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An 86-year-old state building in midtown Hartford used briefly as a homeless shelter will get a $4 million makeover to ready it for use by the state and the local arts community, the governor says.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced last week that money for renovations to the former Second Church of Christ, Scientist building at 129 Lafayette St. in Hartford is expected to gain approval when the state bond commission meets Dec. 10.

The state in 2007 paid $2.3 million for the two-story, 18,000-square-foot structure standing within a few hundred yards of the Supreme Court and Library, the main state office building at 165 Capitol Ave., the Bushnell Theater and the Capitol.

In July 2009, the bond commission approved $2.5 million to fix the roof the Georgian-style church. Later that year, the state loaned out one floor as temporary winter shelter.

"Our plan has always been to use … (it) as a study center and storage facility for the State Library, which very much needs the space, and as rehearsal space for the Hartford Symphony and other arts and culture groups,'' Rell said.

The latest round of funds will finance electrical, mechanical, fire protection and code improvements.

Sprint Phone Store

Wireless Evolution has leased 1,400 square feet of space for an independent Sprint mobile-phone store on the Silas Deane Highway in Rocky Hill.

Wireless leased the space at 2234 Silas Deane Highway from landlord Wethersfield Realty LLC.

The Geenty Group, Realtors, in Branford represented Wireless Evolution in the lease. Reno Properties Group in Newington represented the landlord.

East Haven Class A Sale

A 44,000-square-foot Class A office building off Interstate 95 in East Haven has sold for $3.4 million.

Marc Realty sold the multi-tenant building at 100 South Shore to 100 South Shore Drive LLC

New Haven Group Inc. represented the seller. The building is a multi-tenant office building located off of Interstate 95. Tom Dineen represented the buyer in the transaction.

The two-story building was built in 1987 and is leased to financial service and professional service firms. The building had about 6,600 square feet of vacancy at the time of sale.

Bakker's Avon Move

Peter M. Bakker Agency Inc. has moved its Avon headquarters to larger, 10,000-square-foot office quarters a short distance away at 302 West Main St./Route 44, behind Farmington Bank.

The full-service insurance agency's 40 employees had been housed the past 22 years about two miles away in 6,000 square feet at 111 Simsbury Road in Avon.

The move puts all the staff, covering personal and commercial lines and financial services and group health and benefits, on the same the floor, officials said.

Fish Enterprises is the landlord at 302 W. Main.

E. Hartford Dentists

East Hartford Children's Dental reopened in renovated downtown quarters on the second floor of 1011 Main St.

Husband-and-wife dentists Allan and Jenny Kwon purchased their three-chair practice in November 2009 from Dr. Jeffrey Altman. A dental practice has been at that address for 90 years, authorities say.

The Kwons officially dedicated last week their kid-friendly practice that features LCD TV monitors in the examination rooms and two 42-inch LED TVs with Blue-Ray in the waiting areas. The children's waiting area also has XBox 360 game consoles and V-tech children's laptops.

Branford Flex Space

Pexagon Technology Inc. has leased 10,000 square feet for its in-state move to 14 Business Park Drive in Branford.

Pexagon is moving to Branford Business Park from 20 Carter Drive in Guilford, where it assembles, sells and services custom personal and office products, such as key chains, office mugs, flash drives, embossed with names and company logos.

The landlord is BPR XIV LLC. The tenant shares space in a 25,000-square-foot flex/office building the landlord owns in the park.

The Geenty Group, Realtors, represented both parties in the lease.

Got real estate news? Deal Watch wants to hear from you. E-mail it, along with contact information to: gseay@HartfordBusiness.com.

Greg Seay is the Hartford Business Journal web editor.

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