Plant a seed, Grow a Forest

I want to start this post by sharing a Hartford Courant article with you: Nonprofit Group Seeks To Open Grocery Store In Downtown Hartford By Summer.

Yes, that's my apartment building, and yes, those are many of my comments below the article (see comments posted by Jweb330). When I moved into the building, the residential management team informed me they hoped to get a small grocery store into one of the first floor commercial spaces. I subscribe, via Google Alerts, to all news relating to downtown Hartford and was thrilled when I finally saw a published article regarding CommonGround's plans to bring a grocery store to downtown Hartford. This article followed great news that the city will receive an influx of students next fall with the opening of the St. Francis School of Pharmacy in Hartford 21 and that Hartford 21 will soon have another retail tenant, New Alliance Bank. To me, it seems as though we have all the fixins' to build a city from the ground up, and I, for one, am eager to do my part to support the cities as it grows. I plan to rally my fellow downtown Hartford residents and employees to support the grocery store in The Hollander on High and Asylum street, even if it is a bit of a walk (that's part of city life, isn't it?) so we can finally see a successful retail outlet in downtown Hartford. Afterall, that would be incentive for even more retailers to come to the area. For all who are so eager to see a larger grocer in the Hartford 21 complex, it likely will not happen until the larger grocer sees a successful model on a smaller scale.

There were lots of comments on the Courant article about robbings and the area not being safe. Well, I have a small dog and I often take him out as late as midnight and have never encountered such crime. It is an extremely quiet neighborhood and is even more safe in the daytime, the normal operating hours of a grocery store. I would not be any more scared to walk around this neighborhood than I would be walking around the streets of Boston or New York (again, we are talking about city life, aren't we?)

I could go on and on about this topic, so if anyone wants to start a dialogue, please comment and let's get some discussion flowing. Anyway, I give props and all my support to CommonGround as they make efforts to improve life for downtown Hartford residents and employees. In fact, I plan to email the offices today and see how I can help. I hope you will all join me in my efforts and be a part of the growth of downtown Hartford.

Hartford: a Cure for Retail Therapy

So I know I often complain, both in the blog and otherwise, about the lack of retail in my new neighborhood, downtown Hartford, but the other day I was thinking about the benefits of the area's 40% retail space vacancy. I recently started a new job, my first job since graduation college and also moved into my first apartment where I will be paying rent (and all other bills) on my own. Luckily, I am not repaying my college loans yet (thank you 6-month grace period!), but in a few months, that will be yet another expense to add to my budget. I'm slowly getting myself on my feet. When I leave my office at 6pm and walk home to my apartment, I do not pass any retail stores or quick food stops that I can run into quickly. If I was living in New York City, Chicago, or Boston, my attention would easily be grabbed by storefronts filled with clothing, electronics, and quick, cheap, and yummy food....if there was a tasti delite or a pinkberry down here, I'd be making a stop at least a few times a week. If I want to go shopping, even for the essentials, I have to make a special trip to, say, West Hartford. I have to walk to my car, drive a few exits, drive back, park in front of my building, unload my car, drive to my parking spot, and walk back. Yeah, it's really not that big of a hassle but it does mean that I'm less likely to spend money, at least during the week. So that's a good thing right? Don't get me wrong, I still wish some of those empty store fronts in downtown Hartford will fill up with holiday displays, etc. It's upsetting that all the beautiful, brand-new, prime location retail spaces on the first floor of my building are still sitting empty when once, when Hartford was a bustling city, they were full. but I'm seeing a silver lining/bright side here. Also, I've been getting this email of free things to do in Hartford. It's being forwarded to me from an old email account at work but it is definitely a great resource for free events in Hartford. I'll have to look into it and get you some more information.

Happy Hanukkah everyone and happy Monday tomorrow!

