Goodwin University lands Rebel Dog Coffee as tenant for $8M commercial building

Renderings | Goodwin University Rendering of an $8 million commercial building Goodwin University plans to open in fall 2020.

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By Joe Cooper

Goodwin University has secured Rebel Dog Coffee Co. as the second committed tenant for its $8-million commercial building meant to expand and revitalize the East Hartford school's riverside campus.

Rebel Dog Coffee, which operates locations in Plainville and Farmington, signed a lease this spring to occupy roughly 2,500 square feet of ground-level space at the three-floor commercial building, said Bryant Harrell, Goodwin's vice president for physical facilities, IT and security.

The coffee shop will be located next to 4,500 square feet occupied by East Hartford-based American Eagle Financial Credit Union, which was the first committed tenant when the school announced the grounding breaking of the mixed-use development last fall.

Both tenants are expected to begin operating when the fall semester begins in September -- although the school has not yet released official reopening plans, Harrell told HBJ in an interview. The building will be completed by Sept. 1.

Rebel Dog Coffee's website says its East Hartford location will offer coffee, breakfast, and lunch, in addition to wood-fired pizza, beer, wine, cocktails, and other items.

The school, Harrell said, is currently negotiating leases with other prospective tenants of the 25,000-square-foot commercial building. The upper floors could potentially accommodate restaurant and office tenants as all retail spaces will be leased before year-end, Harrell added.

According to plans, the commercial site on Main and Ensign streets will feature flexible space for the 4,000 daily student population and some 600 faculty/staff at Goodwin. It will also provide on-site parking and access to the CTtransit bus route.

The building, which will not be used for academic purposes, is projected to add about $1.3 million to East Hartford’s tax rolls over an eight-year period. The college will also pay $260,000 in permitting fees to the town, officials have said.

Earlier this year, the school announced it was changing its name from Goodwin College to Goodwin University as part of a plan to expand training partnerships with multinational corporations.

Goodwin’s shift from a college to a university isn’t entirely unique, especially among smaller schools looking to gain greater notoriety as the higher-education industry faces significant headwinds, including a declining customer base and exceedingly high costs.