Blighted Remediation Grant Heading To Land Straddling Willington And Ashford

WILLINGTON, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont Wednesday announced that his administration is releasing $28.2 million in state grants that will be used to support the remediation and assessment of 16 blighted properties, helping to 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. Property on the Willington-Ashford line is affected.

The grants are being released through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Brownfield Remediation and Development Program. In total, this round of grants is projected to 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."

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

The grants announced Wednesday under the latest round include $200,000 to Willington and Ashford for environmental assessment, market analysis, and other planning activities at the Cadlerock property, a 338.55-acre, 12-parcel area straddling the town lines. The activities will help identify future reuse options and development path for the property.