Tom Condon - Courant.com

Count Inmates In Hometowns, Not In Cells

Tom Condon — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:57:00 GMT

If a Hartford resident is in a Somers prison, should he be counted for census purposes as a resident of Somers or of Hartford?

TEST New Storrs Center Showcases Smart Growth

Tom Condon — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:57:00 GMT

The University of Connecticut was placed in an ideal spot for its original 19th-century purpose, an agricultural school. But as it evolved into a multi-faceted research university, the location became something of a challenge. There wasn't much decent housing in the area, and no real town center.

New Storrs Center Showcases Smart Growth

Tom Condon — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:57:00 GMT

A Nation Clogged By Wasteful Car Culture

Tom Condon — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:53:00 GMT

I learned a little after the fact that the writer Jane Holtz Kay passed away late last year at age 74. She was a lot of things — architecture critic for The Nation, preservationist, Boston activist.

Time To Renew The Fight Against Sprawl

Tom Condon — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:05:00 GMT

In March of 2003, the demographer Myron Orfield warned that Connecticut, despite its wealth, was not on a path for healthy growth.

Yale's Architecture Echoes Past In Present

Tom Condon — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 22:07:47 GMT

Like many Connecticut residents who didn't matriculate at Yale, I know the university in bits and pieces — a lecture at the law school, a play at the Rep, a dinner at the Commons. I don't have a good sense of how the whole place fits together, yet it is fascinating to explore.

Veterans Know What Guns Can Do

Tom Condon — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:03:00 GMT

If President Barack Obama is looking for allies in his quest to keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people, I suggest he think about veterans. Not necessarily the guy who ran the movie projector at Fort Dix, but men and now women who served in combat and combat support in our last half-dozen wars. These people have seen what firearms can do, to the victim and the shooter. They should be heard.

Why I Don't Keep A Gun In My House

Tom Condon — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:16:00 GMT

After the Newtown massacre, a friend asked me if I kept a gun in my house. No, I do not, for several reasons. The first is personal experience.

Art Donation, Stalwarts Depart To Close 2012

Tom Condon — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:36:01 GMT

A few things to wrap up before the ball comes down on 2012:

Looking For Tech In All The Right Places

Tom Condon — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 22:04:18 GMT

We've listened to endless blather during this campaign season about how tax cuts will create jobs. I think Bruce Carlson has a better idea. He's finding potentially viable products developed by private industries in the state that for some reason have not been brought to market, and finding ways to do so.

Sentimental Journey For Jews To Hartford's North End

Tom Condon — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:15:41 GMT

An old city is a living palimpsest, a parchment constantly being erased and written over by migration and development. But the old is never entirely erased, it is there for the looking.

Hartford Could Borrow From Southern Cities

Tom Condon — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 21:32:23 GMT

I wanted to see some cities in the South; my sainted wife Anne indulged me for our 25th anniversary last month. We went by train from Hartford, stopping for a few days each in Washington, Richmond, Va., Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga. From which, a few observations.

Knowing History Makes People Feel At Home Here

Tom Condon — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:32:25 GMT

Despite a surge of initiatives from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, the state's economy continues to suffer. So let me throw out another economic development idea — how about if we require the teaching of Connecticut history in our schools?

Bicyclists Need Safe Routes, Tougher Laws

Tom Condon — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:07:01 GMT

Though I have an ounce of empathy for Michael Koistinen, I'm glad he got a real sentence for killing a bicyclist. Too many people don't.

Unlocking Mystery Of Painting Found In Prison

Tom Condon — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 21:14:04 GMT

You read from time to time about someone finding a rare and valuable painting in an attic, an old trunk or under another painting. But a prison?

Busway Needs A Salesman Like Bill Veeck

Tom Condon — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:20:21 GMT

It's time for the DOT to sell bus rapid transit

The deal is done, most of the contracts are let, the construction is under way — and some politicians are still bashing the New Britain-to- Hartford busway. This potentially transformative project has become a punching bag for some of the candidates in the coming congressional primaries.

New Haven's Second Renewal Promising

Tom Condon — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:11:06 GMT

Elm City Revival Partnership between Yale and New Haven still moving ahead.

New Haven in the 1950s was a national laboratory for urban renewal. Mayor Richard C. Lee, "Mr. Urban America," and a lot of bright people set about demolishing and rebuilding for a better tomorrow.

A Eulogy For New London's St. Mary's School