Mixed Use Parking Garage Located in Downtown Hartford
The project which was initially designed for my studio IV class was to mix retail, office, and parking space all in one structure. Many problem solving skills had to be used to correctly organize and situate the structure in order to maximize space. The location of the site which is located in the southern portion of Downtown Hartford posed a problem when designing the structure as well. Because the site sit on the border of downtown the height of the building had to gradually step down from the taller skyscrapers in downtown to the residential neighborhoods of South Hartford.
Building Features:
Retail Space:
1. Most of the first and portions of the second floor wrap the parking garage located on the first and second
floors.
2. The structure has 12 retail units; the 4 corner units are two floored. Each unit has access to the parking
garage through a back private door
3. Store front windows help promote the retail space as well as hide the parking garage aspects.
4. Building organized to agree with Hartford's IQuilt plan which is to create a more walker friendly city by
increasing retail and office space within walking distance to major attractions.
Office Space:
1. The offices are primarily located on the second floor of the building with the office entrance lobby's
located on the first floor with its own staircase and elevators.
2. There are 4 very large office spaces and each space includes; a private lobby, offices, conference space,
an eating space, and bathrooms. Each unit comes with its own private entrance coming from the parking
garage.
Parking Space:
1. The building had to include enough parking for at least 600 cars.
2. There is parking located on each floor, where the first and second floors are much smaller and have
reserved parking to the offices and retail space tenants with dedicated private access from those floors.
The third floor and roof top parking is the whole structure.
3. A dual ramp system in the middle was designed to help get cars in and out quickly and safely.
4. There is one entrance one entrance from the west side of the lot from "West Street," as well as two
exits, one to "West Street" and one on the southern side of the lot which is dedicated exit only
to "Buckingham Street."