Modern Plastics 65-year history anchoring Bridgeport’s West End will end soon, according to company President Bing Carbone. The company and its two dozen or so employees in Bridgeport are heading to Shelton in early 2011 in a building owned by developer Robert Scinto. How many times have we heard this story? Shelton is a magnet for former city companies and those bypassing the city, and a number of them have ended up with Scinto as their landlord.
I chatted with Bing Carbone Saturday morning and he said the decision to leave was difficult. He said he reached out to the city about two years ago when he contemplated a move, but no city official returned his call. What can the city do to retain city companies?
“There needs to a sales person for the city to touch base with businesses,” says Carbone. “What do you need? How can we help? I have sales people that do that for my company, the city needs to do the same. It’s vital.”
There’s no way for city officials to know how they can retain businesses without determining company needs, Carbone reasoned.
As for Scinto, who entered a guilty plea in federal court a few weeks ago for providing false statements to federal agents regarding the probe of Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, this marks another occasion a city business has left for one of his Shelton properties. Scinto, says Carbone, is a professional landlord responsive to his tenants.
As for the current Modern Plastics headquarters in Bridgeport, the building is now available for lease or a buyer.
From Modern Plastics
Modern Plastics Prepares to Move into New Facility in Shelton, Connecticut in 2011 to Support Growing Customer Demand
BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Modern Plastics, Corporate Headquarters, 678 Howard Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut, is moving from its current location for the past 65 years in early 2011 to Shelton, Connecticut.
Modern Plastics is one of the largest distributors of medical-grade plastics and supplies high-performance engineering-grade plastic stock shapes along with fabricated plastic parts. The new facility will have a quarantined environmentally controlled room for storage of medical plastics, 5,000 square feet of office space and 18,000 plus square feet of manufacturing floor space, including a retail store for items such as cut-to-size Plexiglas and Lexan sheet.
“We are saddened to leave Bridgeport after so many years, but we are also thrilled and excited about the move to Shelton. The location is ideal for us just off of Bridgeport Avenue in the heart of both industrial and office commerce,” said Bing J. Carbone, President of Modern Plastics. He added that “the need for efficient manufacturing space, larger offices for our core business plus a retail store to serve the local market has become essential to meet the growing requirements of our customers.”
Modern Plastics is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company and will be certified to ISO 13485 in early 2011. All plastics products are bar-coded and shipped with complete certifications and traceability information. Modern Plastics was founded in 1945 byJoseph C. Carbone and sells their products both domestically and internationally.
To learn more, visit the Modern Plastics website at www.modernplastics.comor contact Bing J. Carbone, President, at 800.243.9696, Extension 211; email: bcarbone@modernplastics.com.
Modern Plastics’ new location is located at 88 Longhill Cross Road, Shelton, Connecticut and its grand opening will be announced in early 2011.
The lesson from this is never trust anyone named BING; except for maybe Bing Crosby.
Where was the city’s Economic Development Department while this was going on? They couldn’t find a way of keeping the company in town?
What does Mayor Green Jeans have to say about this?
There’s only 1 thing worse than forcing your way into a conversation, and that’s forcing your way into a conversation while being WRONG!
You’re fortunate Lennie tolerates you and your foolhardiness.
But BEWARE OIB, The Grim Reaper thrives on other people’s pain.
weblogs.asp.net/blogs/zroiy/Grim-reaper.jpg
BTW, BING is a cool dude. Especially Dave Bing former NBA star and now Mayor of Detroit, Michigan. You don’t know a thing until you understand your BING.
I am so disappointed they are leaving Bridgeport! When I first arrived in Bridgeport in 2004 Mr. Carbone Sr. took me up and down State Street giving me his viewpoint on how to improve the land use decisions and quality of the buildings being built. I took his concerns to heart and many of the new land use policies that are now in place are due to his caring and concern.
If someone calls the City, doesn’t get a response and needs help to stay in Bridgeport my website might help.
http://www.Hadleygroupllc.com
I put up a ‘Bridgeport’ page with all of the documents and incentives there to be downloaded quickly. They don’t have to go web surfing. It is very competitive but my goal is to keep the jobs in Bridgeport.
