Hartford Gets Major State Grants To Study, Redevop Vacant Properties

HARTFORD, CT — State officials have announced millions in funding to help 13 towns/cities redevelop properties, including Hartford.

Gov. Ned Lamont recently announced his administration is releasing $28.2 million in state grants to support the remediation and assessment of 16 blighted properties.

He said this will bring more than 200 acres of land in 13 towns and cities back into "productive use," so they can be redeveloped and support the state’s economic growth, including through hundreds of new housing units.

In Hartford, two projects will benefit from the funding, including:

• $1 million to the city for the remediation of the 1.86-acre site located at 1163 Albany Ave. and 422 Woodland St.

Historical uses of the site include auto repair, gas station operations, and a moving and storage warehouse.

The grant funds will cover the cost of removing and properly disposing of contaminated soil from the project site.

These remediation activities will enable the construction of a 30,516-square-foot public, commercial, and retail building that will house the Hartford Department of Health and Human Services, a bank, and a restaurant/coffee shop.

• $200,000 to the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) for the development of a comprehensive, area-wide plan that will identify actionable strategies to remediate, reuse, and reinvest in the Clay Arsenal neighborhood.

These planning activities will enable CRCOG, in partnership with the San Juan Center, to plan for future redevelopment in the area.

The grants are being released through the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program.

In total, this round of grants could leverage more than $354 million in private investments and lead to the creation of approximately 835 housing units, including 157 designated as affordable.

“By cleaning up blighted and vacant properties, we can put this land back into productive use in smart ways that support the growth of businesses and new jobs, and also to build new housing, which is significantly needed,” Lamont said.

“Through the remediation of these properties, we are creating new opportunities to revitalize neighborhoods and transform otherwise unusable lots into new spaces where businesses can thrive, and residents can live.”

“Our investments in these dormant, polluted sites are critical to helping communities capitalize on opportunities for reinvention,” said DECD Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe.

“This round of funding has a significant impact in many areas, especially in supporting the creation of new housing, which is crucial to furthering the economic progress we’ve achieved in recent years.”

For the full announcement of the grants, click on this link.