Downtown Hartford's Shopping for Grocery Stores

The wait continues for Hartford residents who hoped a grocery store would move into Hartford 21, the downtown apartment building.

The nonprofit group Common Ground renovated the building at 410 Asylum Street at a cost of $22 million, but the site remains vacant, reports the Hartford Courant.

Katy Frankel, the site developer, reported the goal is to open a store at Hartford 21 by the summer of 2010, according to the paper.

Construction crews are repairing walls and building the exterior of the storefront, with the goal of bringing more people into the heart of downtown, developers told the the Courant.

Developers want the store to carry basic food items, including the essentials of bread and milk, along with fresh food to create meals.

Common Ground has been researching grocery stores across the country, the Courant reported, to find the perfect fit for the neighborhood.

Bliss Market was set to open at the site, but plans fell through due to construction costs.

Hartford 21 owner Northland Investment Corporation still needs $1.5 million dollars to convert the location into a site suitable for a store, according to the Courant. 

The city of Hartford vowed to contribute $150,000 to the project to help cover the costs when a grocer agrees to move into Hartford 21.

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