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NEWS FROM THE CONNECTICUT FIRST COALITION
Over 300 Construction Workers From Various Trades Expected To Participate In This Friday’s Massive Protest In Front Of Stamford’s “Harbor Point” Project
- Project’s Construction Management Company Brings In Out-of-State Contractors, Workers & Fails To Support State Economy
(Hartford, Connecticut) – Over 300 Connecticut construction workers representing various building trades along with labor and community officials are planning a major protest in front of the Stamford, Connecticut “Harbor Point” waterfront project this Friday, October 10, 2008 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The action is in response to the project’s developer, Norwalk-based Building and Land Technology’s hiring of out-of-state contractors and workers to help build various projects of the $3 billion, 7.6 million square foot mixed-use waterfront property.
“The actions of Carl Kuehner, his brother Paul Kuehner, and their company, Building and Land Technology are a real insult to every working family in Connecticut. During these tougher economic times, it’s vital for all business leaders invest in their communities. There is no excuse for the Kuehner brothers and Building and Land Technology to bring in out-of-state contractors and workers when we have superior resources here in the state,” said Charles LeConche, co-director, Connecticut First Coalition and business manager, Connecticut Laborers’ District Council. “After so many local and state officials were helpful to Antares Investment Partners, Building and Land Technology and Lubert-Adler, I cannot understand why such a massive Connecticut project would be almost de-stabilizing our Connecticut economy by allowing out-of-state contractors to come into our state and undermine our community standards. This Friday’s action is an effort by the Associated General Contractors, Building & Construction Trades Council and the Connecticut Laborers’ to prevent future construction and budget debacles such as the problems at the University of Connecticut.”
On September 2, 2008 according to news reports, there was a change in leadership and an influx of new capital into the waterfront project. Building and Land Technology was placed at the sole head the development while Lubert-Adler provided expansion capital equity.
“Our protest this Friday is all about Connecticut companies supporting Connecticut workers and Connecticut families. It’s about keeping good jobs right here in Connecticut and preventing the undermining of our community work standards by importing workers and contractors from Texas and other states,” said John Olsen, president, Connecticut AFL-CIO. “Connecticut workers from all of the building trades are expected to attend our massive rally this Friday at the corner of Pacific and Belden Streets in south Stamford.”
According to its Web site, Building and Land Technology is a real estate development company that has completed ventures worth more than $2 billion and currently has over 2,100,000 square feet of class "A" office space under ownership/management. The company is headed by Carl R. Kuehner, III, president and CEO, Paul J. Kuehner, chief financial officer and Dean J. Shapiro, chief operating officer & partner. Paul Kuehner can be reached at (203) 846.1900 x1522, Paul@BLToffice.com. More information can be found at www.bltoffice.com. Lubert-Adler is a real estate private equity firm specializing in redevelopments through joint ventures with local operating partners. Since its founding by Ira Lubert and Dean Adler in 1997, Lubert-Adler has raised six funds totaling more than $6.5 billion of equity and to date has acquired over $15 billion of assets in approximately 431 transactions throughout North America. Visit www.lubertadler.com for more information.
The Connecticut First Coalition supports laws that promote responsible Connecticut contractors and the people who work for them. The group also supports training and apprenticeship programs for Connecticut residents and the use of project labor agreements, which cities and towns have employed to put their residents back to work. The Connecticut First Coalition consists of hundreds of individuals, organizations, political and civic leaders and businesses that are promoting “Connecticut First”. The efforts of the group since its inception over a year ago, have helped to create new jobs in the state, led to keeping more taxpayer money being spent within Connecticut and helped to uncover taxpayer waste in the development of poorly constructed buildings. Members of the Connecticut First Coalition include the Greater Hartford-New Britain Building Trades, Minority Construction Council, Associated General Contractors and the Laborers’ District Council. For more information about the Connecticut First Coalition, visit www.ctfirst.com
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