Posted on May 13, 2013
State Representatives David Labriola (R-131) and Rosa C. Rebimbas (R-70) applauded an announcement from Governor Malloy’s office that the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation will receive a $975,000 grant for remediation work on 11.7 acres at 6 Rubber Avenue, a downtown location used since the 1860s primarily to manufacture rubber.
The funding will aid a $2.4 million cleanup project to prepare the site for conversion into a mixed-use development that meets transit-oriented development and sustainable criteria.
“I would like to thank Governor Malloy and Commissioner Smith for their commitment to Brownfield Redevelopment,” Rep. Rebimbas said. “These funds will be helpful in the transition of the future economic state or our Borough.”
“Cleaning up brownfield sites and transforming them into useful pieces of property will be a tremendous boon for the citizens of Naugatuck,” Rep. Labriola said.
“State and local governments can and should work together to restore blighted properties—sites that have tremendous potential for commerce, housing, and retail that will create jobs,” said Governor Malloy. “There are hundreds of properties across the state—abandoned factories, warehouses, rail yards and mills, that were once the center of economic activity but now just contribute to urban decay. With the right investment, these properties can bolster our economy and add to our quality of life.”
“Governor Malloy’s commitment to remediate and redevelop brownfields has greatly benefited the municipalities that are searching for ways to improve commerce, address blight, and increase the tax base,” said Commissioner Smith. “In the last year, DECD has awarded more than $34 million to clean up polluted sites in communities throughout Connecticut—an investment that has leveraged about $480 million in private and federal funding to revitalize local economies and restore community assets.”