An isolated corner of downtown Hartford that struggled for decades to be known for more than its dusty parking lots appeared finally to have something going for it: a popular minor league ballpark and brisk leasing of the first of as many as 1,000 apartments. The city and the original developer, who was fired from the project on city-owned land, must first battle in court over the termination and who has the right to develop the rest of the land around the ballpark. A trial is expected in April, 2024. Some argue the setback for North Crossing is only temporary — and should not be overblown or interpreted that all development is coming to a halt in Hartford. “It’s great when these things happen without a hiccup, but there is often a hiccup,” David Griggs, chief executive of the MetroHartford Alliance, the region’s chamber of commerce, said. “So I don’t want us to look at this as a systemic problem with either the way the city is operating or the way our development of our city and region is moving forward.”
Development near Hartford ballpark thrown major curve. Will lengthy delay hurt project’s momentum?