Home Care In East Hartford, CT

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EAST HARTFORD — As businesses in the Silver Lane Plaza are relocating due to the strip mall's impending demolition, one of its mainstays has found a new home one town over.

JE Mart, an Asian grocery store that has been in the plaza for at least 10 years, is currently in the process of moving to the Manchester Parkade, taking over the space that once housed the Parkade Health Shoppe, which closed in 2021.

JE Mart owner Jeong Hee Moon said though the store is still in the construction phase, she would like to try to be open before Christmas.

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Manchester Town Planner Gary Anderson said that the 10,000-square-foot business will fill a niche within the Asian community in town.

"There's a growing Asian population in Manchester. There's different ethnicities, but within the region there's a significant population," he said. "Anytime we can fill a niche that isn't being filled in Manchester, we're excited about that."

And with the Manchester Parkade adding to its list of tenants, town officials in East Hartford hope that efforts to revitalize the Silver Lane Plaza will bring the worn-down strip mall back to life.

After East Hartford acquired the plaza by eminent domain in March, then-mayor Mike Walsh made it a priority to redevelop the deteriorating plaza, as the previous plaza owner, East Hartford Venture LLC, had refused to redevelop the area.

At the time, Walsh said he would like to see either another grocery store in the plaza, or a big box store, or restaurants, and a variety of retail stores.

In November, three developers — the Grossman Development Group, Charter Realty Principal, and Leyland Alliance — jointly submitted a proposal to develop the plaza that included three different formats for mixed-use property, with some retail property with housing property behind it.

Mayor Connor Martin said on Friday that the proposal still has to be reviewed.

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"We're hoping next week or the week after it will be," Martin said. "We have the proposal in hand, we just have to get time on our side."

So far, East Hartford Director of Development Eileen Buckheit said nine businesses have already left the Silver Lane Plaza, but five more still remain, adding that the moving process is fluid and town officials are actively working with attorneys or the businesses themselves to exit the property.

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EAST HARTFORD — The town has received a proposal, though only one, from a group seeking to redevelop the 22-acre Silver Lane Plaza.

The Grossman Development Group, Charter Realty Principal, and Leyland Alliance have come together to submit a proposal. Charter Realty purchased Blue Back Square in West Hartford in 2021 and has been involved with redevelopment there. Leyland and Charter were among the groups that developed "Storrs Center" near the UConn campus in Mansfield.

Michael Goman of Goman + York, a real estate consultant for the town, said that the developer's proposal consists of three different formats for mixed-use property — some retail property with housing property behind it.

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"It's a concept that's consistent with the goals of the master plan in the works on the plaza to improve commercial uses and add housing to the area," Goman said. "It will create new jobs, and increase the demand of housing as a result."

Eileen Buckheit, East Hartford's development director, said that the process is still in its early stages, as the proposal needs to be reviewed by town staff. She said the town's new mayor, Connor Martin, is being brought up to speed on current projects in development, so there has been no "significant in-depth analysis" done on the proposal.

Buckheit said that the developers have a positive record, having done a great deal of work in Storrs, and are currently working on a project on the Berlin Turnpike.

"They have a proven track record for mixed-used development," Buckheit said.

The town obtained the plaza by eminent domain on March 1, with $4.5 million from the State Bond Commission. The plaza was approved for demolition in May.

Former East Hartford Mayor Mike Walsh said at the time that the previous plaza owner, East Hartford Venture, LLC, refused to redevelop the site, and so "the town was forced to step in and acquire the property because the private market failed this community, I’m sorry to say."

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The plaza was home to businesses such as Bare Bones Boxing and Je Mart, as well as restaurants, dental offices, and a laundromat.

Buckheit said that Je Mart is now located in Manchester, and Bare Bones Boxing moved to a new location on Silver Lane, and that there are about seven businesses still open in the plaza.

"We have a lot of work to do," Buckheit said. "Right now we're working on the site itself. Buildings are still standing, and we still have tenants. All of that is still ongoing."

The mixed-use proposal was the only one submitted for the bid that closed on Nov. 2.

Buckheit said that the ultimate goal is to sell the property to a new owner, and that if the current proposal is not approved, it is possible that the bid could open up again.

