Submitted release
Simsbury town officials, including First Selectman Mary A. Glassman and Board of Finance Chair Paul Henault, were informed late this afternoon that The Hartford plans to sell its facility in Simsbury and consolidate operations in Hartford and Windsor.
The Hartford represented that the relocation and sale process would take between eighteen and twenty-four months. Currently the Hartford has 1,500 employees in the Simsbury facility along with an additional 300 Prudential and MassMutual employees.
“We are obviously disappointed that the Hartford – Simsbury’s largest taxpayer – is relocating,” said Glassman, who added that the Town will work closely with The Hartford and the State Department of Economic and Community Development to ensure that potential buyers are fully aware of the benefits of doing business in the Town of Simsbury. “We are confident that potential buyers will recognize the many advantages of living and doing business here,” Ms. Glassman added. Glassman also noted that the Town will take proactive measures to protect Simsbury’s interests, including creation of an advisory committee to work with officials from the Hartford and the State as marketing and sale of the building proceeds.
For Fiscal Year 2013 The Hartford’s total tax liability to the Town, including real estate and personal property taxes, was $1,763,366. The building, which is located at 200 Hopmeadow Street, is 638,174 square feet and according to representatives from The Hartford can accommodate up to 2,900 employees.
Read more about The Hartford's decision to sell the Simsbury facility
"We selected our Windsor facility because of size, layout, technology features and energy efficiency." It also makes sense for a company to keep a better facility. So again, what is the basis for your comment?
The fact that large multi-national corporations are within a ten mile radius provide no solace either.. the one we had in town is about to move out.. in fact all the ones you're probably talking about are outside Simsbury.. Do you think that coincidence? Corporations don't come to a town because of uniqueness, quaintness, because it's bucolic.. They relocate for financials, and sorry.. for large corporate needs, we are pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There is no close access to the interstate and do you view a slew of tractor trailers on Route 10 for your proposed industries as feasible for residents or the businesses? Finally, if we can attract growth business, why haven't we?
Believe what you want.. it isn't just on and off ramps. We have no rail, only a two lane road through the center of town, and very congested access from just about any other route in. Can we have economic development? I, like everyone, hopes so..but your initial post was large amount of high tech companies. THAT takes much more than we currently have, so any incremental growth would be small and not make up a $1.7M tax loss anytime soon. Do you realize how much town services are effected by the loss of $1.7M? Which are you ready to give up in the short term until that's replenished (if ever).. Police? BOE? which?? Something has to be cut to balance the loss?
Typical big government approach!
@JA. Thanks for responding