could see making bridge more appealing for the masses, or would that be enjoyed by those already using it?
Brendan
It’s already got a really nice view from the top (despite the deafening roar). I think the bridge’s problem is that it plops you in the middle of a gravel lot 1/2 mile from downtown.
They built the spiral before you could get to mortsen plaza via the river walk.
Kerri Provost
If we want to look at other design, we could talk about my experience trying to get in the Rensaleer (however you spell that) building this summer. It is not intended for pedestrians. After trying what I thought was every door, I caught sight of some small sign directing me to go down some stairs, into the parking lot, and then use that entrance. It would be cool to add connections from the Riverfront to this area, but at the same time, there needs to be work with some of these existing places to promote pedestrian accessibility.
Brendan
It’s funny, I just walked by that building (like right next to it, not on the sidewalk) last week and was thinking about how it looks like it’s abandoned. I supposed that’s because of the outside doors are used.
Brendan
are *not used
Chris Brown
So is the City of Hartford paying Utile to alternately dig up and ignore information that is already known about this part of downtown? Setting aside the most superficial details (wardrobe, lingo) it seems like the skate park people last spring were more thorough and professional.
Kerri Provost
This does not sound unlike the Albany-Homestead Corridor plans ( http://www.realhartford.org/2013/04/03/albany-homestead-corridor-whatever-sticks/ ) that involved the suggestion of moving the lumberyard. In that case, I asked those planners if the lumberyard was on board with this. Of course, that business had not been consulted.
Brooks P
At this point, does anyone expect anything more from the City of Hartford than what was described by Kerri? The city has demonstrated gross incompetence in all arenas over the past few years, so these meetings are just more of the same.
Kerri
Yep. Unfortunately, it seems that any different ideas introduced are immediately embraced as visionary, good ideas. The photos for the giant earthen berm looked beautiful, but there was no discussion of if that was actually a good fit for the space.
Richard
Regarding Curb Cuts. The law clearly states:
Sec. 7-118a. Curbs and sidewalks to be designed with cuts at pedestrian crosswalks. (a) All curbs and sidewalks constructed or replaced on or after January 1, 1980, shall be designed with cuts at all pedestrian crosswalks to provide adequate and reasonable access for the safe and convenient movement of physically handicapped persons. Such cuts shall meet the following specifications: (1) The cut shall have a surface that is textured and nonslip; (2) the cut shall be at least thirty-six inches wide, but not more than forty inches wide; and (3) the cut shall have a slope not greater than four degrees fifty minutes and shall blend to a common surface with the next level without use of a lip. Such cuts shall be positioned so as not to cause a safety hazard for blind pedestrians.
A bit of our radical history.
Now I don’t remember the year but some sidewalks were out of compliance in Hartford. Well Steve Thornton, John Bach, Tim Quinn, Claude Holcomb of ADAPT and others (sorry if my old brain doesn’t remember all of you) went down to Union Place with sledge Hammer in hand and smashed those curbs to bits.
Now it isn’t too hard to raise up a group of committed folks, Think library front door and no push button access, in these days to right anyone or any big time developer who thinks that folks who are handicapped are less and that they do not need to have common decency and compassion in this city.
Once again reading over this I see how this town again allows outsiders to come in and tell the folks what is good for them and pay them big bucks. But remember there will be art on the bridge and a competition for artists, hooray for bread and circuses. I fully agree with Brooks P.
Kerri
I’m not even sure this is about access for those with disabilities. What it came down to was that high demand cities/areas are given permission to demand that developers follow certain aesthetic guidelines, while low demand cities/areas are told that we need to take whatever crumbs are thrown at us…basically, we better be prepared to accept Big Box stores, ugly architecture, whatever. Same old, same old.
Richard
Since curb cuts were mentioned in the article above I thought they would try to pull something. On the cheap its accessibility issues that are the first to get scratched off the list. How many non physically challenged folks would get up in arms if this happened? I never put anything past any of these developing folks. Remember the Public Library people telling folks in wheel chairs to go around to the back door and then the stalling of city officials and the down right nastiness of City Hall? That’s Hartford not some outsider. I sounds like people in Hartford will have to keep their ears and eyes wide open as those from the outside go around creating a new city for those who live here even if we don’t want it. Oh, the promise of big box stores, JOBS they will cry and everyone will get in line. The liberals will get them to promise this and that, just like the promise of jobs for the displaced renters of Charter Oak and then the promises fall through. Yes it is the same old same old. Perhaps committees of concerned Hartford residents who have the energy and time should be formed to watch these folks like hawks no matter where they rear their money grubbing heads.
Josh LaPorte
The organizer in me says that since the meetings are not called by organized residents to address the concerns of the residents, they are completely and solely to allow the City and its contractors to tick off the “citizen engagement” box on their list. [in]Utile sounds like a terribly organization to have been awarded the contract for this project; I’m still less than clear who is paying for this or what the goals are. The whole concept that we cannot enforce standards is just crap; who the hell do these people think they are?!
Kerri
The more meetings I attend, the less I feel I know.
At both meetings, Deller briefly attended but then moved on…probably because there are a million other City meetings happening at the same time where he needs to be.
Tim
A vague promise was given to put information on “the website.”
Any idea where this is?
Kerri
Not a clue. I checked the Utile site. I checked the City of Hartford site. If it ends up on the latter, the info will be basically unsearchable, and when the site gets inevitably redesigned, the data lost.
Tim
Can this possibly be it?
http://www.sustainableknowledgecorridor.org/site/content/north-park-design-hartford
The links on this page to the City of Hartford Development Services Dept. are dead or require a login.
Kerri Provost
And Roger O’Brien is still listed as employed with the City…so, maybe this is related. Thanks for digging that up.
Tony C
Where was the meeting announced? I didn’t see it.
Can they just fire the firm and say, “Sorry. You aren’t competent.” This would have been my approach at work.
Kerri
An email went out to some people…the invite left all the invitees emails viewable, so I could tell you who was invited if I wanted to. Needless to say, it was less than 10% of Hartford residents.
Richard
More of this Hartford Crap, those that know know those that don’t, don’t unless someone tells us. Thanks Keri for telling.