Comments (0) Last Saturday, about 25 people took part in a free walking tour through parts of the Frog Hollow neighborhood. The purpose of this was mainly to highlight the remainder of the Lyric Theater, but also to show some of the other interesting historical and cultural aspects of the area. For those who missed it, here’s how it went.
The group met up at La Paloma Sabanera and headed up Babcock Street to the Park Branch of the Hartford Public Library.
Poster by Brian Cook
One of the ways people find their way to this blog is by searching for things like “best neighborhood” and “what is it like it Frog Hollow.” While I appreciate the blog traffic, there’s no better way to find out about a place than to actually visit. Consider yourself cordially invited to check out the Frog Hollow neighborhood on Saturday, May 14th.
On this walking tour, you’ll get to look at artwork, visit the site of the old Lyric Theater, and watch one of the films that played there:
More information
On a recent Saturday groups of residents volunteered to clean scattered areas around the city. These annual (or semi-annual in some spots) events, besides achieving what they are supposed to, provide an interesting anthropology exercise. In the area near between Flatbush Avenue and Brookfield Street, the most prevalent types of trash were fast food and snack wrappers/utensils, tires, various other car parts, and alcohol bottles. For this most recent clean up, the streets, park, and school lawns that the group I joined up with scoured showed a disturbing trend. Besides the standard fastfood and snack debris, we also dealt with an inordinate amount of broken glass, cigarette butts, cigar wrap wrappers (particularly vanilla), and literally hundreds of (mostly) used glassine bags. One person found a baggie that was actually still filled with heroin. There was one syringe found in the area of a park and an elementary school; another capped syringe was found near the fence bordering a different elementary school, where a vial was discovered as well. None of these finds — except for the one bag that still contained heroin — were particularly surprising, but when hours are spent picking up one baggie after another, the enormity of the drug problem becomes clear.
A few weekends ago, I helped with a different clean up in my neighborhood. During this one, we found a pile of unused glassine bags in front of one house. Given the activity on the street, we all reached the same conclusion: drug factory. It’s better than it used to be, I hear. People are not buying and then shooting up in their cars before leaving Hartford. The vigilance of neighborhood residents drove that behavior either inside or off the beaten path. But the trade is still visible. When making the environment feel inhospitable does not do the trick, residents report suspicious activity to the police. Make, model, and license plate are reported, sometimes with photos taken of those buying. It’s said that there is a “no snitching” mentality here, but that’s not the case at all. Not here, anyway. Not everyone has been so demoralized that they accept a dirty and dangerous environment for themselves or their families. Continue reading 'Flipside'»
Where was this photograph taken? Who owns these blighted buildings?
Yes, Mayor Segarra has a bemused look on his face as he's announcing that the evening's awards are called "onesies"
Over a dozen organizations and individuals were given sharp, green Onesies on the sixth floor of the Connecticut Science Center.
The One City Celebration and Awards Ceremony featured an overview of the City of Hartford One City, One Plan — adopted in June 2010 — and gave trees to those who have already taken action to meet some part of the Plan of Conservation and Development goals.
The Urban Forestry Working Group was one that proposed an ordinance to promote Hartford’s urban forest; the Tree Ordinance was recently adopted by City Council. Bike Walk Connecticut, which organized the Discover Hartford Bicycling and Walking Tour, also won an award. The Urban League of Greater Hartford was honored for the Litter Attitudes survey that its Youth League (along with Respect Yourself Hartford) administered last summer.
Other awards recipients included: Frog Hollow NRZ, Parkville NRZ, Asylum Hill NRZ, Julio Concepcion, Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance, Green Ribbon Task Force, Fairfield Avenue Neighbors Association, HUB of Hartford, The Market at Hartford 21, City of Hartford Employee Green Action Team, Thomas Swarr, Leadership Greater Hartford and Ted Carroll, and the Hartford Planning & Zoning Commissioners.
COO David Panagore said that if people have ideas for projects that fall within the goals of One City, One Plan (POCD 2020), then the City will support them.
“There is a lot of heart in the city of Hartford,” Mayor Segarra said during his Monday evening State of the City address. The speech lasted approximately thirty minutes and did not drop any major surprises.
After briefly noting that Hartford can and should do a better job of dealing with serious crime, Segarra moved on to mainly discuss the economy. He wanted to emphasize that “Hartford is open for business,” a clear contrast from the previous administration, saying “we’re not just going to shop Hartford[...]we have to grow Hartford.” Mayor Segarra called for “comprehensive tax reform” which would include “protect[ing] our residential taxpayers against catastrophic tax increases” and treating businesses more fairly so that no one group has to bear the burden.
The arts and heritage community, he said, drives the local economy. He turned toward the City Council, seated behind him, and urged them to continue supporting arts and cultural organizations, like Hartbeat Ensemble.
