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February 28, 2022

‘Food truck park’ proposed in Hartford’s West End

HBJ PHOTO | John Stearns Food trucks line up daily along downtown Hartford's Elm Street bordering state offices and Bushnell Park.

Plans are in the works to establish a “food truck park” at what is currently a vacant lot on the west side of Hartford.

According to application and planning documents submitted to the city, the park would be set up on a roughly half-acre parcel at 510 Farmington Ave., on the northwest corner of Farmington and Girard avenues.

Rebeca and Quan Quach, who described themselves as Hartford residents and small business owners in their application for the food truck park, said they have secured approval from the property owner, Farmington-Girard LLC, to bring the proposal to city officials.

“West Side Park will be the first of its kind in the city of Hartford located in the Historic West End,” the two wrote. “The park will revitalize a now vacant lot located at 510 Farmington Avenue. The West End is an iconic and historic neighborhood with an eclectic community and we are confident it will embrace this new concept. We believe the West Side Park will be a great addition to not just the neighborhood but the city of Hartford and surrounding towns.”

The operation would consist of four food trucks and a double-decker bus, also serving food, along with “accessory incidental entertainment,” a report by city planning staff states. There would be no alcohol sales.

The proposal does not call for an all-encompassing structure at the site but does make provisions for a pergola, stage, power shed, bathroom trailer, temporary storage space and tables. The plans also call for fencing and a “window wall,” a six-foot façade composed of recycled wood and glass.

There would be no vehicle parking at the location, but space would be made for bicycles.

If ultimately approved, the food truck park could provide a legal way for at least some food trucks to operate in the city of Hartford without running afoul of an ordinance that banned them from setting up on many public streets.

The Hartford City Council last year passed a measure limiting food trucks to public ways in parts of Hartford's downtown, North Meadows and South Meadows neighborhoods, in addition to a couple areas near Trinity College and the University of Hartford.

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