Anthem Blue Cross moving to downtown Manchester

The insurer will occupy three floors of the former Bank of America building at 1155 Elm Street

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire, the state’s largest health insurer, announced that it will be moving its headquarters to Elm Street in Manchester next year.

The insurer – currently located on Goffs Falls Road – will occupy three floors of the former Bank of America building at 1155 Elm Street in the first half of 2014, employing about 250 associates.

The insurer also employs another 250 employees, who mainly work out of their homes.

The move, which is expected to occur during the first half of 2014, will hopefully help Manchester’s effort to revitalize its downtown area, which has been coming back over the past several years.

“The city of Manchester is a vibrant business hub and we’re very excited to be re-locating downtown,” said Lisa Guertin, Anthem’s president.

“This is an important day for the city and for Anthem,” said Mayor Gatsas, who first announced the move during a board and aldermen meeting. “They have long been an excellent civic partner and we’re pleased to welcome them to the downtown area.”