The Town of Windsor Locks believes that the Rte. 20 Bradley Airport Connector is ripe for corporate and mixed-use development due to its: 1) visibility; 2) quick access to I-91 via exit 40; 3) proximity to one of Connecticut's greatest economic development assets - namely Bradley International Airport; and 4) due to the proximity of services that would attract corporate clients such as the many hotel and restaurant offerings in the area. The town's Plan of Conservation and Development recommends that, "This area should have a unique zoning district for corporate office and high-end industrial, not to include distribution, due to its visibility from Rte. 20." The town is working with developers to make this vision a reality.
The town is meeting the needs of developers by providing flexibility for mixed-use development through its Airport Interchange Overlay Zone, as well as recently approving a maximum of four stories for well-designed office park development within 2,500 linear ft. of Rte. 20.
There are 43+/- acres on the Hamilton Sundstrand campus that are available for development. The property fronts on Rte. 20 and has a designated exit at Hamilton Rd. South. The Matos Group, which is also the developer of the Rentschler Field project in East Hartford, has prepared a plan with five 2-story office buildings totaling approximately 320,000 s/f of space and parking for roughly 1,287 vehicles. The site has access to all utilities. The plan could be modified to accommodate four stories as permitted by local zoning regulations. The site is ideal for a corporate headquarters facility. The site would provide for ample parking, outstanding vehicular access and a beautiful setting.
In addition to the new office park development opportunity described above, a 200,000 s/f office building located on Hamilton Rd. is available for sale or lease. The 2-story office building, Building B3, is currently used as a research and development facility for Hamilton Sundstrand. The property consists of both office and lab areas, in addition to a cafeteria, conference rooms, shipping docks and various storage areas. Contact John McCormick, Bob Daglio or Anna Kocsondy of CB Richard Ellis-Hartford for more information about these Hamilton Rd. opportunities.
Another exciting opportunity to investigate is International Place at Bradley, a mixed-use retail and residential development being planned by BDL Real Estate Holdings, LLC on approximately 16 acres on Rte. 75 next to the Ramada Inn. The parcel affords fantastic visibility from the Rte. 20 Bradley Connector and the average daily automobile traffic on Rte. 75 in this vicinity is 23,900. A new interchange design is being explored with the Connecticut Department of Transportation that will make this property even more attractive. Contact Kevin Casey to learn more about this opportunity.
There are also development opportunities at the Old County Rd. exit of Rte. 20. The town has approved a site plan for a 150-room hotel, as well as a 115-room extended-stay hotel with a major restaurant. Adjacent to the hotels site, is land available for an office development. Contact Gary Merrigan at [email protected].
One of the largest machine tool builders in the world, Mazak, a Japanese-based company, believes in the value of locating along Rte. 20. Mazak recently built a 19,000 s/f facility to serve as its northeast regional headquarters and technology center. It will support manufacturers in the New England states, plus Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, and portions of eastern New York state. The visibility to thousands passing the site each day was cited by the company as a primary reason they chose to locate there. Indeed over seven million passengers utilize Bradley International Airport and Rte. 20 is the primary gateway.
Another significant benefit of locating in Windsor Locks is the ability to draw employees from both the Greater Hartford, as well as western Mass. labor markets. Being at the heart of the Knowledge Corridor, Windsor Locks provides a well-educated workforce to tap into. To top it all off, Windsor Locks is a business-friendly community that will work with developers for quick approvals.
Assistance with your development needs can be found by contacting the Economic and Industrial Development Commission at [email protected], or by visiting www.bradleydevelopment.com.

Steve Wawruck is first selectman for the Town of Windsor Locks.