The United Health Group is vacating its twin towers offices along Columbus Boulevard when its lease expires next year. The Group is one of downtown Hartford’s largest employers and its decision to leave its offices in the Hartford area will result to a big increase in office vacancy rates. The company is also evaluating their options for their existing Connecticut River Plaza place. United Health spokesman Daryl Richard said they would however strongly prefer to remain in Hartford.

United Health presently occupies 500,000 square feet of office space in the Plaza which is the only building in the area that can accommodate all of United Health’s offices in one location. It is however looking at CityPlace as a viable relocation option. If United Health decides to move out then it would spell doom for the Hartford market considering that MetLife already left the area last year.

Negotiations are however underway to keep United Health where it is now physically. United Health’s lease will expire in 2010 so the building owner is already on the lookout for possible tenants considering the big amount of space that will be left vacant by United Health if negotiations fail.