A sound infrastructure, a convenient location and good transit, full municipal services, and a skilled and educated workforce are critical factors in any community's development. Branford scores high in each and is why the Connecticut Economic Digest described it as having "a strong economic base, low taxes, and excellent schools and municipal services. The town is rather unique among the shoreline towns east of New Haven in that it has encouraged substantial development in well-defined districts." The town's focus on infrastructure projects directly supports our business community and development efforts. Recent improvement include a new 34,000 s/f state-of-the-art fire headquarters centrally located on Rte. 1 near I-95 that includes training space for firefighters and emergency medical personnel. The Amtrak bridge replacement over Rte. 1 is ahead of schedule and will result in improved traffic flow and development opportunities near I-95 along Commercial Parkway at Rte. 1 and near Rte. 142 and 146. Planning is underway for similar improvements to the School Ground Rd. intersection at Rte. 139 and the road's bridge replacement that will improve the local road network in the commercially zoned area on the east end of town near I095's exit 56. All of these projects directly impact the town's transportation network, allowing for the easy access of goods and services into and out of town, as well as necessary workforce mobility. With an enviable location just 10 miles east of New Haven and only minutes from I-91, Branford boasts four exits from I-95 onto Rte. 1 and is only 45 miles south of Hartford and Bradley International Airport, an hour from Providence on I-95 and only two hours from the heart of New England - Boston. Without a doubt, ours is a sound location. The town relishes its dual role as a gateway to New England and a portal to New York. As such, Branford plays an integral part in a regional economy [www.rexdevelopment.org] that hosts six major universities, an extensive rail system with Shore Line East, MetroNorth and Amtrak, convenient flights from Tweed New Haven Airport with frequent discount fares [www.flytweed.com] and international air service out of Bradley Airport. Centrally located on the Long Island Sound with more than 20 miles of shoreline, Branford has a quality of life and sense of community second to none. Combined with a "business friendly" approach that encourages new ventures and expansions, the result is a healthy business climate and a diverse local economy that ranges from bioscience and manufacturing to healthcare and boutique retail. Over the past year AxioMx, GigaCyte and PhytoCeuticals opened R&D operations in Branford, joining 454 Life Sciences and the Institute for Pharmaceutical Discovery [IPD] as members of Branford's biotech community. Pexagon Technology, a USB manufacturer, also opened a facility, joining long established CASMED and Ivy Biomedical in Branford's high tech and medical manufacturing sector. In addition to these new arrivals, Branford has ongoing expansions in a variety of business sectors: Accurate Wire's 20,000 s/f expansion has received its CO; CT Orthopaedics has opened a new 18,000 s/f surgical facility with three operating rooms and medical offices; and the former Atlantic Wire complex received a half million dollars in EPA remediation funds to revitalize the site which has allowed for the expansion of an existing manufacturer as well as creating new start-up space. At the same time, new restaurants Ballou's, Tacuba's and G-Zen opened their doors to join the ranks of Donovan's Reef, Le Petite Café, Pasta Cosi, and Yooki Yama in making Branford a regional and shoreline dining destination, while unique boutiques such as Arabella's and Coco's-on-the-Green and leading retailers like soundrunner and Zane's Cycles have put the town on the map for specialty shopping. These businesses recognize that Branford offers what every company seeks: one of the lowest tax rates along the I-95 corridor, full municipal services (water, sewer, as well as full time fire and police), a skilled workforce, and convenient transit. Branford has a building or site for most new or expanding business, especially in life science or high tech industries. To find one that meets your needs or to learn more about Branford, go to www.branford-ct.gov or e-mail us at [email protected]. Terence Elton is special projects manager for the Town of Branford, Conn. and serves on the board of directors for CEDAS, the CT Economic Development Association.