With the busway on its way, state Sen. Joe Markley is taking aim at another big ticket project: the iQuilt project. The iQuilt plan is a proposal to link the city’s parks and cultural attractions through public works improvements, such as expanding Bushnell Park and improving streetscapes. It would be paid for with public and private funds.
In a letter to constituents, Markley says he’s not sold on the iQuilt idea and urges constituents to learn more about the iQuilt plan, “a culture-based urban design plan intended to make the city of Hartford more physically attractive and walkable, with an estimate cost of $100 million.”
The Connecticut Policy Institute — a think tank sponsored by Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Foley — will sponsor a forum on the pros and cons of the iQuilt proposal on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Hartford Public Library.
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11 Responses to Joe Markley vs. The iQuilt
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Would I solve homelessness in CT with that $100 million first?
Or at least employee Urban Youth?
iQuilt is the Pratt Street Paving Stones story of the next decade. At least they haven’t bought into building a replica Fisherman’s Wharf over the Hog River as a tourist attraction. Who knows? Maybe a Light House overlooking East Hartford would do.
Let Foxowods put slots in Adriens and build iQuilt as the payoff. Then add some 1000 homeless beds throughout Connecticut.
What? Slot money isn’t enough to build iQuilt?
Of all the many ideas over the decades to revitalize Hartford, the iQuilt is one that makes sense and is affordable. It builds on the gem of Bushnell Park and livens up and makes pedestrian-friendly the streets/blocks of Hartford – connecting Bushnell Park with Riverfront Recapture by the Connecticut River. It can be rolled out in stages. It knits together the restaurants, retail and entertainment venues to cross-promote and strengthen each of them. It is based on successful ideals/models from other cities that have become places where people want to live, work or travel to. The iQuilt will make the Science Center, Front Street, the Colt’s Heritage Park, etc. more successful venues.
iQuilt is yet another manifestation of the Obama administration’s plan to create a more urban-centric and racially integrated America by diverting economic resources from suburbia (via increased taxation of suburbanites) to the cities. It is a manifestation of the “Building One America” organization headed by Michael Kruglik, Chicago activist, longtime friend and close personal advisor to President Obama.
Kruglik has been and continues to be a frequent visitor to the White House advising the President and his staff on the goals and objectives of advancing the agendas of America’s urban centers.
One brief excerpt from BOA’s mission statement summarizes some of their achievements: “Building ONE America and its members has trained hundreds of leaders in the techniques and skills of community organizing and won state level and regional breakthroughs on policy issues including the fair housing act in New Jersey, fair school funding in Pennsylvania, and inclusionary housing and regional mobility in Maryland.”
Some of their organizational affiliates:
Baltimore Regional Initiative Developing Genuine Equality
Brookings Institute
Building One Pennsylvania
Innovative Housing Institute
Institute on Race and Poverty
Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
New Jersey Regional Coalition
Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC)
Southeastern Pennsylvania First Suburbs Project
Make no mistake, immediately after Malloy was elected in 2010, one of his first post-inaugural ‘duties’ as CT’s newest governor was to make a series of visits to the Obama White House where he – along with other new Democrat Governors – was given a personal vision of where Obama wanted to take America, and where he was also indoctrinated in what his role would be in carrying that vision forward.
He’s just following orders.
Wake up, Connecticut.
Wouldn’t the public want a debate before spending $100MM on ANYTHING?
The iQuilt only makes sense and affordable if it is fully funded by private donations, not taxpayers money. I don’t live in Hartford, nor do I visit it much, I want my tax dollars to stay in my town.
Read more about Obama’s plan to rebuild the cities at the expense of the suburbs:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/08/13/how-obama-is-robbing-the-suburbs-to-pay-for-the-cities/
The budget deficit is now estimated to be in the realm of $690M to $1B. This after raising taxes by $1.9B last year. The Obama/Malloy tactic: Spend as much money as you can, and just keep raising taxes. And if you happen to spend more than you take in, just borrow more and raise taxes again…
Get out your checkbooks, suburbanites, the Gov’ wants to spend even more of your money in 2013.
Make no mistake; iQuilt is courtesy of one Oz Grieble.
The iQuilt is a great “idea,” however; this idea will never realize its full potential and beauty until one critical condition is achieved in Hartford: Safety. People need to feel safe in Hartford. People will not walk from park to park, no matter how beautiful of a walking emerald necklace is created, nor will they walk from one cultural venue to another, unless they feel safe. Hartford needs more of an interactive community policing infrastructure, a police force and a community that support each other. I’ve always said that the City of Hartford needs Rudy Giuliani to get it into shape and establish a basic level of order, civility, and safety. As a New Yorker who lived in New York City pre-and post-Giuliani, I witnessed a qualitative change that made a significant difference in the lived experience of New Yorkers and visitors to the city.
When you come out of a play, movie, late dinner, and you’re walking down the street in Hartford, the city seems to be deserted. There is not a police presence, which creates the feeling and the reality of vulnerability. Boston and New York are qualitatively different in that regard.
I have lived in CT for many years and I’ve always said that Hartford is a city on the cutting edge. It is the capital of our state and has great colleges, hospitals, restaurants, cultural venues, and the architecture is fabulous. The new School of Pharmacy of the University of St. Joseph’s will contribute much to the revitalization of the downtown area. Together with UConn’s move to downtown Hartford, the city will be rejuvenated with the energy that students and an academic community bring to a city. We need to make Hartford a city where young families want to live; we need more “stroller traffic” in Hartford. We need more apartments in the city for young professionals and retirees. We need more interesting shopping, art galleries, small businesses. And, yes, more cops; none of this works without public safety. The largest demographic who will be moving soon, downsizing from their suburban homes, is Baby Boomers. Cities are excellent locations for retirees because of the services and cultural amenities that cities offer. Hartford has the opportunity and the potential to become “The Next Great Place.” Manhattan has become too expensive; you can’t build much more on Manhattan because it’s an island. Boston is rapidly becoming almost as expensive as Manhattan. Hartford is a beautiful, culturally rich and diverse city, which stands ready to return to greatness.
Exactly. They need more police not more overtime. Hartford is a very dangerous city. People walk inside the mall in the am. Who’s going to drive to Hartford just to go for a walk? I’m all of fixing the park and for private management of the park but we need to be realistic.
“The largest demographic who will be moving soon, downsizing from their suburban homes, is Baby Boomers.”
Baby Boomers – once they retire – are leaving the state in droves as they cannot afford to live in a state that is one of the three most expensive states in the nation.
Cost of taxes…
Cost of energy…
Cost of housing…
Cost of food…
Cost of services…
In all these categories and more, we’re either #1, #2 or #3.
Why would any ‘Boomer’ want to retire here?