Holy shit! They're knocking down the Hartford Civic Center and...

[NightTrain]

...putting up a 36-story apartment building in its place. Why the fuck hadn't I heard about this before tonight???

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Wow! Really?

What are they gonna replace it with, for a venue?

Damn, done more than a few gigs there. Even so, Toad's Place is THE venue in CT. Period.

[skippysmom]

2. Looks like they're just knocking down the mall

The coliseum will stay.

See the Courant story here.

[NewJeffCT]

3. lot of construction going on in Hartford

they are also putting up apartments in area between Lewis Street & Trumbull (the building behind where Vito's is)

And, the convention center seems to be coming along nicely.

I hope the city can come back, but at least they are trying.

[JerseygirlCT]

4. The idea is to turn the old (and awful) civic center

sort of inside out -- more windows and entrances and stores right on the sidewalks -- making the whole thing more accessible and attractive. Sounds like that's on the right track to me.

But I still can't believe that they're stupid enough not to be seriously tackling the parking issues. Those crooks at the MAT garage next to Hartford Stage still charge outrageous amounts of money, for instance.

Make parking in Hartford more like other (much cheaper) CT cities and towns, and lose the stupid New York prices and maybe, just maybe, people will consider coming into town.

[NewJeffCT]

5. they're building parking

They are putting together a large sized garage between Lewis & Trumbull St. I don't think it's parking prices entirely. I'm not one to usually feel scared, but I do not feel as secure in downtown as I used to be when I worked there from 88-96.

Where in Jersey are you originally from?

[JerseygirlCT]

6. Monmouth Cty.

And I agree -- felt safer downtown 5 years ago. It's partly about the number of people around... things seem to go in cycles and when the city's in the "roll up the sidewalks at 5" cycle it sure feels lonely after that!

Although I'm no longer working downtown, so I'm not the best authority anymore!

[NewJeffCT]

7. I work there again now

I worked downtown from '88 to '96 and never felt unsafe. I started working downtown again last year and it just does not feel the same - and not as safe as before.

Had to ask where in Jersey you were from - the woman buying our house is just moving up from Jersey - I think the Tom's River area (her fiance is from the area and they went to college together here in CT) and my ex-wife is also originally from south Jersey - south of Atlantic City area.

[JerseygirlCT]

8. I do miss those beaches!

We're hooked on Cape May for vacations, and I spent some time in Seaside (near Tom's River) as a teen...

Monmouth is sort of the northernmost of the beaches. It's one area where CT just can't compete, unfortunately!

[Justice]

9. I was there this week

saw the civic center tear down. Like a war zone.