Navigator
Connecticut Steering Committee Member
The Connecticut Steering Committee at ULI Boston/New England works to enhance the experience of regional members by focusing programming on
Connecticut
The Connecticut Steering Committee at ULI Boston/New England works to enhance the experience of regional members by focusing programming on issues unique to the Connecticut market. The steering committee provides a local platform to educate and engage ULI members on land use, public policy, design and development topics to enrich Connecticut’s built environment. We welcome public and private sector leaders to join us in collaborating and innovating strategies for a thriving Connecticut region.
Steering Committee Leadership:
Lisa A. Chase, Lucky Fish Communications, LLC
Kara Gruss, TSKP Studios
Kristin Tiff, Trinity College
Ryszard Szczypek, TSKP Studios
Paul Bongiorni
Kinsey Diomedi, Shepley Bulfinch
The Connecticut Steering Committee was happy to welcome familiar ULI members and new faces to Red Rock Tavern for pre-Halloween drinks, darts (apparently at least one of our members is a competitive dart thrower) and networking. The October 23rd event showcased Hartford’s Frog Hollow revitalization, featuring new residential space and neighborhood businesses. Having anchored the Capital Street district for decades, Red Rock Tavern is now buffeted by locally roasted coffee, a cocktail bar, and arguably the city’s best homemade ice cream. It’s just one of the many redevelopment successes unfolding across Hartford.
If you’d like to sponsor or host an event in the 2020 season, please contact Lisa Chase at [email protected].
Hartford, Connecticut is in the midst of a large scale redesign and redevelopment, and the ULI’s Boston Chapter is showcasing the city’s transformation.
By: Lisa A. Chase, Lucky Fish Communications, LLC
On April 10th, Jackie Mandyck, Managing Director of the iQuilt Partnership, the organization overseeing Hartford’s neighborhood-by-neighborhood iQuilt Plan, presented the design strategy to a group of Connecticut ULI members. Hosted by Upward Hartford and sponsored by Carmody, LLP, Mandyck’s presentation marked Connecticut’s programming re-launch. An enthusiastic group of members from across the state, including ULI Boston Executive Director Michelle Landers, shared comments and insights about Hartford’s redevelopment prospects. Attendees represented the rich array of ULI member talent, including architects and landscape designers, developers and financers, legal and communications specialists.
Mandyck described an urban redesign plan oriented around walkability to connect Hartford’s cultural, sports and recreational features. Walkways surrounding the city’s centrally located Bushnell Park have been expanded and the streets narrowed, encouraging pedestrians to pause and appreciate newly installed shade trees and flower gardens. The city’s GreenWalk links the Hartford’s attractions through a one-mile chain of parks and plazas from the state’s Capitol in Bushnell Park to the Connecticut River waterfront. This connectivity is attracting residents to new downtown housing, sparking an entrepreneurial spirit and revitalizing the local economy.
Building on the iQuilt Plan’s implementation, Mandyck outlined the emerging plan for Hartford’s 400th anniversary in 2035. While iQuilt has focused on revitalizing Hartford proper, “Hartford 400” is extending the redesign to the city’s contiguous towns. This strategy will redevelop the avenues radiating from the city’s core where housing, public transportation and economic opportunities are concentrated.
By embracing a more regional approach, “Hartford 400” aims to lead the inner ring suburbs’ adoption of walkability and sustainability, economic and cultural development. For Connecticut ULI members, Hartford’s visionary design strategy presents a wealth of educational and programming opportunities.
Connecticut Opportunity
Committee members will help plan programs and convenings for members active in the Connecticut market.