For the second time, voters in West Hartford have approved the Blue Back Square redevelopment project, which had been vigorously denounced by a strange alliance of those who oppose big shopping areas in their towns--and Westfarms Mall. The mall, the less trendy end of which is located in the less trendy end of West Hartford, fears a big drop in profits should Blue Back revive the center.
This is an honest effort to renew a run-down and mostly empty section of town, and, even if it weren't, West Hartford residents approved it by wide margins. Twice. Not that this will stop Westfarms: legal challenges will continue apace until the square is built. I suppose having a toe in Farmington makes one feel entitled.
In the meantime, construction can finally begin. I just hope they get it up quickly.
Source
Puleo, Tom. "Voters OK Blue Back Square." Hartford Courant 22 June, 2005.
2 comments:
Blue Back will be a disaster. Everythign about the deal stinks. Even if it was on teh up and up, Blue Back is going to be a big ugly corporate mega mall. It will suck the individuality and quaintness of WH Center away and turn it into a strip mall.
Yes, we all know Westfarms bankrolls some of the lawsuits, that doesnt negate the legitimate issues raised by the people they are funding.
Speaking of Blue Black Square, The Hartford Courant has actually
endorsed this development. Tom Condon, in an editorial in yesterday's Courant, called it one of the “two most important real estate developments in Connecticut.” The fact is, the reason for this development is derived from West Hartford’s need to improve its property tax base even though the town itself is built out. In other words, there is no more open space in the town on which to place these developments.
As Condon describes in his article, these chain stores are starting to masquerade as individual, local establishments, fooling people into believing that they are preserving the local culture and regional authenticity. However, this is not the case. The new “fake authenticity” of big-box retail is merely a façade. In reality, these stores compete with local establishments, destroying the local town culture on which New Englanders have prided themselves for years. It's really unfortunate that these kinds of projects that chip away at Connecticut's traditions is getting institutionalized support from syndicates such as the Hartford Courant.
You can read Condon's commentary here: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/commentary/hc-plccondon0619.artjun19,0,5934237.column
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