I don’t know Lennie, but did you reach out to anyone from the Finch administration or Economic Development? Carbone got all that he could get and more from the city when I was on the City Council. He was going to expand Modern Plastics and by the time I left in 2001, the entire block section from Howard to Colorado Avenue was practically given to Carbone. Carbone expanded to the corner of State and Howard by fencing and paving that corner area. Last year, the Auto Zone building was erected taking the remaining space which was supposed to be used for the expansion of MP. I’m not sure what happened or what changes in plan took place since 2001. The only project that was carried out as planned is the Cesar Batalla School across the street from MP. Back then, I had my doubts as to Carbone’s willingness to stay.
Get the other side of the story Lennie.
Joel, you’re correct about the city’s efforts to further Modern Plastics expansion 10 years ago. It was an expansion that boosted the neighborhood and kept the company here longer. Joe Ganim was mayor then and Mike Freimuth his development director. A lot can change in 10 years. I asked Carbone if he’s been in touch with city development officials. He said he reached out two years ago and no one got back to him. This is a developing story, I learned about this today, but city officials are always welcome to come on OIB to share their side.
OK, Mr. Gonzalez and anyone else who may want to hear the real story from the guy who owned and ran Modern Plastics for over 35 years and who lived on Howard Ave above a small glass company started by my dad Joseph Carbone in 1946. I worked in that glass company for all of my young life as we lived on Pembroke St. and later East Main St. We grew away from glass in the late ’60s and added more and more space and of course more and more jobs. As the West End of Bridgeport fell apart I started to suffer nightly break-ins and a arson fire or two, but as everyone left I stayed. In a effort to help I worked with Mary Moran, later served on Ganim’s transition team, became the President of the West End business association, also was chairman of the West End CDC. I spent lots and lots of time trying to turn things around in the West End, I also served six years on the board of ed. In 1990 I went to the bank and got a 1.5 mil. loan and built the finest and only new building in the West End, in spite of everything around me falling apart. The land on State St. that you talk about was sold to me at fair market price and took more than 8 years for me to get the land. Then at the end of 2004 I received news that I had a problem with cancer and decided it was best for my family and myself to sell the company that I loved so much. The decision to move the Company out of Bridgeport was not mine, I own the buildings and had plans to develop that whole block on State St. I stayed in this city through some of the worst times. I spent money and hired many many great people most of whom spent 25-35 years working for a company that treated them with respect. It has been a very sad day to hear about them moving out in spite of my many offers to lower the rent. I live in Bridgeport and God help me I still love and care about the place.
All good points Joe L.
But that was when Jim Carbone was running the show not BING!
Well thought out giveaways to businesses should include incentives but also reverter clauses and penalties if they don’t fulfill their end of the deal.
But in B-port it is usually a one-way street. Give, give, give to business and when they give us the shaft then it’s the bad economy.
I’ve got it Joe L. First we convert the MP building into condos and give them a tax break. Then we’ll call it mixed use because the developer needs more money so we will give him section 8 vouchers and home funds. Then we will call it an “affordable” project and throw more home funds at it.
Then people will rent it and take the bus to the outer modal train station downtown or to the Sal DiNardo train station on the East Side so they can go down to Stamford for menial jobs as custodians or CNAs.
The blueprint for B-port’s economic revival.
Right Nancy???
Not so, Grin!
*** Sign of the times, can’t please everyone so good luck to Modern Plastics in Shelton. *** Water under the bridge. ***
I happened there when Mayor Finch was asked about the Greater Bridgeport Board of Realtors moving to Trumbull from their present location on Huntington Turnpike. His response is one I heard in the past from city officials past & present. F – – k ’em.
I remember when I was on the arson squad and was investigating an arson murder. The owner of the company where the victim had worked asked me about the burned-out building across from his company. He said he has tried to get them removed all to no avail. He stated that he was looking to move out of Bridgeport because the city is unresponsive. I called Mike F from economic development and explained the situation to him and his response was F – – k ’em let them go. Luckily the owner stayed and expanded and bought the block where the buildings were.
Our economic development director comes to us from New York by way of Providence RI. He has done squat for Bridgeport and has nothing big or small on the horizon. It’s time for him to stay in New York. It’s also time to dump Finch and that whole crew of lazy dumb asses before this city becomes a ghost town.
Let’s go to the John Gomes for Mayor site and see what his policy is for giving tax breaks to businesses.
Does he support a Living Wage ordinance?
Does he support only tax breaks that will create a specified number of jobs?
Does he support any and all tax breaks?
Grin Reaper // Nov 13, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Grin,
As you know the answers already to the above in that there is what you WANT to hear, and then there is a position that Candidate Gomes takes as he views the whole fabric of our City, and especially its current economy. Does he value the presence of small business operations like Modern Plastics and what these businesses bring to our local economy in Bridgeport? Yes.