300 New Next Door Neighbors

That's right, I'm about to have 300 new neighbors. Well, not right away, but within the next few years. It'll start with about 65 new neighbors who will serve as the first entering class at St. Joseph's new School of Pharmacy located in Trumbull Street's Hartford 21. The first class is set to begin their two-year masters program in the facility in fall of 2010. Within a few years the student body could swell to over 300. As far as I know, there is no current plan to build student housing, but hopefully many of the graduate students will choose to live downtown, near campus. There is also the possibility that St. Joe's will lease what used to be the Goodwin Hotel on Asylum street and convert the antique hotel into student housing (with a bookstore and cafe, please?!?!?!). While some might complain about the possibility of a student housing complex being developed a few blocks from their home, I'm thrilled with the idea. First of all, these are graduate students, so they will be more mature and respectful, and likely have more disposable income. One article I read said that "eds and meds" help to fuel a city, and I could not agree more. Look at major college towns such as Amherst/Northampton, New Haven, etc. Industry thrives in these cities, in part due to the large student population. I'm hopeful and eager that the new School of Pharmacy (and the New Alliance Bank branch also moving into Hartfor 21) will fuel industry growth in the downtown Hartford area and as there won't be a cafeteria in the facility, so students will be supporting downtown food and retail establishments. Now a grocery store, that would really fuel development in the city. Someone has got to make it happen, and soon, if there is going to be an influx of students into the city: I hear the city is offering funding to the first real estate developer that attracts a supermarket; so what are they waiting for?!

Also, St. Joe's school is creating the second pharmacy school in the state and with health care career opportunities on the rise, this is sure to be a desirable program. It would be even more desirable if there was a grocery store (and other amenities....a laundromat?!?!) downtown....can you tell how I feel? It'll be exciting to watch the city grow!

Wireless Hartford?!

It's amazing how much life (and blogs) get put on hold without internet access. I just moved into my new place downtown this weekend and I don't have internet access yet. To be honest, I'm a bit suprised I can't pick up a wireless signal from anyone else in the building, but I guess most people have caught on to the whole stealing Internet thing. Anyway, AT&T offers DSL for $20/month...(and that's not an introductory rate!) which is far cheaper than Comcast. So I'm giving that a shot and it should be installed by next Monday. Hopefully it is decent service. I am skipping on the cable for now and just getting a converter box so I can get basic channels and relying on hulu and my netflix.

What ever happened to "wireless hartford"??? Isn't there supposed to be free wireless access in all of downtown? If there is, I can't seem to pick up the signal. Ah well, I'll spend tonight hanging some pictures in the new place.

Tomorrow is Moving Day!

Last weekend there were three shootings in downtown Hartford. I am still excited to move into my brand new apartment, only two blocks away from at least one of these shootings took place. Don't get me wrong, it scared me at first, and it still does scare me. In my experience, downtown Hartford is a ghost town on most weeknights. It is very quiet and, for the most part, feels safe (although it is eerie when there is not another soul in sight). On the other hand, Hartford night life can get pretty rowdy on the weekends, hence three shootings in one night. My parking spot is about 1/2 mile from my apartment and I really do not want to feel as though I have to be in my apartment by 9pm on weekends in order to avoid the violence. But this sort of fear, of the possibility of violence, is the price you pay for living in any urban or metropolitan area, I just hope there is some governmental plan of action to lower the crime rate in the area, in order to make the city more desirable for residents. It is not as if there is no possibility of violence in Boston, New York, or Chicago on a Friday or Saturday night. In fact, there is probably more violence in many areas of those cities. At the very least, I think I will feel safe in my building.

Moving day is such an exciting day. It still hasn't hit me that I will be in a new apartment after spending 2.5 years in my current place and I'm sure it will take a while for the new apartment to feel like home, but it will get there. I'm excited for my little studio in downtown Hartford. Oh, I'm looking to start a Sunday dog walking club....coffee and some puppy play time in Bushnell Park. Whose in?

Arts in the City/Suburbs

One thing I really love about New York City are all of the small, hole-in-the-theaters and arts organizations that can get away with doing obscure work that might not have the selling power to fill larger spaces. It seems to me that Hartford's theaters are pretty expressive when it comes to presenting innovative works. Hartford Stage offers a thrust stage perfect for creating an interactive and innovative atmosphere, and they also offer the annual Brand:New festival featuring new works and emerging playwrights. Theaterworks' space is intimate and perfect for recent off-broadway hits. And last night I had the chance to check out West Hartford's Playhouse in Park, now in its' debut season. The creative/executive team there has been working tirelessly to essentially create a culture and build an arts organization from the ground up, and they seem to be doing all the right things. Their season has something for everyone. There are comedy nights, improv shows, community theatre productions, dance troupes, and an upcoming Christmas show. Last night's show, Collected Stories, is in it's final week, and features the theater's first equity actors. Actors who do a brilliant job of inviting every audience member in the 200-seat theater into the small New York City apartment that is the set, and into the worlds of Ruth and Lisa, a well-respected author and her up-and-coming student protege (respectively). Needless to say, I picked up all the brochures I could on my way out the door, and am looking forward to the upcoming Cage Match, a battle between CT-based improv troupes, and a collaboration with New Britain's Hole in the Wall Theater (Nothin' gets me going like a good collaboration between local arts organizations). Oh, I was also happy to see some of Hartford Stage's set pieces on stage at Playhouse on Park, makes me feel like a good neighbor! 

