City moves to sell Albany Avenue properties for new Hartford Foundation HQ

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam is asking the City Council to approve the sale of three long-vacant, city-owned parcels near downtown to the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation, a key step in the foundation’s plan to build a new headquarters at the intersection of Albany Avenue and Main Street. The resolution authorizes the sale of properties at 10 Albany Ave., 18 Albany Ave. and 1441 Main St., which the city acquired through tax foreclosure in April 2021 and have remained vacant and blighted for decades. Under the proposal, the foundation — which rebranded this week from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation — would purchase the parcels at their current appraised land value, minus the cost of any environmental remediation identified during due diligence, but for no less than $100,000, with the sale completed on an “as is” basis. The foundation plans to combine the city-owned parcels with adjacent privately owned properties to develop a two- or three-story commercial building totaling between 20,000 and 40,000 square feet. The building would house the foundation’s offices and include limited space for nonprofits, community groups, donors, artists and entrepreneurs, according to the resolution. In December, the foundation publicly announced plans for a new $35 million headquarters on more than 2 acres at the Albany Avenue-Main Street intersection, describing the project as part of a broader effort to create a gateway to Hartford’s North End. The foundation currently operates from leased office space at 10 Columbus Blvd. downtown. Foundation President and CEO Jay Williams said at the time that relocating to a street-level presence in the North End would move the organization closer to the communities it serves. Pre-design work is underway, with construction expected to begin in spring 2026 and be completed in early 2028. The proposed property sale is subject to the city’s 8-24 planning review process and must receive a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The foundation has also agreed to comply with the city’s affirmative action requirements during construction. If approved, the resolution would authorize the mayor to execute a purchase-and-sale agreement and related documents necessary to complete the deal. The resolution authorizing the sale is scheduled for consideration at the Hartford City Council’s Jan. 8 meeting.