Latest news with #ArunanArulampalam
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hartford mayor allocates additional $3 million for city schools. District started $30 million short to maintain status quo.
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said Tuesday that Hartford Public Schools would receive an additional $3 million to help mitigate a $6.7 million shortfall in the Board of Education's budget, which will preserve several crucial programs for students. But education advocates and some city council members say that the funding does not go far enough to restore teacher cuts and that there needs to be more investments in education. Carol Gale, president of the Hartford Federation of Teachers, said while she welcomed the funding, she is disappointed. 'While it is something to help the Board of Education, it does not close the budget nor does it restore a single teacher cut or laid off,' she said, adding that while 194 teacher positions were cut, an additional 100 teachers were displaced. The mayor said he is hopeful the remainder of the shortfall at $3.7 million will be funded from the state. But Councilman Josh Michtom of the Working Families Party, said the city could find an additional $8 million to fund education from the fund for health care expenses for city employees. Since 2022, Michtom said the city's health care claims budget has been over budget by over $20 million a year. 'If we invested less than half of that we could protect educator jobs and sustainably provide our students with programs to give them the support they need,' he said. 'Hartford parents are no fools. They know that when a city cares about funding a department, they prioritize it. We stand with them in their calls for prioritizing the children of Hartford.' Michtom continued: 'We should have a serious conversation whether we want to make a modest reduction in the police budget so we can do better public safety, which is frankly education and youth programs.' Mayor's allocation The $3 million in funding, which includes $1.5 million from city funds and $1.5 million from corporate and foundation funding guarantees, would safeguard the district's dental clinic, programs supported by Catholic Charities, the Opportunity Academy and ReadyCT career pipeline programs, which the Board of Education identified to cut. The $3 million is in addition to another $3 million the city contributed to Hartford public schools this past March. Arulampalam said those programs are critical, citing the Opportunity Academy as the last chance for students to get a high school diploma and the career pathways program ensuring students seek careers after high school. The mayor said that he will continue to advocate for funding for schools. 'This is not the final word for us,' the mayor said Tuesday at Hartford City Hall. 'We want to ensure every school building has the resources they need and support staff they need. Our goal is not to fill one budget gap. It is to create centers of excellence for all of our kids. We can't reach our great challenges if we are not willing to work together.' House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said in an email Tuesday that he expects school funding will increase this year. 'The Hartford Legislative Delegation is always focused on securing funding for our schools,' he said. 'Last year we were able to increase school funding by $5 million in state ECS grants. We fully expect to increase funding this year as well, in both our priority bill on special education and through other legislation.' Board of Education Chair Jen Hockenhull said in a statement the funding was crucial. 'Not only does this ensure our students receive a quality education, but also have access to the resources they need to thrive,' she said. Hartford School Board member Tyrone Walker told the Courant that the mayor identified crucial programs that should be saved, also citing the Opportunity Youth Academy, as an opportunity to get students back on track. But one program still on the chopping block that has not been funded yet is the Hope Academy, Walker added, stating that program is also crucial as another one that helps students recover. Calling for more funding Gale said one of the ways that the Board of Education has lost funding is because some students opted to go to magnet schools in other districts and open choice districts. 'We need to attract them back and the only way to attract them back is investing in our schools,' she said. 'Opening back up our libraries and getting our drama programs and things that other districts have that excite kids.' And she called for more collaboration. Gale said that members of the Board of Education and City Council were present at the press conference, she noted the absence of the union and parents, many of whom have been calling for increased funding at recent budget meetings. She called for increased funding from the city, stating that the Hartford Federation of Teachers asked for $10 million. 'That would have balanced the superintendent budget and restored a little bit more,' she said. 