The Committee to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood, Inc. (CSS/CON)
MONTHLY BOARD MEETING (Virtual, via Zoom)
CSS/CON DIRECTORS PRESENT:
Chris McArdle, CSS/CON President, Chair; Bernadine Silvers, Vice President; Donna Williams, Treasurer; Kate Pacelle, S/CO Resident; Anne Snyder, S/CO Resident; Jack Hale, Church of the Good Shepard; Kathy Shaw, COO, Mercy Housing; Donna Swarr, Colt Park Foundation; Emily Wolfe, Executive Director, Sheldon Oak; Cheryl Zeiner.
CSS/CON DIRECTORS NOT PRESENT:
Kevin Buckeridge; Mary Ramdeen; Kim Sinclair.
Sheldon/Charter Oak (S/CO) Residents, and others present: Karen Brown, S/CO Resident, President, Dutch Point Homeowners Association; Kyle Krupa, S/CO Resident; Cassandra Rossiter, S/CO Resident; Andras Briga, Hartford Marathon Foundation; Alexander Castro, COH Department of Development Services (DDS); Mary Falvey, Hartford Preservation Alliance; Kim Gauthier, Administrative Assistant Hartford NEXT; Marion Griffin, Chair, Hartford NEXT; Mike Reynolds, HPD; Capt. Jose Rivera, HFD; Tiana Starks, COH Office of Community Engagement; Grace Yi, COH DDS.
The March 2023 meeting was called to order by Chris McAdle at 5:30 PM;
Roll call was taken, a quorum was present;
Meeting minutes for the January 2023 were accepted without edits.
Annoucements
Andras Briga, Operations Manager, Hartford Marathon Foundation – O’Hartford 5K
- Andras displayed route for the O’Hartford 5K and recited the route. Andras showed the times for the race and street closures. No one had questions about the race or route.
Presentations
Larry Dooley, CG Management Company – Colt Gateway Update
- Slide presentation accompanied Larry’s remarks about the Gateway project.
- Remedial action plan is complete: new sidewalks, pavers, historic lights. However, no improvement has been made to the street which is full of potholes. Nothing has been done on the opposite side of the street either.
- Working on stewardship program with DEET and testing of ground waters wherever there was digging.
- Building completion timeline: North Armory-2020; South Armory-2015; East Armory-2016; U-shaped Building-2014; CREC-2014; L-shaped-2014.
- Colt Gateway is 600,000 square feet with 10 buildings on the campus: South Armory, East Armory, Sawtooth, L-shaped, U-shaped, gym, connector, Boiler House, North Armory, and forge and foundry.
- The project received tax breaks from the city for all buildings except the brownstones. Tax breaks were vital to the project and enabled it to happen.
- CG would like to donate the brownstones to the National Park Service but talks are on-going. They are seeking the right compromise for control/ownership of the building. There is also an issue regarding the easement of the dome.
- The slides included historic pictures of the Colt Building, Coltsville National Historic Park, etc.
- Current commercial tenants in the South Armory include Hooker Brewery, Foley, and CREC.
- Commercial tenants in the East Armory are U.S. Senator Murphy’s office, JCJ Architects; Sawtooth: Insurity and CREC; L-shaped building Tecton Architects and Maier Design. There is a possibility of adding a gym to the East Armory.
- The brownstones are in very bad shape; Colt’s Forge and Foundry Buildings were donated to National Park Service.
- Question: Are there plans to deal with the roads?
- Larry Dooley: Funds have been extended on the East Armory side, but I don’t believe there are funds to redo the road. Public Works may have additional funds to repave but it is not part of the street scape plan.
Emily Wolfe, Sheldon Oaks – MLK Complex Redevelopment Update
- The slide presentation included a map of the Sheldon Oak is a non-profit with properties around the neighborhood. The specific focus of the presentation was the MLK Apartments.
- The original MLK Apartments dates from the late 1960’s. It is being replaced by a new 155-unit development that will include townhouse style buildings and a three story elevator building. Handicapped accessible units will be located in the elevator building. The development is designed to attract residents of a mix of incomes, with 55% of the units designated affordable. The mix will include 69 market rate unrestricted units, and 38 Section 8-subsidized units.
- The property is completely vacant now. The residents were relocated, anyone in good standing will be invited to return.
- The project has zoning and planing permits, awaiting demolition permits. Funding commitments are secured and the projected timeline for closing is mid to late summer 2023 with a projected completion date in early 2025.
- Question (Donna Williams): Before and during construction, can someone come to the property periodically to clean up trash that is being dumped in the vacant building and on the lot?
o Emily Wolfe: There is fencing around the property, but we will address the dumping issue. If anyone has questions, please contact Emily at ewolfe@sheldonoak.org
Grace Yi, City of Hartford Department of Development Services – Barnard Park (South Green)
- The South Green-Barnard Park is Park and Main Street area and to Charter Oak. Grace showed a rendering of the plans for residential, commercial, government/municipal, and corporate buildings along the corridor.
- Grace gave a brief history of South Green-Barnard Park which was once pasture area and then used as a military holding area. There is a historic fence on the west side of the park, potentially from 1860 or 1870 but it is in disrepair. The new fencing around the park will be selected to maintain the park’s historic look.
