Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | | MAY 15, 2023 23 Oxford Level Funded plans are built to give your small business more ways to save. Because in addition to lower costs, they're designed for a potential surplus refund 2 if your plan participant medical and pharmacy claims are lower than expected. Up to 17 % lower small business health plan costs 1 are just the beginning 1 Average savings for UnitedHealthcare and Oxford Fully Insured groups migrated to UnitedHealthcare and Oxford Level Funded, Jan. 1, 2021 – Dec. 31, 2022. Savings are not guaranteed. 2 Please consult a tax and/or legal advisor to determine if, by receiving this refund, there are any restrictions or obligations. Surplus refund available only where allowed by law. Administrative services provided by Oxford Health Plans LLC. Stop-loss insurance is underwritten by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or their affi liates, including UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company in NJ, and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York in NY. B2B EI232224250.0-OXF 3/23 © 2023 Oxford Health Plans LLC All Rights Reserved. 23-2195929-W Talk to your broker today The former synagogue on Pearl Street in downtown Hartford could reopen as an events facitliy later this year. PHOTO | COSTAR Conversion of former downtown Hartford synagogue into events venue could be complete by fall By Hanna Snyder Gambini hgambini@hartfordbusiness.com H artford attorney Jose L. Del Castillo is hoping to meet the demand for more affordable banquet space in the downtown area when he restores the former Ados Israel Synagogue into an elegant events venue. Del Castillo bought the long-vacant, 3,750-square-foot property at 215 Pearl St. in 2019 for $196,000, with plans to open a rental events venue. He sees a need for this type of facility in Hartford after noticing local residents, especially young couples, struggle with a dilemma of hosting an elaborate wedding or saving for a house down payment. His yet-to-be-named facility will allow guests to bring in catered food, more pot-luck-style events or food trucks, for a fraction of the cost of traditional party venues, he said. "We want to do something different where you can have a party of 200 people and only spend $20 a head," as opposed to more formal venues that can charge upwards of $100 to $150 per person, he said. Del Castillo's plans have been in the works for several years, but have faced a number of challenges. He said he hopes to be up and running by year-end, after having worked out a deal with the city of Hartford on back taxes owed by the previous owner. Now he is getting together the funds to start renovation work on the former synagogue, including elec- trical, HVAC and roof upgrades, and adding a commercial kitchen, office, landscaping, accessibility require- ments and more bathrooms. It took about three years to resolve the 12-year back tax issue, he said, and in that time, roofing estimates alone have jumped from around $36,000 pre-pandemic to $60,000 now. With costs fluctuating wildly, he puts his total investment cost at more than $650,000. His original estimate to rent the facility is also increasing, from $1,000 to $2,000 per event, roughly five to six hours, to $1,750 for the first floor and $3,500 for the second. He hopes his facility will open in October, and have a Latin flair — perhaps hosting Latin American Independence Day celebrations, as well as a number of different events, from weddings to concerts, fundraisers, birthday parties and other celebrations. "There really isn't a place for that, and if it keeps costs low, people can have this for a fixed cost, they can bring their own food and drinks. … Whatever you want to have, you bring it in," Del Castillo said. An early rendering of the planned events venue on Pearl Street.

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