Last fall, Santa Fe Studios became the country”™s newest movie studio, with one TV report likening the New Mexico facility”™s pueblo appearance to a hotel rather than a warehouse.
In Stratford, they”™d be perfectly happy with the warehouse-variety studio ”“ and one developer will even throw in a hotel to house film crews and casts for good measure.
Stratford opened 2012 still seeking a final resolution on two massive properties whose redevelopment has dragged after both were proposed as film studios in the wake of Connecticut”™s creation of a 30 percent tax credit on production expenses.
After the federal General Services Administration rejected Milford developer Bob Harmann”™s mixed-use proposal for the former U.S. Army Engine Plant ”“ reportedly to include a studio and hotel ”“ two more developers came forward who at deadline had yet to be identified.
Bruce Alessie, director of special projects for the town, said both suitors have demonstrated they have the financial resources necessary to lead a redevelopment of the plant, which could require more than $25 million to clean up for reuse.
Meanwhile, a developer named Allen Christopher said he still plans to push ahead to create a site for his DogStar Studios at a Stratford plant, with Exxon expected to move soon on selling the land.
Christopher was part of the original development team that sought to buy the U.S. Army Engine Plant to build “Hollywood East” ”“ a moniker since taken up by a Massachusetts film studio project ”“ only to walk away from the plan. Christopher”™s former partner Hector Natera is facing charges he violated securities law in raising money to finance the purchase of Hollywood East, with authorities still seeking Natera at press deadline.
Christopher has moved on to DogStar, and in an emailed statement expressed confidence he can create the studio.
“Rome wasn”™t built in a day ”“ but it was built,” he said.
Both properties have dogged Stratford, amounting to hundreds of acres of contaminated land. Despite that formidable challenge, they also enjoy proximity to New York City and its film, TV and digital media industries ”“ making studios a logical choice for reuse.
Making the economics work for an upfront purchase is another matter, however ”“ a similar project in South Windsor stalled after delays in finalizing financing for the facility.
Welcoming NBC Sports Group to Stamford last October, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said he wants to build out the state”™s capabilities in the industry.
“We”™ve been very clear in the state of Connecticut ”¦ that we were looking for our tax structure to be supportive of infrastructure development around media,” Malloy said. “We are proving quite successful in seeing that infrastructure investment take place.”
Steven Wise, part of the development team that drew NBC Sports Group to Stamford, said a lot of factors go into redeveloping a property for reuse as a studio, without saying whether his group has considered either Stratford property for a potential bid.
“A lot of people go into the space and the see the high ceilings and just the space,” Wise said, speaking of the planned home for NBC Sports Group. “But the true value of that property is the power redundancy, the fiber optics ”¦ We were able to purchase it from a really great steward of the property, Procter & Gamble. And they took great care of it. So yes, we look at a lot of other areas. It”™s not to mention there aren”™t interesting characteristics of those properties, but Stamford was unique.”
