Point Stratford Cleanup Milestone Marked At Former Avco Lycoming Site In Stratford

STRATFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont joined Stratford Mayor David Chess, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, and federal, state and local officials Thursday to mark the completion of a phase of cleanup work at the former Avco Lycoming site in Stratford.

The waterfront property, once home to Sikorsky, produced seaplanes and the company's first helicopters. It was later owned by Chance Vought Aircraft, where Corsair fighter-bombers were manufactured during World War II.

Point Stratford Renewal, a Connecticut-based development team, was selected by the U.S. Army in 2024 to remediate and redevelop the long-vacant site. The team is led by Jim and Peter Cabrera of Greenwich-based Eagle Ventures and Ted Lane, founder of New Canaan-based Cannon Green Advisors.

"This ground has always been a place of innovation, and the tidal flats cleanup carried that tradition forward, because this remediation was itself a stroke of innovation," said Jim Cabrera, a principal of Point Stratford Renewal.

Cabrera said the tidal flats cleanup, originally estimated to take four years and cost $135 million, was completed in 18 months for $74 million. He said the project involved the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Town of Stratford.

Cabrera said material removed from the tidal flats was reused on upland portions of the property to provide coastal resiliency for future redevelopment. He said the reuse was made possible through a targeted brownfield remedy approved by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

"This is a pivotal moment for this project, for Stratford and for Connecticut," Mayor Chess said. "We have big plans for this site to become a destination offering opportunities to live, work, and play for generations to come. The first step on that path is restoring the tidal flats, and we couldn't be more grateful to PSR and all of our federal and state partners for what they've accomplished. Not only were they undeterred by this daunting task, but they completed it on time and under budget. I look forward to many more exciting announcements to come as we transform this incredible property."

Ted Lane, a principal of Point Stratford Renewal, said completing the tidal flats remediation marks a significant step in the redevelopment effort.

"Seeing this massive ecological cleanup cross the finish line after having secured this property under contract more than 12 years ago is incredibly rewarding," Lane said. "We are profoundly grateful to our partners at the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and our environmental contractors at ENTACT for their rigorous dedication to restoring this vital waterfront ecosystem."

Peter Cabrera, a principal and executive vice president of Point Stratford Renewal, said the remediation will allow future public access to the waterfront.

"Generations of Stratford families have driven past this waterfront without ever being able to reach it, which this remediation unlocks," Cabrera said. "We look forward to reconnecting the community with the waterfront in the near future; providing a clean river's edge and a waterfront the public can finally enjoy alongside a mixed-use development positioned to drive profound economic development to the area. We are honored to stand here today to celebrate this shared milestone with our partners and stakeholders."

About the former Army Engine Plant

The complex, known by many in Stratford as the Avco Lycoming site, was once home to Sikorsky, which manufactured seaplanes and its first helicopters here. Later, it was owned by Chance Vought Aircraft, which manufactured the iconic Corsair fighter-bombers during World War II. From 1951 until the 1990s, Avco Lycoming made engines for aircraft and military tanks for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army at the government-owned plant. The last engine manufacturing operation on the site ceased in 1997. The remediation process involves the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army, and Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Town of Stratford.

About Point Stratford Renewal (Website: www.pointstratford.com)

The Connecticut-based Point Stratford Renewal team acquired the property in 2024 after being selected by the U.S. Army to remediate and redevelop the long-vacant site. It is led by Jim and Peter Cabrera, of Greenwich-based Eagle Ventures, which focuses on distressed properties, and Ted Lane, founder of New Canaan-based Cannon Green Advisors, a firm specializing in brownfield redevelopment. Both men have played key roles in major redevelopment projects in Stamford, including Harbor Point, the large mixed-use waterfront transformation of the city’s former industrial South End.