HARTFORD, Conn. — The Girl Scouts of Connecticut (GSCT) will be relocating their operational home after confirming the sale of their longtime Hartford headquarters to Hartford HealthCare, marking a major shift for the century-old youth organization.
CEO Elicia Pegues Spearman said the organization began rethinking how it uses space after the pandemic, which led to more flexible staffing and fewer in-office functions.
“Hartford HealthCare has expanded its footprint and expressed interest in purchasing our building,” Pegues Spearman said. “This sale supports our long-term sustainability and allows us to find a new location in Hartford County that better meets today’s needs for membership, retail sales and staff operations.”
According to GSCT, the move will enable investments in programs, camps, and community engagement while adapting to a hybrid workforce model that did not exist before COVID-19.
The building — long home to Girl Scout troop support, volunteer gatherings, retail operations, and regional leadership — will be vacated by Nov. 30. Staff currently working in Hartford will temporarily shift to GSCT’s North Haven office until a new Hartford-area location is secured.
The on-site Girl Scout shop will stop operating on Nov. 14, but will reopen temporarily at Camp Merrie-Wood in Manchester in December to ensure retail access for families during the holiday and cookie-program seasons.
“We know our Hartford headquarters holds a special place in the hearts of many of us,” Spearman continued. “It has been a hub for countless memories, milestones, and moments of impact. While we honor this rich history, we are equally excited about the opportunities ahead.”
The organization emphasized that its camps, programs, and troop support services will continue without interruption throughout the transition.
For Hartford HealthCare, the acquisition aligns with continued efforts to broaden its facilities footprint across the region — although details regarding future use of the property have not yet been disclosed. The health system has invested heavily in outpatient care, mental health services, and community-based clinics in recent years, signaling potential new services coming to the Hartford neighborhood.
Local leaders say the transaction reflects broader momentum in downtown Hartford, where nonprofits and anchor institutions are modernizing facilities to adjust to post-pandemic patterns.
Originally reported by Juliana Lepore in WTNH.
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