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24

EAST HARTFORD — As East Hartford's youngest mayor and its first mayor of color, 32-year-old Connor Martin is ready to put what he sees as his unique vision to work to try and revitalize the town.

Martin, who was former Mayor Mike Walsh's Chief of Staff, officially became East Hartford's mayor Monday morning. Surrounded by his family, friends and public supporters, Martin was sworn in by Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz at the town's Cultural Community Center.

"I'm just filled with joy, so appreciative of all the people that showed up today," Martin said. "I wasn't expecting this many people, but I think it speaks to the support that I'll have as mayor, and hopefully these people won't let me fail."

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One of the new mayor's top priorities is to change the economic realities for its residents, and along with it the economic perception of the town as a whole.

"We're no longer going to be this blue collar town, this poor community that we get labeled as," Martin said.

"We have to start raising the household median income, bring in revenue through economic development, and bring in retail, entertainment, shopping," Martin added. "We want to give residents a reason to spend their money in East Hartford."

Walsh's somewhat sudden decision not to seek another term may have surprised some, but Martin's decision to quickly opt to run for the position wasn't a surprise to at least one person.

Martin's fiance, Beatrice Alicea, said that ever since 2018 when she and Martin began their relationship — when Martin was running for Town Council in East Hartford — Martin had plans to be mayor.

She said that Martin texted her that they needed to talk after Walsh told him that he would not be seeking re-election.

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"I wanted to support him on this," Alicea said. "It was just taking a leap of faith. We didn't know what campaigning was going to look like, if and when he won. We're overwhelmed with gratitude."

Martin announced Monday that taking over his previous role as chief of staff would be Communications Specialist Ekaterine Tchelidze.

This was not a surprise to Tchelidze, but rather a secret she had to keep until now. She said Martin told her in September that if he won the mayoral election, he would like her to be his chief of staff.

"I started in East Hartford in May 2018," Tchelidze said. "I'm very excited to continue serving our community. East Hartford has a bright future, and we have amazing goals. I'm very excited to be a part of the team to help make those goals a reality."

Martin also assured his supporters that they can expect the town staff to prioritize them, as they work for the residents.

"Coming as chief of staff, I see the cracks in our foundation, I get to see the lapse in customer service," Martin said. "I wanted to send a reminder to everybody that as you work here in East Hartford, you work on behalf of our residents. They are our number one customer, number one priority. Their satisfaction is our number one goal. You need to come into this place everyday at 8:30 a.m. with that mindset, and you need to leave it with that same mindset."

Martin said that first on his mayoral to-do list is to meet with directors, and prep for the annual town hall where he will meet with residents to share his vision for the town.

Martin said that some of the vision includes the construction of apartments where the Showcase Cinemas movie theater used to be, which will take place in the early 2024, and the redevelopment of the Church Corners Inn, which should also begin in spring.

Martin said that being East Hartford's youngest mayor is monumental to him, and he is up for the challenge, but he has encountered people who are wary of him being a young mayor.

"I remind everybody that I've been doing this work with Mayor Mike, and before that on the Town Council here in East Hartford, so I know this local government, I know the projects," Martin said. "I have a masters degree in management and leadership, and over 12 years of management experience."

Martin said that while he sees his new role as mayor as bringing in a new generation to politics, he is not pushing the older generation aside.

"At the end of the day I tell the older generation this, that I still need you. I need you to show me the mistakes that were made in the past, and help make my generation not make those same mistakes in the future," Martin said. "I don't want the older generation to go away, and my mayoralship does not signal any of that. It signals a renewed partnership between two different generations who are both in the same workplace looking to move East Hartford forward, and we have to do that together. We need that, and we need their guidance."

HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - There is a plan to make big changes to Interstate 84 in Hartford and East Hartford.

The idea is to make the area better for traffic and recreation.

By lowering I-84 more things could be built on top of it, and extra bridges would help traffic flow.

Improvements made over the years to make the Connecticut River more accessible have paid off.

“This walkway that they put in many years ago is used extensively at lunch time,” said Chuck Tennyson, who works in Hartford.

The Founders Bridge has a walkway that connects Hartford to East Hartford.

