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Anthem looking for a new home


blackstone

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From a PR standpoint I'd think it would be a great move for WVIT. If so I'd be interested in seeing the size of the building or lot they'd need to make the building "feasible." WFSB, said on numerous occasions they couldn't find space in Hartford, even though technically they already had. I can probably find 10 lots in the North or South Meadows suitable for a suburban type office building. Heck, look at the work going into the site cleanup just for a Magnet School near the Colt Building. As I see it another local institution following the short term money.
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Anyway, if so, there is very little in the media saying the 45 requirements from the Mayor did it. They've said on numerous occasions the site was "too small." Maybe with some insight it could be determined if the "45 requirements" were a necessity, if they were trivial, or if they were indeed superflous. If WFSB wanted to do things that hurt Hartford's position in any way, including future development of the area, dollars request, tax breaks requested, etc., they have the right to see the project through. No different than a suburb deciding to mandate sidewalks or city water hook up.

I'll reserve judgment, but with the info I've been able to gather WFSB and the Meredith Corporation look like they backed out on a fair and square deal. If we're talking 50 year old city organization having problems with a mayor...they know full well he could be gone in two years and they've waited to do this for years as it is. 1 more doesn't hurt.

My personal opinion on the WFSB's, ING's, etc., is that they're looking for an out due to the cities image-whether it's right or wrong. Much like Peter Karmanos bailed on the city, if it's not more than perfect for the organization more often than not they'll leave Hartford.

To keep this somewhat on topic I was thinking the old Mass Mutual offices would be a good fit for Anthem.....

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I absolutely disagree with you JHChris. Public companies shave costs whenever and however possible to help raise the bottom line. The majority of the companies that have moved out of the city have moved because they have gotten sweet-heart deals from the suburbs on tax relief. Also, they do not face the same parking issues that they have had to deal with in Hartford. Image is not the problem, money and financial incentives to leave are the issue.

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I absolutely disagree with you JHChris. Public companies shave costs whenever and however possible to help raise the bottom line. The majority of the companies that have moved out of the city have moved because they have gotten sweet-heart deals from the suburbs on tax relief. Also, they do not face the same parking issues that they have had to deal with in Hartford. Image is not the problem, money and financial incentives to leave are the issue.
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I agree with you. The suburbs are not burdened like Hartford economically and can make the deals a lot better. This issue you raise about parking is also paramount. Parking in the city sucks period for any large employer. The city has to be worth the headache and these companies decided that Hartford is not worth it. I think it comes down mostly to economics with reputation playing a minor role, ie. a city with with a better reputation would be more worthy of a corporation dealing with expensive parking options, more costly brownfield remediation, etc.
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I absolutely disagree with you JHChris. Public companies shave costs whenever and however possible to help raise the bottom line. The majority of the companies that have moved out of the city have moved because they have gotten sweet-heart deals from the suburbs on tax relief. Also, they do not face the same parking issues that they have had to deal with in Hartford. Image is not the problem, money and financial incentives to leave are the issue.
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Sorry you disagree, but I find it totally naive and simplistic to think it's all about shaving money and that's what the city of Hartford has against it. Sure public companies shave costs, but if you really think if costs were equal in these deals that the city of Hartford would win out head to head with our suburban counterparts that's your prerogative. I don't believe Hartford would see the majority and I think it should.
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Right 100%. Plus, most of the labor force is in the suburbs, so basically building in the suburbs is cheaper and more convenient. It perpetuates the problem, of course, as each company to leave makes Hartford less desirable for others to stay. So, the city has to make attracting and keeping businesses a priority by giving them what they want now, and, as the theory goes, when that attracts more residents and businesses to town and Hartford is attractive to businesses again, then the city can ask for more.

This happened in NYC. I mean, at one point they were going to tear down Grand Central Terminal; NYC was a total dump and businesses fled--many to other parts of the country, like the south. But some moved to Stamford, some to White Plains, others to northern Jersey, etc. There were lots of factors in the rebound, mainly, I think, the boom economy (since NYC remained the financial center and investors, etc., began to make good money). One also has to credit Giuliani for being business friendly and for his quality-of-life campaign. I recognize that his policing scheme wasn't perfect, and that his ego got in the way at times, but he put cops on the street and cleaned up blight. He had a weekly radio show on WABC and folks would call in, tell him about a problem, and within two weeks, it would be fixed. Imagine that in Hartford.

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