If the deal closes, the company will shift some of itsmanufacturing personnel to its corporate headquarters building at 1Blachley Rd. The site is not part of the sales deal with the cityand is not on the market for sale, Gingras adds. The two sides hopethe property sales deal can close by June 2005.

The city is looking to acquire the property in order to developan inter-district magnet school for approximately 600 students fromkindergarten through eighth grade. The school would be open tostudents living in Stamford as well as from surroundingcommunities, Mayor Dannel Malloy says.

The city's school system has a pending application for aninter-district magnet school before the State Board of Education.The mayor says the application is much stronger now that the cityhas a proposed site for the magnet school. If the application isgranted, the State of Connecticut could be funding anywhere from80% to 95% of the property acquisition and construction costs ofthe venture.