Bridgeport, Danbury among those receiving funds for blighted properties

marina village blighted brownfield
Marina Village in Bridgeport.

Gov. Dannel Malloy has announced that $13.6 million in state funding will be awarded to 14 municipalities across Connecticut ”“ including two in Fairfield County ”“ to assess, remediate and revitalize blighted properties, or brownfields, in their communities and put them back into productive use. The projects encompass 89 acres of redevelopment.

The Fairfield County brownfield projects receiving funding are:

  • Bridgeport, 400 Iranistan Ave.: $1.5 million grant to the Bridgeport Housing Authority to redevelop the 15.9-acre Marina Village public housing complex into a new state-of-the-art affordable housing community. The existing structures will be demolished and replaced with multifamily residential units and community space.
  • Danbury, 89 Rose Hill Road: $1.3 million grant to demolish and remediate the former 3.7-acre Mallory Hat Factory. A residential facility for women and children in transition is proposed for this site.

“These kinds of properties that have been vacant for decades are causing blight in neighborhoods, draining local resources, and having a negative impact on towns and cities,” Malloy said. “We can add value in our communities by making smart investments that repurpose these properties, resulting in a boost for local economies and spurring growth and private investments.”

For every dollar the state has invested in brownfield redevelopment, nonstate partners have invested or will invest $11.41, according to Malloy”™s office. Since 2012, Connecticut has invested over $220 million in brownfield redevelopment, resulting in the creation of more than 3,000 permanent jobs and over 15,000 construction jobs in the state.

The latest round of funding includes a total of $12.1 million that will be awarded to eight remediation and redevelopment projects, totaling just over 34 acres. An additional $1.5 million will be awarded to eight assessment projects that will prepare for the future revitalization of additional properties, consisting of almost 52 acres. All of the funds will be awarded through the Department of Economic and Community Development.