Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

2. Notice of EIE forState Office Building Redevelopment (BI-2B-381)

Municipality where project is proposed: Hartford

Address of Possible Project Location(s): 165 Capitol Avenue and 309 Buckingham Street, Hartford

Project Description: The Proposed Action is related to the long range planning strategy aimed at reducing the quantity of leased office facilities for State employees by maximizing the utilization of State owned properties.  The Proposed Action encompasses the following elements:
  • A complete interior renovation of the existing 321,493 gross square foot State Office Building (SOB) which was built in 1931, restoration and renovation of the building exterior, renovation of the central exterior courtyard, and reconfiguration of the existing building entrances.   Site work includes the creation of a landscaped plaza, redevelopment of existing perimeter streetscape and redevelopment of the existing surface parking lot.  The renovation would support a similar number of employees (approximately 900) as the current use.
  • Demolition of the existing 450-car parking structure and the 309 Buckingham Trade ("maintenance") Shop located at the corner of Washington and Buckingham Streets,* with construction of an approximate new 1,050-space parking structure.  An option under consideration is to provide retail space along Washington Street as part of the overall parking structure.  The remaining green space at the corner of Washington and Buckingham Streets would be a landscaped park-like area.
* Note: a separate Initial Environmental Review (3/1/2017) was prepared for the demolition of the maintenance building and the parking garage and subsequently a Record of Environmental Consideration (3/2/2017) was prepared for the demolition portions of the project, since it was determined that these actions did not warrant further CEPA review and have been eliminated from further study in the EIE per CEPA Regulation Section 22a-1a-7(c).

Project Map(s):  Click here to view the general location (1.1 MB).  Click here to view a figure of the project area (6.1 MB). Click here to view the site plan(213 KB)

Comments on this EIE will be accepted until the close of business on: June 2, 2017

The public can view a copy of this EIE at: online by clicking here; or view a hard copy at the following locations: Hartford Public Library (500 Main Street, Hartford); Hartford Town and City Clerk’s Office (550 Main Street, Hartford); and DAS (450 Columbus Blvd. Suite 1305, Hartford, CT).

No public hearing is scheduled for this EIE.  A public hearing request must be made by twenty-five persons or an association having not less than twenty-five persons.  Such requests must be made by the close of business on and no later than April 28, 2017 by 5:00 pm.

Send your comments about this EIE to:

Name:Jeff Bolton, Supervising Environmental Analyst
Agency:Department of Administrative Services
Address:450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 1305, Hartford, Connecticut 06103
E-Mail:Jeffrey.bolton@ct.gov

If you have questions about requesting a public hearing, or where you can review this EIE, or similar matters, please contact:
Name:Jeff Bolton, Supervising Environmental Analyst
Agency:Department of Administrative Services
Address:450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 1305, Hartford, Connecticut 06103
E-Mail:Jeffrey.bolton@ct.gov
Phone:860-713-5706