Month: February 2016

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that 16 municipalities across Connecticut are being awarded $8.7 million in state grants that will help the communities revitalize and remediate specific properties so they can be put back into productive use and attract new development that will benefit each town and city.

 

“In a new economic reality, transforming and remediating sites is so important.  We’re on the cutting edge of taking otherwise unusable property and transforming it into new space for businesses and residents.  These strategic investments help towns and cities take abandoned, blighted, and vacant properties, and bring them back to life in order to spur new investments, new development, and new jobs for those in the communities,” Governor Malloy said.  “Since 2012, we’ve committed more than $150 million to investigate, clean up, and revitalize hundreds acres of property in communities in every corner of our state.  It’s an extraordinary amount – and it’s all designed to ensure that we are building for the future.”

 

The grants come under the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Brownfield Remediation Program.  Under today’s round of allocations, a total of $7 million will go towards the cleanup and redevelopment of five former industrial sites, while $1.7 million will be put towards the assessment of twelve other sites around the state.

 

“Cleaning up toxic and blighted properties is integral to creating attractive, livable communities,” Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said.  “These investments mean healthier cities and towns, but they also attract activity and help build neighborhoods, adding commerce, housing, retail, and greenspace.  This funding is an important part of strengthening and expanding our economy, and inspiring smart growth.”

 

“DECD, through its brownfield remediation and redevelopment programs, works closely with cities and towns to help them properly plan for, and take full advantage of, future economic opportunities that brownfields present,” DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith said.  “This round of funding will provide financial support for 17 projects across our state that encompass 190 acres of redevelopment.”

 

“Investing in the cleanup of Brownfields in Connecticut facilitates the conversion of degraded properties that pose a risk to human health and the environment to opportunities for reuse and redevelopment,” Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Robert Klee said.  “This investment makes good sense, as brownfields are typically located near existing transportation, water, sewer and other infrastructure and their redevelopment will lessen pressure on open space and other environmentally-sensitive areas.”

 

“Governor Malloy has made Connecticut a national leader in brownfield redevelopment, with unprecedented investment in projects throughout the state.  Working with our partners in cities and towns, state funding is acting as a catalyst to attract private investment to these formerly dormant sites, resulting in new jobs and revitalized communities,” DECD Deputy Commissioner Tim Sullivan said.  “With this new round of funding, we are also excited to be partnering with several communities that have not previously received DECD brownfield funding.”

 

Today’s round of state brownfield grants includes:

 

Remediation and Redevelopment Projects

 

• Bridgeport: $2,000,000 grant to remediate a 2.2 acre site in the city’s Eco-Technology park to enable the construction of a permitted anaerobic digester facility.
• Meriden (144 Mills Street): $2,000,000 grant to abate, demolish and remediate a 3-acre former public housing site in downtown Meriden to be redeveloped as a mixed-use transit-oriented development in partnership with a city-selected developer. This site was the subject of a DECD-funded assessment grant awarded in 2014.
• Shelton (223 Canal Street): $875,000 grant to abate and demolish a vacant industrial building in the downtown development district for residential redevelopment.
• Somers (40 Maple Street): $1,800,000 grant to abate, demolish and remediate the former Somersville Mill, which was substantially destroyed in a 2012 fire. This site was the subject of a DECD assessment grant awarded in 2014.
• Southington (318 North Main Street): $400,000 grant to demolish and remediate the former Corbin and Beaton site for redevelopment as commercial office space.

 

Assessment Projects

 

• Beacon Falls: $78,000 grant for investigation of 100 Railroad Avenue.
• Berlin: $100,000 grant for investigation of 303 New Britain Road.
• Bristol: $50,000 grant for investigation of 273 Riverside Avenue.
• Bridgeport: $200,000 grant for investigation of multiple parcels related to the proposed Civic Block redevelopment project.
• Hebron: $95,000 grant for investigation of 459 Church Street.
• New Haven: $200,000 grant for investigation of multiple parcels to enable development of affordable housing.
• Plymouth: $60,000 grant for investigation of 142 Main Street.
• Stratford: $200,000 grant to continue the investigation of the former Stratford Army Engine plant.
• Westbrook: $200,000 grant for investigation of 88 Pond Meadow Road.
• West Haven: $200,000 grant for investigation of multiple parcels to enable transit-oriented development surrounding the West Haven Metro North station.
• West Harford: $200,000 grant for investigation of 25 Brixton Street.
• Windham: $120,000 grant for investigation of 1248 Main Street.

 

 

For more information about DECD’s brownfield redevelopment programs, visitwww.ctbrownfields.gov.

(State of Connecticut Press Release)

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