'Quite frankly the state wants to see the city doing its part.' In response, Arulampalam told the Courant that he would love to have $10 million to put into the schools. 'Teachers and advocates have been convinced by some city council members that there is $10 million in the city budget,' he said. 'What the council members have not told them is that the plan to find that is to fire 120 police officers and slash health benefits to city employees, including teachers, firefighters and police officers. We are not going to do that. It is irresponsible and wrong.' Michtom argued that the city could stand to cut back on police a little bit, adding that the Board of Education has never gotten an increase in its budget over the past decade. By comparison, the police department's budget has gone up by $17 million, he said. Flat-funded budget Gale told the Courant that the city has flat funded the Board of Education budget for the last 10 to 12 years. 'We have received the same base amount from the city,' she said. 'There has been no cost of living increase. No adjustment for inflation over all of that time.' Gale said the overlay that adds to the complexity of the flat funding is the creation of magnet and charter schools, which has drawn students away from Hartford, affecting enrollment, which determines state grant funding. 'Arts and music has been a source of an opportunity gap between Hartford and our magnet counterparts,' she said. She added that the district has reduced the number of libraries from eight to three. 'We have lost our instrumental music program,' she said. 'We have lost many of our dance teachers. 'Five thousand Hartford students do not get art and music in their elementary years.' Equitable funding Hartford has faced increasing funding challenges over the years, receiving millions less from the state in funding than outlined under the Education Cost Sharing formula. The Board of Education's $6.7 million budget deficit in its $250 million budget has resulted in cuts to teaching positions and also impacted classroom resources and student programs. 'Until we deal with structural issues leading to budget deficit growth we are going to continue to be in this cycle of survival,' the mayor said. 'It is not a sustainable cycle. We are committed to advocating for more funding.' Since the start of the ECS formula in FY 2019 to 2024, Hartford has received $126 million less than what full funding called for, according to the School + State Finance Project. The School + State Finance Project states that 'large, urban districts tend to educate the greatest number of students with higher learning needs, and have student populations composed of the largest percentages of economically disadvantaged students, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities. These districts also tend to have larger percentages of BIPOCB students. Despite serving students with overall greater learning needs, these districts often do not receive funding that reflects the needs of their student populations.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
7 CT office-to-apartment conversions that made a difference. A big challenge looms on the horizon.
The recent launch of the conversion of two historic — but difficult to redevelop — office buildings in downtown was hailed by city and state leaders as making way for apartments that are very much in demand in a city where there is a glut of office space. In marking the $52 million conversion of former state office buildings on Hartford's Trinity Street into more than 100 residential rentals, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam struck an upbeat vision for the city in the coming years. 'Brick by brick, development by development, this city is becoming one larger city in which every neighborhood feels a part of where we are going and this is an incredible centerpiece for that,' Arulampalam said, at last week's event. 'We are so proud of where the city is going. I hope you are so proud of what you see today and what the future looks like.' Indeed, the conversion of older office buildings in and around downtown in the last decade have helped absorb obsolete office space. The projects, many of them supported with public financing, have added thousands of rentals to strike a better — but still emerging — balance with the historical dominance of the office towers. But a big worry looms on the horizon: what to do with space in modern office towers downtown that were battered by corporate downsizings in the aftermath of the pandemic? 