Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam’s vision is to build a booming economy in Hartford.
“We want to make Hartford the easiest place to do business, the easiest city to do business in the entire state of Connecticut,” Arulampalam said.
On Tuesday, Arulampalam announced the creation of Hartford Business One Stop, an office that will help current and future business owners navigate all the steps, paperwork and permits that go with opening a storefront.
“If you have an existing business in the city and you have an issue with city hall and you don’t know which department it is or who you need to talk to, there is one number for you to call. One place to go to,” Arulampalam said.
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Don Chapman was appointed director to lead the office. He previously worked for the city for 18 years and has experience in planning and housing development.
“It is so important for the city to move to the next level,” Hartford Business One Stop Director Don Chapman said.
Chapman and a team will work with Connecticut’s Department of Developmental Services and will report findings from the office directly to the mayor’s office.
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“These people you see in this room, give their heart and soul both to their businesses and to the community,” Chapman said.
Owner of Blue Hills Cafe Kirkland Brown was one of several entrepreneurs in the room on Tuesday.
“I wish I had that [Hartford Business One Stop] yesterday because I think my building would have finished a long time ago and I would have it open now,” Brown said.
Business owners hope the new office will streamline the process of getting their doors opened.
“As an investor, when we go down there to put a permit in, it will take like months to get a permit approved, so back and forth, back and forth, so One Stop shop is great as far as a permit, as an investor. I think it’s a great thing,” property owner Damian Levy said.
The mayor’s office will share further details regarding the Hartford Business One Stop team and phone number next month.
