For the past one-and-a-half years the City of Hartford has worked to bring zoning codes into the 21^st Century.  The concept known as form-based code recognizes that decades old zoning codes do little to reflect and promote urban development now required to sustain cities such as ours in attracting new residents.  Although a little stuffy, the Wikipedia definition works well to introduce what can be accomplished in adopting a new code in Hartford:

A Form-Based Code (FBC) is a means of regulating land development to achieve a specific urban form. Form-Based Codes foster predictable built results and a high-quality public realm by using physical form (rather than separation of uses) as the organizing principle, with a lesser focus on land use, through municipal regulations. A FBC is a regulation, not a mere guideline, adopted into city, town or county law and offers a powerful alternative to conventional zoning regulation.  (1)

 

Form-Based Codes are a new response to the modern challenges of urban sprawl, deterioration of historic neighborhoods, and neglect of pedestrian safety in new development. Tradition has declined as a guide to development patterns, and the widespread adoption by cities of single-use zoning regulations has discouraged compact, walkable urbanism. Form-Based codes are a tool to address these deficiencies, and to provide local governments the regulatory means to achieve development objectives with greater certainty.

In other words, the new code becomes a tool of supporting and sustaining the look and feel of a neighborhood or community.  Current the code is based on use without giving form to the impact, typically negative, which may be felt in new construction.  The form-based code is a powerful tool for historic preservation.  Hartford with an inventory of greater than 5,300 historic register listed buildings – and many, many more that are historic but not listed – can benefit tremendously through a code which considers a building’s form rather than its use.  The final draft of the proposed new code can be found on our website:  Yes it is 260 some pages long but if you take a moment to review the document you will find it quite readable and easy to reference.

The Preservation Alliance welcomes the new code as a profound public tool in preservation of the fabric of Hartford.  We talk often of the importance of the history found here and Hartford’s story lies in the bones of its buildings.  A new code brings direct help in preserving what is important to the City.

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Guest blogger Jake Fusco is graduate student in Geography at Central Connecticut State University. He recently completed an internship with the Hartford Preservation Alliance working on the Farmington Avenue Cultural Corridor initiative. 

I could start this piece with a quote from a famous historic preservationist or author and what that quote means to me. However, that’s not how I got here. I found my way as an intern for an historical preservation non-profit through my education in Geography. I have found that during my time studying the science of Geography that just defining the term Geography has been half the battle. “So what do you do? You memorize capitals?” or “So you’re really good with directions?” are both popular questions and responses I typically hear when I let someone know this is the discipline I study. Of course I’d like to think that the answer to both questions is yes but there is much more to the world of Geography (pun intended).

Which brings me to Hartford, Asylum Hill and Farmington Avenue.  While the Stowe and Twain houses remain well preserved symbols of the history of Farmington Avenue we need not forget many others.

On my first day of class in Urban Geography as a first-year graduate student at CCSU I was told that Urban Geography is so great because whatever city you’re in or closest to is your laboratory of study. With that, I chose Hartford to be my laboratory which eventually placed me as an intern with the Hartford Preservation Alliance. I first met with HPA over the summer of 2015 after stumbling across their Facebook page.  Although my knowledge about architecture or historic preservation was nearly absent I was eager to be a part of the protection and revitalization of Connecticut’s capital, although I’ve never lived in, I’ve always had a soft spot for despite its perceived problems.

Aetna Diner “The Comet” reprint vintage postcard date unknown

Prior to our first meeting I received information about HPA’s ongoing grant-assisted project to revitalize six-blocks on Farmington Avenue between Woodland and Sigourney Streets. The afternoon before my first meeting I circled the area several times to acquaint myself with my new laboratory. What I found was actually a sense of relief, relief that there are genuine efforts in this city to protect the authentic character and culture of Hartford especially in the areas that need it most. The front page so to speak of this area and this ongoing project has been The Comet, a 1950’s era diner that reads “Dishes” across the front banner that has been vacant since 2000. This one building has served as a visible symbol of the fabric of Farmington Avenue yet as well a symbol of my learning experience of the process of urban revitalization.

This block on the Southside of Farmington Avenue contains no only The Comet but five additional vacant, abandoned historic properties. These blighted properties became my focus and as a member of the team I have assisted in the research to effect appropriate changes which should happen to this block. Six months ago my own logic would tell me that any vacant building should just be demolished. Tear it down and start over. New is always better for a city. The advantage that working at a historic preservation organization has given me is to look at aged buildings as assets to a community and to the authenticity of a neighborhood. In my research we have followed through with the concept of building on the body of knowledge. To put it a different way, to think about what can be done on Farmington Avenue we have learned by example by looking at similar projects everywhere from other cities in Connecticut to New York, New Jersey, Indiana and even Australia as well.

