Hartford Business Journal

6 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JULY 14, 2025 DE AL WATCH 'Working together' Meantime, the city officially launched the Wall Street Corridor Improvements Project in 2022, in an effort to make the area safer and more accessible to pedestrians. The project is the brainchild of Jim Travers, the city's director of mobility, transportation and parking, and Garrett Bolella, his assistant. They both came to Norwalk in February 2021 from Stamford, where Travers was Stamford's bureau chief for transportation, traffic and parking, and Bolella was a traffic engineer. "We really saw the incredible potential that exists on the street and, at that point in time, we had a lot of empty storefronts," Travers said. "We really thought the infrastructure here is great, but the roadway is horrible." So far, the $27 million project has received $14 million in state funding and $5.75 million in federal grants, Travers said. It has also received $2 million from the city's parking authority to improve the Yankee Doodle parking garage on Burnell Boulevard. The project, which is expected to be finished by 2030, includes building a raised intersection at Mott Avenue and Burnell Boulevard during a first phase of construction, and a raised crosswalk at the intersection of Wall Street, Mott and West avenues and Burnell Boulevard during a second phase, Travers said. Burnell Boulevard will also return to a two-way street. Travers said the city, with Milligan's help, is trying to return the Wall Street area to its former glory as the city's downtown district, an identity that has been lost since the neighborhood sustained heavy damage during the 1955 flood. "What we're doing is trying to create long-lasting, sustainable infrastruc- ture investments that will support the continued economic growth, and one that is going to meet the needs of future generations," Travers said. "I think really, what you're seeing here is an environment where everyone is working together." Developer Jason Milligan points to paintings done by local artists in the neighborhood's Isaac Square Art Park. HBJ Photo | Michael Juliano Iconic downtown Hartford office building has new amenities: outdoor pickleball court, putting green By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com H artford-based financial services company Nassau Financial Group has debuted a new amenity for its employees and tenants at the iconic Boat Building in downtown Hartford: an outdoor pickleball court and putting green. Nassau has completed renovations to the Boat Building's outdoor court- yard, at One American Row, which was originally a reflecting pool, but has been empty for years. The courtyard has been trans- formed into a multipurpose space, with a putting green and pickleball court that can be covered with turf for events. Nassau also added soft seating, fire pits, patio lights, new plants and more dining tables and chairs to both the courtyard and plaza-level patios. Nassau is planning an inaugural pickleball tournament for employees at the end of July. Otherwise, the pickleball court is open to employees and tenants for informal games. Nassau's employees have been working on a hybrid schedule for several years, a spokesperson said. Over the past decade, Nassau has been upgrading its headquar- ters at One American Row. New features include a fitness center and redesigned cafeteria. The 13-story tower is fully occupied and leased, except for some ground- level space that is being marketed to potential tenants. The Modernist-style, boat-shaped building, which points toward the Connecticut River to the east, was considered the world's first two-sided office building when it opened in 1963, according to Nassau. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nassau occupies much of the building, but also leases space to tenants, including life insurance company Talcott Financial Group, which moved its headquarters there in 2023. Nassau, which is majority owned by San Francisco-based private equity firm Golden Gate Capital, had $24.8 billion in assets under management, $1.6 billion in total adjusted capital, and about 365,000 policies and contracts as of March 31. In 2016, Nassau Financial Group acquired The Phoenix Cos., which built the Boat Building as its new headquarters in 1963. (Top photo) The new pickleball court and putting green in the courtyard of the Boat Building in downtown Hartford. (Bottom photo) A photo of the courtyard outside Nassau Financial Group's headquarters at the Boat Building in downtown Hartford. HBJ Photos | Andrew Larson Norwalk's Wall Street Continued from page 5

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