Federal officials have designated a section of North Hartford as an economic promise zone, which city government hopes will lead to the redevelopment of the Swift Factory, Mayor Pedro Segarra announced Tuesday.
A five-person team of AmeriCorps Vista members will work to get federal assistance for the 3.1-square-mile area, which will receive preferential consideration for funds. The relatively new designation includes the Clay Arsenal, Northeast and Upper Albany neighborhoods.
Down the road, it could also mean tax incentives, if Congress approves a proposal from President Obama.
Hartford officials hope to convert the vacant Swift Factory into a hub for businesses and healthcare services.
Efforts will also be targeted at initiatives that are already underway, including $100 million in façade and infrastructure improvements, two school renovations, the North End Senior Center, Keney Park Ballfields, the restoration of Keney Park Golf Course and its clubhouse, and a new police substation on Coventry Street.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development expects to have named 20 such zones around the country this year.
Hartford was competing with nearly 100 other urban areas in the second round of applications. To qualify, areas must have a poverty rate of more than 33 percent. North Hartford’s promise zone, which has 23,930 residents, is well above that, at more than 49 percent.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and a variety of city agencies and nonprofits pushed for the designation, Segarra’s office said.