Even though The Comet to this day remains vacant you still look at it and get the impression that this is a place that is different. A CVS can be found anywhere but its not everywhere that you find a uniquely designed building which has served a s symbol of a city since before the moon landing. With that I now proudly claim myself as a preservationist.  So then, my newly-found response to “So what do you do? You memorize capitals? Or “You’re really good with directions?” is “Yes, but what I’m really passionate about is protecting and revitalizing the character of Hartford’s historic places, that kind of Geography.”

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The Preservation Alliance is most fortunate to have a true friend and partner in the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.  Over the past number of years we have benefited from grants for board development, strategic planning, and improve technology improvements.  Yours truly was recruited through a grant which hired Third Sector New England  to execute a leadership transition.

Yesterday I attended a seminar which reported on the state of the nonprofit sector in New England.  Earlier this year nonprofits throughout New England were asked to participate in a survey, – we were one such organization – and the results and findings were presented in this forum. There were some surprises, some “we knew that to be the case” and a really great set of conclusive challenges.  In a word  –  sustainability.

Meeting a challenge to work toward an organization’s ongoing future seems to be obvious, we want to carry on the mission. To be ongoing is the basis upon which the organization was founded.  However yesterday we explored definitions of activities in which we need to be engaged to meet that challenge of the organization’s future.  An example:  59% of leaders (executive directors) are over 55.  In the Hartford area that is 6% higher than New England overall.  Leadership of nonprofits in Hartford is aging.  How to create a succession plan one which addresses an effective transition becomes a topic, one of many which needs a robust discussion. 64% of leaders plan to leave in the next five years.  Marry this with the fact that 56% of nonprofits have budgets under $1 million, 51% have five or fewer staff.  There is little financial room to recruit, encourage and retain the next leader. We all share the anxiety of administrative cash flow. Operating capital is mostly what occupies our daily activities.  Unfortunately this then puts pressure on the staff to do more with less.

All thought-provoking points and fortunately the forum yesterday gave us the opportunity to reflect on challenges which nonprofits face.  Simply talking among those at my table allowed an opportunity to vent. All of us found that our worries are not singular.  Table discussions allowed us to share our common concerns and frustrations.  Yet we talked of building “leaderful” organizations through an evolutionary philosophy of sustainability.  In its many forms sustaining an organization is a far more strategic engagement than just a single dimension in planning for succession.  I have come away with a goal (one of many….) to explore how to invest in a sustainability plan for the Preservation Alliance.  Most fortunately our strategic plan has already created a map of milestones which should broaden our operating base and help to pave the way toward a more stable future.

So, as Buzz Lightyear of “Toy Story” exhorts:  “To infinity and beyond”.

Of late I have reported about the effort to create a Comprehensive Community Action Plan for a six-block stretch of Farmington Avenue between Sigourney and Woodland Streets. A situational analysis was presented September 21 to a diverse and dedicated group.  We asked that people interested in creating of action steps, a timeline and key goals would gather as a task force.  Happy to say that the first meeting was held yesterday at the Hartford Preservation Alliance.

The promise to those participating is a crisp set of meetings, one hour in length. Utilizing the Framework For Action as a road map, we plan to present research articles, information and other material to inform a discussion on what are to be the established priorities.  Throughout the conversations our number one priority will be to develop a capacity to carry on with the work.  In Indianapolis, where I have participated in profound community economic development, these activities typically fall to community development corporations.  These geographically specific organizations wake each day with community as the focus.  Due to the exceptional historic fabric of Farmington Avenue the Preservation Alliance will accept the responsibility to move the action plan forward.

We presented two items to provoke discussion. First was The Harwood Study, underwritten by The Hartford in 2013.  This study helps to outline what can and should be done to improve the Hill, along with understanding the perceptions and realities facing Asylum Hill.

Secondly, our CCSU intern Jake Fusco gave a presentation about the Greenbridge Project, a program initiated by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden that offers a fairly simple solution to “softening” an urban streetscape with vegetables, plants and flowers.  And as hoped, those gathered had questions and comments immediately (ex. if planning to green up the area, it requires a structured community commitment to the project by engaged building owners and residents).

As had been anticipated, yesterday’s gathering was lively.  It is exciting to get creative, thoughtful people together in a room and let the conversation unfold.

Going forward we will continue to broadcast our progress and the steps being taken in creating and executing an action plan for this section of Farmington Avenue.  Regular updates will be made to the FarmAve section of our website.  And we encourage you to sign up for our blog notifications below.

We always welcome your advice, comments and suggestions. Collaborating with the greatest number of people possible can only benefit this city that we live, work, play and worship in.
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