Project
Northeast
Urban
Business Retention and Expansion (BRE)
Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Arrowhead Gateway Small Business Assessment in Hartford, CT

August 2, 2023 Christa O. Franzi, CEcD

The Challenge

The Arrowhead Gateway in Hartford, CT, is experiencing significant development pressure following the construction of Dunkin’ Donuts Park and other notable projects in the area.

The City of Hartford wanted to encourage and guide continued investment in this area, while also retaining and supporting the many existing neighborhood businesses that give the neighborhood its unique character. To help accomplish this, the City developed a corridor study and master plan for the Arrowhead Gateway area.

The Solution

The City hired Camoin Associates to complete a small business entrepreneurial assessment in support of its Arrowhead Gateway Small Area Plan and Corridor Study.

The purpose of this analysis was to provide the City with recommendations for retaining and supporting existing small businesses and entrepreneurs in the neighborhood, with a focus on providing equitable solutions that create an inclusive, resilient, and vital commercial hub within the community.

The Impact

The City adopted the strategies from Camoin Associates’ assessment into their master plan for the neighborhood, which included building an equitable small business support network, streamlining approval processes, prioritizing the emerging food and beverage industry, and lowering barriers to accessing capital.

In all the actions recommended, Camoin Associates stressed that Arrowhead Gateway’s entrepreneurs must be at the table as these efforts move forward, not only as advisors but as leaders in the inclusive ecosystem-building efforts, including redesigning programs and developing new initiatives that are open and welcoming to local entrepreneurs.

Read the Arrowhead Gateway Small Area Plan and Corridor Study