"Once the steel is up, our teams are ready to build. Full speed ahead."
Eli Hawli, co-owner of Market Hospitality Group, said that to We-Ha in September. He was talking about the old CVS and Max Zeller Furs building at 976–978 Farmington Avenue, where his group plans to open Mercato and Blu Pointe. According to We-Ha, the project had been held up because the work on Farmington Avenue directly in front of the building had to be finished first. The development's water, sewer and electric service had to be connected and upgraded. We-Ha reported that this work was done.
That delay explains the rest of the Center this fall. The public works schedule and the private openings are tied together. The street has set the pace for the storefronts, and the street's own finish has three separate parts.
The Town's Finish Line Is November 20, Tentatively
The West Hartford Center Infrastructure Project covers LaSalle Road from Farmington Avenue to Ellsworth Road. It also covers Farmington Avenue from North and South Main Street to Walden Street. The work includes resurfacing, granite curbs, wider sidewalks, decorative street lighting, traffic signal changes, engineered tree pits, raised crosswalks and new site furniture. LaSalle came first and was mostly finished in November 2025. Farmington Avenue has been the 2026 season.
The Town revised its phasing schedule on October 5. It gives November 20, 2026, as the tentative completion date for construction. Here is where that schedule puts the first and last pieces:
| Phase | Tentative dates | Frontage named on the Town map |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Jan. 5 to Apr. 24, 2026 | Santander, Yemerica Coffee, The Fix, CMG Home Loans, West Hartford Apothecary |
| Phase 9 | Sept. 28 to Nov. 6, 2026 | Westfield Bank, Mecha Noodle, Le Mazet, Relax the Back, Good Cause Gifts, bartaco, Barcelona |
| Phase 10 | Oct. 16 to Nov. 16, 2026 | Along Memorial Park |
| Overall | Nov. 20, 2026 | Tentative completion of construction |
The Town says all of these dates may shift with weather, field conditions and other project factors. The October 5 project update listed drainage, light fixtures, base, curb and sidewalk work for Phase 9. Pour dates in front of each business were to be shared with those owners directly.
On the ground, We-Ha's October 12 update said only a small piece of sidewalk was still fenced off in front of Sparrow. The corner of Farmington Avenue and South Main Street was almost fully complete. The last section of sidewalk demolition, between Barcelona and bartaco and Westfield Bank, was fully underway.
Patios Return Ten Days After Each Pour
This part of the schedule matters most for anyone who eats in the Center. The Town's project FAQ says an approved outdoor dining area can usually be set up ten days after the concrete sidewalk is poured. People can walk on new concrete sooner, but it needs time to cure so patio furniture does not damage it. Each outdoor dining area must also be reviewed and approved by the Planning and Zoning Office. Only sidewalk areas that were approved before construction can go back into use.
So each patio comes back on its own clock. Phase 9 is set to end November 6. If the last pours on that block land near the end of the phase, the ten-day cure puts the earliest patio setup around November 16, and Planning and Zoning review and approval would still come on top of that. That is late in the year for outdoor tables. How each restaurant handles that window is up to the restaurant.
Earlier phases show how the process works. In August, We-Ha photographed outdoor dining back on finished stretches of Farmington Avenue, including the fully reopened patios at Zohara and Max Oyster Bar. By early October, Sparrow had a few tables back outside after most of its sidewalk reopened. At a stakeholder meeting in late January, before work reached most Farmington Avenue patios, restaurant owners raised concerns about losing patio seats during busy dining periods, We-Ha reported. Construction representatives told them a patio would need to close only while work was actively happening at that spot.
Regular work hours are generally Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays, 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Town also says there may be some night or early-morning work, such as pouring concrete sidewalks directly in front of business entrances.
Why the Biggest Openings Sit Behind the Concrete
Market Hospitality Group's project shows most clearly how the street work sets the timing for what opens next. The plan for 976–978 Farmington Avenue puts Mercato and Blu Pointe on the ground floor and adds a second story with five apartments. According to We-Ha's September 21 report, foundation footings were in progress, and Hawli expected the steel to go up within weeks. He said the second story should be framed and weather-tight soon after, with the apartments and restaurants built at the same time.
"We hope one restaurant will be open by the end of December," Hawli told We-Ha, with the second coming fairly soon after. That is the group's target, not a confirmed opening date. He said the two concepts would open back-to-back. Blu Pointe would be the first in Connecticut, serving seasonal steak and seafood, including sushi. Mercato is a scratch kitchen that serves pasta, pizza and Italian dishes. Its Cheshire location at the Shops at Stone Bridge opened earlier in September. Hawli also told We-Ha the design had not changed except for the new Farmington Avenue sidewalk in front of the building. "Farmington Avenue looks much better," he said.
The Rest of the Pipeline, by How Close It Is
The other storefront changes are spread out the same way, from already open to still in permitting.
Open
- Bliss Matcha & Beyond, 981 Farmington Avenue, soft-opened August 1, according to We-Ha.
- Lil Hope moved from 18 LaSalle Road to 990 Farmington Avenue in August and was operating there by We-Ha's August 24 report.
Building out
- Gveenah is moving within its building from 844 to 846 Farmington Avenue. As of We-Ha's October 5 roundup, the new space was being built out.
- Nana's Dim Sum & Dumplings, 111 Memorial Road in Blue Back Square, is taking over the former Rizzuto's and Gran Gusto space. We-Ha reported October 12 that demolition was underway. The group has seven locations in Colorado and one in Scarsdale, New York, and this will be its first in Connecticut. We-Ha's report did not give an opening date.
In permitting
- Salt Studio, a nail and esthetics salon, is planned for 18 LaSalle Road, the space Lil Hope left. We-Ha reported October 5 that permitting was underway.
Two blocks away, the Center Park Place condominium building is still under construction. We-Ha photographed it on October 7. The Hartford Courant reported in May that the first units were expected to be finished in September 2027.
Getting In and Out While the Fencing Is Up
The Town limits construction to sections of about 300 to 400 feet at a time. It says people will be able to walk to stores throughout the project, though some temporary detours are possible. For parking, the Town points drivers to the WeHa Parking Finder app. Rideshare and food delivery pickups and drop-offs use a designated pull-off area and lot on Arapahoe Road. To keep customer spaces open, the Town has also offered Center employees a reduced rate at the Town Center Garage: $4.50 for a shift of up to 8.5 hours, or $7 for longer shifts.
The Calendar the Final Blocks Will Host
The fall events fall right inside the last phases of work. According to We-Ha, the 25th annual Halloween Stroll is set for Saturday, October 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It runs across West Hartford Center, Blue Back Square and the Town Hall lawn, with a rain date of October 25. On the Town's schedule, both Phase 9 and Phase 10 are active that weekend.
The Blue Back Farmers' Market runs Sundays through October 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Town Hall parking lot at 50 South Main Street, according to Patch.
The 39th annual West Hartford Holiday Stroll is set for Thursday, December 3, in West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square. The Chamber lists it as free, with Santa, a Menorah lighting, live performances, carolers and food tastings. If the Town meets its tentative November 20 date, the Holiday Stroll will be the first big Center event since construction ended, 13 days after the finish. Market Hospitality is aiming to open its first restaurant later that month.
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