Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1332010
HartfordBusiness.com | January 11, 2021 | Hartford Business Journal 5 DEAL WATCH What Can We Do For You? 860.871.1111 www.nemsi.com 55 Gerber Road East, South Windsor, CT 06074 For over 50 years, clients have counted on NEMSI for: HVAC, Plumbing and Process Piping | Electrical Services Energy Management Systems | LEED Certification Programs Design-Build Construction | 24/7/365 Emergency Response Comprehensive Preventive Maintenance Programs NEMS's Recent Awards Include: » ABC Platinum Safety Award » ABC Accredited Quality Contractor (ABC-AQC) » ABC Excellence in Construction Award » ABC Specialty Contractor of the Year » Contracting Business First Place Design/Build Award License #s: E1-0125666 • S1-302974 • P1-203519 F1-10498 • SM1-192 • MC-1134 Offices in: New London | Trumbull | Pawtucket, RI Palmer, MA | Manchester, NH | Albany, NY So You Can Focus On Your Business We focus on your facilities ES_NEMSI HBJ Hlf pg_201221.indd 1 ES_NEMSI HBJ Hlf pg_201221.indd 1 12/21/20 5:05 PM 12/21/20 5:05 PM Well-known Middletown retail landmark, vacant since 2018, sold to neighboring auto dealer One of Middletown's most unique properties, the former home of collectibles and oddities purveyor Wild Bill's Nostalgia, has been purchased by the owners of a nearby car dealership. The buildings at 1003 Newfi eld St./Route 3, decorated in carnival- esque and psychedelic motifs, easily catch the eye of passing motorists, but they've been vacant for the past several years, following William "Wild Bill" Ziegler's death in 2017 at the age of 70. In late 2019, Ziegler's son, Buffalo Bill Ziegler, opened a similarly- themed shop in Manchester, Fool's Paradise. Statovci LLC — led by the owners of Newfi eld Auto Sales, located a quarter-mile away and on the opposite side of Newfi eld Street — paid $550,000 for Wild Bill's property in November, according to town records. Exactly what they have planned for the property isn't clear. By Matt Pilon mpilon@hartfordbusiness.com Reached by phone recently, Bashkim Statovci made reference to pending demolition work, but declined to divulge further details before hanging up on a reporter. An offi cial in the Middletown building inspector's offi ce said the owner had recently inquired about a demolition permit, and that one may be submitted soon, though no further information was available. In addition, city planning and zoning offi cials said they hadn't received any permits or plans for the property. In early 2017, shortly before Wild Bill Ziegler's death, Connecticut Magazine included Wild Bill's Nostalgia on its list of "30 tucked- away gems to visit" in the state, describing the destination as a "counter-cultural paradise" that featured "a working farm, two funhouses and off-the-wall sculptures, such as a creature's skeleton atop a Volkswagen half- buried in concrete, and the shells of three Yugos. There's also a 600-pound clown head atop a 33- foot silo, which may or may not be the world's largest jack-in-the-box." Middletown's key demographics Population 49,855 Median age 37 Median household income $63,914 Unemployment rate 5.5% Major Employers Pratt & Whitnewy, Middlesex Health, Community Health Center, FedEx Ground Actual mill rate 35.8 Grand List $3,464,464,084 Median home sales price $228,500 Median rent $1,094 Top employment industries Health care and social assistance, manufacturing and government Town Spotlight: Middletown Wild Bill's Nostalgia in Middletown, which has been vacant for the past several years, has been sold to a nearby auto dealer. PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED | COSTAR