City of Norwalk Awarded State Grants for Economic Development
Governor Ned Lamont, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), and Speaker of the House Matt Ritter (D-Hartford) today announced that the State Bond Commission this morning approved the release of approximately $74 million in state funding to support the fourth round of grants under the Community Investment Fund 2030.
This state grant fund was created in 2022 to support economic development in historically underserved communities across Connecticut. It is overseen by a 21-member board that is co-chaired by Senator Looney and Speaker Ritter and administered by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. The board reviews grant applications and makes recommendations to the governor, who in his capacity as chairman of the State Bond Commission authorizes and advances the recommendations to the commission so it can give final approval to release the funding. The program is anticipated to release up to $875 million in grants over a five-year period.
Eligible projects include capital improvements, such as those focused on affordable housing, brownfield remediation, infrastructure, and public facilities, as well as small business support programs that provide revolving loans, gap financing, microloans, or start-up financing. In addition to promoting economic or community development in the municipality, projects must be intentionally designed to further consistent and systematic fair, just, impartial treatment of all individuals, including those belonging to underserved and marginalized communities such, as Black, Latino, indigenous and native American persons, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; persons comprising the LGBTQ+ community; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.
“Each of these grants are focused on infrastructure improvement projects that will enhance the economic vibrancy of historically underserved neighborhoods and help these towns and cities revitalize their economic base,” Governor Lamont said. “I am glad that we could partner with each of these organizations on these projects so that we can drive growth in communities across Connecticut.”
This fourth round of grants support 27 projects in 18 towns and cities. They include:
Municipality: Norwalk
Recipient: Norwalk Redevelopment Agency
Award Amount: $3,000,000
Description: “South Norwalk Streetscape Improvements” – CIF funding will make significant capital improvements to public infrastructure to support pedestrian infrastructure and align with completed mobility study.
Municipality: Norwalk
Recipient: Sound Communities, Inc., (Norwalk Housing Authority)
Award Amount: $3,444,751
Description: “45 Meadow” – CIF funds will support replacement of 54 units of obsolete affordable housing with 55 modern, energy efficient, affordable housing units and amenities. ** Image in post courtesy City of Norwalk
Municipality: Bloomfield
Recipient: Town of Bloomfield
Award Amount: $4,000,000
Description: “Rockwell Park Improvements” – CIF will fund improvements at Rockwell Park.
Municipality: Bridgeport
Recipient: Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation
Award Amount: $8,000,000
Description: “Connecticut Sports & Community Infrastructure” – CIF funds will be used towards remediation of 20-acres of brownfield sites including portions of 255 and 363 Kossuth Street, 83 - 153 Howe Street, and 141 – 173 Stratford Avenue, and an area of land between 141 Stratford Avenue and 255 Kossuth Street, and establishment of sustainable waterfront location through coastal resiliency and flood mitigation infrastructure. The CIF Funds will support the public greenspace and park aspects of the project.
Municipality: Bridgeport
Recipient: Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc.
Award Amount: $5,156,141
Description: “Washington Park Community Preservation” – CIF funds will allow Preservation CT and the Washington Park Revitalization Committee to conduct studies and perform critical renovations to seven locally and nationally significant places located within 5 city blocks. Funds will support state and national Register documentations of buildings throughout the neighborhood.
Municipality: Danbury
Recipient: City of Danbury
Award Amount: $1,325,000
Description: “South Main Street Revitalization” – CIF funds will improve sidewalks at the intersection of Park & Main, renovate Elmwood Park and provide for a neighborhood drainage study.
Municipality: Groton
Recipient: Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA)
Award Amount: $2,000,000
Description: “Groton Early Childhood Education Center” – CIF will fund predevelopment for a new building resulting in an expansion of childcare.
Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: Continuum of Care, Inc.
Award Amount: $2,750,000
Description: “Ella-Blake Project” – CIF funding will enable Continuum of Care to purchase its two facilities at 977 Ella Grasso Boulevard and 163 Blake Street. Funds will preserve 58 units of affordable housing.
Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: Friends Center for Children
Award Amount: $250,000
Description: “Flint Street Family Campus” – CIF will provide a planning grant for community engagement and design of the Flint Street Family Campus.
Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: Haven’s Harvest
Award Amount: $250,000
Description: “Phase 2 Planning” – CIF funds will allow for planning towards community engagement and a feasibility study of the intersection of its work and the needs of the community in the Fair Haven neighborhood.
Municipality: New Haven
Recipient: New Haven Museum
Award Amount: $350,000
Description: “Planning for 325 Lighthouse Road and 114 Whitney Avenue” – CIF planning funds will allow for community engagement, a master plan and designs for renovations and upgrades for the museum’s two sites.
Municipality: New London
Recipient: Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Award Amount: $1,620,357
Description: “Lyman Allyn Park” – CIF funds will allow the museum to complete the Lyman Allyn Park, a 12-acre urban park with lighted walkways, sculpture gardens, an event stage, a water feature and green spaces.
For a complete list of municipalities who were awarded grants, click here.
For more information on the Community Investment Fund 2030, visit portal.ct.gov/communityinvestmentfund.