Last week I had an interesting chat with city council members RJo Winch and Ken Kennedy and business owner Ron Morneault after we taped “Face the State.” We all agreed the city needs to a better job of marketing itself, especially when it comes to tourism.
The state has given the city a huge gift: Adriaen’s Landing. The Convention Center, the Science Center, and the Marriott Hotel bring thousands of visitors to downtown Hartford. Front Street will bring more. It is time for the city to do more to enhance Hartford as a tourist destination.
Our capital city is just as old as Boston and Providence yet you don’t hear people talking about going to Hartford to see the historic sites, which we do have: the Old State House, Mark Twain House, and the list goes on.
RJo, Ken, Ron and I talked about some easy improvements the city could make now that wouldn’t cost too much money.
1. Cobblestone streets. We’re like the only the colonial city that doesn’t have any. Actually, we do…they are just buried under asphalt. Pratt Street, Trinity Street, Lewis Street, and Allyn Street would be perfect places to have them. They are scenic, add a heck of lot of character, and slow down traffic.
2. Open Tourist Attractions on Sundays. The Old State House needs to be open on Sundays. If staffing is an issue, then close on Mondays or Tuesdays. I’ve seen tourists posing for pictures in front of the closed building on Sundays. They like the colonial architecture they don’t get back home in Ohio and the wrought iron fence makes for a great backdrop. The Old State House is right near the Convention Center, which has conventions and shows on Sundays, and the Science Center, also open on Sundays. The Old State House in Boston is open on Sundays. Case closed. There is no good argument for remaining closed on a family day.
3. Eliminate the ban on 3:30PM – 6PM at the parking meters. This is one of the biggest complaints I get from people. Virtually no meter parking downtown during those hours. I’m told the purpose behind the ban is to make the streets wider for traffic during rush hour so people can get out of the city faster. I know so many people who won’t come downtown for a drink after work or an early dinner because of this reason. They believe there is some plot to by the city to coerce people into going into a lot to pay $7. to park….for an hour. Merchants hate this meter policy, and with many empty storefronts downtown, if merchants want it changed, the city should do it…immediately.
Any other ideas?
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Dennis House blog 
I agree with everything you came up with. What about a tour around the sites? The ‘old’ houses in which have the years built in front of them. Hartford, West Hartford, Windsor, have such beautiful areas. Elizabeth Park is so beautiful when the flowers bloom. In the winter I remember when I used to go skating there. If people go walking around Bushnell Park, they get to see the Statues, the Carousel. I wish that Mr. Peanut was still downtown.
I know how I always come down about how much Hartford has changed since I was a kid. It happens with everything. Even I have changed. I even when I’m tired, will have a bit of a New York accent for the over 30 years. Yet, I have always said that Connecticut is my home, New York was just a Huge stop over.
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Another idea – do not build new attractions downtown with their own parking garage and freeway exit! My son and I enjoy the CT Science Center, but unlike many suburbanites, we had previously spent time downtown before it was built. So, we know some restaurant that we often go to before/after visiting the museum. But most people can get off the freeway, park in the structure, spend the day in the Science Center, and head home without ever setting a foot on a downtown sidewalk! Yes, it is “convenient” for suburbanites, but it does not bring them into the actual downtown.
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Dennis, will you be part of an event called Community Building in Hartford, where we bring together folks for a day to come up with ideas that will build community in Hartford within certain criteria, such as not complicated, inexpensive, brings together groups of people, involves youth, etc.?
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Carl, when is it?
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Send me the details
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I’m still trying to figure out why there are so many apartments being built downtown and there are no grocery stores? Does anyone know what is going to be at Front Street? Seems, you would need a hefty paycheck to even live downtown let alone try to get people to actually spend time there. 25-30 years ago, there was Sage Allen, G. Fox, The Civic Center that was full of stores. It makes me sad to think all that history is gone to be replaced by buildings that aren’t even filled waiting for some promised surge of people that would come downtown. Not everyone can afford to go to the Science Center so those of us just look at it from afar and find inexpensive ways to entertain ourselves while we are downtown.
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Valerie,
1. A grocery store would be nice, but you can buy all the staples are various stores downtown. When Kara and I lived downtown we used Peapod, and actually we still do on occasion!
2. Some of the rents are actually more expensive in some of the surrounding suburbs.
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