Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com May 16, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 7 WHAT'S AHEAD: ■ 5/23 Focus: Manufacturing ■ The List: CT Ex-Im Bank Deals ■ Nonprofit Profile: CT Humane Society CALENDAR THURSDAY, MAY 19 Sports Marketing with the Hartford Yard Goats The American Marketing Association Connecticut Chapter will be hosting a nighttime discussion on the marketing challenges around the Hartford Yard Goats. Mike Abramson, assistant general manager for the Hartford Yard Goats, will be the featured speaker and he will discuss the advantages and challenges of branding Dunkin' Donuts Park as well as the rebranding of the Hartford Yard Goats. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at City Steam Brewery, 942 Main St., Hartford. Cost to attend is: $15 AMA members; $25 nonmembers. For more information or to register contact: amaconnecticut@gmail.com F O R A C O M P L E T E L I S T O F G R E A T E R H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S E V E N T S , G O T O W W W . H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S . C O M A N D C L I C K O N ' C A L E N D A R . ' A L L C A L E N D A R I T E M S M U S T B E S U B M I T T E D E L E C T R O N I C A L L Y V I A O U R W E B S I T E , H A R T F O R D B U S I N E S S . C O M . REAL ESTATE Home, condo sales up sharply but median prices slip Connecticut saw a 21 percent spike in single-family home sales in March. Condo sales were up 11 percent. Both are bal- anced against a drop in the median sales price. The Warren Group, publisher of The Commercial Record, re- ports 2,139 single-family homes sold in Connecticut during the month compared with 1,768 sold in March 2015. It was the highest March total since 2007. Year-to-date, sales are up 25.6 percent with 5,652 transactions compared with 4,501 during the same timeframe a year ago. The median price of a single-family home fell by 3 percent in March to $225,000 compared with $232,000 a year ago. Condominium sales statewide posted a double-digit increase in March, rising 11 percent to 564 sold, up from 507 the same time a year ago. The median sale price for condos in March posted a decrease of 3.3 percent, falling to $145,000 from $150,000 in March 2015 West Hartford offers $5M for UConn campus UConn says the town of West Hartford has tentatively offered $5 million — less than half the amount of a previous offer — for its 58-acre satellite campus that the university plans to vacate next year. The state's flagship university confirmed the town invoked its "right of first refusal'' for its West Hartford campus. By fall of 2017, UConn will have closed the campus and opened a new one in downtown Hartford The university said West Hartford's $5 million offer "is a fair re- flection of the property's value, since that value depends on its use.'' The university's board of trustees and the West Hartford town council must approve the proposed deal, the school said. China's Weiming Educational Group had previously offered $12 million for the property on which it planned to create and operate a private high school for some 500 pupils. Friendly's co-founder selling Monticello replica mansion The house that ice cream built is for sale in Somers. Friendly's co-founder S. Prestley Blake is selling his mansion, a replica of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate. Blake had the nearly 10,000-square-foot residence built for the occasion of his 100th birthday. He worked with general contractor to precisely replicate the brick neoclassical-style exterior of Mon- ticello, utilizing all of the same materials Jefferson used to create his plantation home. The restaurant magnate invested $8 million in construction of the residence that offers five bedrooms, five full- and four-half baths on 9.27 acres. The property features seven fireplaces, a three-car at- tached garage with a sun deck above, and 12 miles of horse trails next to the property that can never be developed. Previously offered for $4.9 million, it will sell to the highest bidder regardless of price through New York City-based Concierge Auctions. H ealth insurance is the most important benefit you offer and it's a big part of your budget. You need an insurance program that not only meets the needs of your employees but also helps you control costs. CBIA Health Connections — the most successful private insurance exchange for small business — is the solution. With Health Connections you simply set your contribution level then let your employees choose a plan from Aetna, ConnectiCare, Harvard Pilgrim, or UnitedHealthcare. From medical and dental plans to life, disability and vision options, there's something for everyone with CBIA Health Connections. Contact your agent for a quote or call 860.244.1900. Who do small businesses choose for health insurance? Richard P. Ramondetta President Alloy Specialties, Inc. Manchester CBIA Health Connections allows me to offer my employees a valuable benefits package while helping to control our medical benefits budget. P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D A new housing subdivision in Southington is looking for a buyer.

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