This week Governor Ned Lamont announced $28.2 million in state grants to support the remediation and assessment of 16 blighted properties in Connecticut.
A release said funds are to help bring more than 200 acres of land in 13 towns and cities back into productive use so they can be redeveloped and support the state’s economic growth, including through hundreds of new housing units.
The grants are being released through the CT Dept of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program.
According to a release from the Governor, this round of grants is projected to leverage more than $354 million in private investments and lead to the creation of approximately 835 housing units, including 157 designated as affordable.
“By cleaning up blighted and vacant properties, we can put this land back into productive use in smart ways that support the growth of businesses and new jobs, and also to build new housing, which is significantly needed,” Lamont said in the release. “Through the remediation of these properties, we are creating new opportunities to revitalize neighborhoods and transform otherwise unusable lots into new spaces where businesses can thrive and residents can live.”
The grants announced Wednesday include two at the former Honda dealer on Mason Street in Greenwich with its history of car dealers including Studebaker and Pontiac. Two buildings were approved by Greenwich Planning & Zoning to straddle Mason Street – a six-story building and a five-story building.
The project was submitted under the state 8-30g affordable housing statute.
From the outset, all acknowledged remediation would be required, given the history of the site.
The grants for Greenwich are:
• $4,000,000 to the Western Connecticut Council of Governments for demolition, soil and groundwater remediation, and site assessment of the 1.22-acre, privately-owned property at 275 Mason Street that spans seven parcels. The release noted this site has a history of industrial and commercial use, including blacksmithing, stone cutting, and automotive operations, with its most recent use being a Honda dealership.
“These remediation efforts will enable development of 55 housing units as part of the Mason Street East TOD project. The project is located near the Greenwich Train Station and bus transit,” the release stated.
• $4,000,000 to the Western Connecticut Council of Governments for demolition, soil and groundwater remediation, and limited site assessment of the 0.37-acre, privately-owned property at 290 Mason Street that spans three parcels.
According to the governor’s release, “The site has a history of industrial and commercial use. These remediation efforts will enable the development of 20 housing units as part of the Mason Street West TOD project.”
While the governor’s press release refers to 55 units of housing and 20 units of housing respectively, for a total of 75 condos across the two buildings, each will have 12 affordable condos for a total of 24.
The properties include 275, 290 and 294 Mason Street, as well as 405 Greenwich Ave, plus paved areas – 289 (paving), 309 (paving), 315 (paving), and 321 (paving) Mason Street. They all sold from Orchard Place Associates LLC to Mason Street Partners LLC on Oct 12, 2023 for $16,590,000. The properties also include 279 Mason Street which sold from John and Lisa Loprinzo to Mason Street Partners LLC back on Aug 7, 2023 for $1,050,000 The purchase price for all properties totaled about $21 million. Photo: Leslie Yager
Rendering from applicant’s presentation materials.View from Mason Street looking South.
290 Mason Street is located on the west side of Mason Street. Pictured when Honda dealership was active. Photo Leslie Yager
The buildings were posted for demolition several weeks ago.
The project was submitted to Greenwich P&Z commission under the state’s affordable housing statute 8-30g. After initially denying the application in a vote of 5-0 in Sept 2024, and following several more hearings, the proposal was approved on Dec 17, 2024 in a vote of 4-1, but the approval included conditions that did not sit well with the applicant.
Conditions dealt with the retail use proposed for the ground floor. The commission noted 8-30g is silent on commercial use. Attorney for the applicant Timothy Hollister said that while 8-30g does not mention retail use, it does not explicitly prohibit it either.
A key condition of the P&Z commission approval concerned the affordable units being “comparable” to the market rate ones.
Attorney Hollister said there was a CT Supreme Court case that said comparability was not a reason for denial, but rather a matter of opinion that can be dealt with by reasonable changes and conditions.
After the approval with conditions, the applicant sued the town of Greenwich.
The lawsuit has yet to be resolved.
Click here for the developer/plaintiff’s complaint.
Click here for the Town/P&Z commission reply brief.
See also:
Greenwich P&Z Approves Mason St 8-30g with Significant Modifications
Dec 18, 2024
P&Z Watch – Mason St 8-30g Elephants in the Room Inclusion of Retail & Comparability of Units
Nov 18, 2024
Greenwich Planning & Zoning Unanimously Denies 8-30g at Former Honda Dealer
Sept 18, 2024
P&Z Watch: Is 92-Unit 8-30g “The Missing Tooth” in the Fabric of Downtown Greenwich? July 11, 2024
P&Z Watch: 8-30g Application on Mason St – “A Cavernous Effect on the Street” June 1, 2024
Multi-Story Buildings Proposed at Former Honda Dealership on Both Sides of Mason Street November 2023
The other 14 remediation grants announced on Wednesday:
- Ashford and Willington: $200,000 to the towns for environmental assessment, market analysis, and other planning activities at the Cadlerock property, a 338.55-acre, 12-parcel area straddling the town lines. These activities will help identify future reuse options and development path for the property.
