On December 18, 2018, $3.6 million in state brownfields revitalization funding was awarded to eleven projects in eight Connecticut municipalities.
The funds will allow the communities to assess, remediate and revitalize blighted brownfield properties in their communities, putting them back into productive use. All told, these projects encompass 59 acres of redevelopment. “The redevelopment of brownfields presents a huge economic potential,” Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy said.
Winchester Repeating Arms Company in New Haven, one of the sites to be revitalized. Photo by Emporostheoros via Wikipedia.
“Over the past eight years we have done just that, and today thousands of acres of once contaminated former industrial land and buildings have been repurposed to meet the needs of today’s businesses and communities. Brownfield remediation benefits neighbors, local economies, and the environment, and this round of funding will make our cities and towns better, more vibrant places to live and work,” he added.
Under this new round of funding announcements, a total of $2.95 million will be awarded to seven remediation and redevelopment projects.
An additional $625,000 will be awarded for four assessment projects for future revitalization. All funds will be awarded through the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).
The less-glamorous site of a former auto dealership in New Britain, another of the funded projects (image via Google Maps).
Since Governor Malloy took office in 2011, state investments of approximately $206 million have supported over 234 brownfield projects across 72 municipalities, remediating 3,062 acres and leveraging approximately $3.2 billion in non-DECD funds. In addition, these investments are helping create more than 3,000 permanent and 15,000 construction jobs.
“Brownfield investments like the ones we are announcing today are a central part of the state’s larger plan to spur economic growth at the local level, and the positive impacts are wide-ranging,” DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith said. “They help create jobs, address contamination issues, reverse blight, support new housing development and promote transit-oriented development – just to name a few.”
This new round of brownfield state grants comprises two categories:
Remediation and redevelopment projects:
- Berlin: $325,000 to the Town of Berlin for remediation of the CONRAIL spur and to address groundwater contamination on 873 Farmington from an adjacent site.
- Bridgeport: $725,000 to the City of Bridgeport for the remediation of the “Civic Block” located at 1162-1216 Stratford Avenue, 618-648 Newfield Avenue, and 25-55 Revere Street to prepare the site for redevelopment into a 35,000 sq. ft. of commercial space including a grocery store.
- Bridgeport: $600,000 to Park City Communities for the abatement, demolition, and remediation of Marina Village located at 400 Iranistan Avenue to prepare the site for creation of 150 mixed-income residential units as part of Phase 3 of the Marina Village project.
- Groton: $150,000 to the Town of Groton for abatement work of the former Groton Heights School property located at 244 Monument Street.
- New Britain: $300,000 to the City of New Britain for the environmental assessment, demolition, and remediation of the abandoned coal and oil storage facility located at 24 Dwight Court.
- Shelton: $750,000 to the City of Shelton for the remediation of hazardous building materials at 267 Canal Street, site of the former Star Pin Company.
- Torrington: $100,000 to the City of Torrington for abatement of the former Stone Container Corporation located at 200 Litchfield Street and 105 Summer Street/Turner Avenue, site of a proposed regional transit facility.
Assessment projects to prepare for future revitalization:
- New Britain: $100,000 to the Capitol Region Council of Governments for environmental assessment of the former automotive dealership and junkyard use at 1411 East Street. (pictured above)
- East Hartford: $125,000 to the City of East Hartford for the environmental assessment (Phase I, & II) of a former building contractor facility located at 141 Prestige Park Road.
- New Haven: $200,000 to Science Park Development Corporation for the Hazardous Building Material Investigation, environmental assessment, and abatement of the former Winchester Repeating Arms Factory (Tract A & D) located at 275 Winchester Avenue.
- Torrington: $200,000 to the City of Torrington for hazardous building material investigation and environmental assessment of the former Stone Container Corporation located at 200 Litchfield Street and 105 Summer Street/Turner Avenue.
“The remediation of brownfield sites are a win not only for the economy, but the environment as well,” Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee said. “Brownfields are a wise choice for redevelopment, as they already have the infrastructure in place to support new growth, reduce the need to develop valuable open space, with the added benefit of cleaning up the environment.”
Featured image shows a historic official drawing of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in New Haven.
See CT Department of Economic and Community Development’s brownfields website.