A spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development confirmed on Friday that there is a developer interested in Building 118 on the Pfizer campus in Groton.
Spokesman David Treadwell declined to identify the developer, the timetable for negotiations, or which entities the developer was negotiating with.
Town Manager Mark Oefinger told Representative Town Meeting last week that there had been a “fair amount” of interest in the vacant Pfizer properties in Groton, including Building 118 and the waterfront.
He said he wasn’t aware of any deal in the works, but said many people, including the state’s economic and community development office, were spending a lot of time trying “to make sure the right thing happens.”
Ofeinger said the issue with Pfizer is that the company doesn’t want to be a landlord and rent Building 118 to multiple tenants. Because of this, the space would require someone willing to take it over, perhaps with a couple of companies in tow, then hold onto it while soliciting other tenants.
Pfizer had warned last year it might demolish Building 118 - the sprawling complex on Eastern Point Road - if it does not find a buyer.
If the company tears it down, Groton would take a $2.1 million hit on its tax revenues.
Representative Town Meeting Member Michael Collins said last week that Pfizer had been before the city zoning commission and granted a demolition permit.
