Comments (6) Wondering about the Heublein Cafe in the Gardens, Hartford branding or the plans to install eight new footbridges? What about how the proposed brook would impact 286 trees in Bushnell Park? What are the plans to deal with the 46,000 parking spaces in Downtown?
Find the answers within the 120-page iQuilt Plan Overview that is now available.
After reading through, leave a comment with your impressions of this.
rendering courtesy of iQuilt
As barrels of trash heaved into the pond in Bushnell Park remain there for nearly a week and as the water feature in the playground nearby continues to be broken for years on end, residents and stakeholders were presented with the iQuilt’s dream plan of bring flowing water through the park.
Using identity strategy and enculturation to rally support, those leading this project dismissed skeptics as lacking vision. As much was said twice yesterday at a mini-presentation during a Rising Star Breakfast and in the evening before the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The presentation included codewords, as several supporters described selves as “believers” and even went so far as to say that bring flowing water back into the park would be good for our “souls.”
The presentation included visual appeals to nostalgia and romance. The lovely, verdant design renderings seduced the participant into imagining a pristine urban paradise in which those seeking recreation can choose to wade across a 50-100 foot wide brook, meander through pop up studios and greenhouses, or linger on any of the nine bridges that would be added to Bushnell Park.
Urban design presentations, as a whole, dazzle those from whom they want support, but fail to provide real answers that concerned residents have about what is slated to happen in our backyards.
Prior to the presentation, Real Hartford readers submitted questions they had about this project, which are marked in bold and are direct quotes, unless noted otherwise.
Who is doing the planning?
The iQuilt, in the works for several years now, is described as a “culture based urban design plan for Downtown Hartford.”
The iQuilt is a private/public partnership which receives support from various institutions including the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, Bushnell Park Foundation, CIGNA, City of Hartford, State of Connecticut, MDC, Riverfront Recapture, Connecticut Light & Power, Northeast Utilities, Travelers, and United Illuminating. Suisman Urban Design has been leading the iQuilt design team. A 501(c)3 was formed recently. Continue reading 'iQuilt: Dotting i’s'»
There was a lot of buzz yesterday about the iQuilt project, which many had not heard of despite it being in existence since 2008.
One space this plan focuses on is Bushnell Park.
The photos below were taken on Tuesday, the same day as when Doug Suisman of Suisman Urban Design shared many ambitious ideas about how the iQuilt plan can impact the park. These photos are taken from the perspective of a pedestrian/cyclist commuter, though an effort was made to include some of the park’s attractions. These photographs show the range of conditions and maintenance in Bushnell Park as of January 2012.
Part of the East Coast Greenway runs between the Armory and the Legislative Office Building. This path continues over a highway on-ramp, along the railroad tracks and viaduct, and into Bushnell Park. Sand continuously covers part of this path because of poor maintenance. None of the neighboring entities (Bushnell Park, State of Connecticut, Amtrak, etc.) take consistent responsibility for dealing with the erosion issues.
There will be another iQuilt presentation and public input session on the evening of January 10th from 5-7 at the Hartford Public Library. The iQuilt project deals with improvements to Downtown.
Archived articles about iQuilt (starting with oldest)
“These make us look like the Village People,” Mayor Segarra commented while he and other officials donned construction helmets before digging with their ceremonial shovels at Friday afternoon’s groundbreaking for the “Capewell Townhomes.”
Future site of the Capewell Townhomes
Although plans had been announced months ago for the development of townhouses on the vacant parcel of land between Wyllys Street and Popieluszco Court, some details have changed. Continue reading 'Groundbreaking Ceremony for Capewell Townhouses'»
There are two upcoming opportunities to see what the iQuilters think should be changed about Bushnell Park and parts of Downtown, and these events give the public the chance to go on record with our thoughts. Continue reading 'Public Comment on Final iQuilt Designs'»
About half the seats were filled at the start of Wednesday’s forum; by the end, only a few dozen people remained, and many of those were candidates’ families, or, candidates running with the Republican and Working Families parties. Two of the ten Democrats running for City Council did not attend. It was a rare event that finished early in spite of many questions from the audience.
The forum provided Democrats with the opportunity to distinguish themselves from the other candidates; few bothered to do so. Instead, candidates were quick to agree with each other, rarely adding anything meaningful to previous comments; a few candidates gave rambling responses to most questions, stumping the audience as to the point being made. Continue reading 'Council Primary Candidates Forum'»
Fuel is needed to propel a steam locomotive. Coal, wood, or oil is burned in the firebox to boil the water. The Firebox Restaurant is what powers Billings Forge Community Works; it has been marketed to those who have disposable income, causing some mixed feelings, and at times, resentment, from those in the neighborhood who can only love the concept of locally-sourced food in theory.
In May 2010, BFCW quietly opened a second restaurant on its grounds. It’s not exactly the poor box, but prices are more affordable to residents. Continue reading 'Lavender Lemonade at the Kitchen Cafe'»
Read a general overview of the LSNI or learn about the projects and accountability
Blight
Blight extends beyond a few notable buildings in or just outside of Downtown; when such conditions exist unchecked, the problem eventually becomes one that can be corrected by nothing other than demolition.
The Neighborhood Conditions Report divides blighted properties into three categories: those the City has taken action on (fines, foreclosure, demolition), those the City is working with owners to clean up, donate property, renovate, etc., and those that are being monitored.
Under the LSNI, the City has identified targeted blighted properties within demonstration areas. Continue reading 'Livable & Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative: Last Segment'»
Read about the basics of the LSNI here.
Accountability
The perennial complaint, and one I heard made specific to this initiative, is that brainstorming and planning have been happening forever, but little measurable progress is being made. Some of this is sheer impatience with the rate at which it takes for change to occur, and some is with how work that can be done in ten hours is stretched out to forty.
A combination of paper trail and vocal residents has to exist. These meetings do contain both elements, but more people need to get involved. The Monday evening meeting was not large enough to warrant a microphone.
According to the LSNI meetings, it appears that it is mostly the City holding itself accountable. That’s a start; it also requires we trust the City to do the right thing. Continue reading 'Livable & Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative: Part Two of Three'»
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