'The challenge now is do we take on the 'A' buildings and/or some of the corporate campuses (Aetna)?' Michael W. Freimuth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority, said in an email. How the low occupancies in some of the city's most recognizable office towers are dealt with will have far-reaching consequences. For the downtown economic ecosystem, there are far fewer office workers to regularly help support shops, restaurants and bars. And declining office building values will mean a hit to property taxes collected by the city that pay for municipal services and running its school system. Class A space is considered the most prime, marquee space. In downtown Hartford, there are five major office towers — two on Constitution Plaza — either in foreclosure or receivership, some the casualty of lenders unwilling to refinance mortgages in a shaky office leasing market both in Hartford and nationally. Receivership means building owners have lost day-to-day control of their buildings because they haven't been able to make loan payments or refinance. CityPlace I — the tallest office building in Hartford — fell into receivership after its main tenant, UnitedHealthcare, slashed its leased space as more of its employees in the city worked from home after COVID-19. Of the roughly 885,000 square feet in the 38-story tower, just 45%, or about 400,000 square feet is occupied, according to CoStar, the commercial real estate analytics firm. A new analysis by Cushman & Wakefield of the 14 Class A, or prime, office buildings in Hartford's business district showed that overall availabilities were 35.5% as of Mar. 31. That up a full percentage point from 34.5% compared to a year earlier, the analysis by the commercial real estate services firm found. By the numbers, that's 2 million square feet available out of about 5.7 million. Nationally, the move to convert idle office space into residential rentals has gained considerable momentum in the past several years, according to a recent report from which tracks trends involving apartments. The report found that the number of apartments set to be converted from office space has skyrocketed from 23,100 in 2022 to a record-breaking 70,700 expected in 2025. CityPlace and other office towers in the downtown Hartford area may not be necessarily be suitable for apartment conversions. But older, smaller buildings may well be, with their tenants potentially moving into Class A space where lower, attractive rents could be negotiated and owners are hungry for tenants. For developers, rising construction costs — potentially affected by new tariffs — remain a concern when assessing the viability of projects and whether public funding needs to be increased. In the legislature, a half-dozen bills — some proposing tax credits — sought at the beginning of the session to encourage office-to-residential conversions. And Gov. Ned Lamont proposed $50 million in his capital budget to support such projects. In the last decade, Hartford got a jump on converting office space, well before anyone had heard of COVID-19. But the stakes still remain high because the city has more office space than New Haven, Waterbury and Bridgeport combined. Original use: Office tower Built: 1967 Conversion cost: $84.5 million, with public funding # of apartments: 285 Market-rate/Affordable: 80%/20% Developer: Bruce Becker, Westport Conversion completed: 2015 Current Occupancy: 98% Why it Matters: The 26-story office tower once stood out in the city's nighttime skyline, dark and empty — a highly visible reminder of the city's struggle with revitalization. The project was one of the earliest and largest office-to-apartment conversions in the last decade, and provided a crucial test for housing demand in downtown Hartford. Original use: Masonic Hall Built: 1894 Conversion cost: $4.5 million, with public funding # of apartments: 26 Market-rate/Affordable: 100% Market-rate Developer: Yisroel Rabinowitz, Brooklyn, NY Conversion completed: 2014 Current Occupancy: 86% Why it Matters: The former Masonic Hall had struggled to accommodate offices, but was successfully converted into The Grand on Ann apartments. The project, the first to be completed using low-cost financing through the Capital Region Development Authority, established housing on the eastern end of downtown's Allyn Street corridor. CRDA sought to strengthen the residential presence between the XL Center and Union Station. It is uncertain how that vision will unfold now that the federal government has all but chosen an Allyn Street parking lot for a new federal courthouse. Original use: Offices for wool merchants Built: 1883 Conversion cost: $14.9 million, with public financing # of apartments: 63 Market-rate/Affordable: 80%/20% Developer: Dakota Partners, Waltham, MA Conversion completed: 2015 Current Occupancy: 84% Why it Matters: The renovation revived the use of an office building considered an architectural gem, but was in decline with few tenants. The conversion to rental housing added more apartments around Union Station on the west end of Allyn Street. Leasing helped build a track record for downtown rental demand. Original use: office tower Built: 1965 Conversion cost: $28.4 million, with public funding # of apartments: 157 Market-rate/Affordable: 100% Market-rate Developers: Wonder Works Construction Corp. and Girona Ventures, both of New York Conversion completed: 2020 Current Occupancy: 97% Why it Matters: The 12-story office tower at the corner of Pearl and Lewis streets was once a bank headquarters and later, a police substation. Until converted to apartments in 2020, a string of