Does he believe that there is a collection of bright savvy people who could bring order to this City with a Mayor whose political will and moral courage is unquestionable? Yes.
Grin, if you are trying to “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” on certain issues, while the whole book on Bridgeport City government and her relationship to the citizens has to be rewritten, you’re not going to appreciate what’s possible here.
Don’t worry Bingo, Bodine is dead and the a$$holes running the BOE will be over there to hand you 10 mill to rent your building.
Thanks Lennie for inviting me to your house. I must say I have not seen much development since I’ve been home. Modern Plastics played a major role in the West End of Bridgeport. The Finch Administration should have stepped up to help.
Responses to this say it all, this administration doesn’t give a damn. Period.If Lamont had won they would be packed for Hartford by now and we would be in the rearview. Business needs tax breaks to stay here or be drawn here and put our people to work who pay taxes and VOTE.
Modern Plastics gives Bridgeport the old Bad-A-Bing!
The Gossip of The Rialto!
Here’s to all you young bucks who don’t know about Rootie Kazooty that those old bucks, Ron Mackey and TC have been singing about!!!
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8779534594264081875#
Is it true what they say about Dottie … Guman???
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8779534594264081875#docid=1855254551546895604
Grin, you’re killing me. What members of the Dem DTC should play Rootie and the dog? Andy Fardy has created a monster. Rootie for Democratic Registrar!!! I wonder if Andy and Ron Mackey watched the Rootie show in the firehouse.
Lennie I was too young to watch in the firehouse but I bet Ron Mackey watched it in the firehouse. He is a lot older than I am!!!!!!!!!
Where’d the post from Ernie Newton go???
Rootie was before my time but I was trying to understand Mr. Moose and Mr. Bunny Rabbit. Watching TV in the firehouse, I’m shocked!!!
Ron, weren’t you and Andy Fardy members of the FD before color television?
Are you Kidding Ernie? We’ve been building OIB for four years now.
JOEL I’m sorry I’ve been away.
Who are we kidding? The same humps that have driven Bridgeport into the mire for the past 40 or so years are alive a well and still putting it to us. Carbone did not want to leave the city. He has said that for years. Nobody did a thing to keep here a business that wanted to stay.
I was speaking with an economic development guy from the valley last weekend. He told me a story about a foreign businessman who was driving past Bridgeport on I-95 when he noticed all of the abandoned factory sites. He apparently got off the highway and drove around the neighborhood and saw some things he likes. He contacted city hall and told them that he was interested in rehabbing 150,000 sq. ft. for his manufacturing business. He plans to hire 50 to 70 locals whom he would train. Well, city hall contacted him. During the process, it is alleged that he was asked to make a “donation” to a charity of some sort. The foreign businessman was offended and ran to the valley where he will probably find that 150,000 sq. ft. and train those 50 to 70 valley locals and he will prosper and do well.
Carbone would have stayed if the city knew how to keep him. The foreign guy would have happily rehabbed 150,000 sq ft. and put 50 to 70 locals to work. He’s done it before and will do it again. The city just didn’t know what to do. Atrocious.
So long as we allow the Calamarians to push this town further into the dregs, we will never see what we deserve. So keep putting the same humps back in office, make sure Ernie gets back and give Ganim the break he doesn’t deserve. Maybe, just maybe, some day a good guy or gal will come in and do it right.
WHEN it comes to politics in Bridgeport, are you a JOHNNY ONE-NOTE? OR are you genuinely open to new ideas? And here’s the real test of political know-how: Are you capable of changing your mind and immediately explaining/defending it?
www .npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128490874
bonus: Scinto has the last laugh, especially since the new tenant comes from Bridgeport.
yahooy,
If that story of the foreign businessman is recent, I absolutely do not believe it. All of the land use policies and public incentives available to Bridgeport investors are on the city’s website. The City’s 33,000+/- parcels are available on-line through the city’s website www .bridgeportct.gov or go directly to the Geographic information system at
gis.cdm.com/BridgeportCT.
There is all kinds of information on there including a direct link to the assessors information and the satellite shots of the property. No secrets. No pay to play.
During the first couple of years as Director of OPED, I printed the FBI number and address on the back of my City business card. I told every potential developer/investor I met with that if anyone approached them for a “donation,” “pay for access” or the like was to call the FBI first and then if they would do me the courtesy, call and let us know who was going to be arrested. The FBI hasn’t gone away. They have taken up permanent residence in the major cities including New Haven and Bridgeport.
