Manchester, Conn. Wed.. Nov. 18, 1981 26 Cents Condo offices c Reagan asks Soviet help set at Watkins to cut arms By Lisa Zowada door to Watkins was announced each tenant $1 per square foot an­ Herald Reporter almost exactly one year ago and nually. The cost is the same for the WASHINGTON (U P !) - President Reagan, in a about 32,000 square feet of the House and Hale tenant. message to “ the people of the world,” today called on The Watkins Brothers building at building is being renovated into of­ Each owner in the Watkins the Soviet Union to join the United States in mutual 935 Main St., once the home of a fur­ fice condominiums. Building will have a separate meter reductions of all weapons — starting with nuclear arms niture business, will be converted In April, all but 2,000 square feet for electricity. in Europe. As with its neighbor, plans for the into about 30 office condominiums had been sold to prospective tenants The president, in remarks prepared for delivery to a three-stOry Watkins Building call, by Manchester developer John A. and DeQuattro said then that once global television audience in the millions, outlined a for restoration of the exterior to its OeQuattro. construction was under way it would four-point proposal covering deployment of strategic > DeQuattro signed an agreement original character. take five months to complete. and tactical nuclear weapons, military forces in Europe Existing non-insulated wood win­ with Watkins Brother's Inc. this Heritage Savings and Loan and chances for eliminating the risk of surprise nuclear month for the premarketing of ap­ purchased the House and Hale dows will be replaced with energy- attacks by the superpowers. proximately 36,500 square feet of of­ building for $175,000. The building efficient, insulating glass units. The Reagan said he had just sent the proposal to Soviet fice space. once housed a department store existing store front display area will President Leonid Brezhnev. “ It’s a simple, straight­ Plans call for the modernization of which closed its doors a few years be removed and replaced with forward, yet historic message; The United States the building’s interior, dividing it into ago. masonry window units. proposes the mutual reduction of conventional, in­ units of roughly 1,000 square feet It was not known if any of the of­ A new main entrance will be con­ each. The units will be sold to fice space in the Watkins Building structed on Main Street. A new cor­ termediate range nuclear and strategic forces," businesses for office space. Tenants had yet been bought but plans call ridor will provide access from the Reagan said. will share common costs. for construction to begin when 80 Main Street level to an elevator But the president was cautious. “ Success can only Watkins Brothers furniture store percent of the space has been sold. which wiil provide access to all come if the Soviet Union will share our commitment," he said, “ if it will demonstrate that its oftenrepeated closed its doors in July of this year Completion of the conversion will floors. professions of concern for peace will be matched by after more than 100 years of take nine months. An existing rear entrance will be positive action,” business. It was also not known if any modified and replaced with an Reagan began his National Press Club speech, being DeQuattro could not be reached retails businesses will be allowed to arched entrance directly from beamed overseas by satellite, by saying he wanted to for comment this morning. It is not buy space in the converted building Purnell Place. speak to “ the people of the world about America's known what will happen to the or whether the offices will be Inside the building, common cor­ Watkins Brothers piano and organ exclusively for professionals. ridors and aii office spaces will have program for peace and the coming negotiations which busintess presently located In tbe The cost of space in the building suspended acoustical lay-in tile begin Nov, 30 in Geneva, Switzerland " on reduction of Main Street building. will be $72.50 per square foot. ceilings and the floors will be medium-range nuclear weapons in Europe. “ Today I have outlined the kinds of bold, equitable The conversion will be the second Therefore, a unit of 1,000 square carpeted with tile in the bathrooms. proposals which the world expects of us, " Reagan said. of its kind in Manchester, the second feet will cost $72,500. 