In a nutshell:
Neighborhood Revitalization Zones (NRZs) = your opportunity to have a voice in what goes on in your neighborhood: NRZs speak for city residents, property owners, and business owners on issues being decided at the municipal level. And, similar to a neighborhood association, we also work to bring the community together. There are thirteen NRZs throughout Hartford, covering nearly the entire city. They also exist in other CT cities such as Bridgeport, New Haven, New Britain, etc. If you live, work, or own property in the NRZ boundaries, you are automatically a Member (see below). There is no fee for membership.
SoDo = 1) A neighborhood of approximately 12 square blocks south and east of Bushnell Park (see map below); 2) The people who live and work within that same area.
Aerial photo of the southwest corner of the SoDo NRZ by Jeremy Howard.
SoDo NRZ = South Downtown Neighborhood Revitalization Zone
Neighborhood Revitalization Zones were created by the Connecticut Legislature in 1995 (Public Act 95-340) to revitalize cities through the collaborative involvement of residents, businesses, non-profits, and government to determine the vision and priorities of the individual neighborhoods. Today, thirteen NRZs in Hartford address a broad range of impacts on each neighborhood's quality of life.
Membership
To be considered a Member of an NRZ, an individual must- own property OR
- own a business OR
- be a residential tenant of a property OR
- be a representative of a social service/non-profit
within the physical boundaries of the NRZ (see map below for the boundaries of the SoDo NRZ).
Vision
- create a vibrant, interesting neighborhood to live, work, shop, and recreate
- make more of a 19-hour/day neighborhood rather than just 9 to 5
Primary Goals
- balance the neighborhood's needs with their neighbors'
- attract more businesses
- offer more choices for housing and work space
- create safer streets and parking areas
- make streets and public spaces more attractive
- offer transportation options to residents & downtown employees
Strategy
- use new development to heal problem areas
- build upon neighborhood assets: proximity to downtown, cultural institutions, historic fabric
- encourage small incremental development instead of mammoth projects
- build flexibility into new development: if building uses change over time, they can be easily adapted
- improve the quality of the street for the pedestrian
- reconnect neighborhood to downtown and adjacent neighborhoods
Location
SoDo runs on the West side of Main Street from Gold Street, south to the northern property line of the parcels on the north side of Park Street, west to Washington and Trinity Streets and along the south (Elm Street) and East (Pulaski Circle and Wells Street) sides of Bushnell Park. That description is easier if you are looking at a map (enlarge for best view).Meetings
The SoDo NRZ meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, with a hiatus in July and August. As of February 2024, our meetings are hybrid:- In person: First Presbyterian Church, 136 Capitol Avenue (enter through the small white building to the right of the church, see photo below).
- Online: bit.ly/SoDo2024
Our meetings are open to the public and we especially welcome new residents, businesses, and organizations to attend and meet your neighbors!
Our meetings typically include reports from Hartford NEXT, Community Garden, and the Outreach and Social Committees, reports from HPD and HFD on activity in the neighborhood, and updates from various City offices such as Community Engagement, Planning & Development Services, and Sustainability. We occasionally have special guests who share information relevant to quality of life in the city or the neighborhood.
Please note: while all NRZ meetings are open to the public, we do not allow political campaigning of any kind at any meeting. During the attendance introductions at the beginning of the meeting, political candidates who attend may state: 1) their name; 2) their neighborhood; and 3) “I am a candidate for XYZ office.” No slogans, posters, handouts, asking for votes, etc.
We are neutral and do not endorse candidates.
Email us for more information about attending a meeting.
Meeting Schedule
- June 26, 2024 Annual Meeting & Elections (moved from June 19 in honor of Juneteenth)
- July/August - meeting hiatus/Summer Gathering TBD
- September 18, 2024
- October 16, 2024
- November 20, 2024
- December TBD/Holiday Gathering
- January 15, 2025
- February 19, 2025
- March 19, 2025
- April 16, 2025
- May 21, 2025
- June 18, 2025 Annual Meeting & Elections. Date subject to change if it coincides with Juneteenth.
For more information
Miscellaneous useful info
To learn about all the NRZs in our Capital City, visit Hartford NEXT.
List of current Board Members
Are you interested in joining our Board?
Agendas and Minutes (Note, if there are no minutes for a given meeting date, then there was no quorum and no minutes were taken, or there was no quorum at the next meeting, so the prior meeting minutes could not be voted on.)
Recordings of hybrid meetings (beginning February 2024)
Our Community Service Officer (Downtown) is Mike Dizaar, 860-734-7792, dizam001@hartford.gov. Click here for a PDF map of the citywide CSO Districts and officers.
State Representative for our District (4) is Julio Concepcion
State Senator for our District (1) is John Fonfara
Find your election polling place (aka "where do I vote")
