And just like that, it’s November and Thanksgiving are on our doorstep… which means Winterfest Hartford is also on our doorstep (literally and figuratively). The SoDo NRZ is proud to support Winterfest with a $100 donation to their annual fund drive. The event costs upwards of $300k for five weeks of FREE skating, skate rentals, and lessons. Please consider donating so that more Hartford children (and adults) can enjoy skating in our beautiful Bushnell Park. Any donation amount is welcome. Looking for something less outdoorsy? Visit the “Things To Do” page of our website, or the Hartford.com website.
Earlier this month, the Hartford Business Journal reported that the city was contemplating a purchase of the former Roots dispensary building on the corner of Main and Buckingham, with an eye toward “a creative adaptive reuse project laying the foundation for future development.” The next step was a public hearing with Planning & Zoning scheduled for Monday, November 17. The hearing was canceled due to lack of referrals (which usually means not enough required agency or interdepartmental review comments were received by P&Z). We have asked our assigned city reps from the Department of Development Services to share more information and potential next steps at this week’s SoDo meeting. It would be great to see this vacant building given a facelift and returned to productive use. As a reminder, our website includes a four-year backlog of links to news articles about development, traffic safety, and housing in our neighborhood.
Our next SoDo meeting of the 2025-26 year will be, Wednesday, November 19 at 6:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church of Hartford, 136 Capitol Avenue (enter through the small building to the right of the main church), or join us via Zoom. In addition to the building news mentioned above, discussion topics will include the usual reports from HPD, HFD, and other city departments and a potential SoDo Hartford Decide$ submission. Check this month's newsletter for links to join the Meeting or download the Agenda and Minutes from the last meeting as well as more neighborhood news, photos, and two surveys.
