# The Hoods of Hartford: 10ROT's Photo Blog



## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2005)

10ROT said:


> Hood's coming...don't fret. D). I want to get rid of the skyscrapers first.
> 
> Trust me...we got a lot of hood here in Hartford.
> 
> Okay, I'm going to post the remainder of my pics now.


heh 10ROT dont spoil it ! i live not too far from you in Simsbury. No shots of the north end PLEAAAAASE
great pics of downtown tho.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Hartford poised between Montreal, NYC and Boston has no excuse to be so boring. Neither does Albany for that matter. Boring cities are the result of boring people. Wish I was an insurance underwriter....yawn.

What's up with Frog Hollow these days?


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> heh 10ROT dont spoil it ! i live not too far from you in Simsbury. No shots of the north end PLEAAAAASE
> great pics of downtown tho.


You don't want to see the North End? Why? 



philadweller said:


> Hartford poised between Montreal, NYC and Boston has no excuse to be so boring. Neither does Albany for that matter. Boring cities are the result of boring people. Wish I was an insurance underwriter....yawn.
> 
> What's up with Frog Hollow these days?


Hartford is downright tiny compared to the cities that you've compared it with. I do wish that there was some more nightlife though, you make a good point there. 

For what it's worth though, it's better than it was in the past. :dunno:

Anyway, I haven't been actually down Frog Hollow in a while. If you are comparing it to how it was in the nineties when there was a gang bust like everyday, yeah it's quieted down. Park Street has cleaned up somewhat, but it's still pretty dirty if you ask me.


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## monkeyronin (May 18, 2006)

Don't bother with a digital, I love the vignetting and general vintage-esque effect from your disposable.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

I went back on the shoot today.

Today, as promised, I went west to the *West End*. Out of the three major ends (North, West, South), the West End is definitely the most affluent, diverse, and quintessentially urban one. *This is also my hood.* It's divided into two parts...a more suburban and affluent northern part, and a more urban, inner-city southern part.

I went to the southern part naturally, down the Farmington/Asylum Avenue corridors. A lot of the buildings here are on the National register of historic places (name?). Anyway, let me start putting out the pics.










*I start my "journey" at downtown, this is in back of the Train station*









*Going to the Bus stop, an interesting ad*









*Waiting for the bus, with a sneak snapshot of the skyline*









*Got off the bus, and I'm on Asylum Avenue*









*Took a left down Woodland Avenue, in the middle of Hartford's other "high rise cluster"*









*Beautiful house. Too bad it's some kind of stuffy snob club*


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

*Continued...*

*The Mark Twain House, a landmark in Hartford. 
That was the guy who wrote "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"*










*And next door, the Harriet Beecher Stowe House
This was the woman who wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin".*









*Just a walk west down Farmington Avenue*









*A side-street. Nice Triple Deckers*









*Infill*









*Corner of Farmington and Sisson. This is where I get food*









*I'm at the parking lot of my local bank here. And not too far, my BK!*









*Who says that Hartford is not diverse?
In this pic, there is an Ethiopian, an Italian, and a Mexican restaurant, and I'm in the parking lot of a Japanese one. And there's a Jamaican one next to that. :lol:*









*More West End housing*









*I know a cat lady in the big apartment in this pic*









*Interesting architecture*









*The people in this pic were loudmouths. I think they were drunk. :dunno:*









*Our version of the row house*









*This is near the Halal supermarket that I sometimes go to*









*Cool Apartments. There was a fire here once, made big smoke*









*Strip mall. There is a cool African market here. *









*More retail. This pic is actually in Asylum Hill*









*Last pic at the Culinary institute. I thought that the combination of old and new was cool*









Haven't thought of a certain place to hit yet, but I'm definitely going to take more pics...hopefully on Saturday. Hopefully the weather will be nicer...today so fucking windy that my hat fell off my head! Well, thanks for looking at the pics. I'll be back.


