Hartford 400 Press Conference

This morning Rep. John B. Larson was joined by Senator Richard Blumenthal, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, CT Treasurere Shawn Wooden, and Jay Williams of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving at a press conference to promote Hartford400. The press conference took place at the historic Keney Tower, an important landmark of Hartford’s North End, and the anchor and pivot point for a new connection to the Connecticut River.

Watch the press conference here , and read about it on NBC Connecticut.

Hartford 400 on Steady Habits Podcast

Doug Suisman recently talked with Dan Dankosky of the CT Mirror on his podcast Steady Habits about Hartford 400. They discussed the origins of Hartford 400 and the benefits for the Connecticut Valley, as well as its three main transformative projects: RiverRoad, MidTown, and the hARTline.

Listen to Part 1 and Part 2.

“Inside a Commuter Rail Comeback in Hartford”

Doug Suisman is quoted in the article, talking about The iQuilt Plan, and how rail is integral to the vision:

“Downtown Hartford: Ten Years of Transformation”

Suisman Urban Design, with help from The iQuilt Partnership, wrote, designed, and published a book chronicling all the projects (large and small) that have contributed to the revitalization of Downtown Hartford over the last ten years, beginning in 2008 when SUD began working in the city.

Burlington City Hall Park Improvements Move Forward

The improvement plan for Burlington, VT’s City Hall Park is moving forward! Construction documents are complete and have gone out for bid.

For more information on the City Hall Park project, visit Burlington Parks and the Great Streets BTV sites.

Burlington’s St. Paul Streetscape Construction Under Way

St. Paul Street in Burlington, VT is getting an upgrade. Part of the Suisman-led Great Streets BTV Initiative, the improved streetscape elements include:

Third Street Promenade Fountain Renovations Complete

The renovation of the dinosaur fountains on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is now complete! The refreshed twenty-five year old fountains blend in with Suisman’s update of the street’s overall look and furnishings. With repaired concrete basins, new blue tile, and new lighting, these dino fountains have never looked better!

Hartford Wins “Walk Friendly” Designation

The city of Hartford has just won a Silver-level “Walk Friendly City” designation from Walk Friendly Communities (WFC), a national organization devoted to promoting urban walkability. Hartford is the first city in Connecticut to win the designation at any level, and its Silver rating puts it in the company of such walkable cities as Burlington, Philadelphia and Santa Monica. The designation is good for five years from 2018-2023, and can be be renewed upon application. WFC cited the iQuilt Plan (designed by Suisman), along with the city’s robust Complete Streets policy, zoning code, regional bike initiatives and comprehensive plan, as leading reasons why Hartford was honored at the Silver level. The Walk Friendly center is headquartered at the University of North Carolina and is sponsored by FedEx. The Suisman team congratulates the City of Hartford, the iQuilt Partnership, and Riverfront Recapture on this welcome recognition of Hartford’s pedestrian friendly public space. For more information go to walkfriendly.org

Third Street Promenade Fountain Renovations In Progress

The renovation of the beloved dinosaur fountains on the renowned Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica has begun. Led by the City of Santa Monica and Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., and designed by Suisman Urban Design, the refresh of the twenty-five year old fountains will provide physical improvements and update their appearance to blend in with Suisman’s recent update of the street’s overall look and furnishings. Repairs of the concrete basins and curved edges, a technical challenge, will be followed with the installation of new blue tile and lighting.

ASLA Merit Award to Bushnell Park North