HARTFORD, Conn. — The Lamont administration announced Thursday the awarding of approximately $17.9 million in state grants to help with the costs of remediating 40 blighted parcels in 13 towns and cities across Connecticut for the purposes of putting them back into productive use.
The grants are from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation Program. They are expected to leverage $427 million in private funding and will help in the investigation and clean-up of approximately 78 acres of land.
“If we remediate these properties now, we can turn an eyesore into an asset, revitalize neighborhoods, and transform otherwise unusable property into new space for businesses and residents," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement.
Properties around the state receiving remediation funds
“Our Brownfield Remediation Program provides the critical funding needed to clean up contaminated properties, attract additional private investment and catalyze redevelopment," Department of Economic and Community Development Deputy Commissioner Alexandra Daum said.
Department of Economic and Community Development Deputy Commissioner Alexandra Daum said in a statement that remediating these properties will unlock new and varied uses, including hosing, mixed-use commercial retail options, office and business spaces, and so much more.
This is a breakdown of the properties which will be impacted by the funds.
- Berlin: $193,600 for the demolition of the vacant Knights of Columbus building located at 143 Percival Avenue. The Berlin Housing Authority will construct 50 affordable senior housing units on the 4.2-acre site.
- Bridgeport: $990,000 for the remediation and redevelopment at the former UI Power Plant site located at 137 East Main Street. A multi-family, mixed-use development consisting of approximately 421 units and approximately 10,000 square feet of commercial, retail, office, and restaurant space will be constructed on the 6.5-acre site.
- Haddam: $1,800,000 to abate and remediate two former D&H Scoville Hoe Company Mill buildings. The buildings will be adaptively reused as shops, galleries, offices, and/or a full-services restaurant to support the revitalization of Higganum’s Village Center.
- Hebron: $650,490 to remediate a 1.2-acre vacant and contaminated site at 501 Church Street that housed a former gas station and auto repair facility and abuts the Connecticut Air Line Trail. A 2,000 to 2,500 square feet, two-story barn with a bike shop, a small coffee or sandwich bar, and a covered picnic gazebo area will be constructed.
- Meriden: $1,800,000 to clean up and remediate two properties located at 289 and 290 Pratt Street, totaling 14.3 acres. A new 92-unit residential complex will be constructed at 289 Pratt Street with expanded parking for adjacent businesses at 290 Pratt Street.
- Montville: $999,000 for environmental remediation activities at the former Uncasville Manufacturing Company located at 42 Pink Row. This will allow for the adaptive reuse of the existing historic building and 10.6 acre-property into 72 housing units.
- New Britain: $1,355,000 for environmental clean-up, abatement, and partial demolition of the former manufacturing and industrial property at 27 Columbus Boulevard and 43 High Street, popularly known as the Polar Building. A mixed-income residential development with 62 rental units will be constructed on the 1.5-acre site.
- New Haven: $2,000,000 to the Science Park Development Corporation to abate and demolish the former Winchester Repeating Arms Company buildings located at 275 Winchester Avenue. This will allow for the construction of residential, office, laboratory space and/or retail buildings, and public open space on the 3.11-acre site.
- New London: $1,199,673 to assess and remediate multiple properties (24 parcels) located on Walbach Street and Goshen Street, a portion of which was occupied by the former Naval Undersea Warfare Center. The city is planning to construct a community recreation center adjacent to historic Fort Trumbull State Park on the 7.19-acre site.
- Stamford: $950,000 to abate and preserve the existing buildings and remediate soil and groundwater at 650 Atlantic Street. The 2.5-acre site will be used for a mixed-use, transit-oriented development.
- Thompson: $2,000,000 for the abatement of the existing buildings and remediation of soil and groundwater at the former River Mill site. A mixed-use, residential redevelopment will be constructed on the 24.79-acre site.
- Torrington: $2,000,000 for the abatement and partial demolition of structures at the Torrington Business Park (Standard Plant Site) located at 70 North Street, the former home of the Torrington/Excelsior Needle Company.
- Torrington: $1,000,000 for environmental cleanup of the property located at 245 East Elm Street to enable Vinny’s Restaurant to expand onto the first floor with a banquet facility in the remaining space.
- West Hartford: $953,646 for the clean-up of the former Puritan Furniture Store property located at 1051 and 1061 New Britain Avenue. A 131-unit mixed-income, mixed-use transit-oriented development will be constructed on the 2.97-acre site.
Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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