Comments on: A School in the West End: Community Meeting

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:13:08 +0000

Just got to read this analysis of Jumoke vs. CREC sites, and the contribution/threat cost benefit to the neighborhood. Interesting issues. I guess its moot at this point and I’m honestly glad I’m not on the front line of these kind of property use disputes. They are complicated.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:26:01 +0000

WECA Board voted to support the CREC Proposal, 15 For, 3 Against, 2 Abstentions.

By: Real Hartford » WECA Endorses CREC School Proposal

Real Hartford » WECA Endorses CREC School Proposal — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:46:25 +0000

[...] facility sprawl and Parkville battles an attempt to construct another gas station, much of the West End had recently turned out to debate the expansion of a school. Despite arguments against it — [...]

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:54:08 +0000

Hey, Michael. CREC did evaluate the Medical Society site way back, but concluded that the building was not suitable for elementary school children. So that’s one of the reasons why they aren’t interested in the site.

There are important differences between the school CREC is proposing and the school Jumoke was proposing. Most notably the Jumoke Academy (http://jumokeacademy.org/) is highly invested in serving the Blue Hills area students and would not add to the educational environment of the West End. Also, Jumoke was proposing a high school rather than an elementary school, which has a very different dynamic and interaction with the neighborhood. Students are more autonomous, and some of them are drivers (rather than 80% bused to school for CREC).

The sites have some differences too. CREC is already operating the Museum Academy on the site they’re interested in redeveloping, so they would be cleaning it up the historical buildings and be traffic neutral. The Medical Society site has a non-historic building and is not currently in use. Whatever goes in there will add to the traffic and quality of life issues the area already experiences.

The neighbors on Scarborough are very concerned about additional buildings being converted to non-single-family use. The churches are always used as the argument as to why it’s okay for the Medical Society building to be turned into a school, and other proposals that have come through over the years. The Chick Austin House (http://www.thewadsworth.org/collection-2/the-austin-house/), which is owned by the Wadsworth Aetheneum, part of the way down the block is also a concern. Their position is that they bought into a neighborhood of large single-family homes and they will fight to the end to keep it that way.

We definitely respect that position, and have helped them advance it in past zoning battles. We oppose the Jumoke plan because it brings all the real and perceived quality of life concerns without making a meaningful contribution to the West End.

But we also think that they are completely separate situations that really have no bearing on each other. The Hartford College for Women was using the site as a school before the City of Hartford even implemented zoning. It has been continuously used as a school, and the current school has been there since 2008.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:56:01 +0000

I have no particular opinion on it and don’t feel personally impacted – but I do observe that the location of the old Medical Arts Building seems to me to be a better place for a school, since its right on that main road Albany, and there is already a big church or two across the street. The number of residents impacted at most would be one – the place next door. I wonder about the consistency of saying no to that location and that organization, but saying oh ok to this one, which would be more embedded residential area which smaller streets etc.