The Greater Hartford Association of Realtors has acquired a two story West Hartford office building that was formerly a car dealership to relocate its headquarters from elsewhere in town.
GHAR paid $1.15 million for the 24,000squarefoot professional building at 430 New Park Ave., on the West Hartford/Hartford border.
Goman + York Property Advisors represented the Realtors’ association in the sale and will serve as the property’s leasing broker; broker principal Andrew Filler, of Avison Young, represented seller New Park Avenue Associates.
Built by Heublein Inc. in the late 1980s to house its liquor research and development operations, car dealer Ken Crowley acquired it in the early 2000s, to expand his Chevrolet dealership. It most recently housed administrative headquarters for the state’s CTfastrak bus rapid transit system.
GHAR is currently housed at Corporate Center West, 433 South Main St.
Its new home will include a classroom area as well as 6,000 square feet on the second floor for GHAR administrative staff and tenants, GHAR 2016 Board President Joanne Breen said.
“The location has excellent highway access to I-84 and ample parking for members, future tenants, and their customers,” Breen said. “Thisupandcoming area on the north side of the ‘home design district’ is a great fit for the association and we are excited about the transition.”
According to buyer’s broker Tom York, GHAR plans major renovations to reconfigure the building to accommodate paid office and/or retail tenants in 12,000 square feet of first floor space that was once a showroom. The site also offers ample free parking.
The space offers high open ceilings and tile flooring and can be used for retail or loft-style offices, York said. Improvements will include installation of a new atrium wall in the lobby.
gseay@HartfordBusiness.com
Gregory Seay is the Hartford Business Journal News Editor.