The idea for NINA was born in 2001, when the major institutions of Asylum Hill came to a conclusion: there was real potential in this charming Victorian neighborhood, rich in culture and history, but parts of it had fallen on tough times.

The institutions of Asylum Hill – which include Aetna, The Hartford, ING, Mass Mutual, Saint Francis Hospital and Webster Bank – agreed to join forces to expedite the revitalization of Asylum Hill.And so, they committed their human and financial resources to form NINA, built on the model created by SINA (Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance) which focuses on the restoration of the South End of Hartford.

Today, NINA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, headed by Executive Director Ken Johnson, committed to making Asylum Hill a robust community for the people who live, learn, work, and play here.