East Haddam is getting a $15 million federal rural-development loan to convert a former school building into town offices and a public-safety complex, authorities say.
Connecticut Congressman Joe Courtney’s office announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program has approved the 40-year loan. Normally, municipalities rely on 30-year bonds for capital construction/renovation projects.
However, Courtney said his support of State Sen. Cathy Osten’s efforts to relax Connecticut law regarding municipal lending terms allowed East Haddam to qualify for the less onerous 40-year loan.
East Haddam First Selectman Mark B. Walter said the money will allow work to get underway preserving the idle school building’s roof, boiler and parking lot.
In time, Walter said, the surrounding area, across from the Goodspeed Opera House, will be updated to accommodate tourism to the area.
