Lamont: $5M Grants, $1M Loan Earmarked For 4 Blighted New Haven Sites

Funding via state Economic/Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program for Chapel St, Dixwell Ave. sites, others.

Jun 22, 2023 12:58 pm EDT

NEW HAVEN, CT —Gov. Ned Lamont approved the release of approximately $23.8 million in state funding to remediate 480 acres of land across 22 properties in 15 towns and cities across Connecticut and “put them back into productive use.”

Four New Haven sites are set to receive Brownfield Remediation and Development Program funding including 112 Chapel St., 156 Dixwell Ave., 135 Fulton Terrace, and 34 Level St.

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The funds are being released through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program. These state investments are expected to leverage approximately $862 million in private funding, which is critical to bringing these 22 properties back into use.

The selected projects are targeted at those that will boost economic development and job growth, as well as those that will aid in the development of new housing. In total, the projects are expected to create approximately 915 jobs and 811 units of housing, including 223 affordable units. Sixty-one percent of the funding, $14,540,477, is being directed to distressed municipalities, where developable land is often scarce and economic revitalization efforts take on added importance.

“It makes no sense to have old, polluted, blighted properties sitting vacant for decades when we could be using this land to grow new businesses and create new housing,” Governor Lamont said. “This state program enables us to partner with municipalities and developers to bring these lifeless properties back from the dead.”

“Our brownfields program is one of the best returns on investment for the state and its taxpayers,” Department of Economic and Community Development Deputy Commissioner Rob Hotaling said. “In this funding round, for example, we have a public-private leverage ratio of 1-to-36, which means that for every state dollar invested another 36 dollars in private funds are supporting these worthwhile projects. These investments are helping us meet other important public policy objectives as well. For example, this round features important green energy and waste reclamation projects that are another step forward in reaching our broader environmental goals.”

The grants and loans under this funding round includes these four New Haven sites:

• New Haven: $804,485 grant to remediate the 0.6-acre property at 112 Chapel Street to serve as a parking and loading area for a new 10,000 square foot warehouse for Art to Frames, a manufacturing company that produces framing and a variety of home improvement decorative products.
• New Haven: $4,000,000 grant to complete demolition, abatement, and remediation of the 7.6-acre site at 156 Dixwell Avenue to enable the redevelopment of ConnCAT Place headquarters, Hill Health Center clinic, a daycare facility, 184 rental housing units (20% affordable), an office building, townhomes, and a 19,855 square foot performing arts center.
• New Haven: $207,900 grant for cleanup activities on the 0.55-acre property at 135 Fulton Terrace to enable a new 28,000 square foot, pre-engineered warehouse building.
• New Haven: $999,999 loan for abatement and remediation of the 5.97-acre former nursing home facility located at 34 Level Street to be redeveloped into a 50-unit, elderly supportive housing development.