Mansfield Downtown Partnership Receives 'Award of Excellence'

The Mansfield Downtown Partnership has been named the recipient of Connecticut Main Street Center's 2013 Award of Excellence: Economic and Business Development.

This is the third Award of Excellence the Mansfield Downtown Partnership has received from the CT Main Street Center, the state's "leading resource for cities and towns seeking to comprehensively revitalize their 'main street' districts," according to the organization's Web site.

The Partnership was recognized for its "efforts in retaining and relocating Mansfield businesses affected by the development of Storrs Center," according to a news release. 

When development of Storrs Center began, there were 25 existing tenants in the buildings slated for demolition, according to Cynthia van Zelm, director of the Mansfield Downtown Partnership. Currently, 17 remain in town, with eight businesses located in the newly-developed Storrs Center, van Zelm said.

"This project was a true collaboration by many parties including the Town, UConn, our master developer LeylandAlliance, our relocation consultant Milone & McBroom, and our legal counsel Cipparone & Zaccaro," van Zelm said in a prepared statement.

"We are very proud and happy to be honored with this award after working with all of the different businesses for almost ten years," she said.

"I applaud the 2013 award winners for their efforts to make Connecticut's downtowns thrive. The collaboration to create more livable communities is to the benefit of all Connecticut's residents," said John Simone, CMSC President & CEO.