The Community Investment Fund 2030 board — a new group led by top lawmakers — recently approved $76.4 million in state grants for development and community projects in distressed municipalities.Middletown is in line for $12 million to fund its “Return to the Riverbend” plan, an effort to make better connections with parkland and redevelop industrial, […]
The Community Investment Fund 2030 board — a new group led by top lawmakers — recently approved $76.4 million in state grants for development and community projects in distressed municipalities.
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Middletown is in line for $12 million to fund its “Return to the Riverbend” plan, an effort to make better connections with parkland and redevelop industrial, commercial and waste treatment sites along the Connecticut River.
Waterbury is teed up to get $10 million, which local officials say is enough to finish cleaning a roughly 20-acre brownfield adjacent to its downtown.
New Haven is the other big winner, with a $10 million allocation.
The list of projects blessed by the Community Investment Fund (CIF) 2030 board now needs Gov. Ned Lamont’s approval to go on the state Bond Commission agenda for funding. But no cuts are anticipated.
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Matt Ritter
“We certainly don’t anticipate rejection or amendments because it’s been well vetted and worked out,” House Speaker Matt Ritter (D-Hartford) told the CIF board. “But he ultimately is the governor. So, in theory, until he says 100% yes, there could be changes and feedback to this group.”
Approved by lawmakers last year, the Community Investment Fund board has a mandate to approve up to $875 million in projects and grants in distressed communities over a five-year period.
Ritter co-chairs the CIF board with Senate President Pro Tem. Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven).
Under the 2021 law, funding priorities will be decided by a 21-member board that includes 10 state lawmakers; nine heads of state offices and commissions, or their designees; and two appointees by the governor.
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The Department of Economic and Community Development received 183 applications asking for about $900 million.
Other projects approved for funding include:
Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association, Hartford, $1.2M
BIMEC Housing Development, New Haven, $2.1M
City of Meriden, 85 Tremont/Locust St. project, $3M
City of New Haven, 596-598 George St. project, $1.5M
CitySeed Inc., New Haven, $1.1M
CONNCORP, New Haven, $10M
International Hartford, $1.1M
North Hartford Collaborative, $4.5M
Sheldon Oak Central Inc., Hartford, $3.8M
Town of East Hartford, Church Corners project, $2.5M
