Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1540484
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Peter Stanton | CEO, pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com Tom Curtin | President, ext. 124, tcurtin@hartfordbusiness.com Editorial Greg Bordonaro | Editor, ext. 139 gbordonaro@hartfordbusiness.com Drew Larson | Web Editor, ext. 121 alarson@hartfordbusiness.com Beat: Energy Michael Puffer | Staff Writer, ext. 145 mpuffer@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Real Estate, Economic Development, Banking & Finance David Krechevsky | Staff Writer, ext. 702 davidk@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Health Care, Bioscience, State Government Harriet Jones | Staff Writer, ext. 145 hjones@hartfordbusiness.com Beats: Manufacturing, Cannabis, Professional Services Michael Juliano | Staff Writer mjuliano@hartfordbusiness.com Beat: Fairfield County Stephanie R. Meagher | Research Director Heide Martin | Research Assistant Steve Laschever | Photographer Business Tom Curtin | Publisher, ext. 124, tcurtin@hartfordbusiness.com Jessica M. Quinn | Associate Publisher, ext. 137 jquinn@hartfordbusiness.com Emily Paskind | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 133, epaskind@hartfordbusiness.com Sadie Bride | Senior Accounts Manager, ext. 141, sbride@hartfordbusiness.com Destiny Cyr | Operations & Administrative Specialist, ext. 138 dcyr@hartfordbusiness.com Tracy Rodwill | Human Resources Manager trodwill@nebusinessmedia.com Production Bartosz Zinowko | Production Director, ext. 147 bzinowko@hartfordbusiness.com Events Kathryn Pelletier | Events Manager, ext. 136 kpelletier@hartfordbusiness.com The Bank of America branch at 4 North Main St., in West Hartford. Photo | CoStar CT judge issues split rulings in commercial property tax appeals A Connecticut Superior Court judge has issued separate rulings in two high-profile property tax disputes involving major commercial properties in West Hartford and Danbury. Judge Matthew J. Budzik recently ruled in favor of Bank of America in its appeal against the Town of West Hart- ford, reducing the appraised value of the bank's downtown branch at 4 North Main St. by about $353,000 — to $4.06 million as of the Oct. 1, 2021, assess- ment date. The property includes a 16,000-square-foot building housing a branch and back-office space. Separately, Budzik dismissed a tax Incoming CT Children's CEO Shannon Sullivan. Contributed Photo CT Children's names its next CEO Hartford plans $2M grant program to fill empty retail space around PeoplesBank Arena Hartford officials are preparing to launch a $2 million retail stimulus initiative aimed at attracting new restaurants, shops and entertainment venues to the area around PeoplesBank Arena. The proposed Arena District Retail Initiative would mirror Hartford's 2021 Hart Lift grant program but focus solely on eight long-vacant properties in the blocks surrounding the 16,000-seat downtown arena. Property owners and tenants would be eligible for grants of up to $250,000, matched dollar-for-dollar, to build out spaces in "raw" condition. The program would be managed by the Hartford Chamber of Commerce and funded through the Capital Region Development Authority, pending state Bond Commission approval. appeal by Stew Leonard's, finding the grocery chain failed to prove the city overvalued its 103,000-square-foot store on Federal Road. The ruling upholds Danbury's 2022 assessment, valuing the entire 35.8-acre property at $24.4 million. Budzik found Stew Leonard's did not provide credible evidence supporting its claim that the build- ing's design created $3.1 million in functional obsolescence, while in the Bank of America case, he applied an "income approach" to reach the revised valuation. UConn Health in dispute with Aetna over new contract UConn Health and Hartford health insurer Aetna are negotiating a new contract as their current three-year agreement expires Nov. 30. In a website post, UConn Health said Aetna, owned by CVS Health, hasn't acknowledged that its reimbursement rates are "much lower than others in the market," warning that patients could lose in-network access to its facilities, including John Dempsey Hospital, if no deal is reached. The health system cited rising labor, supply and infrastructure costs, and said fair insurer agreements are crucial to sustaining services. Aetna said it's working to reach a "fair agreement" that keeps UConn Health in its network "at an affordable rate after Dec. 1." State law allows a 60-day grace period for patients to retain in-network coverage after a contract expires. The talks follow UConn Health's June deal with ConnectiCare, and come as the system explores acquiring or affiliating with Waterbury, Bristol and Day Kimball hospitals. The PeoplesBank Arena in downtown Hartford. HBJ Photo | Greg Bordonaro C onnecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford has named Shannon Sullivan its next president and chief execu- tive officer, the hospital's Board of Directors announced. Sullivan will succeed James E. Shmerling, who in March announced plans to retire at the end of the year after a decade at the helm. Sullivan will officially assume her new role on Jan. 12, 2026. She currently serves as president and chief operating officer of Women & Infants Hospital, part of Care New England in Rhode Island. She has nearly 20 years of healthcare leadership experience. Sullivan's appointment comes as Connecticut Children's prepares to open a new $320 million clinical tower in early 2026. The hospital said the facility will expand its capacity, integrate advanced medical technol- ogies and strengthen its position as a leading pediatric healthcare provider in the Northeast.