Rick Lopes

$1.3 Million-Plus Grant to Support New Housing in New Britain Cheered by City’s Legislative Delegation

The New Britain legislative delegation – state Senator Rick Lopes, state Representatives Robert Sanchez, Manny Sanchez, and Peter Tercyak – welcomes the awarding of a $1.355 million state grant to support the environmental clean-up, abatement, and partial demolishing of the Polar Building, a former manufacturing and industrial property located at 27 Columbus Boulevard and 43 High Street. These actions will lead to constructing a mixed-income residential development containing 62 rental units.

“This grant will help to move forward efforts to create new housing, while spurring local economic activity,” said Sen. Lopes. “I want to recognize my fellow members of the New Britain delegation for their collective work to secure investments like this grant for our city and its residents. Also, thank you to Governor Lamont and Department of Economic and Community Development for awarding this funding to New Britain.”

“I am pleased that New Britain featured prominently in this brownfield remediation funding and that we are helping people with housing needs in this transformation of an old site,” Rep. Robert Sanchez said. “I am proud of our collective work and thank Governor Lamont for keeping New Britain on the radar.”

“Thank you to Senator Lopes for leading the charge on securing this funding. This further proves that Governor Lamont has been and continues to be fond of the City of New Britain,” said Rep. Tercyak.

“Bringing abandoned properties back into productive use helps New Britain with environmental protection, quality of life and the tax base,” Rep. Manny Sanchez said. “I applaud all my colleagues and thank Governor Lamont for his support of this round of funding.”

The over $1.3 million grant is provided through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation Program (BRP). The purpose of these grants is to assist municipalities with covering costs of remediating blighted properties and returning them to uses that benefit the local community.

The BRP offers financial and technical support to cities and towns in Connecticut. Economic development agencies, brownfield owners, and potential developers are also recipients of the program’s assistance. The program is charged with a mission of revitalizing brownfield sites so they can serve mixed-use, residential, commercial, and other community development purposes.

Additional information on the Brownfield Remediation Program can found at www.ctbrownfields.gov.