Norwich To Receive $2 Million For Municipal Projects

NORWICH, CT – Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday that the State of Connecticut is awarding $45 million to twelve cities and towns under his administration’s newly established Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant Program.

Projects in Norwich include:

• Norwich ($2,000,000; Former YMCA Property, 337 to 355 Main Street): The city, in partnership with Mattern Construction Inc., will redevelop and adaptively reuse the former YMCA property, located at a prominent gateway into the city, for approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of office and retail space and 5,000 sq. ft. of high-ceiling storage space.

The grants are leveraging approximately $74 million in non-state and private dollars and will support projects that improve the livability and vibrancy of communities throughout the state.

More than 50% of funding will be invested in Connecticut’s distressed municipalities.

This is the first round of funding under the program, which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).

The second round is expected to launch in the fall, and DECD is expected to award up to $100 million in grants over the next several years.

“Investing in our communities is a key part of our plan to accelerate long-lasting and equitable economic development in Connecticut," Lamont said in a statement. “This new grant program we launched will have wide-ranging impacts as we emerge stronger than ever from the pandemic, creating new jobs, improving the vibrancy and quality of life in our neighborhoods, and making all corners of the state even more attractive for investment and opportunity.”