Nearly 100 people showed up on Saturday, July 16, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Phase 2 of the Armstrong Court project at Building No. 6. Anthony “Tony)”Johnson, executive director and CEO of Greenwich Communities and Sam Romeo, chairman of the Board of Commissioners, hosted the event. Together with state and federal collaboration, Greenwich Communities has made great progress with its Phase 2, a $27 million project to renovate 42 housing units in buildings 1, 3 and 6. The one- and two-bedroom apartments have been renovated into three-bedroom units, which will better accommodate families with children. During Phase 1, 18 new townhouses were constructed.
Johnson said, “I want to thank our residents for allowing us to do this construction while they were still living here. We were able to create enough space with the construction of Phase 1 and buying other buildings in town to maintain residents on site during construction. That”™s amazing. Try moving 84 people around. With their cooperation, we were able to do that.”
Romeo said, “Moving forward after Armstrong Court, we own properties that can accommodate another 300 units into our housing inventory.”
First Selectman Fred Camillo said, “We are leading the way in the state of Connecticut. Solutions are best made by those who live in those towns; they know the towns best. We”™ve been making that effort for decades, but it”™s never been as successful as now, under the leadership of Tony Johnson and Sam Romeo. Thank you for all you”™ve done and continued great success.”
Alanna Kabel, director of Community Planning and Development at HUD, said, “This is our largest affordable housing development block grant in the country, and this is an absolutely wonderful example of what that program can achieve when we all work together.”