Proud to be a part of the Hartford theatre scene during this exciting time!

Studio Life

When I got hired full-time in Hartford, one of my first thoughts was: "Great! I'll get to live (relatively) cheaply and save some money!" My plan was to move to New York City in December and start looking for work in the theatre industry and the cheapest two-bedroom apartments I could find ran at least $1400/month...and these were out in Brooklyn and/or Astoria; but this is typical in NYC, so I was unphased by the prices.

When I got a job downtown, I decided I needed a change of atmosphere. I did have New York on my mind, and after 4-years as a young person in the suburbs of West Hartford, I'm looking for more of an urban atmosphere. I need to be around more people (not that downtown Hartford has a huge population, but at least it is more concentrated). Anyway, as of December 1st, I'll be living in a studio apartment in The Hollander building downtown. It's a beautiful, newly renovated apartment in a green building. I'm hoping there are a lot of other young professionals in the building (and other puppies for mine to play with!). I'm excited to be less than .5miles from my office so I can stop using my car and avoid a gas expense (I wish I could get rid of my car all together!) I'm also pretty interested in being  a part of dowtown Hartford's revitalization: if we want the city to wake up, we need to contribute!

Actually, I've just convinced myself that I am making the right choice (I've been going back-and-forth on this) while writing this. It's important to me to be downtown, close to work, and in an apartment building with other tenants. I mean where else would I have the opportunity to live in the heart of a city for such a low price? Let's make it happen.

Learning Curve

Is it just me or is the first day (or is it the first few weeks) on a new job entirely overwhelming? Not overwhelming in a bad way but in a "wow, I can't believe I'm here" kind of way. Especially when you are learning the ropes of the job from a long-time employee, it seems almost daunting: there is so much information to learn and so much to do in one day and yet the trainer seems to move at rapid speed. Well, that's because s/he's been doing it for 3, 4, 5 years and has a handle on the day-to-day activity of the job. I'll get there too of course, time and practice bring knowledge. Needless to say, I started my job as an executive assistant at Hartford Stage today. 3 weeks until I make the move into my downtown (studio!) apartment, and 4 weeks until I'm finished with my undergraduate degree.

Studio living will be....interesting. I've been living in a two-bedroom apartment in the suburbs of West Hartford for the past 3 years. The studio may be small, but it's in a really great building in a key location across from Bushnell park. As I enter this next chapter in my life I want to be surrounded by people and other young professionals like myself, I'm hoping the building I'm moving into will give me the community I'm looking for. I also hope the end up opening a grocery and/or coffee shop in the retail spaces on the 1st floor! We'll make it work, although my dog might not like a smaller space. Can't wait for moving day

Welcome to the World. Welcome to Hartford.

Tomorrow I begin my transition into adulthood and into a resident and employee of downtown Hartford. Not yet a graduate of the University of Hartford, I'll begin my professional career at Hartford Stage as an executive assistant to the Managing Director. I'm proud to consider myself among the fortunate few in the present economy to be employed right out of school (well actually I'm still in school until December 2009, but that's beside the point), and am even more honored to be working in my industry of choice with an organization and staff I respect highly. Tomorrow is day one and I'm ready to tackle the task head on....until 4:30 when I have to head to class.

If you asked me a few months ago whether I would be staying in Hartford after graduation from The Hartt School, I would have likely said there was a slim chance. After 4 years as a student in the suburbs of "New England's Rising Star," (one of Hartford's favorite taglines/euphemisms) I've decided to make a move downtown with the new job. As of December 1st I'll be living across from Bushnell Park, in the heart of downtown Hartford, a .3 mile (5 minute) walk from my office on Pratt Street. It's a small city, but it's my city and I'm ready to embrace and enhance all that Hartford has to offer. Suggestions welcome!

...One thing the college life doesn't prepare you for is the 9-5. I have to learn to get to bed early.

Oh! That's me and my dad at Hartford Stage during one of my internships with the company. I owe my parents so much thanks as they stop paying my room and board and release me into adulthood....slowly but surely.