🔒W. Hfd. builder raising new Auer Farm barn

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A new animal barn is being raised on a patch of Bloomfield acreage belonging to the Connecticut 4-H Club.

West Hartford builder John Powers, of cloverNINE Green Building and Home Remodeling, says he is donating to the 4-H Club less than $50,000 in materials that volunteers are using to erect a new, 1,800-square-foot barn to replace one at 4-H's Auer Farm campus that was removed nearly a decade ago.

Construction began in June and is expected to be finished in mid-September, Powers said.

Powers said the history of 4-H, plus his own children's involvement in the youth- development/mentoring organization that embraces sustainable harvesting of naturally grown plants and animals, is why he's involved in the barn raising.

“CT 4-H is an important organization that helps children and the community learn about agriculture and have valuable hands-on experiences with animals and nature,'' he said via email. “It's a mission we are pleased to support. Plus, getting to work in such a beautiful natural setting is quite a treat.”

Located at 158 Aeur Farm Road, the farm has a total of 120 acres, including 40 abutting acres the state donated for the soon-to-open to the public Auer Farm State Park Scenic Preserve.

The 4-H campus also has several barns and other buildings to house animals and equipment, classrooms and offices, as well as an outdoor pavilion used for classes and events.

STV|DPM relos to Hfd.

Massachusetts office-space designer/construction manager STV|DPM has relocated its central Connecticut outpost to downtown Hartford.

Formerly Diversified Project Management, the firm based in Newton, Mass., relocated its Hartford office effective July 31, from 3,330 square feet on the 14th floor of 111 Founder's Plaza in East Hartford to 3,320 square feet on the 14th floor at 280 Trumbull St. Approximately 25 employees are in the downtown office.

Grunberg Realty is landlord.

Still known then as Diversified Project Management, the firm in 1996 opened its first Connecticut office at 635 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford. It moved in 2007 to Founder's Plaza.

“We're very excited to move to Hartford as the city returns to its storied luster as a bright, vibrant environment,” said Bill Clegg, STV|DPM vice president of operations. “Our location in the heart of downtown puts us in the center of the action and positions us nicely to serve our clients in the best way possible.”

DPM was founded in Boston in 1989 and joined New York-based STV, an architectural-engineering house, last March, to form STV|DPM.

Hamden industrial leases

The last available 12,500 square feet has been taken by four tenants in the Hamden industrial-flex park at 325 Treadwell St.

New tenants are: Rashonda Winters, A Winter's Dream Banquet Hall & Wedding Center; Carlos Diaz/US Granitite; Lijai Carter for a recording studio; and Vision of Hope Healing & Deliverance Center.

With these leases, listing broker Press/Cuozzo Realtors says the 45,072-square-foot building on 6.45 acres is fully leased.

National Conveyors renews

East Granby engineering-manufacturing firm National Conveyors Co. Inc. has renewed its lease for 17,250 square feet of office and production/design space at 33 Nicholson Road.

National Conveyors has been at the Nicholson Road facility since 1997.

B&B Parallel East Granby LLC is landlord.

Sentry Commercial was the tenant's broker in the lease.

Deal Watch wants to hear from you. E-mail items, along with contact information to: gseay@HartfordBusiness.com.

Gregory Seay is the Hartford Business Journal News Editor.

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