UnitedHealthcare officially opened its 18 floors of new offices in Hartford’s CityPlace skyscraper on Asylum Street on Wednesday morning, staging an ceremony for quarters that began receiving employees in April.
The move from Connecticut River Plaza on Columbus Boulevard involved more than 2,100 employees and cost more than $35 million to renovate the new space for more than a year.
Part of the move from the River Plaza to CityPlace is for the company to play an active role in the downtown community, said Michael Matteo, CEO of UnitedHealthcare National Accounts, based in Hartford. The employees will be a part of the downtown atmosphere, visiting restaurants, shops and nearby Bushnell Park.
“This is going to do a lot to revitalize downtown Hartford,” Matteo said.
Some of the amenities of the new office include a heart healthy cafeteria, a fitness center, teleconference rooms where employees can meet via video with UnitedHealthcare’s other offices, and more open work and meet space where employees can collaborate.
“The commitment to the State of Connecticut and the City of Hartford is amazing, but the commitment to the employees is a real model,” said Joan McDonald, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. “They are really promoting an wellness lifestyle for their employees.”
The nearly vacant Connecticut River Plaza was sold in July for $6.7 million to a real estate investment group that also owns nearby State House Square.
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