Segarra noted that there are sixty development projects within city, nine of which Segarra shared with Governor Malloy recently. In his speech, Segarra called attention to the Swift Factory, 101 Pearl Street, and Lyric Theater projects. Continue reading 'State of the City 2011'»
A press release from the Mayor outlines projects that he wants the Governor to know about:
(March 8, 2011) — In a letter sent to Governor Dannel P. Malloy today, Hartford Mayor Pedro E. Segarra outlined the City’s vision, priorities and initiatives that will help grow the local and regional economy and serve to substantially improve Connecticut’s Capital City. In his letter, Mayor Segarra referenced the Governor’s background and achievements as a former city mayor as part of his core knowledge and understanding that urban centers will play a critical role in turning around the state’s economy.
“Hartford’s success is Connecticut’s success. By moving forward on my immediate and long-term strategies, we will make Hartford the center of medical research and technology, continue to make our students more competitive in the global job market, and further establish Hartford as the state’s and region’s Arts center. Connecticut’s Capital City is perfectly positioned to help small and large businesses create jobs, enhance the City’s and the State’s quality of life, and become a choice tourist destination. My goal is to continue making Hartford a great place to live, work, play and raise a family,” said Mayor Segarra.
In addition to defining a long-term vision for the City, there are several capital and infrastructure projects that the Mayor brought to the Governor’s attention including:
1. Swift Factory: Through strong partnerships, a vacant factory will be turned into a vibrant multipurpose facility and rejuvenate a North End neighborhood;
2. Coltsville: Continue to work with the Congressional delegation to have this area designated as a national park and securing federal and/or state funding for façade improvements;
3. XL Center: The current management contract runs out in 2013, at which point the City will assume responsibility of this facility. The Mayor and his administration are in the process of laying the groundwork to make this a more vibrant and desirable venue for sports and entertainment events;
4. iQuilt: This innovative initiative crafted by The Bushnell, The Greater Hartford Arts Council, and the City of Hartford intends to knit together our wonderful social and cultural centers and enhance pedestrian routes to promote economic growth and redevelopment in the Capitol district;
5. 101 Pearl Street: The Mayor and city officials are actively pursuing creative options that would benefit the Downtown area as well as neighboring tenants;
6. Albany Avenue/Route 44: A state highway and main artery in the North End, working in conjunction with MDC to aggressively pursue funding for streetscape that would prove critical to community vibrancy;
7. Capitol Avenue: Through the Greening of America’s Capitals grant received from EPA, we are poised to work with appropriate state officials to transform areas surrounding the State Capitol to add green space, more appealing sightlines, and increased sustainability;
8. New Britain to Hartford Busway: This project will improve travel to and from the city, create about 4,000 jobs, and represent the state’s first rapid-transit system. While the City is still firm in its position to not disrupt operations at Aetna and The Hartford, this project would revitalize Asylum Hill neighborhood and reduce traffic on I-84 and I-91;
9. Lyric Theatre: A historic theatre in the Frog Hollow neighborhood that the Mayor has targeted for restoration and the future home of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center.
Other long-range projects mentioned include the Hartford Viaduct and high-speed rail. Mayor Segarra emphasized that through partnerships and a collaborative approach at the community, city, state, and federal levels, these projects will improve the quality of life for residents throughout the city, address environmental concerns, and provide employment opportunities for years to come.
There is talk of a Lyric Theatre walking tour for this Spring.
Even if you hate everything about the insurance industry, you have to admit that this sidewalk clearance around the Travelers Tower deserves an A+. Every bit of snow and ice has been removed from the walkway. Wheelchairs and strollers can be used on the space. There are actual curb cuts. This is what people should strive for.
Unfortunately, most sidewalks in Hartford today did not earn an A. Most were in the C and below range.
Mayor Segarra waves hello as the parade wraps up in Pope Park.
Looking south, you see a pond, wooded area, sports fields, and perfect six homes bordering the park. There might be a carnival set up or a youth baseball game in action. There are pedestrians and cyclists. If you turn to face north, you see a dodgy strip mall surrounded by a weedy parking lot wedged next to the interstate. The lot looks mostly abandoned. It seems distant for pedestrians, as there is no inviting pathway from Park Street. The most lively aspect of this side of the street is the hot dog vendor in the lot.
View Pope Commons in a larger map
This used to be the Bradlees-Stop & Shop plaza. Bradlees filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2000, and that was the end of that story. Stop & Shop, which had been in the plaza since 1968, left Frog Hollow for Parkville, right on the border of Elmwood, in 1994. At the time much was made of the fact that a larger grocery store was added to the city, though it was barely within city limits. Now, there is a Save-A-Lot in the plaza, which generally does not have the same appeal as a run-of-the-mill Stop & Shop, let aloe the snob appeal of Whole Foods. Some residents are turned off by the lack of brand variety and others have questioned the cleanliness of the store. Yet, others like it because of the prices and the ability to bag one’s own groceries. The lack of frills makes it more attractive to some nearby residents. There is also El Mercado and a C-Town on Park Street, both smaller than Save-A-Lot, but offering healthier options than convenience stores. Continue reading 'Pope Commons: Evolution of an Eyesore'»
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