Sen. Gadkar-Wilcox Welcomes $5.4 In State Funding for Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT — Today, State Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox celebrated the approval of over $5.4 million in Community Investment Fund (CIF) grants for two transformative Bridgeport projects: the restoration of Cortright Hall at the University of Bridgeport and the renovation of Optimus Health Care’s pediatric, OB/GYN, and dental clinic on East Main Street.

The CIF Board approved $3,200,000 for the University of Bridgeport to restore Cortright Hall, a historic building constructed in 1890 located within the Marina Park Historic District. The project will modernize building systems, improve accessibility and energy efficiency, and support the university’s long-term capacity to serve Bridgeport students and the broader community. The renovation is expected to create approximately 10 local construction jobs and support an increase in student enrollment in the years ahead.

The Board also approved $2,454,360 for Optimus Health Care, Inc., a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves approximately 42,000 patients annually, the majority of whom are low-income, Medicaid-enrolled, or uninsured. Funding will complete first-floor renovations at the East Main Street clinic, expand the facility’s OB/GYN capacity by onboarding a full OB-GYN clinical team, and will expand pediatric and dental services as well. Upon completion, Optimus projects it will be able to serve an estimated 1,500 additional women annually through comprehensive OB/GYN care, along with hundreds of new pediatric and dental patients each year.

The funding must next be approved by the State Bond Commission before it is allocated to each organization.

“Bridgeport families deserve access to world-class healthcare and a thriving university at the heart of our community, and today’s CIF approval helps make both of those goals a reality,” said Sen. Gadkar-Wilcox. “For too many women and families in Bridgeport, access to quality OB/GYN, pediatric, and dental care is out of reach. This investment in Optimus Health Care will meaningfully expand that access. Restoring Cortright Hall at UB is an investment in the next generation of students, many of them first-generation college students from right here in Bridgeport, who deserve a state-of-the-art campus to grow and learn in. I am grateful to Governor Lamont, Senate Leadership, and the CIF Board for their continued commitment to Bridgeport.”

The Community Investment Fund 2030 is a state program administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) designed to direct capital investment to historically underserved communities across Connecticut.