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## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Very interesting that Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe lived next door to each other. Was that by coincidence or did one of them move next to the other on puspose?

That infill looks nice, except that there is that large area on the front of the house with no windows.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Don't think so. I believe that Harriet Beecher Stowe was there much earlier...

Back in the 1800s, most of Hartford was still farms and small houses like that.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

Interesting photos of a city completely unknown to me, looks very typical of the US north-east.


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## fettekatz (Oct 17, 2007)

yes, I never heard about this city until some weeks ago


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

The only reason, I bet, that you both even heard of Hartford in the first place is because of me! :colgate:

I'm reppin' Hartford real hard up in this piece, ha.


------

Anyway, I'm thinking of hitting Frog Hollow and Parkville next, which both are slightly southwest of downtown. I was thinking of going on Saturday, but the problem is that the weather doesn't look very good then. I may buy the digital camera next week. Found a sweet deal for one online.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Sorry for the delay for a while, I've actually been quite busy lately.

Today, I went to *West Hartford Center*. I was there for a dentist appointment, but the weather was so nice (21 degrees), and the forecast for the next few days look bad, so the logic was that I may as well went now. 

West Hartford is not in Hartford's city limits. It's a suburb. Thanks to Connecticut's archaic annexations laws, it's like every backyard can be considered it's own town. I'm only about 6km west of downtown Hartford here, and just down the street from the West End pics that I posted earlier. Such a different world though...you go from the inner city urbanity to yuppieland in a couple of minutes. So much expensive restaurants, joggers and people walking with dogs. Seriously. hno:

Anyway, West Hartford is affluent, and is a good way to show how much money is here in Greater Hartford. The majority of people in this town have a college degree, and the average income is over $66,000. Most of the city is inner suburban, but the center has a good amount of density. Development in West Hartford is booming at the moment. Anyway, here's pics.










*The tallest point in West Hartford, the First Congregational Church*









*The town green across the street*









*Some monument in the green*









*An admittedly bad pic of the "skyline" afar*









*A courtyard in the middle of a building*









*Pic in the parking lot*









*The town hall. It's magnificent. :drool:*









*A closer pic of the town hall*









*A side street, lots of nice cars here*









*Pic in an alley, although most stores here are independent, Starbucks snuck in*









*Farmington Avenue*









*A little nice corner*









*If you can see, there are tables on top of that building*









*From a distance...that sign looks like it says "slavery" :lol:*









*West Hartford Center is surrounded by this: suburban and quiet areas*









*Blue Back Square, which I will post pics of next, in the distance*


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

*Blue Back Square*

As I said earlier, development in West Hartford is booming. A major mixed-use project, Blue Back Square, opened last November. It's the largest development in West Hartford's history. It has, a large amount of upscale chains, plenty of restaurants, a clinic, a gym, banks, and housing. A lot of the stores and restaurants here are having their first locations in the area.

I'm not sure if much people live in the housing yet. A large amount of the housing was originally proposed as condos, but as the housing market has tanked (although not as bad as many other areas in the US), they were converted into apartments instead. Hartford's rental market is booming...it's becoming hard to find a good place here. A large portion of the apartments here are targeted to yuppies and empty nesters.

The thing that's remarkable about this major development is that it's urban and centered like on walking...something almost unheard of in 99% of Suburban Hartford. Cars are allowed in, but parking fees are high and discourage parking. Paid almost $10 and I was there for less than 2 hours. 

West Hartford became a city in my eyes after this, although it is technically a "town" by government decree.

*Took this from the heights of the stairs*









*The main square of Blue Back Square*









*The Cheesecake Factory!*









*An intersection*









*Across the street*









*Housing is zoned on the top of these stores*









*Near the parking garage*









*Apartments still U/C*









*We're getting a new BOSE store too*









*Constructing a new square or a monument here*









*Cool. I like this.*









Hope you liked the pics. I'll be back. 

