The Connecticut State Police Union is moving its headquarters from East Hartford to Rocky Hill.
The move is being precipitated by plans to convert the State Police’s current East Hartford home — a 19-story office tower at the former Founders Plaza office park — into apartments.
A development team led by prominent businessmen and real estate investors plans to redevelop roughly 30 acres of the former Founders Plaza office park near the Connecticut River into a mixed-use project featuring high-end apartments, retail and commercial space, and outdoor amenities.
The first phase targets the 270,106-square-foot tower at 111 Founders Plaza, built in 1971, which is slated for conversion into about 240 apartments.
This prompted the police union to pay $260,000 for new office condo space in a 1987-vintate office building at 35 Cold Spring Road, in Rocky Hill. According to land records, the union bought two units, tallying about 2,795 square feet, from the CT Council of Family Service Agencies.
Thomas Wilks and Bob Gaucher of O,R&L Commercial represented the seller. Jay Morris, also of O,R&L, represented the police union.
The East Hartford development is a big undertaking that has received deep support from city and state officials eager to see it succeed.
East Hartford is seeking a $15 million state grant to help developers convert the tower. They have already worked with the Capital Region Development Authority and state officials to secure $6.5 million to demolish other buildings in order to clear redevelopment space.
Town and state officials have also signed off on the creation of a tax increment financing district, in which newly generated property tax revenues from the development could be used to defray development costs.
