Governor Rell Identifies First Round of

State Assets to Be Sold to Raise Cash

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced the first round of state assets to be offered for sale in an effort to meet budget requirements and reduce the current budget deficit – a list that includes the Seaside Regional Center in Waterford and the former Nathan Hale Hotel site in Willimantic.

            Other surplus properties the state plans to sell include a building at 7 North Street in Litchfield, the Bristol Armory and numerous small plots owned by the Department of Transportation (DOT).

            The budget approved by the Legislature in September calls for raising $15 million from the sale of state assets in the first year of the budget and $45 million in Fiscal 2011. The budget does not identify the properties to be sold, leaving it to the Rell Administration to develop a list of surplus assets.

            “This is a chance for the state to realize much-needed revenues and for residents, developers and others to buy prime property and other assets,” Governor Rell said. “These properties range from an outstanding waterfront location to dozens of spots owned by the DOT across the state. We must do all in our power to meet the goals of the budget and reduce the current-year budget deficit. Selling these parcels will bring in cash for the state without adding to the burdens on taxpayers or employers.

            “The new budget passed by the Legislature has been in effect just a few short months but is already millions of dollars out of balance,” the Governor said. “My hope is that these asset sales will help prevent that problem from growing any worse – and perhaps even help to turn it around.

            “This is only the first list of assets we intend to sell,” Governor Rell said. “We also have a special Web site – www.ct-surplus-property.com – where people can get all the details on the property, including information on how to make a bid. As we complete the appraisals and other technical details necessary to make additional state-owned assets ready for sale, more properties will be coming on the market in early 2010.”

            The first list of assets to be sold includes:

• Seaside Regional Center, Waterford: Originally opened in the 1930s as the Seaside Sanitarium, it was reopened in 1959 as the Seaside Geriatric Center and redesignated in 1961 as the Seaside Center for the Mentally Retarded. Closed in 1996, it is a beachfront property near New London on Long Island Sound.
• Nathan Hale Hall (formerly the Nathan Hale Hotel), Willimantic: The building was built as a hotel in 1926 and converted to a college dormitory in 1969. It has been closed since 2001.
• 7 North Street, Litchfield: This building is known as the old Litchfield Jail. Portions of the structure date to 1812.
• Bristol Armory, Bristol: Built in 1928, this is one of nearly 20 armories located around the state. The Military Department has indicated that as a result of its budget reduction plan and current force structure it no longer needs this armory.
• DOT properties: The DOT has identified more than 40 parcels of land – ranging from more than 2 acres in New Milford to as small a plot as 0.12 acres in Montville – that it is ready to sell. Additional parcels of DOT-owned land are expected to be offered in future rounds of asset sales.

            Last week, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) auctioned off surplus state heavy equipment, raising $432,900 on the sale of 202 items. The largest sale was a John Deere 544E Loader, which brought $17,750. In 2009, DAS has also five auctions of surplus automobiles, raising nearly $2.6 million.

            A list of DOT properties to be sold is attached.