2. Notice of Scoping for State Office Building Renovations

Municipality where proposed project might be located: Hartford

Addresses of Possible Project Location: 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford and 309 Buckingham Street, Hartford 

Project Description: The following main elements of the Proposed Action are: A complete interior renovation of the existing 321,000 gross square foot State Office Building, 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 civic landscaped plaza located to the immediate east of the existing building, redevelopment of all existing perimeter streetscape and redevelopment of the existing surface parking lot on the eastern section of the site.  The overall project also includes the demolition of the existing 450 car parking structure and the 309 Buckingham Trade Shop located at the corner of Washington and Buckingham Streets, the development of a new 1,000 space parking structure, and related site improvements.  The new multi-level 1,000 space parking structure is proposed to have six levels above grade and three below on the Washington Street side.  An option 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.

This 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 process of this consolidation calls for the current occupants of the State Office Building to be relocated to other State owned facilities in Hartford so the existing space can be renovated, reprogrammed, and re-occupied by agencies currently in leased spaces.  The Proposed Action of acquiring property for this overall long range planning was previously covered under a separate Early Public Scoping Notice (see CEQ, October 2, 2012, State Buildings Space Needs, Hartford, Environmental Monitor).

Project Maps:  Click here to general location (1.1 MB).  Click here to view a map of the project area (6.1 MB).  Click here to view the design concept (439 KB).

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  May 5, 2016

Any person can ask the sponsoring agency to hold a Public Scoping Meeting by sending such a request to the address below.  If a meeting is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, the sponsoring agency shall schedule a Public Scoping Meeting.  Such requests must be made by April 15, 2016.

An Initial Environmental Review has been completed and is available to review by clicking here.

Written comments and/or requests for a Public Scoping Meeting should be sent to:

If you have questions about the public meeting, or other questions about the scoping for this project, contact:

The agency expects to release an Environmental Impact Evaluation for this project, for public review and comment, in August, 2016.