SoDo NRZ = South Downtown Neighborhood Revitalization Zone
Neighborhood Revitalization Zones were created by the Connecticut Legislature in 1995 (Public Act 95-340) to revitalize neighborhoods through the collaborative involvement of residents, businesses, non-profits and government to determine the vision and priorities of the individual neighborhoods.
Few cities have a neighborhood with the State Capitol at one end, and the City Hall at the other, a beautiful city park - one of the country's oldest - an art museum, and a renowned performing arts center. Hartford's South Downtown ("SoDo") neighborhood contains all of these, as well as housing ranging from modern high-rises to modest multi-family houses, with Victorian brownstones in between. The area also includes some interesting neighbors: The State of Connecticut is the largest land owner and a major employer. The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts is one of the city's premier arts institutions, and it's right here in South Downtown. The neighborhood feels fortunate to have the Center as a neighbor and recognizes the importance of working together with it on our mutual goals.
The last key participants in the neighborhood are the residents and other stakeholders, who are actively involved in shaping a vision for the future of South Downtown. While the population is comparatively less than most of the other neighborhoods in Hartford, there may be a larger percentage of participants in the NRZ process in this neighborhood.
Membership
To be considered a Member of an NRZ, an individual must- own property OR
- own a business OR
- be a residential tenant of a property OR
- be a representative of a social service/non-profit
within the physical boundaries of the NRZ (see map below for the boundaries of the SoDo NRZ).
The SoDo NRZ meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, with a hiatus in July and August. As of October 2022, we are meeting at First Presbyterian Church, 136 Capitol Avenue (enter through the small white building to the right of the church). Email us for more information.
Vision
- create a vibrant, interesting neighborhood to live, work, shop and recreate
- make more of a 19-hour/day neighborhood rather than just 9 to 5
Primary Goals
- balance the neighborhood's needs with their neighbors'
- attract more businesses
- offer more choices for housing and work space
- create safer streets and parking areas
- make streets and public space more attractive
- offer transportation options to residents & downtown employees
Strategy
- use new development to heal problem areas
- build upon neighborhood assets: proximity to downtown, cultural institutions, historic fabric
- encourage small incremental development instead of mammoth projects
- build flexibility into new development: if building uses change over time, they can be easily adapted
- improve the quality of the street for the pedestrian
- reconnect neighborhood to downtown and adjacent neighborhoods
Location
SoDo runs on the West side of Main Street from Gold Street, south to the northern property line of the parcels on the north side of Park Street, west to Washington and Trinity Streets and along the south (Elm Street) and East (Pulaski Circle and Wells Street) sides of Bushnell Park. That description is easier if you are looking at a map (enlarge for best view).The SoDo NRZ meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, with a hiatus in July and August. As of October 2022, we are meeting at First Presbyterian Church, 136 Capitol Avenue (enter through the small white building to the right of the church). Email us for more information.
Meeting Schedule:
- June 15, 2022 Annual Meeting & Elections
- September 21, 2022
- October 19, 2022
- November 16, 2022
- December TBD/Holiday Gathering
- January 18, 2023
- February 15, 2023
- March 15, 2023
- April 18, 2023
- May 17, 2023
- June 14, 2023 Annual Meeting & Elections
For more information:
To learn about all the NRZs in our Capital City, visit Hartford NEXT.
List of current Board Members
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Agendas and Minutes (note, if there are no minutes for a given meeting date, then there was no quorum and no minutes were taken)
State Rep for our district (4) is Julio Concepcion
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