[hfd]

I have some questions about the West End.

1. Are there development plans for the empty lots on Farmington Avenue? It seems that former gas station has been empty for a long time. Also there is an empty lot behind the CVS parking lot.

2. The former Roo Bar. What is going there?

3. Seems like several house suddenly on the market: 150 Kenyon, 275 Kenyon, houses on Beacon, Prospect, etc., ranging in price from 300K to $800+K What is going on?

4. Whatever happened to the big Farmington streetscape plan?

[wanderintonc]

I heard the Roo Bar is going to be a Chinese restaurant. Just hearsay-I don't have facts on that.

As for the houses for sale, I do think that it could possibly be, in part, elderly people either passing, or moving into smaller accomedations i.e. a condo or senior housing. Seems like lots of those big homes are occupied by older folks.

[AmyBergquist]

Here's what I know/have heard from others...You might want to contact the Farmington Avenue Alliance for specific info...Farmington Avenue Alliance

Construction on the street-scape portion of the plan for Farmington Ave. will start sometime in 2008. It hasn’t been decided if it will be in May or later in the year. It will run from Marshall Street to Kenyon Street. They will not be adding the median as originally proposed because the MDC will be tearing up the road at a later point to complete the ongoing sewer/storm water project. The major work will be re-striping and lane shifts to promote traffic calming, particularly in the areas of Sisson Ave and Woodland. They will also do some narrowing from Girard Ave towards West Hartford to further traffic calming.

The restaurant that is opening near Braza is going to be a moderately priced family restaurant, run by Al Gamble, the owner of Tisane. I was told that it was going to be opened last November. Obviously that didn't happen. I think they were mentioning a Southwestern/American theme, but I don't really know if that's changed at this point.

The vacant lot across from the Mobil station was proposed to have a mixed-use commercial and residential building constructed. That plan has been halted because it is not clear if luxury apartments are economically viable at this point. I don't know what level of "luxury" they were thinking on a rental dollar a month basis.

Regarding houses for sale...the various owners on North Beacon Street were moving for several reasons; downsizing, job moves out of state, fiance lived in another state, etc. I know others on the other streets are moving for similar reasons.

There are 16 single family houses currently available in the West End right now (not under contract). Prices range from $190K to $835K. Average days on market is 86. It's a slow market in the West End right now.

WECA is having a general meeting tomorrow night at 7:00 at the United Methodist Church on Farmington Ave., if you have any interest in attending.