[Lincolnian]

The Pratt plant in Southington is another example. It will have a hard time finding a tenant because nobody wants to assume contamination problems. The old GM plant in Bristol is another hard sell for the same reason. There are many of these situations accross Connecticut and the US.

Not all but many of these companies went out of business or took advantage of their legal incorporation so that they didn't have to be held responsible to clean up the property after vacating.

[andthentherewere3]

And wasn't it only about a year ago that some posters here said we weren't in a recession? Maybe now they feel differently. I haven't seen many more empty stores in my area, but I can see how some of the poorer areas would be hardest hit. Many of them were struggling to begin with. I just hope it doesn't get any worse.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by renovating

I have been recently shopping in Westport, Fairfield, Newtown and Trumbull and haven't noticed any empty plaza's....maybe a storefront but can't be sure. No empty plaza's though.

If you went up RT25 into Newtown from Monroe there are indeed some empty buildings and older small strip malls that are empty. I just did a job in Monroe a couple months ago and remember them. I think I pulled into one to check email.

Originally Posted by Lincolnian

The old GM plant in Bristol is another hard sell for the same reason. There are many of these situations accross Connecticut and the US

Last I was there Firestone took over the New Departure plant...did they move?

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

And wasn't it only about a year ago that some posters here said we weren't in a recession? Maybe now they feel differently. I haven't seen many more empty stores in my area, but I can see how some of the poorer areas would be hardest hit. Many of them were struggling to begin with. I just hope it doesn't get any worse.

What I'm seeing here is the national chains are closing, not the locally owned business. Many that closed appeared to be still doing a good business but in the rest of the nation they tanked so the "branch" here closed too. Romano's Grill, Hops (Which has been closed for about 5 years now), 99, Shaws and a few retailers in Evergreen are what come to mind. Other than that, business as usual here. In fact two that closed have already been replaced. One by a local business and the other by another chain.

[Lincolnian]

Jviello,

I'm not refering to New Departure but the plant on Rt 6 near downtown.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

And wasn't it only about a year ago that some posters here said we weren't in a recession? Maybe now they feel differently. I haven't seen many more empty stores in my area, but I can see how some of the poorer areas would be hardest hit. Many of them were struggling to begin with. I just hope it doesn't get any worse.

I still say much of this recession was driven by fear.

[MikefromCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I still say much of this recession was driven by fear.

And greed.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by Lincolnian

Jviello,

I'm not refering to New Departure but the plant on Rt 6 near downtown.

Yea that's it...up on Chippens Hill. We used to drag race there back in the 80's.

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

And greed.

And government.

[renovating]

Originally Posted by JViello

If you went up RT25 into Newtown from Monroe there are indeed some empty buildings and older small strip malls that are empty. I just did a job in Monroe a couple months ago and remember them. I think I pulled into one to check email.

There may be a few buildings empty but entire strip malls in Newtown vacant? That strikes me as very odd as there is new construction of strip malls going on all over route 25. 3 plazas that I know of.

I know KayBee Toys closed but there is already a new occupant in there. I'm not seeing a lot of vacancy in Newtown.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by renovating

There may be a few buildings empty but entire strip malls in Newtown vacant? That strikes me as very odd as there is new construction of strip malls going on all over route 25. 3 plazas that I know of.

I know KayBee Toys closed but there is already a new occupant in there. I'm not seeing a lot of vacancy in Newtown.

There was one going North into Newtown that was empty. I'm talking the old school ones that are single line of buildings with like 4 storefronts.

There are no "modern" strip malls around here that are all empty in the surrounding smaller towns either...in fact there is only half of one in Manchester the back half of the Parkade which was that way loooooong before the recession. It's just one of "those" properties for whatever reason.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by JViello

Yea that's it...up on Chippens Hill. We used to drag race there back in the 80's.



And government.

That plant on Chippens hill was subdivided into smaller spaces and is partially leased to my knowledge. Not bad considering how far out of the way it is. Jay