'Good Design is Economic Development'

Tom Condon of the Hartford Courant makes a plea for better designed buildings and spaces in Hartford.

1 minute read

November 19, 2003, 5:00 AM PST

By Connie Chung


"A visitor, will...before reaching the city line, see several buildings that are absolute dreck and should never have been built. All of Hartford's major arterials have been invaded by these architectural zebra mussels....We need to bring back a sense of design integrity to these vital corridors. The city's starting to come back. There's a sense of momentum. But this time, let's pay attention to how the city will look. Let's get the design center going....Design centers are being used successfully in St. Paul, Baltimore, Chattanooga, Nashville and many other cities across the country. In his 1998 downtown plan for Hartford, planner Kenneth Greenberg recommended the Insurance City create a design center. As with so many of Greenberg's recommendations, it was a good idea that sat on the shelf....We need to do this. Good design is economic development, someone said."

Thanks to Connie Chung

Sunday, November 16, 2003 in The Hartford Courant

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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