What did Lt. Gov. Bysiewicz have to say about Business Park North and its economic impact?

NORWICH — The state of Connecticut is happy to support a Norwich project that will have an impact in the city and regionally.

In March, Norwich was approved for $11.39 million in funds from the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s Community Investment Fund 2030 to aid in developing Business Park North. On Monday, state and local leaders visited the site in Occum to tout the importance of these funds, and the project.

It is expected the Business Park North project can leverage $300 million in private investment. This project was funded by the state because it can have an economic impact beyond Norwich, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said.

“The governor and I know that when you invest in communities, it brings better outcomes for everyone,” she said. “This $11.39 million is going to help develop thousands of new jobs, grow and secure a manufacturing base in this area, and strengthen supply chains for our defense and energy sectors.”

Show me the money: Norwich awarded $11.4 million from Community Investment Fund 2030

Promoting the business park, securing federal funds

There are two focuses with the business park now. One is to promote the site to prospective developers. While there were seven letters of interest in developing in the business park included in the CIF application, having this funding will encourage more businesses to take interest. AdvanceCT is also promoting Business Park North as a top 5 site in the state.

“It will (grow) our capacity to promote statewide, nationwide, worldwide, “ he said.

The other focus right now is secure over $15 million through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Discretionary Grants to build the remainder of the arterial roadway, and improve the business park’s intersection at Rt. 97. This grant was submitted Feb.28, and the city will know if it is awarded the money by June 28, Brown said.

The city has kept active discussions with Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy about getting the federal grant, Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom said.

“We’re not waiting just to get a call,” he said.

Will it happen? Business Park North promises $3 million a year, once full. Residents are skeptical.

Strategic location

The state is aware the former farmland in Occum designated for Business Park North has strategic value. It is approximately 20 minutes from the State Pier in New London, and can access the New England Central Railroad, and the Providence and Worcester Railroad, DECD Deputy Commissioner and Chief Investment Officer Rob Hotaling said.

The CIF funds will be used mainly to create the arterial roadway through the new business park. The arterial road funding covers 2,700 linear feet of the full 7,700 linear feet planned.

Construction on the roadway is expected to start early next year. Norwich Community Development Corporation President Kevin Brown said the rest of this year's work will be to find interested businesses, getting through permitting processes, engineering for the road and utilities, and an RFP for a construction manager,

“The goal is to have marketable, sellable parcels at the end of 2024,” he said.

About the Community Investment Fund

The state gave the CIF funds in a competitive environment for eligible municipalities. While there were $175 million in funds awarded, but $1 billion in applications, Bysiewicz said.

The intent of the program is to unlock “the economic development potential of historically underserved communities in Connecticut.”

For Norwich, this translates to estimates of  $2.1 million in property taxes, $1.5 million in personal property taxes, and $6.7 million in utility revenues, Hotaling said.

This CIF funding for Norwich was in the second of ten rounds of $175 million each. Norwich got $550,000  in the first round for the transformation of the Reid and Hughes building in downtown into retail space and apartments. The third round of applications began Monday, Hotaling said.

Norwich has ten applications it is planning on sending to the state, Brown said.

The eligible municipalities for CIF in New London and Windham counties are Brooklyn, Chaplin, Griswold, Groton, Killingly, Ledyard, Montville, New London, Norwich, Plainfield, Preston, Putnam, Scotland, Sprague, Sterling, Thompson, Voluntown and Windham.

Neighbors' concerns

Neighbors living near the Business Park North site have long made their concerns known to the city, having concerns about the environment, traffic, and much more. With the state’s interest in Business Park North, the community will have to discuss what they’ll do next, said Frederick Browning of Preserving Norwich Neighborhoods, LLC.

“The state of Connecticut is, to a fault, very pro-development, and they’re not thinking of it in terms of the impact on the local neighborhoods,” he said.

Not in my neighborhood: Occum residents form LLC, make demands for Norwich's proposed Business Park North

Preserving Norwich Neighborhoods is still researching and working on an alternate site plan. The group will also petition the city to change the plan, Browning said.

“If they’re still building at the scope of 12 large factories or distribution centers, then we still have the same problem,” he said.

The city is still interested in communicating with neighbors, Brown said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Business Park North aims for saleable parcels by 2024