[Mark_CT]

Well if a highspeed rail link were built between Hartford and the city, then Hartford would have a Stamfordesque renaissance with 45 min trips into midtown Manhattan. I honestly think that's the most promising ticket to prosperity. Not to say it will happen, because it most likely won't; still, politicians have been fancying the idea for awhile and I think I would be a good investment for the tristate region to make.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by bstnguy

The convention center is a flop. Who wants to fly to Hartford for a convention...no one. Northeast cities (with exception of NYC) are not good for conventions. People like warm weather...I know...I have conventions in AZ, FL, CA, NV every year.

This is not true. The Convention Center is doing well. Not sure what you are basing this on. As for people liking warmer weather, that may be true in the winter but who want to go south in the summer? Not me and I go to several conventions each year too! Jay

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Mark_CT

Well if a highspeed rail link were built between Hartford and the city, then Hartford would have a Stamfordesque renaissance with 45 min trips into midtown Manhattan. I honestly think that's the most promising ticket to prosperity. Not to say it will happen, because it most likely won't; still, politicians have been fancying the idea for awhile and I think I would be a good investment for the tristate region to make.

Don't be surprised if you hear something in the near future about the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line. Heard some interesting rumors about it recently. Jay

[netdragon]

There's a big report on it. DOTINFO: New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Plan

There's also a wikipedia article: New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Personally, I think they should add double-decked parking because the biggest frustration about Metro North's stations are the lack of parking (and the parking ticket I got when I once said "hell with it" and parked illegally).

One thing I think the rail line will do, if built, is cause metro Springfield to be swallowed up by metro Hartford (being at the center of the rail line and a larger metro already). I know they are distinct metros now, and seperated by state boundaries and politics, but mark my words that Springfield will eventually be a suburb of Hartford - perhaps in the next 30 years.

[JiminCT]

Dallas and Fort Worth are much farther apart than Hartford and Springfield. Combined the metro area is at about 2 million. That alone should be a reason to get metro rail service in there.

[Cruikshl]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Metro Atlanta is also one of the most polluted cities in our country with massive traffic problems and does not have a sufficent drinking water supply to support itself even for just the near future. It is a recipe for diaster. JMHO Jay

That's true water is in short supply, if everyone from the north would stop moving there they would have plenty. hehehe

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by Cruikshl

That's true water is in short supply, if everyone from the north would stop moving there they would have plenty. hehehe

Nah, keep on coming... Newcomers are raising our land value and displacing the rednecks :-)

There are new reservoirs being built to handle the water 'crisis'. If things got really bad, water could probably be desalinated at the coast and piped up.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by Mark_CT

Well if a highspeed rail link were built between Hartford and the city, then Hartford would have a Stamfordesque renaissance with 45 min trips into midtown Manhattan. I honestly think that's the most promising ticket to prosperity. Not to say it will happen, because it most likely won't; still, politicians have been fancying the idea for awhile and I think I would be a good investment for the tristate region to make.

That would be huge for Hartford. Better yet, make a high-speed link from Hartford-Stamford-NYC ...Benefit all three...unlikely to happen, however. How is the Hartford 21 tower selling? I read back in October that it was stalling bigtime. Unfortunate.

[uconn99]

How is the Hartford 21 tower selling? I read back in October that it was stalling bigtime. Unfortunate.

Hartford 21 is rentals, not sure if you think they are condos.

Northland who owns the building says they are doing fine, this has been mentioned in several articles. It is on par to be filled sooner than projected. Where did you hear it wasn't being rented?

[Coem]

I have lived in both Providence and Hartford. There are differences between the two that explain why Providence is doing well and Hartford is not. Firstly, the middle and upper class never completely abandonned Providence the way they did in Hartford. Also, while both Providence and Hartford have colleges, the schools in Providence do a much better job at integrating themselves into the community than the ones in Hartford do. For instance, there are a lot of college students in Providence who live off-campus all over the city which keeps things in those neighborhoods vibrant. Here in Hartford on the other hand, Trinity pretty much shuts itself out from the community and is its own little island. Lastly, there's no question that having a commuter train to Boston has helped Providence a lot in terms of attracting middle class people who work in Boston to live there.

Hartford can be brought back. I have noticed that a lot of young people of my generation want to live in cities. We like the urban lifestyle... walkable neighborhoods, coffee houses, restaurants, etc. Hartford must be made an attractive place for people like me to live though, and it's very far from it at the moment. Here are my ideas to make it better:

1. Metro North connection to New York City. While I think Hartford is too far away for people who work in New York to consider moving to, there's no doubt this would be good for Hartford.

2. Tax breaks for certain types of people who choose to live in the city such as college grads, newlyweds, and those who work in Hartford and make over $50,000.

3. Have area colleges like Trinity, U of H, and Uconn build dorms in the west end or downtown. I think the west end would make a perfect student neighborhood if schools built housing there and invested in the area.