The former Holiday Inn has been converted into the 100-unit Park City Place leaving Connecticut’s most populace city without a hotel while big name musicians and other events fill the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater, Total Mortgage Arena and drive tens of thousands more from long distances to the annual Sound On Sound Music Festival at Seaside Park.
The Connecticut Post’s Brian Lockhart reports three hotel proposals are in the mix to fill the void, including one headed by Niels and Callie Heilmann, co-founders of the community group Bridgeport Generation Now, whose LLC purchased a four-story building on Cannon Street adjacent to the state court house and Baldwin Plaza, a cool $1.2 million investment for Downtown.
In a statement, Niels Heilmann said, “Callie and I are committed to making a sizable investment in our city that we love. We’ve been planning and investing in a hotel project for almost 3 years and are getting close to the end of planning and design. At this phase, we’re laser focused on execution, not publicity. We are incredibly excited to bring a beautiful, impactful and meaningful hotel project to downtown Bridgeport.”
Full story here
If you have to say something is not for publicity, well. JS
Besides why invest in a hotel for rich white people to utilize who come to the Port to attend a concert with “over” price tickets that the average Porter can’t afford? What about affordable housing for the people, that thing you the champion for, like at Steel Point? JS
How does it feel to be on the flip side of your critique /message that you levy on others? 🙂
P.S. Is Gen Now entering a new fresh of breath air movement for the Port, one for prophet. ? 🙃
https://www.facebook.com/anewppc/videos/807723030981346
RT
And if you do not have anything specific to the point to say, why not just wait for another day or another column? If the Heilmans have pursued an investment project for three years without community notice, when they put serious money on the table and purchase with the intent to improve it beyond its current tax base value, isn’t it time to make it public? What is your gripe? A little stomach gas perhaps?
Then you continue in a negative vein to share your thoughtless words once again in accusing the project to be for “rich white people” who come for an overpriced concert. Is this about rich, or white, or affodability? Where did you find a description of future hotel guests? What about general visitors or relatives who come for a music, art, sports, or faith event open to all people equally without the discrimination you discuss? Where do you stand on discrimination and offense?
And where are you in the halls of the city that matter when talking about “affordable housing”? Not at a City Council meeting for years discussing poor Mayoral responses of 20 years on Boards and Commissions, specifically Fair Rent and Fair Housing, which were allowed to die in place. Yes, FAIR RENT has been revived by the City Council. Where was your participation?
Are you a member/contributor to GEN-NOW? Or are you merely a “generation NO” character? I am sure that you do not offer your omni-frequent opinions for the reward of a “reader thumbs up” below your posting, but surely you must note the frequency of statements that get no appreciation at all from readers? Does that matter to you? How about finding something that you think is worthwhile, and advancing it in a posting without criticism for any person specifically, and indicating how it may be improved for public profit, pleasure or merely the common good? I am willing to bet that people will notice this change. Your disposition to race, religion, and fellow human may also change. Would you think of this as a challenge to your right of free speech, or rather of ranting, false and misleading information, as a waste of column inches? Time will tell.
The Profit is unknown in his or her own country.
A B & B co-op might be more efficient and profitable. . Joe has a couple.
Good luck!
Nice Job !
Build the hotel. Mclevey needs to be converted as well . WHAT NOW IS THE ISSUE?