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I appreciate your comments but with inside information I can tell you with 100% certainty that many times people have specifically referenced this forum in their decision making process and it was not in a positive light.
When you apply for a job and it’s in a random spot non-locals have no idea what it is (ex: Enfield CT) you resort to the internet for information about the town and location.
Multiple people that turned down job offers stated less than flattering information about Enfield and surrounding areas, and CT in general, as a place they didn’t want to go to. When talking to the talent advisor/recruiter, City Data was mentioned by name.
If you don’t think this forum has an impact, you’re wrong.
Nowhere on this forum will you see consensus that the entire Enfield area is bad. I'd like to see that thread. Because it doesn't exist.
When you have people visit you in Hartford area on a random weekend, you likely will spend more time at your house, maybe go to a restaurant or a brewery. When you live in Boston, NYC, DC/DMV, you have many more options for plans/activities and spend more time outside the home.
I don't know about that. I could find plenty to do in the Hartford area on a weekend. There's museums, performing arts, parks, hiking, history. In the time it takes you to get across NYC via public transportation, you could be in New Haven for a whole more set of things to do.
Anyway, I don't live in that area so I can't say for sure how a weekend would go. But I do know when I have friends from out of town here, we usually don't have enough time to do all the things we want to do, and spend very little time at home.
As the old adage goes, "if you're bored, you're boring". You don't need a giant city to find tons of things to do, and there's certainly more boring areas of the country. I travel for work and I've been there, many times, with truly very little to do.
I appreciate your comments but with inside information I can tell you with 100% certainty that many times people have specifically referenced this forum in their decision making process and it was not in a positive light.
When you apply for a job and it’s in a random spot non-locals have no idea what it is (ex: Enfield CT) you resort to the internet for information about the town and location.
Multiple people that turned down job offers stated less than flattering information about Enfield and surrounding areas, and CT in general, as a place they didn’t want to go to. When talking to the talent advisor/recruiter, City Data was mentioned by name.
If you don’t think this forum has an impact, you’re wrong.
I agree that this forum has impact but exactly where did you hear that we are specifically named as a reason to not relocate here. From what I see is a balanced viewpoint of the state with the naysayers singing the same old tune and others pointing out what a great state Connecticut is. If anything they should be seeing the good. Jay
The consistent themes that constantly get thrown around are people in CT saying all those trendy city areas are expensive, traffic stinks, schools are not as good and medical care/hospital access is poor.
In CT I see people whine about lack of amenities, high taxes.
There’s no right or wrong, personal preference, where your family is, weather and a bunch of other characteristics are subjective to one’s taste and lifestyle.
I think a relatively strong consensus would agree that a 30 something single person or couple with no kids , by and large, likely won’t find Hartford area super appealing, especially if they are not from here or don’t have family here. The problem with this is that is becoming more of a norm. People are getting married much later, having kids much later (or not at all) and mostly spend their money on experiences and not tangible things. When you have people visit you in Hartford area on a random weekend, you likely will spend more time at your house, maybe go to a restaurant or a brewery. When you live in Boston, NYC, DC/DMV, you have many more options for plans/activities and spend more time outside the home.
Ask yourself this simply question. If Lego had no building and they were starting from scratch and deciding where to put their building with 700 employees. Would they pick Enfield/Greater Hartford…no, hence the reason they are now moving.
I remember specifically reading a post from JayCT, I believe the moderator, about a large truck warehouse being built in Enfield. He said something to the effect of “the town should appreciate the extra tax revenue, it was built on industrial land”. This same truck warehouse was being built adjacent to the nicest Enfield neighborhood with the highest property tax values. The trucks pollute, have noise, increase traffic and wear tear on town roads that will cost money.
That same warehouse just got a tax abatement after the fact from the town. Now Lego is leaving. 750 employees will no longer get gas at local stations, stop at the Target/Home Depot/Costco on their way home or meet up for lunch/happy hour after work at local restaurants. In a year time span the town added a huge eyesore annoyance and lost an important employer. Talk about a tough break.
Certain CT towns have to start developing in their town amenities, walkable areas, and creating desirable places for people to call home.
I’m not sure why you think that the neighborhood around that warehouse is the nicest in Enfield. It’s nice but it’s arguable at best if it’s the nicest. The point I was making was that this land is zoned for commercial and/or industrial development and that warehouse is exactly what was planned when zoning was established in town. To deny it would have been wrong. That’s why it was unanimously approved.
Despite the tax abatement granted, that warehouse will add a lot to the tax revenue to the town. A precedent has been set in town to grant abatements to encourage new development. Again to deny them would have been wrong.