Going back into the city for the next batch of pics, but I'm planning to go back to West Hartford in the future...we'll check out Elmwood, the "blue-collar" side of West Hartford.


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## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Nice tour. I'm looking forward to you getting a digital camera, though, so that the pictures are much clearer.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Err...actually those were from a digital camera. I guess it's shitty. =/


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

Great work mate!

Like Øland I had never heard of it before I met you on SSC either - it's a great way of learning about a new place - thanks bro!


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## drowningman666 (Nov 5, 2007)

oh it's quite interesting how polish cities in similar size differ from american ones
i wish we had just a piece of your park lots in our downtowns


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Thanks, all. 

I'm thinking of taking some more pics tomorrow. Tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and pretty warm, so nice. Spring isn't going anywhere here. The next pics will be in Hartford again...I don't know where to go actually...there are so much places that I can actually hit! 

As for the digital camera, I may get it Next Friday or Saturday. I have the money to get it now, but I want to at least have double the money so I can at least cushion the expenses.


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## Cruise (Apr 17, 2007)

I love looking at pics of American cities, they look so similiar to Australian cities its scary.


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## felipebarros2003 (May 10, 2007)

Love Northeastern cities!


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Okay, these are not strictly urban pictures, but here are some pics anyway.

Spring is finally here in Hartford! The last few days have been hot (Friday was 28 degrees) and it has been sunny every day since last Monday. This weather has made the plants start to bloom. 

These pics are near my clinic in the burbs...

*Cute flowers near a bank*









*Bus stop in the background*









*Across the street*









*These were from my office window*









*The white building is a local library*









*Our local shopping mall, Westfarms Mall, I took this from a Wendy's *


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Here are a few pics (only 5) from my school, Central Connecticut State University. 

I hope to post some pictures of this (and other universities in the Hartford area) again. Didn't take much because I was in a hurry. Got some decent shots of our main building though. 

*Davidson Hall, the main Administration building*









*Another shot*









*A parking garage. Concrete and Brick is in vogue here*









*The International studies building and some sculpture*









*We are "blooming" here *









If the pics are loading slowly, sorry...there seems to be something odd going on with Photobucket, ATM.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

nice, I've never been in that area of hartford.. looks quite charming.


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## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Looking forward to more pictures.


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## Jo (Jul 6, 2003)

Sweet, I had no idea of what Hartford was before this. Love the comments for each photo.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Cities like Hartford will benefit when the gas prices get higher. One of the least northeastern of the northeastern cities due to a desolate downtown and no subway or light rail. One thing about most Northeastern cities is that they have habitable 24/7 walkable downtowns. Hartford is a lot like Richmond to me. Providence is smaller but its downtown is much more vibrant in classic Yankee style.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Er...thanks, I guess.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

I lived in Boston and got to know New England quite well. One thing that is odd about Hartford is that it is so far inland. Cities in New England by waterways used for commerce seem to be more naturally thriving. The same is true for Springfield and Worcester. I know that is a sweeping generalization but I see it as a pattern. 

American cities do not look like Australian cities IMO. Australian cities look like newer English cities or eastern Canadian cities if there were tropics. South African cities look a bit like Australian cities but without the vibrancy at street level and the general safety.

It makes me think now. What is the most Australian looking US city? Perhaps San Francisco.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Time to bring this thread back on track. :happy:

I finally got a digital camera! Sadly though, not the Canon Powershot A570-IS that I originally wanted. The price was too high for me at the moment. I am getting from that stimulus package around $300, but I decided to use that money to pay some bills and tune up my car instead.

I got a Samsung S630. It was only $70. Admiteddly not the best considering the price, but it gets the job done. The pics are much better than the disposables. The only beef I have with it is that it's a battery sucker. 

But at least now, I don't have to worry about that 1-hour photo BS!

Going to post a crapload of pics that I took today now, be patient!


