Major Grant Funding Announced For West Hartford Development Projects

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont recently announced he is releasing $18.8 million for the assessment and remediation of 227 acres of contaminated land across the state, including West Hartford.

The grant funding will support 23 properties in 19 towns and cities, helping cover the costs of cleaning up these parcels so they can be redeveloped and returned to productive use.

Locally, that includes:

• A $200,000 grant to the town for assessment activities of the former AC Petersen Ice Cream Production Facility, a 1.02-acre site located at 240 Park Road. It ceased operations in 2000. The assessment and subsequent cleanup will allow the building’s existing businesses, including the Playhouse on Park, a performing arts theater, to expand into the environmentally affected areas, which have been unused or underused for several decades.

• A $688,000 grant to the town for demolition and remediation of the 1.21-acre site located at 579 New Park Ave. The remediation activities will enable the construction of a mixed-use/TOD project consisting of 70 residential units.

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

West Hartford's legislative delegation in Hartford praised the funding, offering a joint statement following the state's announcement of the grants.

"I am grateful to the governor for awarding West Hartford these grants. This is a great opportunity to support housing growth and business expansion in town," said state Rep. Kate Farrar, D-West Hartford. "New Park Avenue continues to develop as a vibrant area of our town, and this grant will facilitate more needed housing options near transit and business."

“This grant program is a great example of leveraging state dollars to clean up blighted properties and attract economic growth, create housing, and invest in our communities,” added state Sen. Derek Slap, D-West Hartford. “I am grateful for this funding and look forward to seeing these projects progress and better serve our town.”

According to state Rep. Tammy Exum, D-West Hartford, the funds help maintain West Hartford's standing in the state's business and housing community.

"I am excited about the improvement of unused areas around the former A.C. Petersen Ice Cream facility as well as the 70-unit mixed-use housing development on New Park Avenue," said Exum. "These projects will help our town remain one of the most vibrant places to live, work, and visit in the state. I want to thank DECD and its Brownfield Remediation and Development Program for recognizing West Hartford."

State Rep. Bobby Gibson, D-Bloomfield, said they are "much-needed," especially as it pertains to housing, considered a municipal bugaboo for many communities.

“I am thrilled that West Hartford is set to receive funds from the state of Connecticut for this vitally important project. This grant will lead to the construction of much-needed housing units, and will also provide small businesses in the area with the opportunity to expand their storefront,” Gibson said.

Other representatives agreed.

"Securing state funding to replace an existing building with 70 new residential units is a major win for West Hartford," said state Rep. James Sánchez, D-Hartford. "This project restores vitality to the neighborhood and creates new housing opportunities for individuals and families at a time when they're desperately needed."

"The town of West Hartford has a proven track record of repurposing our land and buildings," said state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, D-West Hartford. "I am grateful to the state for this investment and look forward to seeing how these two projects positively impact our community."

This round of funding is projected to attract $218 million in private investment and facilitate the creation of 450 housing units.

Approximately 52 percent of the total funding will be allocated to distressed municipalities.

“Old, polluted, blighted properties that have sat vacant for decades do nothing to stimulate our economy, grow jobs, and support housing growth,” Lamont said June 12 in a statement. “With these grants, we are partnering with towns and developers to take unused, lifeless properties and bring them back from the dead, rejuvenating land that can be used for so much more and can bring value back to these neighborhoods.”

“Our brownfield redevelopment efforts continue to produce great results, not only for the communities that can now capitalize on new opportunities for growth and vibrancy but also for the residents who directly benefit from the new end uses for these reclaimed properties, whether it be housing, parks, commercial space, or community centers,” added DECD Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe said.

For more information on the grants awarded and the specific projects benefitting, click on this link.