That crap ended with the new policies and procedures that were adopted and published on the websites. I even made it easy for everyone by putting all the information on one page on my company website that anyone can download. Nobody with any resources will explore developing in a city without checking out the rules of the game. Bridgeport has professionalized those rules and they are available to everyone. That story is pure folklore in my opinion. It does the City a huge disservice by continuing to spread that crap.
Nancy, I agree with you. yahooy from what I’ve read all you do is talk. Why don’t you get involved and stop crying so much. You seem to have all the answers. Maybe you should run for office?
Maybe that’s not a good idea Ernie. Yahooy is White and is married to an African American woman–he can split the vote.
Nancy,
Do you really think printing the phone number for the local FBI office was a good business recruiting technique?
If I am a businessman and the Director of Economic Development feels it is necessary to print the FBI’s phone number on her business card I am thinking where is the nearest exit.
Bob
That was in 2004-2006. The fallout from Ganim going to jail was horrendous. The 800-pound elephant was in the room and I hit it head on. Yes that small gesture worked for confidence-building coming out of a terrible scandal. At least three major investments happened in Bridgeport when the key investors knew that people inside city hall were not going to tolerate those behaviors any longer. The point is everyone needs to beat the same drumbeat that Bridgeport has a level and professional playing field.
Bob at the time it was done it was definitely the right thing to do. This city was struggling under a mayor and top people going to jail and it was definitely pay to play in this town. The 2 schemes I knew about and reported were the golf course and the old bath house before the fire. Having people able to make sure they were not getting involved in something they were not aware of was a good idea.
Bob doing business in this damn city is hard with all the little fiefdoms and people looking for something for nothing. When you get everything in order then you have to go before the CC and get your balls broke by yours truly.
Doing any sort of business in this city is a big-ass ache that’s why we continually get bypassed.
Nancy,
If you are going to be straightforward and honest, please acknowledge that every one of those condo PILOT agreements you and mayor Fabrizi gave away were in violation of the enabling city ordinances simply in the name of development.
If it’s easy we will do it. If it is in violation of city ordinances we don’t care. But if it’s difficult and time-consuming take your business elsewhere.
Andy,
It was a silly, stupid PR stunt by the Fabulous one. It obviously didn’t impress any developers.
I can’t recall any major new developers who came to B-port as a result of Fabrizi.
And it did not impress the FBI because they were all over him with the Marreros. (You remember them, don’t you?) They didn’t cut him an inch of slack for all of the free pub he sent their way.
Bob you could not resist, yeah I know the both of them and what they did. I don’t know the ordinances that were violated as you claim and you know what I don’t care. Those buildings are full of tenants and taxpayers, that is all that counts.
Who developed the Arcade, the City Trust building, the building at 144 Golden Hill Street, wasn’t that all done under Fabrizi?
Hey Bob let me ask you this what has the Council done to help bring in development to Bridgeport. Don’t tell me, let me guess! NOTHING.
The PILOT payment for Warnaco, for Jefferson School, for The Lofts, for 333 State Street, you name it and it was totally in violation of the ordinance.
Those tax agreements were NOT in violation of anything, Bob. Take a look at the voter registration for Roosevelt and City Hall. There are lots of new owners and renters that have registered to vote, eat in downtown restaurants, take the train, buy stuff locally, go to the playhouse, cabaret and Klein, and over time that real estate will increase the tax base. Oh yeah, there are very few school-age children. I sure wish we could attract office and manufacturing jobs but the market trends in the comprehensive economic development strategy clearly pointed out the challenges. What are your alternatives?
“There are lots of new owners and renters that have registered to vote, eat in downtown restaurants, take the train, buy stuff locally, go to the playhouse, cabaret and Klein, and over time that real estate will increase the tax base.”
“… Oh yeah, there are very few school-age children …”
So you weren’t just going after hotdog vendors. The more you post, the more self-revealing you do.
More crappy economic news for the city with Modern Plastics moving to Shelton. Lots of plausible reasons for why it happened … the cracks in the bond with the city didn’t develop overnight. Let’s face it, establishing and energizing a favorable economic climate in this city is a complex issue. The tangled web of city initiatives has done little to provide a stable, strategically focused platform for economic growth. Lack of continuity in the city’s top development job has only made the problem worse.
Who’s to blame? Yahooy points to the chronic ineptitude of selected politicians. People who’re put in charge, and fail, and then are put in charge again! Probably the best solution would be a total “talent” restructuring of city hall, where competence is what counts … not cronyism.