This new project, called the “Greater Hartford Mobility Study,” would add two new bridges, one north of the Bulkeley Bridge and the other south of the Founders Bridge.

“We are proposing a bridge to the north to realign the 84/91 interchange, reclaiming the Bulkeley Bridge to a local road, so increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic on sidewalks and lanes,” said Josh Morgan with the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Another big part of the project is lowering I-84. This could create more open space. One of the proposals is moving Union Station over the highway.

“I-91 cut this city off from the river that it was built on, and I-84 cut this city in half dividing it north and south,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.

Bronin said the project will bring two cities together and allow more people to enjoy the river.

East Hartford’s mayor said this is an expensive project, but worth it.

“Can East Hartford develop the East Hartford side of the river without it? Sure. Does it make it more of an attractive project for East Hartford? Absolutely,” said East Hartford Mayor Mike Walsh.

There’s no question people want less traffic and more attractive places to go.

“The more they do these types of things, the better it is for Hartford and it’s good for exercise, get out and walk. Today is a beautiful day,” said Tennyson.

It’s very early now and the cost is not known, but the DOT said it could cost tens of billions.

Connecticut is hoping the federal government will share some of costs. It will take years to be completed.

Copyright 2023 WFSB. All rights reserved.

SOURCE: PRATT & WHITNEY RENTSCHLER FIELD

EAST HARTFORD, CT (October 12, 2023) – The U.S. Men’s National Team will host four-time World Cup champion Germany in a high-profile friendly match on October 14 in preparation for its quarterfinal matches in the Concacaf Nations League the following month. This match has limited tickets remaining. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and prepare for heavy traffic due to an estimated capacity attendance, as well as the Hartford Marathon that morning.

The schedule for day of game is as follows:

USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter named a 23-player roster to face Germany. The roster represents significant continuity, with a total of 18 of the 23 players heading to East Hartford that featured on the roster last month for the consecutive shutout victories against Uzbekistan and Oman. There are 13 players who helped the U.S. reach the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 15 players that were a part of the squad that claimed its second consecutive Concacaf Nations League title this past June.

The U.S. first faces Germany on Oct. 14 in East Hartford, Conn. Kickoff from Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field is set for 3 p.m. ET and the match will be available live on Warner Bros. Discovery platforms, Telemundo, and Peacock. Germany boasts talent from some of the top clubs in Europe and are preparing to host the 2024 UEFA Championship.

FACING THE GERMAN GIANTS

While the USMNT holds a 4-7-0 record against the four-time World Cup champs, the team has been successful in two of the last three matches. The USA defeated Die Mannschaft 4-3 in U.S. Soccer’s Centennial Celebration Match on June 2, 2013, in Washington, D.C. Two years later in Cologne, Germany, a late game-winner from Bobby Wood lifted the USA to a 2-1 win on June 10, 2015 -- less than a year after they captured the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The teams have also met three times in World Cup competition, with the USA falling 2-1 in 1998 before the Germans ended the USA’s farthest run in a World Cup in 72 years by snatching a 1-0 win in the quarterfinal of the 2002 tournament. The U.S. also narrowly surrendered a 1-0 win in the last match of group play during Germany’s run to the 2014 World Cup title.

HOME SWEET HOME

The USMNT team is no stranger to Hartford. Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field has played host to USMNT games seven times since 2005. The U.S. collected a 1-0 shutout win at the venue against Trinidad and Tobago during final round qualifying for the 2006 World Cup with Brian McBride notching the game winner. The stadium also hosted a World Cup Send-Off match (2006), a Gold Cup group stage game (2013) and Landon Donovan’s last match for the United States (2014). Overall, the USA is 4-1-2 at the stadium and 5-1-2 in Hartford overall.

- ussoccer.com –

About Pratt & Whiteny Stadium at Rentschler Field

Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field is a 36,000-seat multipurpose stadium located in East Hartford, CT, and operated by OVG360. The stadium serves as the home field of the University of Connecticut Football and has hosted a wide variety of other athletic, cultural, and civic events. Learn more at RentschlerField.com. Follow Pratt & Whitney Stadium on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

About OVG360

In Connecticut, OVG360 manages the XL Center in Hartford, Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, and Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport. OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client-partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client-partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety and more.