Word of UnitedHealth Group’s planned big move across downtown into CityPlace I was a reminder that a major corporate tenant recently chose to call Hartford home — and without a financial commitment from the state.
Northeast Utilities is preparing by this summer to move its executive offices from its longtime headquarters at 107 Selden St. in Berlin to The Phoenix Cos.’ former 93,000-square-foot office building at 56 Prospect St., in the shadow of Constitution Plaza and the soon-to-open Connecticut Science Center.
Since completing on Dec. 19 the $8.7 million purchase — which included every stick of furniture in the Phoenix building — NU has had work crews busy prepping the structure to suit its needs, said spokesman Philip Vece.
The new owner is in the process of doing work to clean up and configure the space to accommodate the approximately 180 employees and certain corporate functions that are making the move.
In addition, NU has said it will put a walk-in Customer Care Center at the new location, improving access for Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas customers.
UnitedHealth and Gov. M. Jodi Rell last week breathlessly announced an arrangement in which United Health would keep a minimum of 2,000 workers in downtown Hartford for the next three years in exchange for $1.5 million from the state to improve space spread over 19 floors of CityPlace I .
Vece said state assistance wasn’t a factor in NU’s choice of Hartford as headquarters.
As NU Chairman, President and CEO Charles W. Shivery said when the company’s announced its decision last fall, “With this building purchase, we have made a long-term commitment to Hartford and the state of Connecticut.”
Moe’s opening downtown
Moe’s Southwest Grill, which last year announced plans to enter downtown Hartford and open 10 to 15 more restaurants in central Connecticut, has found its Hartford location.
Moe’s, an Atlanta-based chain of Tex-Mex restaurants, signed an agreement earlier this month for the State House Square food court, said Phil Russo, franchising executive for Focus Brands. Opening is expected in May, Russo said.
Russo said he signed a multi-unit franchise agreement for Hartford and Fairfield county, including sites in Avon, Bristol, Middletown, Newington, Southington, Wallingford and Waterbury. Enfield and Glastonbury sites are also being eyed.
“We’re working on those pretty aggressively right now,” Russo said.
Moe’s already has locations in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square, as well as Milford, New Haven and South Windsor.
Permanent Siding’s Milford lease
Permanent Siding and Windows has expanded its lease in space on Pepes Farm Road in Milford.
Permanent Siding moved from 1,600 square feet at 124 Pepes Farm Road to 4,000 square feet at 230 Pepes Farm Road.
Broker William Clark of the Geenty Group Realtors represented landlord D’Amato Investments in the transaction, while Geenty broker and President Kristin Geenty represented Permanent Siding.
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Greg Seay is the Hartford Business Journal Web editor.
Jason Millman contributed to this report.
