Bolinsky, Applauds State Grant to Assess and Remediate Batchelder Property for Redevelopment

(HARTFORD, CT) – Today State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) hailed Governor Ned Lamont’s announcement that his administration is releasing $28.2 million in state grants that will be used to support the remediation and assessment of 16 blighted properties, helping to 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, including a grant for the long vacant Batchelder property in Newtown.

Newtown's $200,000 Brownfield grant will permit the remediation plan process to move forward in support of the town's plans to complete remediation and repurpose the long vacant site for use as a solar field and/or new commercial or industrial space.

Rep. Bolinsky said, “This grant will get us a step closer to completing the clean-up of the long vacant Batchelder property.  In addition to being the responsible thing to do, putting this land back into productive use is just plain smart. As many supporters of Newtown's planned 2026 'Rail Trail' project know, the 'Rail Trail' will be adjacent to the former Batchelder property, running along an abandoned Housatonic Railroad right-of-way, that connects-up with Monroe's Rail Trail, the Pequonock River Trail in Trumbull, and to Bridgeport's Beardsley Park and Zoo.

My thanks to Governor Lamont and Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe for their support".

The grant is being released through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Brownfield Remediation and Development Program. In total, 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.