Broad Street, Make It "Shovel Ready"

A recent letter to Senator Handley, Representatives Thompson and Barry, Mayor Spaduccini, the Board of Directors and General Manager Shanley:

I would like to take this opportunity to advocate for the Broad Street Streetscape and Revitalization project to be number one on Manchester's "Shovel Ready" list. This area of Manchester has been studied, discussed and hotly debated since I became a resident of Manchester in 2002, if not longer. Action on this area of Manchester looked promising with the 2003 report from the Parkade/Broad Street Revitalization Steering Committee, and then again in 2005 with the Conceptual Design Report from BL Companies. Even a citizen lead effort on one portion of Broad Street, the now infamous Manchester Parkade, made an attempt to move on this vital area in our town. All have fallen short of what is possible.

When I first read of Obama's Economic Stimulus Plan for infrastructure projects, my first thought was of Broad Street and the Parkade. I believe that this area of Manchester, and Connecticut for that matter, has the potential to fulfill many needs and ideas in today's commercial and political climate. Whatever buzzwords that you choose, be it Smart Growth, New Urbanism, or Green Building, Manchester has an opportunity like no other inner-ring suburb of Hartford. With medium to high density, multi-use zoning, along with public and private redevelopment, Manchester would have the ability to attract and retain Connecticut's college graduates with businesses, housing and activities to suit their needs. With redevelopement on Broad Street, our town would also be able to attract young families, and active seniors. In your positions I am sure that you are privy to, or have been briefed on, a great deal of information on these subjects. I do not wish to repeat them in the interest of brevity.

Please forgive my bluntness, but the section of Broad Street from Center Street to West Middle Turnpike, measuring a mere two-thirds of a mile, is a commercial cancer that is slowly eating away at the heart of Manchester. I am sure that there are many other projects that may be closer to "shovel ready," or easier politically. I beseech you to not pick the low-hanging fruit, but to shoot for the moon and put your full combined weight behind this area of our town. Please, do not let another five years or even a decade go buy on this. Bring together Manchester, CRCOG and state agencies to get these projects off the drawing board and make it a reality. Take Manchester's working class roots and make it an example of what is possible.