Norwich awarded $11.4 million from Community Investment Fund 2030 - where it's going

While many people called the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Connecticut has its own funding that may be just as impactful.

The state, via the Community Investment Fund 2030 Board, awarded $98.5 million to distressed municipalities across the state in the second of 10 total rounds of funding Tuesday. With $175 million awardable per year for five years, the program will provide funds to winning applications from 55 eligible municipalities across the state. These projects can range from infrastructure to economic development and community needs.

“The goal is to fund transformative change in these communities,” said Matt Pugliese, director of the Community Investment Fund for the Department of Economic and Community Development.

The eligible municipalities 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.

Awards made to Norwich

Of them, only Norwich had a project approved in the first round of funding, being $550,000 for the restoration of the Reid and Hughes building in downtown into retail space and apartments.

On the second round of funding, Norwich was awarded $11.391 million for continuing development of Business Park North. New London was awarded $7.236 million for final construction costs for a community center. Preston was awarded $400,000 to help fund traffic control and walkability measures for the Poquetanuck Village Traffic Calming Master Plan.

The program is still competitive, and municipalities need to submit their best ideas for the grant. The total amount of funding requests for round two was $1.044 billion, Pugliese said.

If it weren’t for this funding opportunity, these projects wouldn’t be able to happen, giving distressed communities “a leg up in moving forward,” said state Sen. Cathy Osten.

Norwich Community Development Corporation President Kevin Brown is “proud, excited and thankful” for the state recognizing that equitable development around the state is needed, and the impact the investment can have on business and job growth in Eastern Connecticut.

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“When private developers see that the state of Connecticut is willing to step up and provide an impetus for further development, it makes them more confident,” he said.

Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom urged all other eligible municipalities to apply for the program, so those towns can meet needs they couldn’t otherwise.

“It’s a generational, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said.

Other area awards

New London has been working on the community center project for years, and having something akin in Norwich is a goal. For Preston, it’s a “quintessential small town,” and its project would improve that community feeling, Osten said.

“All three (of the projects approved Tuesday) have great value in Eastern Connecticut,” she said.

For New London, the community center will become home to the city’s recreation and youth affairs department, according to a press release from the New London delegation.

“The New London community will finally get the state-of-the-art facility it deserves, providing activities, resources and support to residents,” state Rep. Christine Conley said in the statement.

For Preston, the project represents making Route 2A safer, and spurring economic development in the area around the Preston Community Park, the Tri-Town Trail, and the Preston Housing Authority, state Sen. Heather Somers said in a statement.

The Community Investment Fund 2030 funding also enables towns to grow their grand lists, and provide for community assets, Osten said.

Round three of Community Investment Fund applications, marking the second year of the program, will open on May 1 and close June 30. Interested municipalities should talk to the Fund’s board and personnel before making the application, Puglisese said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich's Community Investment Fund award for Business Park North