NewHavenBIZ

n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | J u l y 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 29 W h a t ' s T h e D e a l ? By Christopher Hoffman T ime appears to be running out on an ambitious plan to transform the long-derelict clock factory building on New Haven's Hamil- ton Street into affordable housing. In 2018, an Oregon-based company purchased the property at 133 Hamilton St., for $1.4 million with a plan to clean it up and create 130 affordable apartments, gallery space and a restaurant or coffee shop. e city and state embraced the proj- ect, providing a combined $5.2 million package in tax abatements and a loan and use of a federal grant to remediate radium and other on-site contaminants. But four years later, Reed Community Partners has yet to begin construction and owes the city about $175,000 in back taxes dating back to 2019. at led the city to foreclose in April. Reed failed until recently to hire a lawyer to defend itself, almost leading the court to hand the property over to the city by default, court records show. Reed Community Partners' law- yer in the case, Jay Richard Lawlor of Hartford-based Hoopes Morganthaler Rausch & Scaramozza, did not return a message seeking comment. In addition, the city in May cited the Reed Community Partners entity that owns the structure — Taom Heri- tage New Haven LLC — for multiple code and blight violations, including graffiti, broken and missing windows, being open to trespass, piles of debris, overgrown areas and possible hazard- ous waste storage. e property is also attracting illegal dumping, the citation said. "It is determined that the existing conditions pose a danger to the com- munity," the citation said. A recent walk around the property confirmed its dilapidated state. Reed Community Partners, whose LinkedIn page describes it as "a ful- ly-integrated Portland, Ore. developer of high-quality affordable multifamily housing," did not return a voicemail le at its headquarters. Josh Bevins, who had helped spear- head the project over the years, le the company in April, according to his LinkedIn profile. New Haven Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli said in a statement that the city followed "stan- dard protocol on tax delinquencies" in moving to foreclose, adding it's "prema- ture to speculate on the outcome." e city, he said, is determined to collect all the taxes and penalties. "While the city values Taom as a development partner, we simply cannot move forward until there is a satisfactory resolution to blight and public safety matters as well as taxes rightfully owed to the city," Piscitelli said in the statement. Piscitelli said the city had in the past reimbursed Taom $570,000 from a fed- eral grant for remediation work. e state Department of Economic and Community, meanwhile, provided the firm with $3.8 million of the $4 million brownfield remediation loan, spokesman Jim Watson said. He had no further information on the loan. e New Haven Clock Co. factory, which was added to the National Reg- ister of Historic Places in 2017, is a relic of New Haven's manufacturing golden age. e 150,000-square-foot complex, which operated from the 1850s until 1956, was once among the busiest time- piece factories in the world. In the 1980s, the rambling red brick structure was home to a colony of artists who hoped to turn it into an arts center. Its last tenant was an exotic dance club called Scores. Reed fought successfully to evict the club in 2019. Shelton Hampton Inn sells for $10.5M e 125-room Hampton Inn hotel in Shelton has sold for $10.5 million, property records show. e 84,000-square-foot property at 695 Bridgeport Ave., sold earlier this spring. e buyer was 695 Bridgeport Hotel LLC, whose principal is not identified in state records. e LLC traces back to another limited liability company, SS Hotels Fund LLC, which is not registered in Connecticut. Both LLCs have Spokane Valley, Washington business addresses. e seller was Shelton IV Hotel Equity LLC. e company traces back to several LLCs, including one controlled by Jeremy Buffam, a partner at Ridgefield-based New Castle Hotels & Resorts, state business filings show. e Hampton Inn hotel was built in 1998 and sits on 3.06 acres. Bridgeport apartments sell for $9.2M A 50-unit Bridgeport apartment complex has sold for $9.15 million, property records show. The Charleston Apartments at 225 Golden Hill Street sold in May. The buyer was Charleston Apts LLC, a limited liability company with a Bronx, New York business address. The seller was Golden Hill Living LLC, which is controlled by Keith Andrade, who has a Bristol, Rhode Island business address. The apartments were built in 1926 and sit on 0.28 acres. The property contains a mix of one- and two- bedroom units, according to CoStar. Fairfield medical office sells for $2.95M A Fairfield medical office building has sold for $2.95 million, property records show. e 16,000-square-foot building at 325 Reef Road sold in May. e buyer was Phoenix at Reef Road Corp., which is controlled by Anthony Guillaro, who has a Ridgefield business address, state records show. As part of the deal, Guillaro's LLC took out a $2.2 million mortgage from New York-based Tompkins Community Bank, land records show. e seller was Brothers Holding Inc., which is controlled by Marc Forman, who has a Fairfield business address, state records show. e property was built in 1987, sits 0.83 acres and has 60 surface parking spaces, according to CoStar. Coworking space Jeff Works opens doors in Trumbull's Hawley Lane Mall Working or attending virtual classes from home can have its perks, but it can also come with its share of distractions, too. at's why a new service — Jeff Works — launched earlier this year in Trum- bull to meet the needs of remote work- ers, freelancers, small business owners and students. Jeff Works' co-founder Justin Oshins said the new space located at 100 Haw- ley Lane, provides a comfortable and quiet work space. It's the first Jeff Works site in Connecticut. "We've learned that a staggering 85% of workers in the U.S. would prefer to work from home, but that isn't always entirely possible for some people," said Jeff Works' Global Head of Product Marketing Dania Cotlear Stuart. Jeff Works' large coworking space includes ergonomic desks and chairs, break lounges, unlimited coffee and ac- cess to high-speed internet. Prices start at $15 a month for its "hot desk plan." e newly-launched "dedicated desk plan" starts at $99 a month. n Time is ticking on affordable housing plan for historic New Haven clock factory The New Haven Clock Co. factory building at 133 Hamilton St., New Haven. The Charleston Apartments at 225 Golden Hill Street, in Bridgeport. SOURCE | COSTAR 325 Reef Road, Fairfield. SOURCE | COSTAR Shelton Hampton Inn SOURCE | COSTAR A look inside the new Jeff Works coworking space in Trumbull. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO | CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN

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