In memory of Frank Lord

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of a SoDo NRZ founding member and past president, Frank Lord. While he had bicycled many miles throughout Europe, Canada, and Southeast Asia, he always came back to his adopted home of Hartford, where he was one of our city's biggest supporters. He championed our neighborhood as well as numerous non-profit organizations and the arts. If you wanted to discuss something with Frank, you had better be ready to do so over coffee or a glass of wine at a downtown spot. Our condolences and deepest sympathies to his wife of 37 years, Suzanne Hopgood.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Bushnell Park Foundation, The Mark Twain House & Museum, or Hands on Hartford.

No May Meeting

There will be no May meeting of the SoDo NRZ. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy. If you or a neighbor need any kind of assistance, please reach out to us and we will try to direct you to some resources. Additionally, the One Hartford email newsletter has lots of great resources for all City residents.

March Neighborhood Updates and Meeting

Spring blooms on Buckingham Street.

Well, March started with a bang! Our 9th Annual Progressive Dinner (check out some photos here) was sold out, and the wonderful locations for the opening and dessert receptions were surpassed only by our gracious hosts who opened their homes and generously fed everyone. Sadly, a week later we've had a devastating fire just a block from our neighborhood, with one fatality, one firefighter and multiple residents injured, and dozens of families displaced for the foreseeable future. If you'd like to do something to help, consider donating to the toiletry drive highlighted below, or giving to the Red Cross. And kudos to our amazing Hartford Fire Department, who -- just days before such a busy fire weekend -- had earned International Accreditation, the first fire department in New England to do so. And finally, the disappointing news that this year's Greater Hartford St Patrick's Day Parade, which marches through a good portion of our neighborhood, is canceled this year due to Coronovirus concerns. See below for more info on the City's pandemic preparedness.
 

Barring a city-wide quarantine, or our host, South Church, abstaining from public meetings as a precaution, the next meeting for the 2019-20 year for the South Downtown NRZ is Wednesday, March 18, at 6 pm at South Church (enter on John Street.)

Our meetings typically include reports from Hartford NEXT, Community Garden, and the Outreach and Social Committees, reports on fire and police activity in the neighborhood, and updates from various City offices such as Community Engagement, Planning & Development Services, and Sustainability. We occasionally have special guests who share information relevant to quality of life in the city or the neighborhood. Presenters at the March meeting will include Kenny Beardsley on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. We will also discuss potential SoDo entries in the City's Love Your Block program.

If you are a SoDo resident, property owner or business owner and would like to get involved in the NRZ, please come to any of our meetings. If you are not sure if your home or business lies within the NRZ boundaries, please check out this map. If you have questions, email SoDoNRZ@gmail.com.

February Update and Meeting

The next meeting for the 2019-20 year for the South Downtown NRZ is Wednesday, February 19, at 6 pm at South Church (enter on John Street.)

Our meetings typically include reports from Hartford NEXT, Community Garden, and the Outreach and Social Committees, reports on fire and police activity in the neighborhood, and updates from various City offices such as Community Engagement, Planning & Development Services, and Sustainability. We occasionally have special guests who share information relevant to quality of life in the city or the neighborhood. Presenters at the February meeting will include Grace Yi and Madeleine Hykes, on the City’s Energy Challenge and Year 2 of the Love Your Block Grant Program, and Kenny Beardsley on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program.

If you are a SoDo resident, property owner or business owner and would like to get involved in the NRZ, please come to any of our meetings. If you are not sure if your home or business lies within the NRZ boundaries, please check out this map. If you have questions, email SoDoNRZ@gmail.com.

2020 Progressive Dinner Tickets ON SALE NOW!

Don't miss one of Downtown Hartford's most fun events! The Downtown Progressive Dinner, Sponsored by SoDo brings together a jovial group of Downtown Hartford neighbors for food and drink and to foster active community participation. Hosts and Attendees will meet at a cool Downtown location for mingling, wine, and appetizers and get their dinner location assignment. After dining at their hosts' neighborhood homes, everyone will regroup at another local spot for dessert and more catching up. At past events, many said they were reluctant to leave their respective dinner parties, as they were having such a good time!

We hope you'll join us Saturday, February 29, 2020, for a wonderful, walkable evening of conversation, food, drink, and community with your fellow Downtown neighbors. Sign up in advance as a Host or Attendee (no tickets will be sold at the door) to attend, or if you have questions, send us an email at sodonrz@gmail.com.

A portion of the proceeds from the Progressive Dinner goes towards programs and neighborhood enhancements supported throughout the year by the SoDo NRZ. Click here for more information about the NRZ and its mission.

Progressive Dinner Hosts Wanted!

photo by Bill Morgan

Do you love hosting dinner parties and want to meet more neighbors? Now in its ninth year, the Downtown Hartford Progressive Dinner, Sponsored by the SoDo NRZ, is an annual event that brings SoDo members and residents of Charter Oak and Downtown Hartford together to celebrate urban living, the walkability of our city, and neighborly camaraderie over good food and wine. This year's event is February 29 and Attendee ticket sales open January 29. Sign up here to Host.

January Neighborhood News

The next meeting for the 2019-20 year for the South Downtown NRZ is this coming Wednesday, January 15, at 6 pm at South Church (enter on John Street.)

Our meetings typically include reports from Hartford NEXT, Community Garden, and the Outreach and Social Committees, reports on fire and police activity in the neighborhood, and updates from various City offices such as Community Engagement, Planning & Development Services, and Sustainability. We occasionally have special guests who share information relevant to quality of life in the city or the neighborhood.

Interested in joining the NRZ Board? If you are a SoDo resident, property owner or business owner and would like to get involved in the NRZ, please email SoDoNRZ@gmail.com. If you are not sure if your home or business lies within the NRZ boundaries, please check out this map.