Hartford picks preferred developer for Arrowhead Cafe block near Dunkin’ Donuts Park. City-owned ‘Gateway’ project may add 23 housing units on edge of downtown.

The city has named a preferred developer for property it owns a block to the northwest of Dunkin’ Donuts Park that could lead to a $6 million plan of housing and storefront space, strengthening the connection between downtown and the city’s North End.

The project also could become a springboard for more development in the surrounding area, a heavily traveled commuter route into the city prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A partnership of the San Juan Center Inc., a Hartford-based nonprofit founded in the neighborhood six decades ago, and Carabetta Cos., which has built hundreds of housing units in Hartford, has been chosen to develop city-owned property at the corner of Main and Ann Uccello streets, across from the historic “Flat Iron” building and the Keney Memorial Clock Tower.

The partners, selected from among multiple proposals, will have up to six months to reach a final agreement with the city. It will be subject to approval by the city council and other city commissions.

The project would include the renovation of the historic, but long vacant Arrowhead Cafe building and new construction on adjacent land. The property is on the northern end of a row of historic buildings, which includes the Salvin Shoe store.

The development is expected to be housing over storefront space, with a mix of market-rate and affordable rents. Initially, the San Juan Center and Carabetta — using the name “Gateway Partnership,” a nod to the area which is viewed as a gateway to both the downtown and the North End — envision 23 housing units, with one-, two- and three-bedrooms.

Negotiations with the city in the coming months also could touch of whether some of the units should be condominiums.

“We consider this block and the parcels around this intersection of Albany and Main streets to be a really important and strategic economic development opportunity for the city,” Mayor Luke Bronin said Monday. “This also is a way to continue knitting our neighborhoods back together.”

Bronin declined to comment on when construction might begin.

The connection between Hartford’s northern neighborhoods and its downtown and South End was severed with the construction of I-84 in the early 1970s. The divide was further exacerbated by the expanse of parking lots that existed for decades.

Development of Dunkin’ Donuts Park made a significant change in that landscape, and the first phase of the mixed-use redevelopment of North Crossing around the city’s minor league ballpark is now well underway.

A 330-space parking garage is complete and now construction on 270 apartments and 11,000 square feet of storefront space is in full swing. The first apartments are expected to be ready next spring.

Further phases of redevelopment around the ballpark are adjacent to the row of historic buildings, which reflect the scale of the city in the late 1800s, though many of the facades have been altered dramatically.

Gateway Partnership intends to design the new building to fit in with the original historic character of the block, but add sought-after amenities such as a rooftop deck. It is likely some public funding will be sought for the project.

The city also has its eye on the wider area around the three-way intersection of Main and Ann Uccello streets and Albany Avenue where it acquired wide swaths of mostly abandoned property.

Bronin said the city is now close to choosing a consultant to study how it should be redeveloped in a cohesive way to unite downtown and the North End.

The San Juan Center, a Latino nonprofit that serves low- and moderate-income people in Greater Hartford, is headquartered in the same historic block where it is partnering on the redevelopment project with Carabetta. The San Juan Center has just completed a $1.35 million renovation of its building at 1283 Main St. The project created 10 rentals and 2,500 square feet of storefront space.

Three of the apartments are already leased after just being cleared by the city for occupancy two weeks ago. Next month, Semilla Cafe + Studio is expected to open in half the storefront space. The cafe, according to a filing with the city, is “a neighborhood living room dedicated to celebrating Hartford Black and brown cultures through coffee.” The space will combine a cafe with a “hybrid” retail store featuring wares by local merchants.

Fernando Betancourt, executive director of the San Juan Center, said Monday the project at the other end of the block is a logical next step for the nonprofit.

“I see this as a second step in continuing to develop that entire area and moving inside and up to the North End and connecting the North End to the downtown and South End,” Betancourt said.

Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.