Hartford, E. Hartford To Receive State Grants For Projects

HARTFORD, CT – Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday that the State of Connecticut is awarding $45 million to twelve cities and towns under his administration’s newly established Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant Program.

Projects in East Hartford and Hartford include:

• East Hartford ($2 million; 133 and 211 Riverside Drive): The town will partner with Goodwin University to build a publicly accessible marina on campus that will include new transient slips and a water taxi. Future phases will include restaurants and lodging.
• Hartford ($6.3 million; 1355 to 1363 Main Street): The city, in partnership with the San Juan Center, Inc. and the Carabetta Development, LLC, will develop 43 mixed-income apartments, 7,358 sq. ft. ground floor retail space and a new public/recreation space in the first phase and 18 housing units and 1,200 sq ft. of ground retail space in the second phase. The project will tie together and enhance the pedestrian connections between North Crossing and the Clay Arsenal Neighborhood.

The grants are leveraging approximately $74 million in non-state and private dollars and will support projects that improve the livability and vibrancy of communities throughout the state.

More than 50% of funding will be invested in Connecticut’s distressed municipalities.

This is the first round of funding under the program, which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).

The second round is expected to launch in the fall, and DECD is expected to award up to $100 million in grants over the next several years.

“Investing in our communities is a key part of our plan to accelerate long-lasting and equitable economic development in Connecticut," Lamont said in a statement. “This new grant program we launched will have wide-ranging impacts as we emerge stronger than ever from the pandemic, creating new jobs, improving the vibrancy and quality of life in our neighborhoods, and making all corners of the state even more attractive for investment and opportunity.”