As young professionals seek a different work-life balance than previous generations, Hartford businesses and officials are striving to make the Capital City a place where up-and-coming employees feel at home.
In recent years, progress has been made turning Hartford into a place where young people can live, work, and play. More people live downtown today, than they did just a few years ago.
Still, there’s plenty of work to be done before Hartford becomes a bigger draw to professionals in their 20’s and 30’s. Boston and New York City still act as magnets to recent Connecticut college graduates.
But city boosters are bullish about Hartford’s future prospects, and they say the city can help stem Connecticut’s longstanding brain drain.
“A lot of people are choosing to live here, not just work here. And a lot of people are choosing to work here even if they don’t live here,” said Julie Daly-Meehan, executive director of Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs, or HYPE. “One of the things that is really great about Hartford in general is that it’s a small city, so you can have a greater impact as an individual.”
The recent growth of young professionals in Hartford is reflected in HYPE, which saw its membership increase 13 percent last year to 3,950 members. HYPE’s membership is up 69 percent over the past four years. The association is a subset of the MetroHartford Alliance for people between the ages of 25-35.
Daly-Meehan, and other city proponents say the addition of 731 new apartment units in the next few years and the relocation of UConn’s West Hartford campus to downtown, should provide an extra jolt of energy and encourage more young people to live in the city.
Selling points, Daly-Meehan said, include an array of trendy restaurants, a vibrant arts scene and a small-city atmosphere — as opposed to New York and Boston — that allows better access to networking for young business professionals.
Still, there’s plenty of room for improvement. During a recent HYPE-sponsored forum about young professionals in Hartford several issues were raised: the lack of a downtown grocery is frustrating; the various neighborhoods are disjointed; safety is a concern; and residents lack a sense of ownership for the city.
TJ Clynch, a panel speaker at the Oct. 29 forum at the Old State House, said people are tentative to admit they are from Hartford, whereas folks in Massachusetts within a certain mile radius of Boston will still call Boston their home, even if they don’t directly live in the city.
Hartford resident Jamil Ragland said at the HYPE event the city’s north end is secluded from the other areas of the city, as are the south, east, and west ends.
“It’s hard as a north end resident to connect with all of the different neighborhoods.” Ragland said.
Clynch, founder of Downtown Yoga on Pratt Street and Civic Mind, a community development firm, said the city is making progress in some areas of concern. Most crime in Hartford, for example, is petty crime. He also applauded police for their responsiveness to crime.
Tony Roy, who lives and works in Hartford with his wife Amanda Roy, said he thinks the city needs more moderately priced housing.
The lack of mobility, and difficulty accessing essentials like groceries were two issues the Roy’s said they would like to see change.
As the city adds hundreds of new apartment units in the next few years, there is hope that a new downtown grocery store, and other retail, will spring up. Bruce Becker, who is trying to redevelop the former 777 Main St. office tower into apartments has said he’d like to add a grocery store as well.
In terms of attractions, Amanda Roy said the restaurant scene, arts crowd, and young group of individuals who reside in the city all serve as selling points; however few places are open late enough to cater to their nightlife needs and desires.
McKinley Albert, incoming HYPE chair and director of development and administration for Hartford’s Camp Courant, lives in Avon, preferring the rural environment. Hartford lacks the nearby grocery store she needs, and the public transportation is inconsistent and inconvenient for making big trips, she said.
“You can live outside of the city and live in more of a rural environment, and still be within 30 minutes of the hustle and bustle of the community. You get the best of both worlds,” Albert said.
Albert believes the best way to change the city is to remain engaged with community groups and join like-mined people together through organizations like HYPE.
“When you get engaged in the community you can truly see that you are making a difference,” Albert said. “Young professionals love it and they feel that they can make an impact.”
HYPE uses events like the recent Old State House forum to connect young individuals, and engage them in the Hartford community.
“We’re setting out to engage young professionals into the region that benefits businesses and the community alike,” said Ray Hernandez, HYPE chair.
Hernandez, who resides in the west end of Hartford, said living in the city as a young professional eliminates lengthy commutes to social and networking events, and allows more interaction with other young professionals, both in and out of work.
“It feels like it is big enough that there’s plenty to do, but small enough that you can make a significant difference,” Hernandez said.
Companies in the area are encouraging the movement to keep young professionals in the Hartford region, Daly-Meehan said.
“There are about 150 companies or so that offer free membership in HYPE to their employees as part of their investment in the Alliance,” Daly-Meehan said.
Today, it’s easier for young people to pick up and go and the days of working for one employer for 30 years are over, Daly-Meehan said. As a result, large companies desire loyalty from their prospective employees.
“Bigger companies are looking for loyalty beyond a year or two,” Daly-Meehan said.
HYPE strives to create strong bonds with other young business men and women to ensure they remain in the Hartford area, Hernandez said.
“We’re setting out to engage young professionals in the region, and that benefits the businesses and community alike,” said Hernandez.
