Constitution Plaza: Did it Rip the Heart out of Hartford or Save the City?

Hartford, CT –Historian Jason Scappaticci explores the creation of Constitution Plaza – and the “new” city that grew up around it – on Wednesday, August 1 in the latest installment of Conversations at Noon at Connecticut’s Old State House.   Join us for this free, hour long program!

The planning and development of Constitution Plaza took over a decade, and almost didn't happen at all. This 1960s urban renewal project forever changed the face of Hartford when it replaced a tightly knit city neighborhood, home to newly-arriving immigrants, to a landscape of modern office buildings, shops and a decorative water fountain

Following Mr. Scappaticci’s talk, the Connecticut Network’s Diane Smith will moderate a lively panel discussion including Mr. Scappaticci as well as the Deputy Director of the Connecticut Trust for the Historic Preservation Christopher Wigren and Tom Deller, the Hartford Director of Development Services. Panelists will discuss the impact of Constitution Plaza on the city, along with current urban development projects such as iQuilt. 

Parking is easy. Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5.  The ticket will be stamped at the Welcome Desk.  The validation is good all day. The Old State House farmers market featuring a wide variety of fresh Connecticut-grown foods will be open before and after the lecture, from 11 am to 2 pm.

Bring your lunch and enjoy this one-hour program. Registrations are encouraged but not required. To register, call 860-522-6766 or visit http://tinyurl.com/OSH2012Lecture.

This program is supported with funding from the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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