A CITY FOR ALL It’s not often that the stars align just perfectly on a project, but for Erika Rush, Urban’s Director of Planning, working on the Complete Streets Master Plan for New Britain was such an experience.
To understand why, you first have to know that Rush has
architecture, shopping, restaurants, open space,
a couple of distinct passions – one is pretty obvious given
museums, and cultural attractions all within easy walking
her title, urban planning. The other, not so much. She
distance of each other - “It’s the people who’ve made it
is a collector of early 20th century electric toasters. Her
all possible. They share a vision for what is great about
first encounter with vintage toasters was in 1985 about
this City, and what this City can become,” Rush said.
the time she was first beginning her planning career. She recalls, “I was living in Brooklyn, earning well below the
Something else has been unique about this project for
poverty level as a city planner. I was visiting an antique
Rush. Remember the toasters? As the project began, the
store that had just opened in my neighborhood. There on
team explored many themes for the project’s wayfinding
a long table behind the owner were three shiny, chrome
signage. In a City so rich with history, there were many
things with very intricate detailing. I didn’t know what
possibilities. But one had special meaning. Of all her
they were, but they were so unique, they stopped me in
toasters, Rush’s favorites are the Universal line, made
my tracks.” Rush found out they were vintage toasters,
in the early 20th century by Landers, Frary & Clark, a
but at $45 each, much too expensive. The next spring
New Britain manufacturer. While Landers, Frary & Clark
she was walking through a Manhattan flea market and
created everything from can openers to ice skates, in
saw a table full of similar toasters for sale. At much
Rush’s opinion, their toasters were the crown jewels.
more affordable prices, she bought several and the rest
“They’re so sculptural to me. And they’re beautiful
is history. “What kept me going was the variety – and I
examples of American industrial design in so many
never saw the same one twice.”
aspects – from what they are made of, to how they look, to how they operate.”
In 2011, Rush and Urban’s Planning Group led a team to develop a Complete Streets Master Plan for New
The irony of working in New Britain did not escape her.
Britain’s downtown. The City wanted to create a more
But it was startling to find that the Landers, Frary & Clark
pedestrian-friendly, attractive, and livable environment,
manufacturing facilities were located within the Plan’s
and recognized the opportunity that the 2015 opening
study area near downtown. “Throughout the project, I just
of the $572 million CTfastrak Project - 9.4 miles of
kept thinking to myself that there must be a reason for all
dedicated busway corridor connecting New Britain and
this. It was all to ironic for happenstance.”
Hartford - presented. These days, Rush’s team is engaged in an on-call The Complete Streets Master Plan for Downtown New
engineering contract with New Britain, where they will be
Britain has become an award-winning project that
helping the City implement various tasks from the master
the City embraces. New Britain has already begun
Plan.
implementing initial phases with great results. “This has been an urban planner’s dream project,” Rush said.
Standing near the former Landers, Frary & Clark factory, Rush holds Universal #E9410 circa 1920. By pushing the
While New Britain already had the fabric for a
ivory buttons on the base, the heart shaped baskets, which
livable environment - its walkable scale, great history,
hold the bread, pivot 180 degrees to toast each side.
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