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5 to Watch in 2017 16 Hartford Business Journal • decemBer 26, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com 5 5 TO WATCH IN 2017 Stakes higher for Hartford's Bronin By Matt Pilon mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com C an Hartford remain solvent in its next fiscal year without additional finan- cial help from the state legislature? Mayor Luke Bronin has stopped short of calling it impossible, but he has given every indicator that it would be unlikely. The first-term mayor — formerly chief legal counsel to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy — contends the city can't cut enough spend- ing to cover the $50 million deficit pro- jected for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2017, while still offering basic vital services. Bronin also perceives little opportunity to generate more revenue locally, hamstrung by the city's high commercial mill tax rate, large amount of untaxable properties and lack of one-off gimmicks such as debt restructuring and property sales. "I think the city ran out of responsible one-time options a while ago," Bronin said during a December interview at city hall. UConn's master planner Cruickshank oversees Hartford campus, other major projects By Gregory Seay gseay@HartfordBusiness.com W hen you're master planner and chief architect of a state university making its way through a multi-billion-dol- lar building-expansion program, breaking away for a first-hand look at a project in progress is a rare luxury. "I have directors like Robert, who are in charge of projects,'' Laura Cruickshank, said of one of her aides, Robert Corbett, who directs the college's regional projects and development, includ- ing the downtown Hartford campus. However, Cruickshank, flanked by Corbett, recently took time away from Storrs to visit the Capital City to inspect and talk about one of UConn's biggest, most visible developments: The $140 mil- lion conversion of the former Hartford Times Building into 160,000 square feet of classroom, lecture and faculty space, along with 19,000 square feet of retail space, moving toward their fall 2017 debut. The highly anticipated project will bring thousands of stu- dents, faculty and staff downtown, helping to fill the streets — and local businesses, cultural and other city institutions Laura Cruickshank with the new building on Prospect Street that will house UConn's downtown campus set to open next fall. P H O T O | S T E V E L A S C H E V E R H B J P H O T O | M A T T P I L O N Continued on page 18 Continued on page 18 In 2017, Mayor Luke Bronin will be at the state legislature asking for financial support to aid the struggling Capital City. H ere is a look at five business, government and higher education leaders to watch out for in 2017.