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## StormShadow (Apr 14, 2005)

Good set! I haven't visited Hartford in quite some time. I had family who once lived there and at times in the past traveled there for certain jobs. Hartford sits perfectly between Boston and NYC as mentioned, a good position if you happen to travel much between these cities.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Here are some pictures I took today. South of downtown.










*We start at Main Street*









*Barnard Park, affectionally known as bum park, across from a shelter
(this is the dumping ground, few homeless up in downtown)*









*Skyline from Wethersfield Avenue*









*A revitalized side street*









*It's prime for gentrification, but for now, predominately Section 8*









*Near the Hartford Hospital now*









*Hartford Hopsital. It has a mini skyline*









*Cool Cow*









*Some remodeling being done*









*Another building*









*Connecticut Children's Hospital. The goofiest modern building in the city :lol:*









*The back of the children's hospital*









*A bit south...the cheapest gas station in the city of Hartford. *









*Local side street*









*Vacant Lot*









*Hartford Magnet School complex*









*Someone forgot to close their door!*









*The Institute of Living. Basically a crazy house*









*No Americans allowed!*









*Abandoned apartment buildings*









*Gang Taggings*









*Walking down the sidewalk*









*Department of Children and Families. Bad Parents beware*









*Thought for the longest time that this was a commieblock...it's just an ugly office building*









*Park Street. I'll revisit this area at a later date*









*Crappy graffiti and a Mustang*









*Stupid people throwing anything into the garbage cans*









*Infill being built*









*Most new public housing looks like this here*









*What a view!*









*Parking lot seas!*









*Ugh. Pregnancy and Religion. Two things that are big here in Hartford*









*I was here before. Here is a close up on one of those brownstones*


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

StormShadow said:


> Good set! I haven't visited Hartford in quite some time. I had family who once lived there and at times in the past traveled there for certain jobs. Hartford sits perfectly between Boston and NYC as mentioned, a good position if you happen to travel much between these cities.


Thanks. That's one great thing about Hartford, yes. I love the location.

I spend quite a bit of time in Queens, my parents live there, and I lived there when I was younger. It's great that the Big Apple is just 2 hours (over 3 hrs with traffic), but we have a fraction of the cost of living. 

Boston's close too. Always great potential for a day trip here. :yes:

More pics now, let me post them in a different post.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

*Downtown Hartford*

I went back downtown to try out the new camera. Also hit a few parts that I failed to hit during my last shoot in the area. I took the majority during the work hours, so some are crowded, but I avoided crowded areas in most of the pics...well, enjoy anyway.

*A sign of a Bar. The coolest one ever, may I add*









*Whitehead Expressway. I'm on it right now as it goes in a tunnel*









*Traveler's Building and the Wadsworth Anthaneum, first public art gallery in the US*









*State House Square*









*Central Row, with the Phoenix in teh background*









*Another pic of State House Square*









*Bank of America building. They are thinking of converting some condos here*









*Marriott Hotel and Capital Community College*









*I'm on Pratt Street, our "Chinatown". :lol:*









*Another pic of Pratt Street*









*CityPlace and Hartford 21*









*Another shot of the skyscrapers*









*LOL. Hartford hit the big time*









*A abandoned building across I-84 known as the "Butt Ugly Building"*









*Prudential Tower*









*Trumbull Street*









*The ugliest corner in DT Hartford, although getting revamped apparently*









That's it for now! Thanks for seeing...I'll post some more later.


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## Audiomuse (Dec 20, 2005)

Wow that "Butt Ugly Building" interests me lol

and that "Emperor at the Linden" bar sign is awesome!


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## kange (Jun 18, 2007)

good job 10rot, the city looks great 
thank for the pics


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Thanks. :yes:

Here are 3 pics that I forgot to upload...was in a hurry when I posted those pics earlier.

*Connecticut Convention Center*









*The construction of the Science center to the right*









*A couple blocks to the west, Allyn Street. There are some nightclubs here*


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Andrewville said:


> *Wow that "Butt Ugly Building" interests me lol
> *
> and that "Emperor at the Linden" bar sign is awesome!


