SoDo Neighborhood Plan

 

For the past year, The SoDo NRZ has been working with FHI Studios and to create an official Neighborhood Plan to serve as a guide for the neighborhood's development in the upcoming decade. The goal of the Plan is to help SoDo neighborhood residents and stakeholders identify community priorities, build consensus around long-term vision, and ensure the consistency of community goals with those of the City. The community-driven plan builds on current and previous planning efforts to highlight the goals and priorities of the neighborhood, gaining insight from resident and stakeholder surveys, on-the-ground engagement, and guidance from the SoDo NRZ. Additionally, the SoDo Strategic Plan is included in the appendix of this neighborhood plan. The strategic plan varies from the neighborhood plan by focusing on targeted revitalization strategies, economic development initiatives, and infrastructure improvements specific to the NRZ area, whereas the neighborhood plan provides a broader, community-driven vision addressing land use, housing, connectivity, and overall neighborhood character.

You can read the SoDo Neighborhood plan here. Comments are welcome, email sodonrz@gmail.com.

SoDo Tour of 55 Elm

 

The folks at Spinnaker have graciously invited their SoDo neighbors for a sneak peek at SoDo's newest apartments at 55 Elm.

Thursday, September 25, 5:30 pm. Three tours of 12 people each. Each tour should be about 30 minutes. Online RSVP required. **Due to the limited number of slots on each tour, please consider your affirmative RSVP to be a commitment.**

By way of historical background, 55 Elm was built in the Renaissance Revival style in 1926 as the HQ for the CT General Life Insurance Co. (now CIGNA). It housed the Attorney General, Comptroller, and other state offices from about the 1960s to 2019. After an extensive renovation, it now contains 164 apartments. 

September Meeting and Neighborhood News

 

A scene from The Longest Table Hartford, on June 21.

The final days of Summer are here and while (thankfully) it is not as hot as it was the night of our Longest Table Hartford, the city is still hopping with outdoor events! Farmers markets, yoga in the parks, night markets and street salsa on Pratt, historic tours of the Arch in Bushnell Park and the Ancient Burying Ground on Gold - there are still plenty of things to do outside before the leaves start turning. Not sure what is happening when? Visit the “Things To Do” page of this website, or the Hartford.com website.

If you missed the recent Courant article discussing the redevelopment of empty downtown office buildings vs. the redevelopment of Bushnell South, you can read it here (gift link). This website includes links to a four-year backlog of articles about development, traffic safety, and housing in our neighborhood.

Our first SoDo meeting of the 2025-26 year will be Wednesday, September 17 at 6:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church of Hartford, 136 Capitol Avenue (enter through the small building to the right of the main church), or join us via Zoom (link below). Discussion topics will include our Neighborhood Plan, next steps for development of 110 Washington Street, and a SoDo LOVE Hartford neighborhood cleanup project for October.  Check this month's newsletter for links to join the Meeting or download the Agenda and Minutes from the last meeting as well as more neighborhood news.

MDC begins 3-month façade project

 

This week, the MDC began working on the exterior of its HQ building located at 555 Main Street. Work activities include power washing each side and the removal and replacement of all caulking.

This work is weather-dependent but is expected to last approximately three months. Work will begin on the Wells Street side of the building during normal business hours, before continuing to the other three sides of the building. Certain portions of the work, including on the Main Street side of the building, will be conducted in the evenings and/or on weekends.

Pedestrian and vehicular access to the building may be impacted as the contractor works around the building. For your safety, please observe any signage in and/or under the work areas and use caution when walking or driving near work zones. Please observe any pedestrian or traffic pattern changes that may be set up around the building.

Annual Meeting and Washington Street Development

 

Aerial photo of SoDo and Downtown, facing northwest, by Jeremy Howard.

Our June meeting is the last of the year, until we reconvene in September. At this meeting, we’ll vote on board member elections and have two presentations related to redevelopment on Washington Street, the western border of SoDo. In general, the street is significant as it connects the State Capitol to Hartford Hospital and Trinity College, and is characterized by a mix of courthouses, medical buildings, schools, retail, and residential. In particular, there's one city-owned building that has been vacant for years and is slated to become housing. Come to the meeting to learn more. News articles about these and other development projects are linked on the Redevelopment page of our website.

Read this month's newsletter for more info on our exciting Longest Table event, Welcome Packets, and Neighborhood Plan.

Our next SoDo meeting is our Annual Meeting & Elections, Wednesday, June 18 at 6:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church of Hartford, 136 Capitol Avenue (enter through the small building to the right of the main church), or join us via Zoom. Check the newsletter for links to join the Meeting or download the Agenda and Minutes from the last meeting. We look forward to catching up on neighborhood news with you!

UPDATE: You can view the slides from the 110 Washington Street Redevelopment Project here.

Spring Neighborhood Cleanup

Our Neighborhood is what we make it -- help make ours more beautiful with a spring cleanup!

Saturday, June 7, from 9 to 11 am.
Meet on the NW corner of Buckingham & Main.
Gloves, trash bags, water, etc. will be provided.

We’ll be picking up trash, tree branches, etc. on Capitol Avenue, Main Street, Buckingham Street, and Whitman Court.
Even if you can participate for only half an hour, many hands make light work, and we all benefit from it.

Join our 2025-26 Board!

 

The South Downtown NRZ has openings for Board Members in the following categories: Residential Tenant, Property Owner, Social Services representative, and Business Owner.

Elections are Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 6:00 pm during our Annual Meeting.

Any member of the SoDo NRZ can run for Board elections. To be considered a member, an individual must:

1. own property OR 
2. own a business OR 
3. be a residential tenant of a property OR 
4. be a representative of a social service/non-profit 

within the physical boundaries of the NRZ (see map here).

Board Terms are three years, and we request that Board members attend and actively participate in meetings and events, and have a non-partisan interest in improving the quality of life in our neighborhood. We meet on the third Wednesday of the month, September through June. Click here for more information about the NRZ and the neighborhood boundaries.

Not ready to join the Board? Consider joining a Committee or Working Group.

Nominees should send a brief paragraph about themselves and why they are interested in joining SoDo NRZ leadership to SoDoNRZ@gmail.com by 5 pm Thursday, June 12.