Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JANUARY 8, 2024 13 5 TO WATCH in Hartford's central business district was vacant, according to an analysis by CBRE. Industry experts expect vacancies to climb as leases signed before the pandemic continue to expire in the years ahead. Many companies are downsizing their office footprints as they embrace hybrid work models. The consequences are poten- tially extreme for landlords, local merchants and even the city's tax base, which relies heavily on corpo- rate office buildings. Arulampalam acknowledged growing office vacancies are one of Hartford's most obvious economic development challenges. And he doesn't expect a significant rebound in corporate office footprints. Arulampalam said he is committed to working with existing landlords to find creative solutions to fill empty space. Business recruitment and repurposing existing office space will be part of the mix, he said. The new mayor wants to begin by taking stock of current and pending office vacancies, the state of the buildings involved, and their potential for new uses. He is interested in an approach that leads to collaboration, rather than competition, between downtown property owners. Arulampalam's predecessor, former Mayor Luke Bronin, placed much of his faith in the rapid introduction of market-rate apartments to downtown Hartford, as part of an effort to grow a residential base that can better support retailers, restaurants and entertainment amenities. Speaking at the MetroHartford Alliance's annual meeting on Dec. 12, Bronin noted about 3,000 apart- ments had been added to the city in recent years, and roughly another 2,500 are in the design, approval and financing pipeline. Bronin credited the new apartments with helping regain some of the momentum lost during the pandemic. Bronin also touted a potential $100 million overhaul planned for the XL Center arena, new restaurants and shops supported by the city's Hart Lift grant program, and a planned down- town Hartford expansion by UConn. The outgoing mayor urged busi- ness leaders to continue to advocate for state backing of additional apart- ments in Hartford. Bronin said downtown Hartford needs at least 5,000 additional apartments, and could accommodate many more. "I believe that making sure the downtown is a neighborhood, and not just an office park, is the absolute key to our success in creating a vibrant downtown in the years ahead," Bronin said. "And that's going to be the key to success in supporting all of the commercial buildings and all of the businesses that are down there." Arulampalam said he isn't sure yet how many apartments downtown Hartford can absorb. The new mayor is certain, however, that the city needs to foster addi- tional downtown retail, restaurant and entertainment options in order to secure the benefits of recently added apartments. New residents aren't going to stay in Hartford just because it has nice living units. It also needs more things to do, and places to find goods and services, he said. "Hartford is becoming a destina- tion," Arulampalam said. "That's something to be proud of. I think we have to build around it, the kind of amenities that folks are looking for downtown, the entertainment, the restaurants and the bars that keep people in this city and make down- town the crown jewel of the Capital City. That's really important to me." Arulampalam said one way to accomplish this would be to add funds to the city's $11 million Hart Lift program, which provides grants of up to $150,000 to help property owners fit out vacant ground-floor spaces for new or expanding retailers and restaurants. As of early December, the Hartford Chamber of Commerce reported Hart Lift funding helped support 63 new business startups, with about one-third open and many more expected to debut by the spring. Spreading the focus Arulampalam is also prom- ising to expand development beyond downtown. He said there must be a greater focus on rebuilding commercial corridors in neighborhoods like Upper Albany, upper Main Street and Park Street. He said he would like to create a dedicated fund for this effort using tax proceeds from retail cannabis sales. "I think it's a real opportunity to fund growth in our neighbor- hoods, and for the rebuilding of wealth within our neighborhoods," Arulampalam said. Kelly Smith Papa is the CEO of Bloomfield life plan community Duncaster, which has a major expansion planned in the year ahead. HBJ PHOTO | HANNA SNYDER GAMBINI Duncaster CEO Papa to lead major independent living expansion in Bloomfield KELLY SMITH PAPA President & CEO Duncaster Education: Master's degree in nursing/clinical nurse specialist, University of St. Joseph; Bach- elor's degree in nursing, St. Anselm's College. Age: 48 By Hanna Snyder Gambini hgambini@hartfordbusiness.com C onnecticut's population is aging, creating increased demand for senior-living options, a trend that shows no signs of slowing. One of the fastest-growing senior- housing sectors, experts say, is independent living, which offers communities — typically made up of apartments or cottage homes — designed for individuals who are 65 and older, an age cohort that makes up 18.1% of the state's population and is expected to grow in the years ahead, according to U.S. Census figures. One local senior-housing and care provider looking to take advantage

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