Enfield officials look to bounce back after LEGO loss

ENFIELD, Conn. (WFSB) - It has been a disappointing week for Enfield officials as LEGO announces it is leaving for Boston, and a prison is set to close in the spring.

“We do see a lot of people from Lego,” said Connie Mendoza, Server at Angelina’s Restaurant.

Connie Mendoza has been waiting tables at Angelina’s in Enfield for 10 years.

Some of her loyal customers work nearby at the town’s cornerstone, LEGO.

“They always come in get their burgers or wraps, so we know a handful of those customers as well,” said Connie.

LEGO has more than 700 employees in Enfield. But starting in the middle of 2025, LEGO is slowly moving from Enfield to Boston.

The state also announced this week that a prison in town, the Willard Correctional Institution, is closing.

“To hear both of those news is a little disappointing,” said Mayor Bob Cressotti, Enfield.

Mayor Bob Cressotti says Governor Lamont called town hall this week to break the news.

The prison is closing April 1.

The state says it will save taxpayers six and a half million dollars in annual operating costs.

The 71 workers at the prison will keep their jobs and be relocated.

Part of the reason for the closing is the state prison population dropped 44% from 2012 to 2022.

Mayor Cressotti says the prison is only at 55% capacity.

“We have to make it favorable for businesses to want to stay here in Enfield,” said Mayor Cressotti. “Hopefully these larger companies will want to come in.”

Work on bringing in new businesses has already started, a new train station will be ready in 2024.

The town has also built a new school and revamped another hoping to make the town more attractive for businesses.

LEGO will start to phase out of Enfield and into Boston in the middle of 2025.

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