Jamie Bratt, City of Hartford

For real estate developers, 2016 has brought a sense of energy and optimism for the city of Hartford which hasn’t been felt in years.  With new leadership and new “rules of the game,” the city is poised for unprecedented private sector investment that focuses on economic and environmental sustainability. 

New Leadership

New leadership in Hartford is taking a fresh look at the development priorities for the city.  Mayor Luke Bronin took office in January and has already set forth a vision that includes the revitalization of not just downtown but also the neighborhoods and their vital commercial corridors. 

The Development Services Department plays a particularly important role in realizing this vision, as Hartford’s clearinghouse for economic development, planning, and housing issues.   The mayor recruited a brand-new leadership team for the department – each of whom draw from a deep well of expertise in areas like commercial real estate development, housing and homelessness policy, and private industry.  For example, the new director, Sean Fitzpatrick, most recently served as chief of staff to the chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (in the wake of the “Bridgegate” scandal) and has also held senior executive roles in leading firms in the insurance and financial services sector – which makes up a significant part of Hartford’s economy. 

New “Rules of the Game”

It’s not just new leadership at City Hall that has put Hartford on an exciting new path.  In January, the Planning & Zoning Commission delivered the first major overhaul of the city’s zoning regulations in 50 years.  The new regulations – which commission chair Sara Bronin calls “a form-based code with a sustainability twist” – resulted from over two years of community engagement and drafting.  They make the permitting process clearer, with many more buildings allowed “as of right,” and they allow higher density development in key development corridors identified by the commission. 

Here are a few “need to know” changes: 

• Most downtown projects will no longer need special permits and can be approved as of right.

• There are no parking minimum requirements downtown, or for retail and service uses citywide…that’s right, none!

• The Transit-Oriented Development Zone properties along the CTfastrak allow buildings up to 8 stories (with bonus stories available, too)

• A new Connecticut River Overlay Zone incentivizes mixed-use, denser development in several underutilized parcels – with great views! 

• “Maker spaces” are allowed in nearly all commercial areas. 

In addition, Hartford has fully embraced environmental sustainability as an important part of the new code.  The Connecticut Fund for the Environment, a leading statewide advocacy organization, has called the code “a comprehensive, forward-thinking model for innovation in sustainability and urban design… which do[es] an excellent job of establishing rules that should reduce transportation emissions, make Hartford a safer, healthier place to live, and improve quality of life for city residents.”  What does that mean for real estate developers?  Here are a few key things: 

• Height bonuses for buildings Downtown and the TOD Zone for green roofs, renewable energy, and cogeneration.

• As of right permission for building-mounted solar/wind everywhere, large-scale wind along the highway corridor, and solar parking canopies in most lots.

• Requirement to provide both bike parking and electric vehicle charging stations for lots of 35+ cars to create citywide infrastructure for EVs.

• Parking “credits” for renewable-powered and energy-efficient parking facilities.

• Protection measures for Hartford’s economically important urban tree canopy.

• A 25 to 50 ft. “development-free” buffer near waterways.

In Hartford, we believe that facilitating a more sustainable city will not only lead to a better quality of life, but will yield greater economic returns for real estate investors.  This has been proven in cities around the country, and we’re excited to join the green movement. 

A Few Priority Areas

With the team and the tools now in place, the city of Hartford is poised to partner with New England developers interested in delivering small and large-scale development projects both in the downtown area and the neighborhoods.

Just six weeks into the new administration, city leadership has partnered with the Capital Region Development Authority and a variety of state and federal agencies to identify strategic partnerships for development.  Here are some areas of priority that can be supported by some of these key programs: 

• The Terry Square neighborhood center in North Hartford, identified through a community planning process and located in the heart of the federally designated Promise Zone.

• The Albany Ave. and Homestead Ave. corridors, gateways to the City in which the Hartford Redevelopment Authority has identified key development parcels.

• Park and Main St., a vacant “anchor” parcel at the crux of two important commercial corridors.

• Numerous Transit-Oriented Development Zone properties along the CTfastrak corridor.

• Infill development Downtown, which remains a continuing priority.

In an introductory message to his staff, mayor Luke Bronin urged:  “Let’s commit ourselves to building a Hartford that is the undisputed economic and cultural heart of this region of a million and a half people, and a Hartford in which every resident feels that they have a share in Hartford’s rise.”  I’m proud to be on this exciting team and urge anyone interested in development in Hartford to be in touch with me.

Jamie Bratt is director of planning & economic development for the City of Hartford.