Skyline.

Hartford is the capital of Connecticut.

Some say strategically positioned, others say forever trapped, between Boston and New York. For some, the location is a selling point. For others, it’s an excuse.

It is a small city, founded at the beginning of the colonial era. It has had its share of fame and famous residents. Being such an old city, by American standards, it was not unusual for important people to stop and do business here at a time when most of the country was wilderness.

For such a small place, it has an impressive skyline. From almost any angle, and from hills to the east and the west, it looks magical rising up from the west bank of the Connecticut River. It’s architecture covers almost two-hundred years of American history and you can study the booms and busts of our times by considering the age and styles of the construction and who paid for it. Merchants. Then the insurance industry. And lately, the government. In whole or in part.

Like many working cities in this country, Hartford is at an inflection point brought about by the Covid pandemic. Most of the Hartford skyline consists of office buildings, owned or leased by companies with employees who no longer want to work in an office.

Whether it wants it or not, Hartford and its skyline, face a new challenge and another transition.