Wishful thinking in Bridgeport? Maybe. But without it, the city’s progress will be one step forward and two steps back for years to come. Things have to change.
But that type of change takes real leadership. TC has posted that what Bridgeport needs is a HERO to fill that role. And while some of the “possible” candidates in 2011 might be better than what we have … the most telling question is, are they as good as what we really need? Only time will tell.
Joel,
Stop with the hotdog vendor already. It’s really getting old. All I was doing was pointing out that the two hogdog vendors in the downtown are treated differently. Seems there is a lot of support for that but I bet the other guy isn’t very happy. Why should he get the short end of the stick? Everyone needs to be on a level playing field.
I believe in mixed-use development for the downtown until the Market improves. When it does, Lafayette Blvd is zoned for more High rise offices. But that won’t happen for a long time. The biggest complaint I hear about mixed use downtown is the impact on the schools. Well, we now have lots of examples where there is very little impact on the schools. The folks renting downtown or South End do not have lots of kids. Myth-buster.
Look, I don’t want to make a habit of agreeing with Joel, but the hotdog thing really does make you look like a villain. If every rule were enforced on every business, then fine. But they’re not, and the whole unhappy scene highlights the philosophical divide between those who serve Money and those who serve People. No amount of after-the-fact rationalization (and by this point, we’ve heard plenty of it) makes going after the hotdog vendor sound any less shabby.
“… The biggest complaint I hear about mixed use downtown is the impact on the schools …”
I heard the same complaint or concern, it was raised by some local politicians concerned about the extra burden on the school system–It’s a hollow argument. It sounds like there is discrimination based on the number of children per family.
“… the market trends in the comprehensive economic development strategy clearly pointed out the challenges.”
So the way to deal with the challenge of school overcrowding and its cost is to rent and sell to families with one child or none.
Oh, Drat. Nancy Hadley AND Ernie Newton are mad at me. Hey Ernie, maybe you SHOULDN’T run for office.
yahooy–boy, you aren’t that important to be mad at. You have a right to say how you feel. You will not weigh one ounce in my decision on whether to run or not run.
Mayors need to be able to spell. This blog has turned into the Ernie show. Changing channels.
We had Ganim embarrass us, Fabrizi embarrass us, Finch embarrass himself and us. You would fit in perfectly Ernie, except YOU CAN’T WIN!
In a debate in front of people, it would turn into a comedy show. X-rated no less. GET A REAL JOB.
Mr. Hicks, I have a job and it’s not with the CITY.
Thanks for your support, Mr. Hicks.
Sorry Mr. Newton, but you come out of jail and feel your first opportunity should be to run a major city? Besides being a convicted felon, what qualifications do you have? What on earth would make you think you can do this? You need to be able to spell first of all, administrate, balance a budget in a terrible economic time, and most of all you can’t hide like our reps do in Hartford. Just because you think you are the Moses of your people doesn’t make you qualified to run our city. PLEASE don’t embarrass yourself, your family. Only leading you can do is take us from the Finch brink into the abyss. In a debate, Fabrizi and Gomes will run circles around you as they are both excellent public speakers. Sorry to bash you but the idea of you running for mayor fresh out of coming out of jail is mind-boggling.
We’ll see what happens. Like I said you have a right to your feeling. No matter what you say I still have the support of a lot of people.
Hey Hicks clean out your ears. Fabrizi a strong public speaker? Can he get through a speech without crying? And, dude, how’s your grammar? Blech!!! Before you trash Newton look in the mirror.
Mr. Hicks–My qualifications are: I’m a registered voter. First black President of the city council in BPT. Deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. Deputy President Pro Tem of the state senate and over 20 years of service to this city.
Yahooy can say all that in two words: Career Politician.
Ernie: Ask yourself how much duking it out with Billy Hicks, yahooy, and Joel Gonzalez enhances your stature. (However, your approach–compared to the obnoxious badgering by C. Curry–has already placed you ahead of J. Gomes in my esteem).
Ernie-haters: If Moses had never been harassed by the Egyptians, he just would have been some nobody with a pile of rocks. Ernie did his time, and the only thing that will lift him out of obscurity are attacks that are so over-the-top that ordinary residents feel compelled to defend him. That he would leap directly from prison to the Mayor’s office is already so ridiculous that it should be beneath you to even mention it. 2011 might see Ernie on the BOE or City Council, if he’s worthy he’ll work his way up.