Most Connecticut towns have great amenities. There’s many that have great walkable areas. They also have wonderful places to call home. There’s something for everyone and that’s what’s important. Jay
I agree that this forum has impact but exactly where did you hear that we are specifically named as a reason to not relocate here. From what I see is a balanced viewpoint of the state with the naysayers singing the same old tune and others pointing out what a great state Connecticut is. If anything they should be seeing the good. Jay
From a Lego recruiter that worked in Enfield for 8 years. Multiple instances where people turned down offers to relocate or were very hesitant because “according to city data forum, doesn’t seem like people are very happy in this area”
I’m just sharing actual feedback, not hyperbole. Doesn’t mean everybody said that, but some did.
I’m not sure why you think that the neighborhood around that warehouse is the nicest in Enfield. It’s nice but it’s arguable at best if it’s the nicest. The point I was making was that this land is zoned for commercial and/or industrial development and that warehouse is exactly what was planned when zoning was established in town. To deny it would have been wrong. That’s why it was unanimously approved.
It doesn’t sound like you know much about Enfield. To be fair, I’m not sure why you would. It’s not a “destination” town unless you live in Suffield or Somers and need a grocery store, Home Depot or Costco. Ask any town resident where the nicest neighborhood is and it’s pretty universal that it’s Misty Meadows. Accessible to the retail/restaurants, homes built in late 90s early 2000s, all have perfectly manicured lots of .75 to 1 acre, almost all open floor plan, 3-4 bath, 2.5 baths, double garages, underground utilities, natural gas and sewer. The neighborhood has not lost power for more than 5 mins in the past 15 years. The neighborhood is friendly and engaged.
Again, not really the point, you can disagree all you want but it’s definitely not “arguable at best”
Here’s an example of a typical home in that neighborhood, for an actual neighborhood with sidewalk streets. Some other nice houses in Enfield exist but usually a single street:
I don't know about that. I could find plenty to do in the Hartford area on a weekend. There's museums, performing arts, parks, hiking, history. In the time it takes you to get across NYC via public transportation, you could be in New Haven for a whole more set of things to do.
Anyway, I don't live in that area so I can't say for sure how a weekend would go. But I do know when I have friends from out of town here, we usually don't have enough time to do all the things we want to do, and spend very little time at home.
As the old adage goes, "if you're bored, you're boring". You don't need a giant city to find tons of things to do, and there's certainly more boring areas of the country. I travel for work and I've been there, many times, with truly very little to do.
You should have applied to work at Lego as their recruiter of new talent. Sounds like you would have done a better job getting people to move to Northern CT and see all it has to offer.
From a Lego recruiter that worked in Enfield for 8 years. Multiple instances where people turned down offers to relocate or were very hesitant because “according to city data forum, doesn’t seem like people are very happy in this area”
I’m just sharing actual feedback, not hyperbole. Doesn’t mean everybody said that, but some did.
That seems really far fetched. Sorry.
PS: Every relocation forum is full of naysayers. If someone is going to make a decision solely on people online that complain, that's not a very informed decision.
I'm not putting down the site but it kinda depends on who or what is said. I know of a variety of blogs, facebook groups and other entities some might check but then it gets open ended.
anyways the more I dig on this it gets odd.
First is that lego is private. It's much harder to pressure a 100% private company to do anything or get any information out of them. There's no shareholder activism here folks.
Second is it looks like they already had a hybrid format so it's not like they want everyone in the office monday to friday 8-5.
Third is that they aren't technically laying them off. It's hybrid now...
fourth is they don't even have a place yet. It might be the seaport but who knows and thanks to CRRC MA the likelyhood of the MBTA being fixed is slim to none. The seaport might look great now but if the red and orange lines collapse then what...that's why the other rail might be the option and yes it IS happening. The planning is nearly done and they've increased much of it.
Fifth is that it appears there's been no tax incentives.
At the same point though this is a company that's been around for fifty years. This isn't a startup. This literally is a place that was nearly generational. Production is one thing. Labor costs can be high and we've seen domestic manufacturing go south for decades if not a generation..but this is the administrative jobs not manufacturing.
this doesn't sound like a well made plan. Boston doesn't even know what they are doing and this was all made up in less than a few weeks. Not a single permit or payment has been made. I think they are trying to play CT for a tax break. I know people that were at Boston redevelopment and they confirmed this
It's between Springfield and Hartford. They have access technically to millions of people and urban and suburban environments. New Haven is close, a train or bus to NYC is easy (I've done it many times). It's a toy company and like I said Coleco and Parker Bros (both now under Hasbro) were there. The Toy industry is generational, I'm sure we could probably find people who had parents or grandparents that worked there.
Lastly is that ok so what exactly is the point of this? High rents? A business works on profitability. Unless you are going to make more money or save on expenses then this is a waste. The easiest way to attract talent is to have more hybrid and remote policies. I'm at a place now where the department...just the department is down 28 positions. But we are insisting on 8-5 monday to friday. Now another department IS hybrid and we actually lost a significant amount to a competitor that is hybrid so....
I think Boston will continue taking corps from us as their university cluster is so appealing to corps.
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