City of Hartford's Development Services Increasing Pressure on Development

This week Hartford Courant's Cityline reported that two long stalled developments in the city are getting pressure to move forward or else the City's Development Services department will take action.

Over at 1161 Main Street more commonly known as the Butt Ugly Building the City made it public at a recent Redevelopment Agency meeting that they will be working to acquire the property and if they cannot come to an agreement with the owner they will use eminent domain to take the property. There is a 90 day time frame where the City will attempt to work on an agreement with the owner. According to City Records the owner is Edwards Development LLC of Miami Beach, Florida. The property includes the vacant building and a parking lot that is currently operational. There was talk last year that the city was working to knock down the building because it was a safety hazard. This never happened and the City announced at the Redevelopment Agency meeting that the building had scaffolding put on it and is currently safe.

At Plaza Mayor, a project that is on life support and has been for quite some time is getting a push from the City or else it will take action. Four years ago plans emerged for the 2 acre parcel at Park and Main Streets downtown to build luxury townhouses, retail space and a huge square like many cities in Europe have. However the recession has affected the developer's ability to secure financing and the City has written a letter to the developers giving them until October 1, 2009 to make significant progress or the City will consider terminating the agreement between the developer and the City. The developer Plaza Mayor LLC is made up of Carlos Lopez of the Solaris Group of Hartford and Damon Hemmerdinger of A&C Company, LLC of New York City.