by Jesse Leavenworth | Hartford Courant

MANCHESTER — The company working with the town to revive the “dark side” of the Manchester Parkade will take a more prominent role in the project under a recently signed agreement.

A memorandum of understanding between the town and LiveWorkLearnPlay (LWLP) gives the company two years to launch development on the 18-acre, town-owned site off Broad Street. The deal was announced at a news conference Thursday morning before a redevelopment agency meeting.

The key to the town’s plan of a mixed-use development is landing an anchor, an educational or medical facility. Residential and retail uses also are part of the vision. As master developer, Montreal-based LWLP will use its own money to secure financing and develop the parcel, officials said. Eventually, the company would buy the property.

LWLP has received “very strong interest from health and wellness institutions that we have a relationship with,” company head Max Reim said in a phone interview Thursday. “They want to know a lot more about Manchester and Hartford County. They’re very much eager to be working with the town.”