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July 26, 2021 / 2021 Power 25 Real Estate

2021 Power 25 Real Estate: John Philip and I. Charles Mathews

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If you’re a developer or property owner in Hartford, you probably know the names John Philip and I. Charles Mathews.

City assessor since 2011, Philip is ultimately in charge of calculating property values in the city with Connecticut’s highest mill rate. He can also help the city’s legal team make judgement calls about just how hard to fight any of the inevitable wave of tax appeals that Hartford receives after revaluations.

I. Charles Mathews

Meanwhile, Mathews has a key say on whether a proposed development will receive city incentives or tax breaks, factors that can make or break a project in Hartford, where the cost of constructing a building often doesn’t justify the rents the property can draw.

Mathews, a former city councilor who ascended to the powerful (and now extinct) office of deputy mayor in the early 1990s, has more recently chaired the Hartford Stadium Authority and served on the boards of various nonprofits

Appointed by Mayor Luke Bronin in mid-2020, Mathews has already made some waves, including questioning the financing and overall design of a $22.5-million mixed-use development at the corner of Albany Avenue and Woodland Street.

John Philip

Developer Rohan Freeman had already been greenlit by city councilors for a 50-year ground lease and was also slated to receive $5.5 million in state Bond Commission funding.

The project now faces an uncertain future, after the Capital Region Development Authority voted — at Mathews’ request — to hang onto the bond funds while Mathews seeks a redesign or other proposals.

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