- The city’s development plans include the creation of a dog park. A study showed 33% of people want dog parks for their dogs. Similar sized cities have four dog parks but Hartford has none. [Grace showed photos of the current park, signage, and the potential location for the park.]
- The city is refreshing and reimagining the Main Street design plan. A variety of people have given input and the city is trying to complete the construction design. Phase One will go from Charter Oak Avenue to Wyllys Street, Phase Two will go from Charter Oak Avenue to Pearl Street and the final phase will go all the way to Asylum Street.
- Main Street needs new paving and as soon as it warms up and the weather improves there is a plan to give the streets a facelift. In addition, striping will be done to freshen up the area and will include handicap signs, bike lanes and parking areas.
- Question (Marion Griffin): In all the studies for Barnard Park is there a sense of the density of the population who would use the dog park versus residents who would not? Has there been a study about dog owners versus people who do not have dogs?
o Grace Yi: I don’t have resident versus outside resident usage information. There are multiple residential areas with concentrations of people. I will check the numbers about dog ownership. For additional questions, please contact me at safestreets@hartford.gov or call 860-757-9222.
- Question (Bernadine Silvers): Will the fire station on the west side of Main Street still be able to get in and out easily? I want to make sure people in the neighborhood are being considered.
o Grace Yi: The city is working with the fire department to keep them in the loop and will adjust the plans as needed. Anyone with additional questions, information is in the chat. Grace Yi, safestreets@hartford.gov, 860-757-9222.
City Representatives’ Reports
CSO Anthony Guadino, Hartford Police Department
- A number of catalytic converters were stolen in the Brainard/Murphy Road area. The police are adding patrols in parking lots to discourage the theft and urge residents to have greater awareness.
- Special narcotics operation resulted in six arrests, seizure of drugs and money in 25 Wethersfield. The six individuals arrested on drug charges, drug operation drugs, and money from the sale of drugs.
- Police watching 25 Stonington because of drug activity
Captain Jose Rivera, Hartford Fire Department
- Heading into warmer weather the fire department is focusing on renter’s insurance and spring cleaning.
- In February there were 64 incidents in Sheldon-Charter Oak including 38 medical calls, 0 rescues, 0 hazard materials, 9 service calls, and 2 fires out of 37 citywide.
- On Holcomb Street, the fire was started when candles were left lit. Ten people were displaced. Tips from the fire department are don’t go to sleep with lit candles, do not put candles in the bathroom, bedroom, or sleeping areas. Blow candles out when you leave a room or go to bed at night.
- There was an explosion at the intersection of Farmington and Laurel Streets. It was an underground explosion that Eversource is investigating.
- A garage fire started when a person smoking put his cigarette on an air compressor and it caught fire. Please extinguish smoking materials properly.
- A house on Broad Street had a basement fire when wires touched during a renovation work.
Tiana Starks, City of Hartford Office of Community Engagement
- Eleven 311 calls to request mainly public works, electrical, plumbing, and parking
- Opportunity for low income housing for seniors, the age to qualify has been lowered to 55 years old. Go to https://hhawl.org for pre-application and how to apply.
- Elderly Tax Relief – for seniors and the disabled https://www.hartfordct.gov/Government/Departments/Assessor/Tax-Relief-and-Exemption-Programs#section-2. Application deadline is May 15.
- United Way Basketball Tournament between DCF Recreation Division and the HPD at Weaver High School, March 18th at 12:30 pm.
- Question (Donna Williams): What is the income limit for the tax relief?
- Kim Alexander: The age is 65 and older, the income limits for the program are $40,300 for single person, $49,000 for married couples. Homeowners program for 1 to 4 family homes, the qualifying income limits are $55,000 single and $71,000 for married couples.
Alexander Castro, City of Hartford Department of Development Services
- The second Brainard Airport Property Study is coming on April 13th. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hartford-brainard-airport-property-study-tickets-554124319757
- New [Accell] system is up and running; ransfers from the previous system are going well so far. The applications for first review are due in 2-3 weeks because of technical issues and staffing issues.
- For general questions go to oneplan@hartford.gov.
- There is also information about homes in the historic districts as well.
Announcements
Marion Griffin, Hartford NEXT
- Introduced Kim Gauthier, who has been hired using City provided grant money to provide Administrative support to Hartford NEXT and the NRZ organizations
- Hartford Next is sponsoring a workshop about community engagement and community outreach on April 22, 2023 at the Lyceum on Morris Street. Lunch will be served and the speaker will be Roosevelt Smith.
o Hartford Next would like each NRZ to send a team of 2 or 3 people. Please send a team from CSSCON so each will come away with short and long-term plans.
Closing remarks and discussion
- Question (Jack Hale): Is there going to be an opportunity for CSSCON to weigh in on the plan or is it a done deal? Are you looking for the organization to respond?
o Grace Yi: I’ve just begun meeting with NRZs. The purpose of these meetings to is to get feedback to get the plan done.
o Chris McArdle: We need to set up more time to talk about the dog park issue. Grace will be invited back.
Motion to Adjourn by Cheryl Zeiner, second by Donna Williams Meeting adjourned at 7:06 pm
Respectfully Submitted,
Kim Gauthier, Administrative Assistant