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12 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MAY 13, 2024 DEAL WATCH The Collins Co. ax factory in Canton. HBJ PHOTO | ANDREW LARSON Two sisters plan ambitious mixed-use redevelopment of Collins Co. ax factory site By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com A new plan to redevelop the Collins Co. ax factory in Canton features a mix of housing, retail, industrial and commu- nity spaces, with a focus on preserving the site's historical character while adapting the property for reuse. The village of Collinsville, a section of Canton, was built around the ax factory, which sits along the Farm- ington River at 10 Depot Road. It once produced axes, machetes and steel-edged tools. The factory closed in 1966, after several of its buildings were destroyed in the Flood of 1955. Since then, the 19-acre parcel — which has 28 buildings, some of them intercon- nected — has been the subject of numerous development proposals. Most recently, a New York devel- oper, Ranger Properties, proposed converting it into 200 apartments along with retail. The developer backed out after a neighbor filed a lawsuit. Now, the property sits underused, with just a handful of tenants, including an antiques shop, hair salon and spring factory. Parts of the building have been condemned, don't meet current building code or are inaccessible. Sisters Lisa and Merritt Tilney have formed Collinsville Rede- velopment Co., which recently submitted its first plans for the project to the Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Agency. They say the project will benefit the commu- nity by reactivating unused portions of the site and unlocking views of the river, while preserving the property's historical and cultural significance. "It is such a gem, and I think now is the time that we need to start cleaning up the site and get going so that we can ensure the buildings remain intact for the next 140 years," Merritt Tilney said in a recent interview with the Hartford Business Journal. The vision Lisa and Merritt are daughters of property owner Rusty Tilney, who bought the site in 2002 with the goal of revitalizing it. Recently, his health has declined and they are taking the reins. The Tilney sisters have an option to purchase the property, contingent upon necessary approvals. An environmental study, paid for by the town, has been completed. Efforts are underway to secure $2 million to $3 million in state and federal grants for the remediation. Remediation work could begin in 2026, and is expected to take 14 to 18 months. Construction would take another six to eight years, they said. The project would occur in phases, with the goal of keeping current tenants for as long as possible. Of the 28 buildings, 24 would be redevel- oped and four would be demolished. Three new multifamily buildings would contain roughly 224 apart- ments and 48 condominiums. Also, the oldest building on the property, the Granite Building, would be converted into 16 condominiums. There would also be a mix of retail, offices, light commercial, and possibly food and beverage establishments throughout the rest of the site. The project includes building a grand staircase and an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp, reopening access to the lower levels of the factory building. New road infrastructure and utilities would also be needed. Developer backgrounds The Tilneys said they're planning the project to be as carbon-neu- tral as possible. They also plan to remove invasive plant species and reintroduce natives. The building's existing 155,000-square-foot space will be completely renovated, and 2,000 linear feet of waterworks will be repaired. The project requires approvals from various entities, including the State Historic Preservation Office, as the property sits on the National Register of Historic Places. The Tilneys say they have a pre-de- velopment team in place including a soil scientist, multiple engineers, landscape architect, several consul- tants and a law firm. As the project gains steam, they plan to partner with investors and secure additional grants. The Tilney sisters grew up in nearby Bloomfield and are both Yale graduates. Lisa Tilney has a background in architecture and has worked for firms in New York City and Berlin, Germany. She has also worked as a site manager and began her career on Wall Street working for a hedge fund. Merritt Tilney runs AMT Coaching, a leadership advisory consultancy that she founded. She also has experi- ence as a management consultant at Booz Allen, as well as E*Trade, Citi- group, Gap and several startups. Lisa Tilney Merritt Tilney CT Dept. of Public Health inks major East Hartford lease to store PPE, other emergency supplies By Greg Bordonaro gbordonaro@hartfordbusiness.com T he state Department of Public Health (DPH) has signed a lease to occupy an East Hart- ford industrial property, which it plans to use as a warehouse for storing personal protective equipment and other emergency supplies. DPH has signed a lease to occupy 127,529 square feet of space in the First Brands Building, at 88 Long Hill St. The deal represents one of the largest recent leases signed in Greater Hartford. The 515,000-square-foot property is owned by East Hartford Business Park LLC, which purchased the building in 1998 for $7.2 million, town records show. The LLC traces back to Los Ange- les-based real estate development and investment firm Industrial Realty Group LLC. The property has a current appraised value of $12.9 million, records show. Ameriport Logistics Inc. is the largest tenant in the building, occu- pying 167,518 square feet. DPH will use its space to store a state-managed stockpile of PPE and other emergency supplies that are "intended for emergency use only," according to Chris Boyle, an agency spokesman. The stockpile was created as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to major shortages of equipment and protective gear for healthcare workers and other first responders. That led Connecticut and other 88 Long Hill St., East Hartford. PHOTO | COSTAR states to compete for supplies during the worst of the pandemic. In April 2022, DPH was selected by the Lamont administration to continue to manage the state's PPE stockpile and find a new location to store it, Boyle said. Previously, the supplies were stored in a New Britain facility and managed by the state departments of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. DPH worked with the state Depart- ment of Administrative Services, which handles the state's real estate portfolio, to identify a suitable loca- tion, Boyle said. A lease was signed for the East Hartford warehouse in 2023, which eliminated a manage- ment company and reduced costs, Boyle said. The new warehouse location will continue in place through December 2026, he added. The state in 2020 considered spending up to $6.8 million to purchase the 138,000-square- foot former Sam's Club building in Manchester to store PPE during the pandemic, but that deal fell through. Sean Kumnick and Nicholas Morizio, of Colliers, represented the landlord in the East Hartford lease.