Q&A talks with Michael D. O’Connell, partner at the law firm of O’Connell, Flaherty & Attmore in Hartford, about efforts to resurrect Hartford’s Downtown Roundtable.
Q: You have revived the concept of the Downtown Roundtable. Talk a little bit about it and why it might be considered relevant. What are you hoping to accomplish with the group?
A: The motivation for the roundtable, both back in the earlier 2000s when it went on for five years, and now that it has resumed, was to have a realistic opportunity for open dialogue about Downtown Hartford. There certainly are organizations that have a clear and valuable interest in the downtown (the MetroHartford Alliance, the Downtown Business Improvement District, etc.) but there has always been a need for a forum in which a broad range of people with different focuses and perspectives could have access to and communication with a wide range of people who have an influence and impact on the downtown. This need grew out of informal discussions with people who perceived this need. The process is not to have another presentation, lecture or exhibit, but rather to have a chance for people to ask specific questions, make particular comments and give suggestions on how we make progress.
Q: Your first roundtable was with Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra and it focused on downtown parking. That’s a fairly pragmatic topic. Is that one of the goals of the roundtable — discussion of practical problems?
A: Actually, while parking was a hot topic at the first roundtable, it was only one of several topics discussed. In fact, as one of the appointed members of the Hartford Parking Authority pointed out in discussion with some of the downtown business people as we were heading out, there is actually plenty of parking available in the downtown. People go to New York City, Boston and even West Hartford and have no problem searching for parking. But they come to Downtown Hartford and all we hear are complaints. The business community recognizes this perception and is committed to leading the charge to fix that perception. The business community understands that it has to deal with both the short-term and long-term issues. The focus of our discussions at these Roundtables will be to first deal with the day-to-day issues and then look at the broad future. That is where the discussions headed in the earlier Roundtables.
Q: How to put this delicately — does Hartford need more people talking about problems or does it need more action?
A: Our plan has always been to invite a variety of special guests, including the mayor, legislators and people from the governor’s office, but also other people who have a commitment to the downtown, including developers, people bringing arts and entertainment to the city, people connected with the schools and universities who can impact the city, people who will work with us to renovate the XL Center, people from other cities around the region and country who can share their experience, etc. We won’t just discuss our complaints but our creative ideas. That’s what worked in our prior roundtable gatherings and what prompted people to press to resume them. We obviously need to discuss the problems that exist downtown but also the great attractions and resources that the city has. Perception is always a problem. Talk to the people who come to Hartford from other parts of the country and they are astounded at what we have here. We need to get that message to our neighbors! We also need to make sure that the dialogue extends out to these neighbors.
Q: Any plans to take what you discuss and somehow get action? For example, what would your group propose doing about parking and how would you reach out to solve perceived parking woes?
A: As noted above, there is plenty of parking available. But we need to get that message out. Also, there needs to be better communication “on the streets” in the downtown. The signs have to be clear; the enforcement has to be fair and not overwhelming; the pay and display system has to be easy to use; the marking on the streets and curbs has to be updated. Fortunately, the Parking Authority has a new perspective and will be addressing these issues. The downtown business community is working closely and aggressively with the city to achieve these results. That is why we have this dialogue at the roundtables.
Q: What are some of the topics you want to explore in the future?
A: The important thing going forward is get suggestions from the attendees as to who we should invite as our special guest. That is how the discussion starts. We have commitments from a number of hosts who will sponsor the roundtables in coming months. That underscores the attention that the roundtable creates. We will likely first focus on special guests from the government community — the governor’s office, the legislature, the state and city agencies that affect the downtown. They are the ones who have the most direct and significant effect on the city. But then, as the dialogue continues, we expect that the attendees will want to hear from other elements of the community, whether developers, people who can attract activities to the city, store front business operators, etc. That will broaden the discussion.
Q: Let’s play “What if …” for a second. If you could, what historical Hartford figure would you like to host at a Downtown Roundtable and why?
A: As an aside, Mark Twain has heard about the roundtable and has told us that he would love to be a host. We all need the broad perspective and humor that he would bring to the table. He lives in the heart and soul of those of us who grew up in this city and he always made the point that he moved here because of the great attractions the City of Hartford has. Hmmm — maybe we should listen to him again.
