Companies from a broad variety of industries continue to discover that Branford offers what most businesses seek: a strategic location, a skilled and talented workforce, and a low cost of doing business.
The ongoing "discovery" of Branford as a Sound location is seen in the completion of American Polyfilm's new 40,000 s/f state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on East Main Street near I-95's Exit 56; and only a half mile to east on Rte. 1, Virginia-based Artis Senior Living is developing plans to construct its approved 60-bed memory care facility; and around the corner on East Industrial Road, Core Informatics has relocated its data management software company to accommodate its rapid growth. With more than twenty companies in Branford's growing biotech community alone, this kind of growth and expansion is expected to continue.
And It's not just the town's east corridor that's being discovered by industries across the board. Amidst this activity on the east end of town and in less than six months of opening its doors, Stony Creek Brewery has already installed additional equipment to meet its increased manufacturing need at its new 30,000 s/f facility located across from the train station on the banks of the Branford River. And only a few blocks east on Meadow Street, Atlantic Wharf is moving forward with its approved master plan to develop a mixed-use transit oriented complex, with stunning views of the Branford River and only two blocks from the town green.
Meanwhile, near Exit 55 on Business Park Drive, more beer will be flowing as Thimble Island Brewery expands into a 30,000 s/f facility only a mile west of its original location. Nearby on Rte. 139, Bausch-Ströbel is planning to construct a new advanced manufacturing facility to serve the growing demand for its pharmaceutical packaging products.
These are only a few examples of the diverse, development activity currently underway in town. These companies and others have discovered that Branford, in addition to being a gateway to New England and a portal to New York,
* Is a highly competitive full service town with low taxes and a coveted triple-A bond rating;
* Is strategically located - only 10 miles to New Haven and Yale University, 40 miles to Hartford, 50 miles to Stamford, 75 miles to Providence, 90 miles to Manhattan, and under 140 miles to Boston;
* Has multiple transit outlets - direct access to I-95 and only minutes to I-91 - daily rail service to New Haven connecting to Metro North to Stamford/NYC and Amtrak to Providence and Boston - numerous air carriers from Tweed-New Haven, Bradley International [Hartford], TF Green [Providence], and LaGuardia and JFK [New York];
* Has a highly educated and skilled workforce with nearly half of its residents having a bachelor's degree or higher;
* Is minutes away from a dynamic academic cluster of world class universities led by Yale, Quinnipiac University, and the University of New Haven;
* Has access to world class healthcare and medical services at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Smilow Cancer Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare, and Quinnipiac's new Netter School of Medicine;
* Enjoys an enviable life-style with boating, fishing, hiking & biking and birding throughout town and along the shoreline;
* Has endless cultural opportunities with classical, folk, pop and jazz concerts year 'round, and award-winning stage productions at nearby Long Wharf Theatre, Schubert and Yale Rep;
* Yet maintains the charm and comfort of the small New England town it is.
Terence Elton is special projects manager for the Town of Branford, Conn.