Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/477238
www.HartfordBusiness.com November26,2012•Hartford Business Journal 49 Celebrating 20 Years of Business News 1999 Connecticut's House of Representatives has elected its first female as speaker of the house, Moira Lyons, the 10-term member from New Britain, was the majority leader. Plans are unveiled for an architectural Goliath to take over the Main Street Mar- ket site. The $200 million plan calls for a 22-story building: 10 stories for the 370- room Westin Hotel; 10 stories for 250,000 square feet of Class A office space; and the two remaining stories for penthouses. The anchor tenant would be Hartford law firm Robinson & Cole LLP. Stanley Works says its century-old facili- ties in New Britain are putting the company at a competitive disad- vantage. The firm says it will move much of its hardware production to Virginia, China and Mexico. Six months after Gov. Rowland and Patriots owner Robert Kraft signed a deal to move the Pats to Hartford, the whole deal collapses. Governor Rowland kills a deal with Texas-based Electronic Data Systems (EDS) after spending more than $3 million over three years on lawyers' fees, and consultants' fees. Dept. of Information Technology has sought EDS' help to address issues of inefficiency, incompatible systems and old computers, mostly due to a lack of accountability from vendors ripping off the state, and managers let- ting them get away with it. Developers operating as 18 Temple Street LLC introduce a plan to renovate the Sage Allen building on Main Street and construct a new building on each side of the Sage Allen Tower with 60 housing lofts. Riverfront Recapture opens on Labor Day weekend. • Hartford's city council appoints a 15-member Charter Revision Commission Colt's manufacturing Co. announces that it will cease produc- tion of seven models of handguns in a consolidation to do away with unprofitable products. Bradley — already flying high with rising passenger traffic on USAir- ways, Delta, MetroJet and Delta Express — adds Southwest with non- stop service to Baltimore, Chicago, Nashville and Orlando. World Team Tennis is coming to Hartford's state armory. The Hart- ford FoxForce is owned by Lisa and Brian Foley. 2000 CCEDA offi- cials plan a trip to see Chattanooga's aquarium, the world's largest fresh- water aquarium, and a possible model for one that may be built at Hartford's proposed Adriaen's Landing. Only days after the resignation of its CEO, Rich- ard Huber, Aetna's stock rose as the company receives a $10 billion buyout offer from WellPoint Health Networks Inc. and America Insurance Holdings Inc. Within weeks, Aetna says it isn't for sale, but would split into financial and health entities. The governor signs legislation approv- ing the $91 million public funding needed to build Rentschler Field, and the $680 million needed for the Adriaen's Landing project. In one of the largest real estate trans- actions in Greater Hartford in the last few years, New Boston Fund, a Boston-based pri- vate real estate investment company, added 570,000 square feet of Class A office space at Rocky Hill Corporate Ridge office park to its CT portfolio. That brings its holdings to 10 percent of the local office building space. The new Aetna Inc. is cutting 13 percent of its workforce, getting out of 11 Medicare markets and reorganizing its sales force, all in hopes of boosting profitability in 2001. The announcement came after the completed sale of its financial services and institutional divisions to ING Group, NV, for $5 billion in stock and cash and $2.7 billion in debt assumption. 2001 Hartford's First International Bank is acquired by United Parcel Service for $78 million worth of UPS stock. After six years as a South Hartford force, Trinity College Presi- dent Evan Dobelle agrees to become presi- dent of the University of Hawaii. Northland Investment Corp. reaches a deal with the city, the state and Aetna Inc. to remake Hart- ford Civic Center. The pedestrian bridge, named the Phoenix Gateway, links Riverfront Park to existing promenades at Phoenix and constitution Plaza, making the new riverfront parks fully accessible from Downtown Hartford. • Gov. John Rowland orders the excavators to begin work on Adriaen's Landing. The $771 million project will transform 33 acres into a convention center, 700-room hotel, an enter- tainment and retail district and possibly a sci- ence attraction. The upgrade to Westfarms Mall's center court is completed. Glastonbury reconnects to its Connecti- cut River shoreline, starting by cleaning up a former 25-acre heating oil distribution and storage facility. After the remediation, a park is planned incorporating an adjacent 45-acre parcel owned by the city. The relationship between the Greater Hartford Jaycees and Canon USA Inc. ends as Canon cuts sponsorship of the Greater Hartford Open after 18 years. Pepperidge Farm announces plans to build a new 265,000-square-foot bakery on Blue Hills Avenue in Bloomfield. Eddie Perez ushers in a new political era as the first Hispanic mayor in Hartford. He garnered 75 percent of the votes cast in the municipal election. TIMELINE The Past 20 Years 1998 1999 2000 Moira Lyons, Connecticut House of Representatives' first female speaker of the house. All lit up The Riverfront Recapture complex on the banks of the Connecticut River in Downtown Hartford brought new life to the Capital City. The lights on the renovated Founders Bridge reflect a walkway linking Downtown to East Hartford. Trinity College President Evan Dobelle agrees to become president of the University of Hawaii. In response to increased demand for customer services such as wheelchair and stroller lanes, year round gift wrapping and other shopper services, Westfarms Mall renovated its Center Court and devoted more space to the customer service desk. Riverfront reclaimed With a snip of the scissors, Hartford's riverfront was "recaptured" as the pedestrian bridge leading from Downtown to the Connecticut River is officially opened. Pictured from left are Nelson "Oz" Griebel, chair of Riverfront Recapture; Anthony Gallicchio, MDC chair; Hartford Mayor Mike Peters; State Treasurer Denise Nappier; and Gov. John Rowland. Brian Foley and his wife Lisa Wilson-Foley, co-owners of The Hartford FoxForce of the World Team Tennis league, oversaw the movement of the team to the Greater Hartford Jaycees Community Boathouse at Riverside Park.