attempts to redevelop the structure into office space, apartments and condominiums failed, leaving the building largely vacant and decaying for years. Original use: office building Built: 1950 Conversion cost: $21.5 million, with public funding # of apartments: 101 Market-rate/Affordable: 100% Market-rate Developers: Wonder Works Construction Corp. and Girona Ventures, both of New York Conversion completed: 2019 Current Occupancy: 96% Why it Matters: The 7-story building was vacant for more than a decade and like the neighboring 101 Pearl occupied a prominent corner in downtown, diagonally across from the XL Center arena, The two structures are now joined internally to create one apartment building. Original use: department store Built: 1928 Conversion cost: $30 million, with public funding # of apartments: 97 Market-rate/Affordable: 100% Market-rate Developer: Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Shelbourne Global Solutions LLC, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Lexington Partners and LAZ Investments, both of Hartford. Conversion completed: 2023 Current Occupancy: 100% Why it Matters: The L-shaped building that anchors the southern side of the corner of Pratt and Trumbull streets was long past its heyday. After the Steiger's Department Store closed in 1962, the upper floors became office space. The new apartments formed a cornerstone for the Pratt Street corridor which aspires to be both a place to live and a visitor destination. Original use: office building Built: 1981 Conversion cost: $20 million, with public funding Apartments: 60 Market-rate/Affordable: 70%/30% Developer: RBH Group, Newark, N.J Conversion completed: 2019 Current Occupancy: 98% Why it Matters: Teacher's Village Hartford converted office space facing Bushnell Park that had been vacant for two decades. The vision was to create a residential community for teachers and other educators who can collaborate and support each other in their professional endeavors. While an estimated 40% of the units are occupied by educators, below the initial leasing of 60-70%, the apartments remain nearly fully leased. SOURCES: Capital Region Development Authority; Courant reporting
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New CT apartment project is helping boost redevelopment area that saw a big setback
To the rear of two historic, office buildings being converted to apartments across from the state Capitol, there was noise competing with applause at a nearby groundbreaking ceremony for the $52 million project. Demolition debris from the back of 18-20 Trinity St. in downtown Hartford was hitting a dumpster with a thud, a sound that showed that the redevelopment of the former state office building is already well underway. At the event, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said redevelopment, which borders Bushnell Park and also includes the neighboring 30 Trinity St., is not just about the creation of 104 units — 20% of them affordable — and bringing back to life long vacant structures. 'It is about the large vision for where Hartford is going,' Arulampalam said. 'This is another key component in Bushnell South, which will stitch together our downtown, this beautiful park that is the centerpiece of our city — our Central Park — with the neighborhood.' Bushnell South is a major redevelopment area for the city and includes about 20 acres surrounding The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts that are dominated by parking lots targeted for new development. The Trinity Street buildings are on the northwestern corner of Bushnell South. Bushnell South has seen some early progress with the conversion of the former state offices in the historic 55 Elm St. into apartments. But recently there was a major setback, with the preferred developer of the largest parking lot withdrawing from the project after two years. Developers Philadelphia-based Pennrose LLC and The Cloud Co., of Hartford, first spotted the two historic structures — built in the early years of the last century for insurance companies — nearly four years ago. The partners, already active in development elsewhere in city, decided they wanted to pursue an apartment conversion and saw potential in the wider Bushnell South vision. Charlie Adams, Pennrose's president, said Tuesday that the company's chief executive has a saying that 'every deal is a miracle. And the 10 years that I have been here, and if you had to rank deals that were a miracle, this would be at the top of the list.' Financing was complicated by a dozen different components, including a $6.5 million, low-cost, state-taxpayer-backed loan from the Capital Region Development Authority. In addition, there was a $6 million state grant from the Urban Act grant program, state and federal historic tax credits, plus private financing. The state's deadline for purchasing the properties had to be pushed back while components of the financing were made to fit together. 'It was a very challenging deal because this wasn't a deal that was in a box,' Adams said. 