- Bridgeport: $3,000,000 to the Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation to support soil remediation at the 16.86-acre site located at 731 Seaview Avenue. Formerly home to CarTech’s steel mill operations, the privately-owned site is impacted by widespread contamination. Remediation will prepare the site for redevelopment, enabling Bridgeport Boatworks to occupy a newly constructed facility and allowing Hornblower Marine to expand their operations within existing on-site buildings.
- Chaplin: $50,000 to the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments for the assessment of the 1.2-acre site of the Former Chaplin Post Office, located at 142 Chaplin Street. These assessment activities will enable the town to remediate the site for potential commercial use.
- Enfield: $4,000,000 to the town for hazardous materials abatement and demolition activities at the former Enfield Square Shopping Center, a 73.26-acre site located at 90 Elm Street. A proposed $250-million mixed-use development project includes approximately 452 housing units, with 20% designated affordable.In addition, the development features up to $350,000 square feet of entertainment, retail, and commercial spaces, as well as restaurants and two possible hotels.
- Hartford: $1,000,000 to the city for the remediation of the 1.86-acre site located at 1163 Albany Ave and 422 Woodland Street. Historical uses of the site include auto repair, gas station operations, and a moving and storage warehouse. The grant funds will cover cost of removing and properly disposing of contaminated soil from the project site. These remediation activities will enable the construction a 30,516-square-foot public, commercial, and retail building that will house the Hartford Department of Health and Human Services, a bank, and a restaurant/coffee shop.
- Hartford: $200,000 to the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) for the development of a comprehensive, area-wide plan that will identify actionable strategies to remediate, reuse, and reinvest in the Clay Arsenal neighborhood. These planning activities will enable CRCOG, in partnership with the San Juan Center, to plan for future redevelopment in the area.
- Killingly: $150,000 to The Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments for the assessment of the 0.92-acre site of the Old Killingly High School, located at 185 Broad Street. The assessment activities will enable the town to remediate the site for potential use for housing, childcare, or vocational services.
- Newtown: $200,000 to the Connecticut Brownfield Land Bank, Inc. for the assessment of the 33.4-acre site of the former Charles Batchelder Co., an aluminum smelting plant, located at 44 and 46a Swamp Road. Funds will be used to fill data gaps on the two parcels from previous remediation activities to further the town’s plans to use the site for a solar field and/or new industrial/commercial space.
- Shelton: $4,000,000 to the Shelton Economic Development Corporation for cleanup of the 1.3-acre, privately-owned site located at 235 Canal Street. The site has a history of manufacturing uses, including hardware, cutlery, railway lighting and equipment, and operations as a tool and machine shop. Demolition/abatement and remediation of the site will enable the construction of 100 units of housing on the site.
- Torrington: $800,000 to the city for the cleanup of the 7.54-acre, privately-owned property located at 59 Field Street. The property is the site of the former Torrington Company/Excelsior Needle Company. Funds will be used to abate and demolish a two-story, 24,000-square-foot building (#24), pave the surface, and create additional parking to support the adjacent commercial space.
- Torrington: $200,000 to the city to complete assessment activities at the former Torrington Standard Plant located on a combined 4.61 acres of contiguous lots at and around 52 Norwood Street. Assessment activities will identify contaminants and inform future redevelopment efforts.
- Torrington: $200,000 to the city for comprehensive brownfield planning downtown, focused on the north end of Main Street. These planning activities will enable the city to create a 2030-2040 Brownfield Remediation and Redevelopment Strategy to guide its efforts to promote downtown development.
- Watertown: $200,000 to the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments for the assessment of the land surrounding the Pin Shop Pond and former Oakville Pin Company located at 20 and 27 Main Street. Funds will be used for assessment activities that will enable future development, such as commercial uses or trail and green space.
- West Hartford: $6,000,000 to the town to support environmental cleanup at the 33.9-acre privately-owned site located at 1800 Asylum Avenue, formerly occupied by UConn. Once cleaned, the site will be redeveloped to include 28 townhomes for purchase, 93 rental units, 87 assisted living units, and commercial spaces.