Real estate firm hired to help market 'downtown' project

This firm will work cooperatively with the project's commercial development firm to identify and woo prospective tenants that seem most likely to succeed in this college town.

One of the most frequently asked questions about the Storrs Center/downtown project is if you build it, will they come?

Given the current discouraging economic outlook, the project's planners have admitted they are looking at a phased approach to building the new downtown over a longer period of time.

In an effort to boost the marketing end of the project, however, the Master Developer for the project LeylandAlliance has hired the real estate firm of Cushman & Wakefield as the commercial leasing representative.

This firm will work cooperatively with the project's commercial development and marketing consultants, Live Work Learn Play. Together they will identify and woo prospective tenants that seem most likely to succeed in this college town.

Prospective tenants will be drawn from the retail, restaurant, hospitality and commercial office sectors, based on their "match" to a profile for the project and targeted mix of end-users.

Mansfield Downtown Partnership Executive Director Cynthia van Zelm said, "With Cushman & Wakefield on board and working with Live Work Learn Play, the commercial leasing strategy is in place for Storrs Center. With the critically important approval process largely behind us, the focus can now be on attracting the best tenants to the project."

This new partnership with Cushman & Wakefield brings in UConn graduate Evan O'Brien, with the Retail Brokerage Services group. "This is truly a special opportunity for our firm and for me personally. As a UConn alum, I have a real connection with the university and the town of Mansfield. There is clearly the need for a Main Street/downtown there, and we believe the market will be an excellent one for retailers and commercial businesses."

Vice President of Planning and Development for LeylandAlliance Macon Toledano describes Cushman & Wakefield as, "one of the largest and most respected real estate companies in America [with] an impressive track record for bringing high caliber tenants to mixed-use developments like Storrs Center."

Posted Oct. 27, 2008