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December 10, 2020

Hartford parking garage demolition could be delayed until next year

HBJ Photos | Joe Cooper Shelbourne Global Solutions LLC's One Talcott Plaza garage near Main Street in downtown Hartford.

Demolition of the aging 795-car parking garage at One Talcott Plaza owned by Hartford’s largest commercial landlord may not happen until next year, as talks with historic preservation officials continue.

Mayor Luke Bronin will ask city councilors at their meeting next week to approve an amendment to the city’s agreement with owner Shelbourne Global Solutions, which would extend the New York-based developer-landlord’s Dec. 31 demolition deadline set by the city back just over a year ago.

The Historic Preservation Commission, according to Bronin, has raised questions and concerns about a two-story pedestrian footbridge attached to the garage and offices above it.

“There are ongoing discussions around the commission concerns, and therefore we are requesting an extension under the current amended tax settlement agreement with Shelbourne Properties,” Bronin wrote to councilors.

Under that tax settlement reached in 2018, the city agreed to fix property taxes on Shelbourne’s 20 Church St. and 100 Pearl St. downtown office towers for a period of five years. In exchange, Shelbourne agreed to demolish the parking garage, pay about $3 million in back taxes on One Talcott Plaza, and invest approximately $10 million downtown.

Under Bronin’s proposed demolition extension, Shelbourne would have 120 days to complete the work once it secures the necessary permits from the historic commission.

The pedestrian bridge, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1918 to connect the former G. Fox & Co. department store to its warehouse building on Talcott Street.

Shelbourne did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday morning.

The original 2018 tax settlement deal between Shelbourne called for demolition by the end of 2019, but the company received an extension late last year, to the end of 2020, giving it time to determine whether the garage could be salvaged rather than demolished and requiring it to increase its $10 million commitment.

Shelbourne announced over the summer that the structure was beyond repair and that it intends to build a new parking structure at the site after demolition is complete.

It has not yet revealed a construction timeline.

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