Hartford Business Journal

5 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 25, 2022 BIZ BRIEFS Northrop Road in Wallingford. The 25,000-square-foot facility will use proton beams, rather than X-rays, to target cancer in patients. The treatment is not currently offered at any sites in Connecticut, company officials said. Both parties initially announced their plans to open the Proton Therapy Center in 2019 and faced several hurdles getting the project to the approval finish line. Hartford HealthCare and Yale New Haven are working with Proton International, a developer of proton therapy centers, to open the facility, which is expected to debut in 2025. East Hartford OKs major Rentschler development RENDERING | CONTRIBUTED A rendering of National Development's planned Research and Technology Park near Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford. East Hartford's Planning and Zoning Commission has unanimously approved two applications on a planned development of a 300-acre site on the former Rentschler field. Boston-based National Development filed applications for a zone change to facilitate its master plan for the site, which includes two warehouse buildings totaling 2.5 million square feet and two 100,000-square-foot buildings for high-tech manufacturing and research and development. The master plan divides the site into five parcels. The two larger parcels designated for light industrial logistics, totaling 263 acres, would be used to build the two warehouses. Ed Marsteiner, managing partner at National Development, said his firm is in negotiations with "influencer tenants," household names that would bring credibility to the town while fueling further development. Marsteiner added that the company has a deal "essentially done" with a tenant for the planned 1.2 million- square-foot warehouse on the east side of the lot and is confident it will have a lease for the 1.3 million- square-foot building on the west side. Joseph Villanova | Journal Inquirer CT added 4,600 jobs in March, jobless rate down to 4.6% Connecticut added 4,600 jobs in March, dropping the state's official unemployment rate from 4.9% to 4.6%. The state Labor Department also revised February job numbers downward from 6,300 new jobs to 5,400. Additionally, unemployment claims are near a historic low with 22,000 weekly filers. Currently, there are a record 100,000 job openings in the state, signaling a strong market for job seekers, labor officials said. DOL Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo said economists are watching several key indicators including energy prices, inflation, and the labor shortage and there is uncertainty over how they may impact the job market going forward. Connecticut business advocates have warned the state's labor shortage represents a "crisis situation" that will remain a drag on the economy. Ahead of opening day, Lake Compounce moves to cashless payment systems PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Lake Compounce is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. Bristol amusement park Lake Compounce, which is gearing up for its April 30 opening day, announced that it's moving to cashless payment systems. Starting this year, the park said it will only accept prepaid, credit or debit cards, as well as secure mobile payment systems like Apple Pay and Google Pay. The switch will allow for "a smoother and safer experience for guests, cutting down on wait times and creating a better in-park experience," the park said. Guests can also convert their cash onto prepaid cards at several free kiosks located throughout the park. The prepaid cards can be used for purchases including tickets, food, drinks and gift shop items throughout the park and the Lake Compounce Campground. Any leftover card balances can be used outside Lake Compounce where Visa is accepted, the park said. UConn to launch new programs, School of Public Policy UConn is getting ready to launch several new programs as well as a School of Public Policy within its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The school's Board of Trustees recently approved new graduate certificate programs in both oceanographic science and technology and literacy leadership. The school will also offer a new minor in social responsibility and impact in business. The School of Public Policy will have a focus on graduate professional education and classes will be offered in Hartford, Storrs and online. The school will prepare students for management careers in the public and nonprofit sectors, as well as survey research careers in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Forbes: Dalio still richest in CT, with net worth of $22B Hedge fund founder Ray Dalio has held onto his title as Connecticut's richest person this year, according to a recent analysis of billionaire wealth by Forbes. Dalio, with an estimated net worth of $22 billion, came in at No. 71 overall on Forbes' list of the richest people in the world. Dalio serves as co-chief investment officer and chairman of Bridgewater Associates, often described as the world's largest hedge fund, which he formed in 1975. Steve Cohen, another hedge fund manager and now the owner of the New York Mets, is the second- wealthiest person from Connecticut to appear on Forbes' 2022 list, coming in at No. 96 with an estimated net worth of $17.4 billion. Simplifya enters CT's shifting cannabis compliance market A number of new companies have entered the state in recent months in anticipation of serving the recreational cannabis market, which could open by the end of this year. One of the latest is Simplifya, which offers a cannabis license regulatory compliance software. With its new Connecticut presence, the company now operates in 25 states and already works with some of the multistate corporations that populate Connecticut's medical cannabis landscape. The company's cloud-based software, which serves both producers and dispensaries, breaks down rules and regulations into easily readable language with standard operating procedures that apply to the entire organization. The software is designed to tackle the stringent regulations that require every employee to do everything right at all times, the company said. Windsor names McMahon new economic development director HBJ PHOTO | MICHAEL PUFFER Patrick McMahon Windsor has a new economic development director. Patrick McMahon — who has worked as an economic development associate for the town for months — recently took over the position from Jim Burke, who retired. McMahon has a long career in planning and development in Windsor and other areas. McMahon, a Windsor native, said the town has scored many economic development wins — and has room for additional growth — along its Day Hill Road corridor. He is also focused on the mixed-use Wilson neighborhood and transit-oriented development in the downtown. Burke, 72, served as Windsor's economic development director for 21 years. Mixed-use plaza on Route 10 in Southington sells for $1.3M PHOTO | COSTAR 550 North Main St., Southington. A New Jersey-based buyer recently paid $1.3 million for a 17,824-square-foot mixed-use retail and office building along Route 10 in Southington. The brick and vinyl-sided building at 550 North Main St., was purchased by 550 Southington LLC. State business records show the company formed Feb. 16 with Ascher Berkowitz, of Toms River, New Jersey, as principal. The property was sold by King- Shamrock LLC, whose principal is J. Michael King of Avon. The listing brokers were James McCall, Mario Longobucco and Don Sagarino of Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty. The two-story plaza was completed in 1984. McCall said the property saw a lot of interest. "A lot of people are looking for these types of smaller plazas, plazas that are full, with good tenants in good locations," McCall said. "We are still getting probably two to three calls a day on this one." Berlin office/warehouse property sells for $1.4M A Berlin office/warehouse property has sold for $1.4 million, according to the deal's broker. The 18,000-square-foot, single- story building at 124 White Oak Drive sold April 7, according to O,R&L Commercial, the broker involved in the deal. The property was fully leased at the time of the sale, O,R&L said. The anchor tenant is Cyclone Home Systems. The buyer was Group of Omega LLC, which is controlled by Moishe Schwartz, who lists a Waterbury business address, state records show. The seller was JRG Berlin LLC, which is controlled by Raymond Godbout, who lists a Southington business address, state records show.

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