[Henry10]

I ain't no gentrification expert, but from 1st hand experience in many areas that have and are gentrifying in NY, buses have had little to do with it. Subways, proximity -- absolutely. Maybe CT will chart its own course and gentrify along a busway -- who knows. I just don't believe it. IMO busway for half a billion is a waste of time and money, and Hartford should invest in rail.

[Zuriel]

Originally Posted by Henry10

I ain't no gentrification expert, but from 1st hand experience in many areas that have and are gentrifying in NY, buses have had little to do with it. Subways, proximity -- absolutely. Maybe CT will chart its own course and gentrify along a busway -- who knows. I just don't believe it. IMO busway for half a billion is a waste of time and money, and Hartford should invest in rail.

I agree. I think our culture has convinced everyone that riding the bus is for lower class poverty stricken people. It's why you see people spending money on expensive non-essential items instead of getting health insurance. It's sad, because I think this is why the bus project won't work.

Rail has to be the priority.

[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by nep321

Ever since I returned to CT this week from Charlotte, I have to say, it feels like I went back in time about 50 years. Not kidding. Old construction everywhere you look, rusted bridges, guardrails, crumbling office and government buildings and more. However, I am impressed with CT highways now. They have mostly been resurfaced and are excellent now, with no potholes or cracks. They look new and clean. But, I have to ponder....will CT in general EVER see an economic/developmental boom in the future? Or is it completely over? Will we EVER get to see more new construction of office buildings, highways and housing? I'm not advocating sprawl or whatever, but just renewed structures and infrastructure in general. Because, after coming from the New South, I gotta admit, it does leave something to be desired.

I do believe that if high speed rail was built across CT, it would help things a bit. Gentrification and "newness" also tends to attract and keep young talent, which is vital to the long term economic condition of a state.

I mean jeez. Whenever are they going to complete Route 11? Or I-384? Or any other unfinished highway for that matter? I guess the days of economic growth are over for CT.

I noticed two new building being constructed yesterday in East Hartford right along Rt. 2. I believe one is part of the Goodwin College expansion but the other one is being built closer to the Rt 2/91/84 interchange.

Hartford continues it's slow development program as well. The move of UConn's branch to the downtown will be a big positive. The connection of a state university to a business district is very positive. Connecticut has a lot to offer. The value of an educatated populace is important.

[Lincolnian]

East Hartford has many possibilities for gentrification. I would not be surprised to see some of the neighborhoods with small 4 room ranches razed and redeveloped during the next up cycle. Many of theses homes could be acquired for under $125,000.

[anon860]

Looking at Census figures and rental prices, it is clear that New Haven is gentrifying much more quickly than any other place in the State. For one thing, New Haven gained close to 3,000 younger adults in their mid-20s through early-40s in the last Census - every single other city and town in the State, including Stamford, lost them. If you look at married couples with children, New Haven is gaining them in great numbers whereas suburbs and other cities are losing them in large numbers, or at best, have seen no changes since 2000.

Jobs are another indicator. Recently, a number of companies have moved into New Haven from the suburbs. Connecticut, including Stamford, Hartford, FF County and other cities, lost huge numbers of jobs since 2008. The center area of New Haven was the only place that actually added jobs throughout the recession. It's not just in the job figures, it's also in the wage figures.

This should come as no surprise to those who follow cities, as the trend is identical in every other major city in the country - particularly other East Coast cities such as Boston, NYC, and Washington DC (the latter of which, once thought of as a poor city, is now adding residents and jobs faster than any other urban, suburban, or rural area in the entire United States). People want to live and businesses want to locate within walkable communities close to jobs and New Haven is pretty much the only place like that in the state.

I realize that these observations may contradict some of the "conventional wisdom" of the post-World-War-2-timey suburban contributors here, but these are the facts. The changes are showing up in all of the results reported by the urban school systems now too, if you adjust for family income on test scores, etc.

[elinyc]

Originally Posted by anon860

I realize that these observations may contradict some of the "conventional wisdom" of the post-World-War-2-timey suburban contributors here, but these are the facts. The changes are showing up in all of the results reported by the urban school systems now too, if you adjust for family income on test scores, etc.