'The cost of ’The interior of the building is Reagan’s speech was seen as an attempt both to ease on Main Strmt of a building of space in the House and Hale building made of heavy wood beams, wood concerns of allies iii Europe, where plans to deploy mis­ historic significance, and number is $65 a square foot. floor and roof deck over wood joists. siles have sparked massive antinuclear demonstrations two' for DeQuattro. Conversion of Common charges, which include and at the same time to place the burden on the Kremlin the House and Hale building next utilities and maintenance, will cost Please turn to page 10 for explaining why nuclear weapons cannot be slashed. The four points of the Reagan proposal included: • “ I have informed President Brezhnev that we will New survey results prove M E R IT delivers in key areas seek to negotiate substantial reductions in (strategic) nuclear arms which would result in levels that are equal Board takes no action and verifiable,” Reagan said. “ Let us see how far we can go in achieving truly substantial reductions in our of taste, ease of switch, and long-term satisfaction. strategic arsenals.” Reagan said he is willing to begin the negotiations "as soon as possible next year,” and proposed changing the on black hiring appeal name of the barpining from SALT talks to .START talks, for Strategic Arms Reduction Talks. • “ The United States is prepared to cancel deploy- Rigorous new MERIT 2 Of 3 Smokers Prefer MERIT. ' ment of Pershing II and ground launch cruise mis.siles if By Scot French minority police officer wili be those who took part in the recruit­ the Soviets will dismantle their SS20, SS-4 and SS-5 mis­ research proves it. Herald Reporter chosen to fili any of the positions ment effort to believe that all can­ siles.” 3Tie United States had planned to deploy ^72 of In the second part of this during this hiring session. didates would be allowed to par­ the missiles in five European countries next year: The MERIT srhokers confirm Faced with a doublq-edged threat Throughout the recruitment drive to ticipate in the entire selection SS-20s, with a range of 2,5(X) rpiles, can strike targets as study, new tests confirm that of legal action and caught in a fill the police positions, town of­ process. far west as Great Britain or Spain. political stalemate, the newly- ficials and members of the black He said Police Chief Robert D. “ We intend to negotiate in good faith and go to Geneva elected Board of Directors took no community had expressed the goal (on Nov. 30) willing to listen to and consider the taste a major factor in Lannan and Town Manager Robert Herald photo by Tarquinio MERIT delivers a winning action Tuesday night on an appeal of hiring the town’s first black Weiss made that pro'mise proposals of our Soviet counterparts," said Reagan, who completing a successful by members of the black communi­ police officer. “ specificaliy and very clearly” at a also rejected the Soviet assertion that a balance of in­ combination of taste and low ty to amend the town’s police hiring Frank J. Smith, a black resident June 18 meeting. ■ Easy'does it termediate range nuclear forces already exists in procedures. who took part in that recruitment ef­ It was not until the Oct. 20 Europe, switch from higher tar The move leaves intact the town’s fort, questioned the town’s sincerity meeting of the Human Relations • “ 'The third proposal I have made to the Soviet Union tar when compared with previously established civil service in meeting its affirmative action Commission, at which the results of Adventure Challenge School staff is that we act to achieve equality at lower levels of con­ hiring procedures, and ensures that goals. ' the tests were released, that the descended upon llling Junior High Schooi ventional forces in Europe,” Reagan said. “ The Soviet cigarettes. the town will fill four police depart­ “ We have worked with you,” he tofirn outlined its ranking procedure Tuesday afternoon. Literaiiy, that is. W hile, Union could make po more convincing contribution to higher tar leaders. ment vacancies by Nov. 30, the first said. “ We have tried to very hard to in which only the top three can­ staff member Joseph Mazzotta watches, in­ peace in Europe — and in the world — than by agreeing M ERIT Switch Clicks. day of Connecticut Police Academy be behind the scenes, but you have didates, plus one for each available structor Paula Cheatwood demonstrates to reduce its conventional forces significantly and con­ Confirmed: The over­ training session required for ap­ forced us into the open.” position, are invited to take the oral rapelling, a rope climber’s technique, off the, strain the potential for sudden aggression. " pointees. Smith charged that the town mis­ exam. Smith said. side of the school. The skill is used to des­ • The president said he is renewing the American call However, the move also effective­ represented its hiring procedures for a (fonference with the Soviets to develop effective The three minority candidates cend mountains, and is not recommended Nationwide survey reveals whelming majority of smokers ly eliminates the possibility, that a before the tests, leading some of measures aimed at reducing the risks of a "surprise at­ who passed the Oct.