On Friday July 26 Governor Ned Lamont paid a visit to a construction site in Bridgeport’s East End, to tour the grounds of Honey Locust Square, also known as the “Civic Block” as it enters the final stages of construction. He was joined by the areas State Senators Herron Keyon Gaston and Marilyn Moore, along with Mayor Joe Ganim and Bridgeport City Council members.
They were joined by a large group of neighborhood residents and representatives of local organizations including the Neighborhood Revitalization Zone.
Honey Locust Square, located adjacent to a recently completed library, is designed to address not only the needs of future tenants, but of current East End residents too. A full-service grocery store and a branch of M&T Bank are both confirmed for the space, in what is currently both a food and banking desert. Tenants including an Optimus Health Services location, a pharmacy, a barbecue restaurant, and a hair salon will also be included, providing additional necessary services in an area with limited access to resources.
“We’re looking at the grounds of the facility being built with the $3.5 million in state grants,” said Gaston as the delegation made its way to the entrance to the construction site, noting that the developer behind the project, Anthony Stewart was injecting a significant amount of his own capital into the project as well.
“This is critically important because the neighbors need to see the revitalization of this area, and to see that this is a renaissance,” Gaston said, underscoring that many current residents could recall when the services to be offered in the Civic Block were last available.
“Stratford Avenue hasn’t seen this kind of commitment in over half a century,” Mayor Ganim said, hailing both the state’s support and Stewart’s dedication. “It’s huge.”
Ganim has counted Honey Locust Square among the most critical projects for Bridgeport in his State of the City Addresses. Work on the site has been ongoing for around six years.
“I think I was here about five years ago,” Governor Lamont remarked, as he entered the unfinished grocery store. “And this place was wide open. And look what we’ve got right now.”
Stewart guided the elected officials through the construction site, pointing out the second-floor space above the 36,000 square feet of retail where his company, Ashlar Construction will move its headquarters after the Honey Locust Square’s completion.
Honey Locust Square was given a $3.5 million state grant in 2023 from the Community Investment Fund to help ensure the completion of the space.
Stewart noted that the company’s move is about far more than just designing a custom space.
“It means a whole lot,” Stewart said of the emotional impact of seeing Honey Locust Square near completion. “I grew up not far from here. My father helped build the buildings in front of us. I built the library over here. My mother’s beautician shop is behind us.”
“This is my old neighborhood, and I’m very excited to be back.”
