iQuilt | NEFA

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts

Hartford, CT

Contact Name

Ronna Reynolds

Post date

October 21, 2012

Project Dates

2007 - Present

Workshop Leader

Creative Communities Exchange (CCX) 2011

Tags

Business Planning

In 2007, the Urban Land Institute (ULI), evaluated Hartford’s built environment and economic challenges, making a single over-arching recommendation to city leaders: to “focus on thoughtful, creative in-fill projects to link and leverage Hartford’s cultural assets.” Following the ULI study, the City began the process of creating a 10-year master plan for conservation and development known as “One City, One Plan.” In 2008, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts and the Greater Hartford Arts Council initiated the iQuilt, an arts-based economic development initiative to create an exciting pedestrian network weaving together 45 of downtown’s arts, culture and public assets in the theme of cultural innovation.

Project Goals

What were the project goals?

Phase II: Design incorporates five distinct activities to further progress ultimate iQuilt goals of strengthening Hartford’s economy and workforce, improving the citywide cultural network, and making downtown a more walkable, sustainable, welcoming destination.

Have they changed over time?

The iQuilt began as a collaborative effort between The Bushnell and the Greater Hartford Arts Council but quickly evolved to become a project incorporating all segments of the community upon the creation of the iQuilt Steering Committee

Who are the project partners and stakeholders?

iQuilt Steering Committee– an eight-member committee made up of representatives from the State of Connecticut, City of Hartford, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, MetroHartford Alliance, Business Improvement District, Greater Hartford Arts Council, Metropolitan District Commission, and the Bushnell Park Foundation. Funding for the iQuilt has come from many Hartford-based corporations, generous individuals, local and national foundations, and from federal grants such as the top prize $250,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts Mayor’s Institute on City Design 25th Anniversary Initiative. The iQuilt, beyond extensive local and regional support, is highly praised by Congressman John Larson (CT), Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR), Congress’ chief spokesman for Livable Communities and Vice Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and Congressman Schuster (PA), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Material and member of the House Committee on Natural Resources. With Doug Suisman, FAIA, Principal, Suisman Urban Design (Los Angeles, CA), as primary project architect, The Bushnell has coalesced an internationally-acclaimed team of designers. Joining Suisman to provide addition services in the architecture, design, landscape architecture, lighting design, and revenue generation planning fields are: Tyler Smith, FAIA, Principal, Smith Edwards Architects (Hartford, CT); Michael Vergason, FASLA, Principal, with Beata Boodell Corcoran, Designer, Michael Vergason Landscape Architects (Alexandria, VA); Domingo Gonzalez, DC, Principal, Domingo Gonzalez Associates (New York, NY); Thomas L. Woltz, CLA, ASLA, Principal, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (New York, NY); Dan A. Biederman, President, Biederman ReDevelopment Ventures Corporation (New York, NY).

Project Specifics

How was the project implemented? What were the steps taken?

iQuilt design plans take into account a number of city and state-led green urban design projects which are currently underway in the neighborhoods and downtown areas adjacent to and within the iQuilt cultural district; these projects range from the Partnership for Sustainable Communities initiative between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “Greening America’s Capitals,” to the City of Hartford’s Green Capitol/Green Streets Project and local Neighborhood Revitalization Zone strategic plans from South Downtown (SODO) neighborhood, to The Bushnell’s own plans for the redevelopment and re-envisioning of Capitol Avenue, The Bushnell Neighborhood Master Plan. The iQuilt encompasses five activities in Phase II: Design. Activity 1, Graphic Design of the iQuilt Cultural District Visual Identity will include imagery, color, and typography to be used in a wide range of applications to develop an overall visual identity for the iQuilt both as a cultural district and economic program. Activity 2, Landscape Design of the GreenWalk, will focus on proposed spatial and pedestrian connection of Hartford’s two great designed landscapes, Bushnell Park and the revitalized Connecticut River waterfront. Bushnell Park will be rehabilitated and include the reintroduction of flowing water to America’s oldest publicly funded park and be supplemented by the proposed Connecticut Square project nearby, which will repurpose a current State-owned 700-space parking lot into a multi-purpose environmentally-friendly performance and community venue. Both Bushnell Park and Connecticut Square will be tastefully linked and the public spaces within the iQuilt will be tied together to create a distinctive park to river link, the GreenWalk. In Activity 3, the Urban Design of the Pedestrian Network, the iQuilt design team will work with the arts community to employ a range of strategies to create an integrated, enhanced and engaging pedestrian network for downtown, incorporating physical and digital wayfinding tools; interactive public art and cultural displays along guided paths; outdoor displays of interior arts and culture collections; and sidewalk, bicycle rack and bus stop furnishing. Selected prototypes will be available for public display upon their development. Activity 4, Asset Mapping and Economic Analysis, will take place over the 12-month span of Phase II: Design, to document downtown Hartford’s cultural resources and provide critical data to reinforce the impact of the arts on the local and regional economy; analysis will also examine output, employment, and income impacts. Activity 5, Community Engagement, carried over from Phase I: V

Have they been refined over time?

isioning, will continue through Phase II to Phase III: Implementation. Thus far, thousands of people have provided input and feedback which have been incorporated into the iQuilt design process. Multiple additional opportunities for community involvement and input are scheduled for both the iQuilt and “One City, One Plan.”

Obstacles

What were your major obstacles?

Raising funds to sustain a large project is always a challenge. Two ways we have accomplished our fundraising goals in a difficult economic climate is to utilize all revenue streams available to us, and partner with many organizations spanning a range of community interests in order to affect the greatest amount of change.

Who or what was instrumental in overcoming these obstacles?

As a part of the State of Connecticut’s tax credit program, we used funds available to us through large corporate supporters to fund large amounts of design work. In attempting a similar project, it would be critically important to identify a design and implementation team that would not only be effective, but would also generate interest and attention to compel a project forward to receive federal grants. The iQuilt is fortunate to have a very well-respected, decorated architect with significant family ties to the Hartford community at the helm.

What top three suggestions would you give to others attempting a similar project?

Having the resources in place to sustain a large project is key, as are developing strong ties and partnerships within in the community.

Project Impact

How has this project contributed to creative community building?

Although iQuilt goals have not yet been fully realized, the project remains on schedule and continues to garner large amounts of local, regional and national support. Multitudes of local groups are frequently looking to become more involved in the project, promoting iQuilt ideals along with their own. Support from civic leaders, corporate executives, restaurateurs, artists, downtown residents, entrepreneurs and advocates of the community and environment, continues to grow, encouraging partnerships and collaborative work on many fronts.

Why do you consider the project successful, as related to your project goals above?

The Quilt will transform Hartford and fulfill the following project goals: (1) a more walkable, sustainable, and welcoming downtown which will promote new capital investment for residential and commercial development; (2) an improved citywide cultural network which will strengthen Hartford’s arts organizations and individual artists through collaborations and establishment of critical mass, and stimulate expansion of the cultural sector; (3) a strengthened Hartford economy and workplace, which will promote residential and retail growth, and accelerate the development of a 21st century workforce.

Were there unexpected impacts?

Unexpectedly, Suisman Urban Design and the iQuilt won the coveted Honor Award in urban design from the American Institute of Architects/California Council in 2010.

CCX Workshop Handout

todo_iquilt_0.pdf (215.03 KB)

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