Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • November 30, 2020 • Hartford Business Journal 3 Bushnell Park's historic Pump House readies for up to $600K renovation By Greg Bordonaro gbordonaro@hartfordbusiness.com T he city of Hartford has had many major new develop- ments in recent years that have dominated the headlines. But sometimes it's smaller proj- ects that can make a big difference in helping the city become a more attractive place to live, work and play — something all Hartford em- ployers increasingly desire so they can attract top talent. That's the case with a planned renovation of the Pump House in downtown Hartford's Bushnell Park, which seeks to restore a historic building to its former luster so it can be a more attractive place for visitors and potential events. The Bushnell Park Foundation recently signed a license agreement with the city to manage the Pump House Gallery space and will help oversee the renovations that will include interior and exterior repairs like new windows, lighting, gut- ters, decorative gates and carriage doors. Renovations will also be made to the bathroom and electrical and mechanical systems, among other changes. The upgrades, which will cost as much as $600,000 depending on how much future city funding is secured, will occur in several phases, the first of which is scheduled for the spring, said Bushnell Park Founda- tion Executive Director Mary Zeman. Hartford's Maier Design Group came up with the restoration design. The foundation's two part-time employees will also use the Pump House Gallery as office space once the project is complete. "It's an untapped potential," Ze- man said of the Pump House, nearby courtyard that plays host to Winter- fest's annual ice skating rink, and surrounding park. "We are trying to utilize this space as more of a destination." The Pump House isn't a huge fa- cility but it's already shown itself to be an attractive place to host events. Last year Hog River and Hanging Hills breweries used the building and nearby courtyard to host Bush- nell Park's first-ever beer garden event, which drew thousands of people to downtown Hartford dur- ing the dog days of summer. That's a significant feat given that summer months are slow in Hartford. More importantly, it attracted a lot of younger people to the city, helping restaurants and other small shops. That's a crowd downtown em- ployers and apartment landlords are laser-focused on trying to attract to the city. In fact, a major corporate- backed talent recruitment initia- tive is in the works and could be launched next year. The 2019 beer garden event had significant support from Mayor Luke Bronin, whose vision is to make Bushnell Park a more friendly and engaging area, said city engi- neer Frank Dellaripa. The Pump House renovations, which are being funded initially by state Neighborhood Assistance Act tax credits, will coincide with other city-backed Bushnell Park upgrades, including new LED lighting, signage and sidewalk and drainage improve- ments. "When people go to The Bushnell to see a show, they want to walk across the park safely to go to din- ner, and that's part of the lightning upgrade," Dellaripa said. Up Front Continued on page 4 >> TOWN PROFILE: HARTFORD WE FOCUS ON YOUR FACILITIES— SO YOU CAN FOCUS ON YOUR BUSINESS. The company that builds and installs the critical systems in virtually every type of facility is the same company you can rely on to maintain them. For over over 50 years, our clients have trusted us to deliver end-to-end facilities solutions, so they can focus on their core business. We design, install, and maintain systems in: Industrial, Manufacturing, Commercial, Higher Education, Healthcare, and Pharmaceutical facilities. 860.871.1111 Toll Free: 800.741.6367 nemsi.com MECHANICAL | ELECTRICAL | PLUMBING | SHEET METAL | BUILDING AUTOMATION | FACILITIES SERVICES License #'s: E1-0125666 S1-302974 P1-203519 F1-10498 SM1-192 MC-1134 NEMSI HBJ_QtrPg Ads_200117.indd 4 NEMSI HBJ_QtrPg Ads_200117.indd 4 1/17/20 1:31 PM 1/17/20 1:31 PM Those working on renovation plans for the Pump House in Hartford include (from left): Antonio Matta, Bushnell Park Foundation (BPF) board member; iQuilt's Jackie Mandyck; city engineer Frank Dellaripa; and BPF Executive Director Mary Zeman. HBJ PHOTO | GREG BORDONARO

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