Last Thursday evening I attended one of Mayor Luke Bronin’s Town Hall Meetings. The topic which is of keen interest to me was Public Safety. It is impossible to convey just how excited I am to have a mayor with Luke’s vision, capability, intelligence and vigor (love the Kennedy-esque term because it fits!). My great concern for this meeting is the total misconception of personal safety in Hartford.

For decades in mentioning that I live here I am greeted with shock and surprise that I am somehow vulnerable to rampant crime and bodily harm. Just this past weekend I was at a dinner where someone who does not nor has ever lived in Hartford explained to the table that Hartford teems with crime. I politely pointed out that his opinion was one of perception based in absolutely no reality.

The Mayor was candid about the pressing financial burdens which the city will shoulder for the near future. He acknowledged that the police force is not staffed to the level which would be advisable. However, we surely benefit from the great management of Chiefs Ravella and Freeman of the Police and Fire Departments, respectively. These leaders are doing a fine job of keeping us safe. We are an urban center so there will be crime yet the statistics do not bear out any form of reality that we exist on mean streets.

Rather than carry on I want to pin a blog to this post written by Kevin Brookman. His blog “We The People” has become for me the must-read for what is happening in Hartford. Please take a look at his blog representing the town hall meeting regarding Public Safety:

Perception, regardless of how false, is something we here live with. As Mayor Bronin asked, it is incumbent on all of us to push back and talk about the reality of safety in our city. Just as I did at dinner. I politely asked my fellow guest to prove his words or simply stop bashing Hartford. He fell silent.

On Sunday, February 14, Valentine’s Day we announced a list of what we believe are the Ten Most Endangered historic properties in Hartford. Not to our surprise with the media attention of our HARTBomb event, the Preservation Alliance heard from people with truly interesting stories to tell about properties with which they are connected. One such email came from Jim Newton who grew up in the house located at 16 Harvard Street. 

We were delighted to see 16 Harvard St. on the Hartford Endangered Property list. My parents Flora and Bob Newton bought the house in 1964 and moved to Simsbury in the late 1970’s.Bob Newton was a Chief in the Hartford Fire Department and a descendent of Thomas Hooker.

The house was moved from the Batchelor School property to Harvard St. The house was remodeled in the early 1960’s and the original handrail and balusters were removed much to the dismay of the neighbors the Flamio’s. During the renovation there was a fire caused by a spark from the plumber that went up the balloon framed walls to the attic and scorched the original timbers. There is still evidence of the fire today. Bob had a woodworking shop in the basement and made many pieces of furniture there. We have been observing the property and feel sad that the house looks empty and that someone removed the two front ceiling to floor windows. The front attic had the original lead glass window, we don’t know if it is still there. It will be wonderful to see the house preserved and hopefully restored.

Jim and Mary Ann Newton

We are really pleased that attention has been focused on historic buildings which live throughout the City. Often we drive by without paying any attention to the historic significance of the properties or their important contribution to the historic fabric we cherish about Hartford. Our work is not only to draw attention to these properties but provide technical assistance to advise and guide realistic strategies of restoration and renovation. Our office welcomes inquiries and we are available to anyone. Please consider exploring our website and definitely like us on Facebook. We want to help because we believe that Historic Preservation Matters!

(map courtesy Frog Hollow NRZ)

Frog Hollow Neighborhood where I lived for 15 years is alive and thrives when viewed through the lens of the Neighborhood Revitalization Zone. Many good things are happening all of which involve preservation and restoration of historic buildings. Yet the buildings are a physical reminder of the vigilant community effort to make the community one in which to live and work. 390 Capitol Avenue is under construction and will bring in excess of 100 new apartments to Frog Hollow. Billings Forge is undergoing an $8 million renovation to update and improve the residence long associated with stability in the neighborhood. Although still a struggle after many years, the library is dedicated to creating a new Frog Hollow Branch along Park Street (adaptive reuse of the historic Lyric Theater remains the pivotal argument) which will bring vitality to the boisterous neighborhood. Plans are in motion for an improvement to the Zion Hill Cemetery.

Positive community activity does not simply happen in a vacuum witnessed by the vigorous agenda of the Frog Hollow Neighborhood Revitalization Zone. For many years the NRZ has initiated and fought for positive change. It has remained the organization whose voice matters when the City determines action steps, investment and direction. Under the leadership of New chair Aaron Gill, the organization is alive and well. Consideration has been given to five key priorities, strategies to continue the focus on curing neighborhood challenges. Witness to a monthly meeting assures this writer that dedication and the willingness to volunteer is alive and will ultimately cause positive change. Neighborhood problem properties (including the future of the Lyric), youth engagement, community outreach around the City plans for the future, employment and public transportation (particularly circulation around the several neighborhood schools) are the strategic activities adopted last evening. Far more encouraging were several new residents who came to add their voices and their willingness to participate in the work to be accomplished. There were no lack of volunteers to execute committee work on behalf of the identified priorities.

Hartford is well-represented by active and robust organizations such as Frog Hollow. This neighborhood organization embodies all the best qualities envisioned when the Connecticut Legislature created these urban Neighborhood Revitalization Zones (NRZ) in Hartford. Some have been effective; others have struggled to gain their identity. It is all too apparent that Frog Hollow has gotten it right for many years. Again, as the baton has been passed along, it remains as a shining example of a community taking care of itself. Bringing together people to address problems and opportunities is exactly what our new Mayor, Luke Bronin, has committed his administration to – to sustain and support as the work horse through which we all will witness a better city.

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