LOL.

The reason that it's the "Butt-ugly building" (besides the fact that it's ugly) is that while it is such an eyesore, there has been no real effort to demolish it. Too much asbestos in the building, scares people. The neighborhood that it's in, right north of I-84, called Clay-Arsenal, is among Hartford's poorest neighborhoods...people avoid it like the plague. 

Last time I heard, the building was to be demolished and replaced with two twin 25-story condo buildings. That obviously fizzled. In a way it stands for Hartford's problems. As much as I like historic buildings and preservation, it's almost next to impossible for some reason to demolish buildings in this city.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

great pics.

and park street, I've been there couple of times....yeah no a fun place to be in sometimes...but there are some good restaurants there.


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

Nice photos, very interesting. Hartford is pretty big but if it wasn't for 10ROT, it would be unknown on SSC!!


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## goschio (Dec 2, 2002)

Wow, nice . Didn't know Hartford is modern city.


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

What a great tour that was! I had never known much about Hartford before, so this has been very educational!


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

Looking good mate - thanks!


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Some MORE pics of DT that I forgot to upload that night:

*Tried to be artistic in this pic. :shifty:*









*Street corner*









*Who is the Russian Lady, I wonder? Is she hot?*









*Retail on Asylum*









*And above!*









*Hmmm...the circus is in town. Is that why I saw that elephant earlier?*


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Here are some pics I took today...

*State Government sector*










Hartford is the capital of the state of Connecticut, which is in the northeastern edge of the United States in a region known as New England.

So Government is big business here. The state is a very avid supporter of historical buildings, and the sector is filled with classical buildings through out the area. They are also quite anti high-rise, but with the CBD a short walk away, it's not a problem. 

*The CT state capitol from Bushnell Park*









*Thought this was cool*









*A walk away, an express bus. These take commuters from the suburbs*









*The building on the right is the Bushnell Hall, our concert hall*









*Some governmental building*









*A statue*









*Nice backside. :yes:*









*Sight downhill from the green*









*Another statue, of Christopher Columbus*









*The State Library/Supreme Court building*









*Another pic of the Capitol. This is on the register of historic places. It's a gem*









*Onramp to I-84. The building in the background is the Legislative building*









*Some other government building, don't know what it is*









*Intersection of Broad and Capitol Ave.*









*The only gas station in Downtown Hartford. Notorious for gouging :bash:*









*The richest state in the Union can't afford decent paving apparently*









*More Government buildings, on Capitol Avenue*


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

*Capitol Avenue Corridor*

As said earlier in one of my pics, the state of Connecticut is the richest state in the US by per capita income. Downtown Hartford, for the most part, reflects that wealth. However, poverty is quite literally across the street from the government here in Hartford. You will see that in the next batch of pictures.

*Street scene, literally a 2 second walk from the State Library*









*Cool mural*









*Be careful for the deaf child*









*This is a SEX-decker. A six family home.  *









*Poverty amidst wealth*









*Neighborhood park*









*A government high rise, quite the oddity here in HFD*









*Nearby I-84. It makes an elevated viaduct that cuts through the city. It may be demolished*









*Another NIMBY. Not sure what it is really, but it emits steam*









*Rowhouses in the Historical District*









*This style is incredibly rare in Hartford, but common in cities like Philly and Baltimore*









*I'm in the Alley*









*These are some beautiful homes. :cheers:*









That's it for now! Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for viewing.


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## Delirium (Oct 8, 2005)

very nice, hadnt seen much of Hartford before now, looks huge for its population though? :happy: the tour is greatly appreciated :yes:


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## Assurbanipal (Oct 30, 2005)

Cool thread, thx for sharing.


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## angcammoc (Mar 24, 2008)

If ever you come to Manhatan don't forget to take awesome pictures or you are only interested in Harford...Do you have night scenes of Hartford?