I'm all for CT's cities (New Haven very much included) gentrifying, revitalizing, and becoming up to par with the great Northeast cities in CT's bordering states, but I think New Haven has a long way to go. I'm one of many, many, many people who treasure walkability and the other pluses of urban life, but New Haven's high crime rate and bad schools trump any kind of "lifestyle improvements" (walkability, for example) that the city might offer. This is a problem not only in New Haven but in many of CT's cities (Hartford, Bridgeport, Norwalk - I'm looking at you) and a real shame because these cities have the infrastructure to be vibrant, good cities that attract affluent people instead of scare affluent people away into the non-walkable CT suburbs. It's a sad state of affairs and I really hope that something can be done to improve CT's cities asap so that people who value the best of what city life can offer aren't forced to escape to NYC or Boston. Any ideas for how to propel the gentrification to a greater level? I would love it if there was some kind of government-level committee focused on these issues. Is there?

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Originally Posted by anon860

Looking at Census figures and rental prices, it is clear that New Haven is gentrifying much more quickly than any other place in the State. For one thing, New Haven gained close to 3,000 younger adults in their mid-20s through early-40s in the last Census - every single other city and town in the State, including Stamford, lost them. If you look at married couples with children, New Haven is gaining them in great numbers whereas suburbs and other cities are losing them in large numbers, or at best, have seen no changes since 2000.

Jobs are another indicator. Recently, a number of companies have moved into New Haven from the suburbs. Connecticut, including Stamford, Hartford, FF County and other cities, lost huge numbers of jobs since 2008. The center area of New Haven was the only place that actually added jobs throughout the recession. It's not just in the job figures, it's also in the wage figures.

This should come as no surprise to those who follow cities, as the trend is identical in every other major city in the country - particularly other East Coast cities such as Boston, NYC, and Washington DC (the latter of which, once thought of as a poor city, is now adding residents and jobs faster than any other urban, suburban, or rural area in the entire United States). People want to live and businesses want to locate within walkable communities close to jobs and New Haven is pretty much the only place like that in the state.

I realize that these observations may contradict some of the "conventional wisdom" of the post-World-War-2-timey suburban contributors here, but these are the facts. The changes are showing up in all of the results reported by the urban school systems now too, if you adjust for family income on test scores, etc.

Lots of disparities and misrepresentations here Anon, as well as a teeming with new urbanist bias. Particularly your closing comment "People want to live and businesses want to locate within walkable communities close to jobs".

Not sure if you saw this article, but the data is pretty indisputable. "Fairfield County’s population is growing more than 10 times faster than any other part of Connecticut due to a high birth rate and a rise in foreign-born immigrants, according to new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau."
Fairfield County Is Connecticut's Fastest-Growing Region | The Stamford Daily Voice

[elinyc]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

Fairfield County Is Connecticut's Fastest-Growing Region | The Stamford Daily Voice

I find the part about the rise in immigrant population interesting. Does anybody know of any data out there that shows the countries of origin of most of these new immigrants?

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Let's see if New Haven can hang onto the Gen Y/Millenials longer term. 20-30 somethings have long been attracted to the energy and social opportunities in urban cores. However, then they get married, have children and history repeats.

American cities fighting to keep Millennials from moving to suburbs.

[elinyc]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

Let's see if New Haven can hang onto the Gen Y/Millenials longer term. 20-40 somethings have long been attracted to the energy and social opportunities in urban cores. However, then they get married, have children and history repeats.

American cities fighting to keep Millennials from moving to suburbs.

20-40 somethings seems like a large group of people to lump together. Most people in their early 20s are single, interested in nightlife, and city fun. I would say that by early/mid 30s, people are generally married, with (or planning for) kids and that's when the shift takes place. I'm 30, married, and in the house market right now. I would LOVE to live in a city forever, but I have to be realistic about city concerns such as bad schools, etc. My point is that I think the shift happens a lot earlier than 40s, no?