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8 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JUNE 30, 2025 DE AL WATCH The job involves anchoring the building's concrete walls, then cutting the roof into three sections, each of which will be raised, separately, at a snail's pace by dozens of synchro- nized hydraulic jacks. The roof will then be secured to new, taller beams. The extra height will allow Unitex to install about a mile of gravity-pow- ered track and elevated platforms. This will allow sacks of laundry to cycle through different stations within the plant without intense labor. This is the second time in five years Rooflifters and Rooflift Specialists have worked on a project for Unitex. Rooflift Specialists President Craig Jones said he has seen increasing demand for roof-raising projects in the industrial sector, given the increasingly scarce land suitable for new construction, and more stringent land-use regulations. In recent years, Jones said, his company has averaged about nine to 10 jobs annually, double what it performed a decade earlier. "There has been a constant increase in demand for this service," Jones said. "It makes financial sense, and the more people that learn about it, the more they spread the good word." Local support The Hartford City Council two years ago signed off on a 10-year, tax-fixing agreement to support Unitex's expansion. Under the agreement, taxes on equipment and real estate will hold at $125,200 in fiscal 2026, then jump to $513,540 the following year. After that, the company's property taxes will fall gradually to $330,000 in fiscal 2031, when the tax level will hold for another five years. Potack said Hartford offi- cials have been enthusiastic in their support of the expansion, including by quickly processing permit requests. "They were very appreciative of us bringing more jobs into the city," Robert Potack said. Minneapolis developer eyes $225M upscale housing project in Farmington By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com A Minneapolis-based developer is proposing a housing devel- opment in Farmington with hundreds of units, including a mix of upscale apartments, owner-oc- cupied townhomes and detached single-family dwellings. Crown Equities LLC has filed an architectural master plan with the town for the development, called Enclave at the Farmington River. The project, estimated to cost $225 million, would be located on two properties that span a combined 63.5 acres at 3 Bridgewater Road and 1179 Farmington Ave. Plans show three lots, each with different housing types: Lot A with upscale, owner-occupied townhomes; Lot B with 138 to 180 upscale rental units; and Lot C, which runs along the Farmington River, with 72 to 86 luxury (Image above and below) Renderings of the proposed owner-occupied townhomes at the 'Envclave at The Farmington River.' CONTRIBUTED IMAGES single-family residences. The developer plans to include an affordable component and will seek financing through Build for CT, a state program that incen- tivizes housing construction for middle-income residents. According to the project plans, which will need local land-use approvals, 20% of the Lot B units would be restricted to middle-income renters. Crown Equities has completed dozens of projects in states that include Minnesota, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kansas. It's currently developing two projects in Simsbury, a 72-unit apart- ment complex and 54-unit townhome rental development. The L-shaped parcel at 3 Bridge- water Road in Farmington contains 15 acres of commercial vacant land behind an assisted living facility, Riverbend at Farmington. The lot is owned by Waterside Ten LLC, which is controlled by Peter Fishman, pres- ident of Farmington-based property management firm PKT Development. The 48.5-acre property at 1179 Farmington Ave. is sandwiched between 3 Bridgewater Road and the Farmington River. It contains a quarry and is owned by Plant 17 LLC, which is controlled by Stanley Mierze- jewski, president of Plainville-based Mizzy Construction. Enclave at the Farmington River would offer a direct connection to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Other proposed amenities include boat docks and slips, riverview gazebos, resident kayak and canoe storage, and picnic areas with grills. A worker cuts a section of the roof at Unitex's new Hartford warehouse, at 121 Wawarme Ave. The roof is being raised by 10 feet. HBJ PHOTO | MICHAEL PUFFER Cleaning Up Continued from page 7