Hartford Business Journal

12 Hartford Business Journal • August 3, 2015 www.HartfordBusiness.com cafés, deep-shopping options,'' said Jeff Ravetz, co-developer of the new Spectra Boutique Apart- ments, overlooking Constitution Plaza. "To the extent that the density of these options is such that they are acces- sible by foot,'' Ravetz said, "that is obvi- ously best and given the physical spread of the multifamily properties it would be best to have mul- tiple options spread around the city." In an online sur- vey by the Dwelling in Downtown Hart- ford Facebook group, made up mostly of cen- ter-city residents, more than half of the more than 200 respondents covet a grocery store. After that, more than a quarter lobbied for a bakery. One in five want an urgent-care facility. Thomas Deller, Hartford's economic development chief, says he and his staff regu- larly monitor the Downtown Dweller group and other online posts "to see what they're saying,'' to try to accommodate their desires. "Part of the problem is that people don't real- ize what already exists downtown,'' Deller said. Landlord Yisroel Rabinowitz owns the 11 Asylum St. commercial-office building, housing Burger King and other ground-floor retailers, and The Grand on Ann Street apartments, 201 Ann Uccello St. Rabinowitz says he has scout- ed for months for an urgent-care tenant to fill a vacant 7,000-square-foot space on the upper floor of his building at the corner of Asylum and Main streets. However, Rabinowitz said that aside from reluctance to station a walk-in care center on an upper floor, physician practices and other care providers are lukewarm to his proposal they open a space downtown. The next layer is providing addition- al urban leisure/cultural experiences to residents and visitors, landlords say. To Ravetz, that means a deeper well of art gal- leries, high-quality restaurants and other lei- sure venues (i.e. museums, theatre, comedy clubs, etc.). The Spectra has 5,000 square feet of com- mercial space available, fronting on Columbus Boulevard and Kinsley Street that Ravetz says could house such tenants and activities. He said he has not been in contact with urgent- care operators about locating in his building. "My preference would be for a combined art gallery/café,'' he said of the space. "We have had some discussions with potential tenants for this and other uses." The growing cluster of downtown higher- ed schools, among them University of St. Joseph, Capital Community College (soon to be joined by UConn and Trinity College) will be agents in fortifying downtown's cultural base, Ravetz said. They, too, can serve as tech- nological and entrepreneurial incubators. CTfastrak, the commuter busway link- ing downtown Hartford to downtown New Britain, is climbing rapidly on landlords' amenities list. Several already tout in their online and print marketing their apartment buildings' proximity to the half dozen or so downtown CTfastrak stops for tenants who either work or visit the suburbs. As for many landlords' and residents' desire for a wider selection of restaurants downtown, Deller has a few he says could be added: Res- taurants serving Puerto Rican and/or Mexi- can cuisine, plus one serving cuisine native to India. Even without those, downtown's dining scene is underachieving, he said. "We need to have better connectivity and [public relations] with the restaurants we already have,'' Deller said. Publisher Michael McGarry, one of Hart- ford's most passionate advocates who regu- larly leads visitors and newcomers on tours of the city and its landmarks, says a free- standing visitors' center is needed downtown. It would be open until past regular business hours, to guide visiting business people, pro- fessionals and vacationers where to dine, enjoy live music, see a museum or a play. Until a few years ago, a collaboration of merchants and the city operated one in leased space on Pratt Street. Currently, one exists inside the Old State House on Main Street, but is accessible only when the building is open. "They have them all over the country,'' McGarry said, "but not here.'' n Dry-cleaning downtown's finery for 22 years Did somebody say downtown Hartford needs a dry cleaners? Apparently some of downtown Hartford's apartment landlords, plus a fair number of center-city dwellers and workers who advocat- ed loudly for one in a recent online survey, were unaware that there has been a dry cleaners in the heart of downtown for at least 22 years. That's how long Modesto Farmiglietti of Tolland has operated his eponymous tailor shop and dry-cleaning "pickup'' depot — both totaling about 600 square feet — inside the Travelers Mini- Mall, fronting on Prospect Street, within the insurer's sprawling corporate office complex. He was based on Park Street before that. Dry cleaning dropped off at Modesto's most weekdays is returned to customers the following day, Farmiglietti said. Clean- ing is done off-site by one of several dry cleaning vendors with whom Modesto's contracts, he said. Most of his tailoring and dry-cleaning customers work for Travel- ers or in the corporate complex, Farmiglietti said. A few customers who at one time worked downtown at Travelers, but went to work for other Hartford employers, still rely on his services, he added. With potentially thousands more clothing pieces finding homes in downtown apartments, Farmiglietti says he's in no hurry to try to capitalize. Although the 78-year-old has no immediate plans to retire, he's not much interested in adding to his workload either. "I'm not looking for having more business for myself,'' he said. "I've got enough as it is. … I don't want to be the richest man in the cemetery." — Gregory Seay Landlords' downtown Hartford amenities wish-list: YISROEL RABINOWITZ Brooklyn, N.Y., owner of The Grand apartments, 201 Ann Uccello; and 11 Asylum St. office building. "As you know we desperately need a decent size and priced grocery. Also, it would be great if all downtown residents received discounts at bars and restau- rants, as well as to XL [Center] events and the same when the ballpark opens." ROBERTO ARISTA Managing principal, Dakota Partners, owner of 179 Allyn St. and the former Hartford Office Supply building on Capitol Avenue. "Only one thing, the most important thing is a … supermarket. You need a supermarket downtown.'' MICHAEL FREIMUTH Executive director, Capital Region Development Authority. "Bike store, longer operating hours for coffee shop; dry cleaners, expanded drug store.'' JEFF RAVETZ Principal, Girona Ventures, co-developer, The Spectra Boutique Apartments, 5 Constitution Plaza. "We have 5,000 square feet of commer- cial space available on Columbus and Kinsley, with a driveway. My preference would be for a combined art gallery/café. We have had some discussions with potential tenants for this and other uses." BRUCE BECKER Owner/developer of 777 Main St. "I'm excited about a grocery market coming to town. If they weren't devel- oping one [within the Downtown North project], we probably would have done one ourselves. I think the more restau- rants, the better, of different types. [Downtown has] good transit, with the enhancement of CTfastrak." from page 1 Top 5 Desired Downtown Hartford Amenities The Facebook group "Dwelling in Downtown Hartford" recently conducted an unscientific survey of its members, asking what new amenities center-city residents would like to see added down- town. More than 200 votes were cast. Rank Amenity Votes 1 Grocery Store 50 2 Bakery/Bread Shop 26 3 Urgent Care Facility 21 4 Ice Cream Shop 19 5 Zipcar 18 S O U R C E : D W E L L I N G I N D O W N T O W N H A R T F O R D Landlords, others want more Hartford amenities Modesto Farmiglietti has run his downtown tailor shop, dry cleaners for 22 years. H B J P H O T O | G R E G O R Y S E A Y P H O T O | H B J F I L E Downtown residents, workers and landlords say more amenities will elevate the urban core. H B J P H O T O | G R E G O R Y S E A Y Spectra Boutique Apartments. The Grand apartments, 201 Ann Uccello St. P H O T O | H B J F I L E

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