Aug. 19--Northeast Utilities has relocated its suburban headquarters to downtown Hartford, joining a handful of Fortune 500 companies based in the capital city.

The energy company, whose holdings include Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas, had been based in Berlin. On Monday, the company celebrated its new corporate headquarters at 56 Prospect St. with business officials and other Hartford dignitaries.

Charles W. Shivery, the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer, said the move to downtown Hartford was indicative of Northeast Utilities long-term commitment to Hartford and the state of Connecticut.

The company's Berlin campus is still the headquarters for CL&P as well as Yankee Gas and NU Transmission.

During welcoming ceremonies, Gov. M. Jodi Rell said the relocation of the company's corporate headquarters to Hartford was an indication of the city's competitiveness as a corporate headquarters site. "The continued growth of NU adds new luster to downtown and bodes well for the overall strength of Connecticut's economy," said Rell in prepared remarks.

The company joins other Hartford-based Fortune 500 firms including United Technologies Corp., Aetna and Hartford Financial Services.

Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez said Northeast Utilities relocation to his city will help contribute to its continuing revitalization "and is just another example that Hartford is 'open for business,' " he said.

The new offices, which are located near The Phoenix Cos. corporate tower and the Travelers insurance complex, will house 167 employees from Northeast Utilities corporate staff. In addition, the site will include a customer-care center for CL&P and Yankee Gas customers.

The 143,000-square-foot multistory building had been occupied for many years by Phoenix Investment Partners, now Virtus Investment Partners, which relocated to Pearl Street in downtown Hartford. In December of last year, Northeast Utilities acquired the building from Phoenix and made various renovations and upgrades to the facility. The energy company used low-emissions paints, carpeting containing 40 percent recycled materials and digitally controlled heating and ventilation systems to maximize efficiencies.

Northeast Utilities' headquarters building sits on the site of the former Parsons Theater, which opened in downtown Hartford in 1896 but was torn down in the mid 1930s to make way for the Hartford Steam Boiler Co., which had its headquarters on Prospect Street for many years before moving into a high-rise office complex near Constitution Plaza.

Hartford Steam Boiler sold the building to the Travelers insurance company, which expanded the building in 1964. Two decades later, Phoenix bought the site and renovated the building, enclosing its center courtyard.

Oz Griebel, president of the MetroHartford Alliance, said it was welcome news that Northeast Utilities chose downtown Hartford for its headquarters. "It is great news that despite today's economic climate, NU ... moved people into Hartford, demonstrating once again that downtown remains a desirable location to do business," said Griebel.

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