'It was outside of a lot of programs so it took a lot of courage and a lot of will for folks to do it.' The groundbreaking was marked by officials posing with hand-held sledge hammers with heads painted gold. Gov. Ned Lamont said the complex financing deals such as those for the Trinity Street buildings are getting even more complicated: 'We've got some headwinds. You've got interest rates that are bouncing around, you've got tariffs on timber coming in from Canada — it's getting tricky right now.' The first apartments in the Trinity Street buildings are expected to become available in March, 2027. The monthly rents for the market-rate units are now projected to range from $1,700 to $2,500. The unit mix includes 29 studios, 27 studios, plus den, 39 one-bedrooms, 4 one-bedrooms, plus den and 5 two-bedrooms. The apartments will be mixed-income, with 20% reserved as 'affordable' for tenants that restrict rents and limit income to less than 50% of the area median income. Parking will be nearby in the $16 million, state-financed Bushnell South Parking Garage. Lamont said the broad cross-section of housing projects in Hartford provides clear evidence that people want to live in the city. 'This is a good thing,' Lamont said. 'This city was 30 or 40% bigger a couple of generations ago. And it's coming back. This is how you get young people here, vibrancy here, housing projects just like this where young people can get a good start and come over and work for state government if you want to.' Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hartford looking to make street in front of McDonough Middle School safer
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Major changes are coming to McDonough Middle School on Hillside Avenue in Hartford after two students were hit by cars while crossing the street in the past month. Traffic monitor Lisa Arce said traffic on Hillside Avenue is fast and furious, and she has had a couple of close calls. She gets off the bus to monitor traffic before the students step into the street and is often worried about her own safety as well as drivers can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour. Enfield teachers rallying for 2025-26 budget increase after 100 educators laid off last school year 'We worry a lot and I go in the middle and if they hit me, they hit me,' Arce said. 'But I'm protecting the little kids too.' Some students watched their friend get hit by a car on April 1 in front of McDonough. Since then, another student has also been hit in nearly the exact same spot. One student suffered broken legs and bruises on her face. 'The girl was running across the street, the person came out of nowhere going really fast, and hit her,' a student said. Despite the fact that the school has been around for 150 years, the street in front of it has never been designated as a school zone. So students, parents and teachers are taking the problem to City Hall, and the mayor is listening. 'We are putting all of our resources in terms of traffic, calming into that corridor right now to deal with the emergency of that issue,' Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam (D) said. Mayor Arulampalam has been working with Department of Public Works to get the area designated as a school zone. But in the short term, they are planning to re-strip and narrow the road using diagonal parking slow traffic. 'This shows you out in front of McDonough school what people will be seeing in the short term that will help slow these cars down in the short term in front of the schools,' Arulampalam said. Mayor Arulampalam said they also plan on putting pipes right on this turn line, to keep cars out in the intersection as they make the turns. All of these improvements are supposed to start there this week or the beginning of next. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
21 trees planted at Weaver High School to celebrate Arbor Day in Hartford
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Twenty-one trees were planted at Weaver High School in Hartford on Friday to celebrate Arbor Day. Volunteers from Operation Fuel and the Connecticut Green Bank joined KNOX and the City of Hartford as a part of the Capital Forest Stewardship Initiative to plant 250 trees across the city this year and hundreds more over the next few years. The Arbor Day Foundation recognized Hartford as an official 'Tree City' 30 years ago. 'Our work today showcases the power of trees to connect the people across our community,' explained KNOX Executive Director Patrick Doyle. 'Together, apprentices, volunteers, residents, and community leaders are expanding access to the benefits that trees provide to everyone in Hartford.' 'This is really serious. Trees in a city like Hartford can make a huge impact,' said Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam. 'We know that as a city. We know on hot days the impact the tree canopy can have on heat islands. It can make an impact…a significant tree canopy of 10 to 20 degrees Over the next four years, 1000 trees are hoped to be planted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
