Doug McCrory

McCrory: Massive State Investment Will Help Transform Hartford’s North End

State Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) today applauded the State Bond Commission’s plan to approve nearly $70 million worth of state loans and grants later this week in order to make a variety of economic and quality of life investments in Hartford—particularly in the North End of Hartford that Sen. McCrory represents in the General Assembly.

“Without exaggeration, this is probably the largest and most consequential influx of state bonding for Hartford that I have seen in my 14 year in the state legislature,” Sen. McCrory said. “It’s massive. And it will be transformative for the north end of Hartford, which is an area I have been trying to direct economic resources to for many years. The grocery store alone at the corner of Albany Avenue and Main Street is worth its weight in gold, what it can do for jobs in the community, improving people’s diets, and reducing travel time for groceries. Something most people take for granted. This is a great day for Hartford and for the North End in particular.”

Among the items the State Bond Commission is expected to approve when it meets at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 20, 2018 in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford:

• $12 million loan for the planned Downtown North redevelopment, including 150 to 200 apartments adjacent to Dunkin Donuts Park
• $8.5 million loan to assist with the development of a grocery store at the corner of Albany Avenue and Main Street
• $8.4 million loan to assist with the development of 108 units of market-rate housing and related retail/commercial space at the corner of Park and Main streets
• $4 million loan to help refurbish historic neighborhood retail buildings along Albany Avenue and Main Street
• $4 million grant to replace sidewalks, plant street trees, and install traffic calming measures
• $3 million grant to renovate the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, including electrical upgrades, code and safety improvements, roof and masonry repairs, elevator upgrades, restroom improvements and flooring replacement
• $1 million grant for Riverfront Recapture to extend the Hartford Riverwalk north of Riverside Park
• $1 million for track improvements and field lighting at Hartford Public High School
• $590,000 grant for traffic signals
• $450,000 for the Charter Oak Health Center to renovate and improve a building next to its Grand Street location in order to expand programs and services
• $25.7 million for the Capital Region Development Authority to finance various infrastructure, housing and community development programs in Hartford.