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

^^ Well, I live in Hartford, which makes it easier for me. IF I am ever in NYC (I usually go often, but I don't usually go to Manhattan when there), I will take some pics and share some. :tongue2:


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Anyway, I took some new pics today.

I went NORTH of downtown today, to Clay-Arsenal, possibly the poorest neighborhood in Hartford, Connecticut, and New England. The neighborhood is just literally north of I-84, and is walking distance to downtown. It was hit by race riots in the sixties and seventies and never truly recovered. 

I put them in black/white to make them look more gritty. The overcast skies helped too. 

*Skyline from I-84*









*I-84/I-91 Interchange*









*The "Butt-Ugly" building down Main Street*









*Close up. This building is filled with asbestos inside*









*If you don't have a cell phone, tough!*









*Walking down Main Street*









*Now taking a left onto a side street*









*We in da hood, G*









*Hmmm...*









*This could be so beautiful if there was some investment*









*The entire building is boarded up*









*Looking at the backyard...there is an A/C*









*There is garbage...I think there are actually people there. :sly:*









*In the backyard, looking south*









*Cool building that is abandoned*









*Upon further looking, it will be renovated by the city*









*A bit of a walk further, there is an entire road blocked off by the public..hmmm*









*The best graffiti that I could find, most of it here is trashy*









*People live in this building*









*Another skyline shot, sorry! This area just has some of the best shots!*









*I'm above the railroads*









*This has been here for years!*









*Urban Prairie*









*As I was leaving, the skies started to brighten, damn!*









Thanks for visiting! That's all for now! :cheers:


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

^Nice work mate once again 

Not a fan of b&w pics, but to each his own


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Thanks! 

As for the black/white...I wanted to try something new, make my pics look more artistic. Plus, it seems to summarize the feeling in the area, which looked bombed out. There are places in this city that are downright depressing to look at, and the overcast skies and cold temps make it perfect. Voila!

Strangely, I found myself being the only one walking around when I was taking them. :shifty:


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## xzmattzx (Dec 24, 2004)

Your pictures and information are getting better by the page. Keep up the good work. Get a digital camera as well, because it will make the pictures clearer for us, and multiple disposable cameras will be expensive if you continue to take pictures.


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## Audiomuse (Dec 20, 2005)

The Capitol is gorgeous and perfect 1-84 skyline shot


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

I'm really enjoying this pics.. and learning a lot about this area! xzmattzx is right.. an inexpensive digital is cheaper in the long run than disposable cameras! Nowadays you 
can get a decent digital camera for not a lot of money.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Guys, I have been using a digital camera for the last few shoots! Thanks for the praise though! 

Couldn't take that disposable camera BS, so I shelled $70 for a Samsung S630. Not the best and not what I orginally wanted (I wanted the Canon A570-IS), but it gets the job done.










I guess I went too cheap, did I? I'm such a miser. hno:


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

10ROT said:


> As for the black/white...I wanted to try something new, make my pics look more artistic. Plus, it seems to summarize the feeling in the area, which looked bombed out. There are places in this city that are downright depressing to look at, and the overcast skies and cold temps make it perfect. Voila!


I always get flack for almost only posting pics with blue skies and sunny weather, but I hate talking pics when it's cloudy - grey weather can make anywhere look depressing 

Everything looks better when the sun shines and the cities are so much more alive and full of colour.. 


Anyway great work as always!


I know its not the right thread but I am kinda curious how such like this: http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n101/rotten777/S6300020-1.jpg can come to be in so many US cities..

From the looks of the highrises the property price looks high, so why have unused abandoned buildings or "gravel parking lots" around?

Is it the city waiting for the right option or is it for investment reasons or why?
Empty lots in central locations shouldn't logically last very long...


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## channel (Apr 24, 2008)

10Rot, very nice pictures of your area, glad i clicked on you signature today


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Thanks for bumping this thread. 

If the weather is good, I'm going to take some new pics next week. I have been bitterly lazy lately...I wanted to go take pictures on Friday, but I forgot my camera. 



