Today, State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling applauded the announcement of a $6 million state grant for the city of Norwalk and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency to make infrastructure upgrades to facilitate the construction of new residential and commercial development near the South Norwalk train station.
The announcement was a part of $45 million awarded to twelve cities and towns under Governor Lamont’s newly established Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant Program. 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.
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 of 2022, and DECD is expected to award up to $100 million in grants over the next several years.
Norwalk will receive $6 million for 30 Monroe Street from 15 to 17 Chestnut Street. The Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, in partnership with the city and Spinnaker Real Estate Partners LLC, will provide and expand critical infrastructure that will enable the development of vacant and underutilized sites for a mixed-use/transit-oriented development adjacent to the train station. It will include a minimum of 200 mixed-income residential, 10,000 square feet of commercial, a public plaza, and 60 off-street public parking spaces. The infrastructure upgrades will help support the potential development of an additional 500 new residential units in the area.
“I want to thank Governor Lamont and DECD Commissioner David Lehman for selecting Norwalk for this important grant,” said Senator Duff. “Transit-oriented development projects like this one in South Norwalk are critical to growing Connecticut’s population and economy. More housing near train stations means more jobs, plain and simple. This funding is a win for Norwalk and the entire state.”
“I want to profusely thank the State of Connecticut, including Governor Lamont and Senate Majority Leader, Bob Duff, for their leadership in helping to deliver $6 million to this project through the Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant,” said Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling. “Obtaining this grant was made possible due to collaboration between the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, the City, and vital public-private partnerships. By investing in infrastructure and streetscape, such as enhancing traffic safety through new sidewalks, mitigating stormwater runoff to prevent flooding, and planting more trees, this critical infrastructure project will increase livability and add to the vibrancy of our City. This initiative also allocates funds towards the preservation of existing affordable housing, supporting our vision of making the City a more accessible and equitable place to work and live.”
“This $6 million grant from the State of Connecticut will provide funding for critical infrastructure upgrades that will help balance the impacts of development with meaningful reinvestment into the community,” said Brian Bidolli, Executive Director of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency. “The development of additional commercial space, transit-oriented and parking amenities, a public plaza, and mixed-income residential units will enhance South Norwalk’s redevelopment and revitalization. My thanks to the Governor’s Office, DECD, Sen. Duff, Mayor Rilling, the Norwalk Common Council, and the various other city staff and community stakeholders, for all of their support in obtaining this Challenge Grant.”
The Connecticut Communities Challenge program was created last year to fund a wide range of revitalization projects with the goal of creating approximately 3,000 new jobs. The program is an important component of Governor Lamont’s Economic Action Plan – a strategic package of initiatives that totals more than $750 million over five years, matched approximately dollar-for-dollar by private and other non-state funding that will result in a projected 80,000 new jobs.
Additional details on the Connecticut Communities Challenge program can be found online at portal.ct.gov/DECD/Content/Business-Development/05_Funding_Opportunities/CT-Communities-Challenge-Grant.
