Blockbuster GVA deal brings movie stars to Stamford.

GVA Williams of Connecticut announced that Universal Studios has signed a short-term, 7,100 s/f lease at 76 Progress Drive in Stamford.

The location will be used as the home base for the film production of a major motion picture--Reservation Road, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly--which will be filmed in Stamford and Norwalk, Connecticut.

It will serve as the operations center for the movie, acting as the home base for film crews, set designers, managers, producers and directors. Universal Studios is the first studio to take advantage of the new 30 percent tax credits that Connecticut offers to attract multimillion dollar motion pictures to the state.

Joshua Gopan of GVA Williams negotiated on behalf of Universal Studios. The landlord, AM Realty, represented itself. Universal Studios signed a short term lease on the second floor of the 200,000-square foot building.

"When Universal Studios received financing for this movie production, it needed the space almost immediately due to timeliness and budget requirements," said Gopan. "Once GVA Williams identified a space that was fully furnished and outfitted with an IT cable system, we negotiated the terms of the lease quickly and completed the transaction within an unprecedented two-week period."

"It's exciting for the City of Stamford to be recognized as an area that can provide the infrastructure for these film productions and reap the benefits of large budget motion pictures," he added. "I am anticipating that we will see many more of these production studios coming to the area to spend tens of millions of dollars in short, six- to eight-month periods. The benefits local area businesses could be huge."