FREKI said:


> I know its not the right thread but I am kinda curious how such like this: http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n101/rotten777/S6300020-1.jpg can come to be in so many US cities..
> 
> From the looks of the highrises the property price looks high, so why have unused abandoned buildings or "gravel parking lots" around?
> 
> ...


Sorry for the long reply, from a month ago. 

Segregation mostly. Hartford's downtown almost abruptly ends at I-84 (a major highway), property values plummet because you get into the North End territory, which is the "ghetto" of the city.

That building is called the "Butt-Ugly building" because everyone wants it down, but people are too afraid to demolish it because of all the asbestos in it. I heard of a proposal of demolishing and replacing it with twin 25-story condos, but I guess that this project never happened because it's still there. 

I don't know the values of the buildings downtown (lots of vacancies), but they are several times higher than just north of the highway.


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Its a very honest presentation of Hartford from our friend Mr 10ROT  

Anyway, if you don't mind I want to see more houses in your neighborhood. Plus the pics of the nearest supermarket ( not mall ) from your house :cheers:


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## dösanhoro (Jun 24, 2006)

Huge skylines for me atleast. Weird mixture of parking lots and very nice red brick buildings. 

Might recommend you to look into Casio Exilim , the only current digital camera I have used somewhat. Though not mine at the moment buying something next week. Sharper pictures but problem with greyness, maybe higher iso advisable. If it's sunny no problem at all. 200 eurodollar.


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## channel (Apr 24, 2008)

10ROT said:


> Thanks for bumping this thread.


glad to help  and will wait to see your new pictures :cheers:


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

^yeah - it's about time for some new pics mate :yes:


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## RPM (Jan 31, 2006)

Wow I just stumbled upon this thread for the first time. Excellent job Rotten. There are parts of Hartford I have never seen in this photo (I mostly have been to Downtown, the North Side, and Asylum areas). I can't wait to see the reaction to the North Side.


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## Mahratta (Feb 18, 2007)

Cool snaps 10ROT, but it still .. where the hood at?

Anyway, keep up the good work - more pics S.V.P.


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## Carver02 (Jan 6, 2007)

Talk about a trip down memory lane. I grew up close to Hartford, so this thread is giving me a bunch of flashbacks. 

I went to Elizabeth Park so many times, and had some very pleasant experiences there. Although one night I was escorted out by Hartford's finest. 

I hope you can get some North End pics for us. Albany Ave, Blue Hills, Woodland St, Kenney Park, and maybe some shots of Bloomfield??? 

I remember bringing a girl to this same Wendy's. Crazy. Those were the days.


10ROT said:


> *Our local shopping mall, Westfarms Mall, I took this from a Wendy's *


Thanks for the thread!


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

^ Really? Wow...where in the area are you from? 


Damn, you guys are making me guilty as hell...I've been incredibly slacking on the photos lately. I've been very busy lately. I wanted to go out last weekend, but went visiting people instead. And I found out that my SD card on my camera broke too..

I'm leaving for Buffalo, New York for school on August 20. May not be in Hartford again until December. Because of this...I'm going to try to take some *massive *pics before I go. Maybe on the weekend even, although not certain. Maybe I will hit Albany Avenue or something...I'd love to go to the North End, as a fan of grit and such. 

To compensate, how about just 4 pics that I forgot to post before? 

Took these ones when before work one day.

*Science Center Construction, it's kind of very behind schedule now*









*The bridge on the Riverfront *









*Skybridge mania*









*The Northeast edge of Downtown, the I-84/91 interchange*









Sorry about the picture quality...twas a very sunny day.


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## Carver02 (Jan 6, 2007)

10ROT said:


> ^ Really? Wow...where in the area are you from?


I grew up in South Windsor ...yeah, suburbia. 

I was in Hartford at least once a week for church. I went to Faith Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 500 Woodland St., so I'm still interested in that area. (It wasn't nearly as bad a neighborhood as it would look to outsiders.)

