Connecticut General Life Insurance Company Headquarters - Bloomfield, Connecticut
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 41° 48.830 W 072° 44.618
18T E 687416 N 4631567
Historic former company headquarter in Bloomfield, Connecticut.
Waymark Code: WMC5DC
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 07/27/2011
Views: 2
The Connecticut General Life Insurance Company Headquarters now known as the CIGNA Wilde Building is recognized as Connecticut's foremost examples of International style. The building constructed between 1954 and 1957 was designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM). As described on the
SOM website:
"The bucolic site, campus-like plan, and extensive amenities, including a full service cafeteria and after-hours programs, reflected a desire to offer a highly civilized and satisfying office environment to Connecticut General employees. The building set new standards for flexible space planning, efficiency of operation, economy of construction methods, maintenance programs, and planning for future expansion."
In 1982 a merger of the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CG) and the Insurance Company of North America (INA) to become CIGNA. In the late 1990s, CIGNA Corporation decided to demolish the building in order to redevelop its 600-acre property. This proposal drew widespread opposition. Through the efforts of a couple Hartford architects who organized "Save Connecticut General" to advocate saving the building. The building was listed on the Connecticut Trust’s Most Important Threatened Historic Places list in 2000 and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2001. Through the efforts of the National Trust working with CIGNA the company reversed their decision and decided to continue to use the building.