Lamont announces $26.3 million for brownfield remediation

Today, Governor Ned Lamont announced his approval of $26.3 million worth of state grants to be used for the remediation of 130 acres of brownfields located in 17 Connecticut municipalities. The state remediation projects will yield approximately 1,285 jobs and 373 housing units, with 148 of these units being “affordable.”

“Nobody wants to have old, polluted, and blighted properties in their neighborhood that sit vacant for decades, especially when that land could be used to grow new businesses and create housing for people who need it,” said Gov. Lamont in a statement released by his office. “This state program enables us to partner with municipalities and developers to bring these lifeless properties back from the dead.”

Brownfields are defined by the state as “any abandoned or underutilized site where redevelopment, reuse or expansion has not occurred due to the presence or potential presence of pollution in the buildings, soil or groundwater.” According to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s brownfield inventory , there are approximately 5,004 acres of brownfields located across the state.

The source of grant funding is the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Brownfield Remediation and Development Program. The state has estimated that these funds will encourage $112.7 million in private investments. Approximately 58 percent of the grant money is being awarded to projects in economically distressed municipalities.

“All of these projects, in one form or another, are helping to strengthen community vibrancy and improving the quality of life for our residents,” said Daniel O’Keefe, DECD Commissioner.

The statement confirmed the location of 198 of the 373 housing units that these funds are projected to create. 58 affordable units will be located in New Haven, 55 low-income units will be created in Norwalk, 50 mixed-income units will be created in Berlin, and 35 units will be located in Vernon.

The awarded municipalities, as well as their respective awards, are Bridgeport ($8 million), Norwich ($4 million), Norwalk ($3.294 million), Windsor ($2.2 million), Vernon ($2 million), New Haven ($1.492 million), Plainville ($1.394 million), West Haven ($1.187 million), Colchester ($1.125 million), Berlin ($360,000), East Hartford ($345,000), New London ($200,000), Portland ($200,000), Redding ($200,000), Woodbridge ($132,000), Cheshire ($90,000) and Windsor Locks ($73,450).

Half of Bridgeport’s $8 million will be used for the demolition and remediation of Bridgeport’s former 16-acre greyhound racetrack, which is proposed to be redeveloped into a sports stadium that will house the CT United football club. The other half is to be used on the remediation of an approximately 3-acre site on Stratford Avenue, to allow for the creation of a boardwalk, community soccer field, and an entryway plaza leading to the proposed CT United soccer stadium.

Norwich plans to use its $4 million grant to help remediate and undergo demolitions on a 6.5 acre site that used to house Capehart Textile Mill, so that it can be redeveloped into a new riverfront park. Norwalk will use its $3.294 million to demolish the Meadow Gardens housing project and replace it with a 55-unit low income apartment. Windsor will use its $2.2 million to remediate and remove structures at the former Stanadyne manufacturing plant, so it can be redeveloped into a business park, as well as assess another portion of the property. Vernon will use its $2 million to remediate Daniel’s Mill, a 1-acre property that it plans to redevelop into 35 residential units.

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