So I hung out on Albany Ave, Blue Hills. There were some great Jamaican bakeries on Albany. My first girlfriend lived on Kent St.

Dang, now I want to go back.


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## HOI (Aug 13, 2005)

Good pics there 10rot. Always thought Hartford was some shithole how you sometimes go on about it, looks the opposite, nice place etc. Hope for some new pics fella.


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

Nice new pics mate!


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## RPM (Jan 31, 2006)

Hartford is a shitehole, with some nice areas.


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## skydive (Apr 24, 2008)

how are things in Hartford now with all these financial issues (shambles) going on?


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Why did you bump this thread, I'm almost 700km from Hartford and won't be there until December. No pics till then. 

As for the economic situation, not too sure. Most of the insurance companies were not in subprime, they were in health and other kinds of insurance. Hartford's insurance industry is not all that affected by Wall Street. I think that there may be some problems because Merrill Lynch and BoA has some workers in downtown. 

In Connecticut, the problem is more for the NYC suburbs affected by Wall Street than Hartford. As for HFD...it was hit by worse recessions in the past. In the 1990s, the downtown was devastated by insurance mergers, with vacancies hitting 35%. That's not happening right now.


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## Liwwadden (Nov 12, 2005)

Compliments on your shots. Really enjoyed looking at 'm and reading your comments. kay:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Very nice pics kay:


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## Cytokine (Aug 2, 2005)

I enjoyed these, thanks!


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## NattyIce (Feb 1, 2009)

*where the hood at?*

I just found this place, good job with the pictures 10rot. I don't know if you still around or not, but I'd like to see some shots of the northend :skull:


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## Amuse2000 (Nov 15, 2008)

i enjoyed watching the pictures, thanks


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

I'm back! 

I've been in Hartford for at least a month now. Summer, you know. Here are a couple pictures from the last week or so. 

Here first is a sighting of the skyline, from at least 15km in the east...at a regional mall parking lot. 

Feels like Hartford is just one giant forest with only the highrises of downtown uncovered by the greenery.










BTW, I'm putting the next pics in 800X600...think more can be seen that way. More pics coming, btw.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

I went to take pics at Trinity College, which is a relatively small Liberal Arts college south of downtown. 

Expensive private and prestigious college, but it is surrounded by a few unsavory neighborhoods. Great school though!



















Some guy on a statue...









Downtown isn't far away


















Admissions office


















Apparently this castle-like building is a Fraternity









However, as rich as it is inside, it is poor right off college property


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Next few pics are just outside Pope Park, one of Hartford's major parks.

Down Summit street









Most buildings here are brick triple-deckers



























View towards the Northwest Hills...


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Next few are in Parkville, a neighborhood on Park Street west of I-84. Some are east though.

The sign on top of the railroad (owned by Amtrak, I believe)









Refurbished industrial building, inside is apartments and a Brazilian restaurant









Another one



























This one was turned into an Art gallery


















Highway mania


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

A canceled project (or delayed, don't know). 









Half of the plaza is abandoned.









Hartford's "twin towers".



























"dirt hill"









Right under the I-84 Overpass









This highway sees almost 185,000 cars drive it every day.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

I know that I have already taken pics of downtown too much, but I haven't been there for several months. 

Forgive me. 

Rotting Interstate 91 sign









Next few pics at Bushnell Park, here's the skyline.









Another one



























Disgusting algae-filled brown water...









NOT a statue...:lol:









Our version of Stonehenge 









Around 90% of commuters in Hartford get to work in a car alone








(...the various bus stops downtown are busy too though)

State House Square...Hartford's town green.









Construction at the Science Center is almost done.









The Phoenix building...









That's it for now...look forward to updates in the upcoming future though, and thanks for visiting this thread! :cheers:


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Looking forward to seeing more pics! I don't think I ever stopped in Hartford, so I am learning a lot from your photos!


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