A.I. Prince Technical School is the name that was given to the old Hartford Regional Technical School when the school was moved from its original site at 110 Washington Street to the new Brookfield Street campus, opening its doors to students in October 1960. The school was renamed in honor of Mr. Albert I. Prince, the managing editor of the old Hartford Times newspaper, and, for 18 years, a member of the State Board of Education. Mr. Prince served as the Chairman of the State Board of Education for 12 years, and was a friend and supporter of vocational education.

The Hartford Trade School was founded in 1915, and educated students for trade careers at the Washington Street school for the next 45 years. Construction began on the new school building at 500 Brookfield Street in 1958. The school has had several additions and renovations since it opened in 1960, including the addition of new trade offerings, athletic fields, a bus garage, and a state-of-the-art student cafeteria and culinary arts department.

The statue of "The Craftsman" that marks the entrance to the school was moved from 110 Washington Street to the new school as a symbol of the school's heritage. The statue is of a man dressed in work clothes who is thinking about his work. "The Craftsman" represents the ideal of the "reflective practitioner," the individual who can create a design, solve the problems, do the work to finish  the project, and then reflect upon the process to seek improvements.