From city Communications Director Brett Broesder:
Today, Gov. Malloy announced that the state is giving Bridgeport, Conn. $300,000 to redevelop its historic Remington Arms Factory site.
“In Bridgeport, we’re investing in the future, making our city a place where our kids and grandkids will choose to live, work, and raise a family. As a former industrial powerhouse with historic buildings that have been neglected for several decades, we’re rebuilding our city while staying true to our working class roots. But doing so takes significant investments from both the private and public sectors, which in turn help us prepare these properties to become job creators and spur economic growth. That’s why this announcement is so important. Thanks to Gov. Malloy for his commitment to helping Bridgeport get better every day,” said Mayor Bill Finch.
Located in Bridgeport’s East Side, the oldest building that serves as part of the larger complex was built in 1867 as the Union Metallic Cartridge Company. In 1912, the company merged with the Remington Arms Company.
Two years later, as the Remington Arms Company increased production, the factory expanded into 38 buildings taking up more than 73 acres of land. It was a $12 million project, and once complete and at its operational peak, the company employed well over 17,000 people and the New York Times called it “the greatest small arms and ammunition plant in the world.”
The Remington Arms Factory continued to thrive until WWII ended. But over the ensuing decades, it steadily declined until 1986 when it closed up shop for good.
For the past few decades, the property has been vacant. One portion of the site has been cleared and will soon serve as home to Bridgeport’s second train station.
The City’s Director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development, David Kooris, noted the significance of this property. “Directly adjacent to the proposed Barnum Station, this property represents an opportunity to simultaneously protect our heritage while laying the foundation for the next generation of employment and housing opportunities for Bridgeport’s residents. At the heart of the East Bridgeport Development Corridor, these properties represent the most significant opportunity for growth and prosperity in Fairfield County. The history at this site is remarkable. With Mayor Finch’s vision for the city and the future, the former Remington Arms Factory site will play a significant role. That’s why we’re in the process of being able to have the city use this generous investment by the state to remediate the land and make it ready for development.”
Oh! Just in time to take our minds off DeJesus-gate. How clever of the governor and his Bridgeport surrogates.
$300,000 more for workforce housing and transportation for the Stamford workforce.
The train station and all of the related development are for Stamford/the Gold Coast. They need cheap labor to maintain their tax base and lifestyle. This is Bridgeport’s role under Dan Malloy.
Where does the traffic on I-95 come from every day? Why did Malloy come up with the hairbrained idea to double the width of that awful highway (along with 8-25) that has already displaced and dislocated so much of our downtown and business and historic districts?
About 60,000 of the cars going west through Fairfield county every morning come from Bridgeport. Many Bridgeporters also commute by train to Stamford-Greenwich.
Thus Stamford receives its workforce in the AM and sends it home in the PM. No need for workforce housing and the people and services/expense that go with it. Let taxbase-less Bridgeport foot the bill.
And in a similar vein, how about Trumbull getting a low-cost ride off our infrastructure?
And who hosts the power plants and other obtrusive, devaluing infrastructure for the region?
Sure. Bridgeport is getting better and better–for Stamford/the Gold Coast/suburbs.
Shame on us for not going into full political rebellion. Bridgeport’s Hartford-supported motto: “Don’t vote. Vote the status quo.”
Bridgeport is getting better and better. Keep believing the manure our Gold Coast state and federal delegations–and governor–shovel at us (through the efforts of their surrogates–Finch/Timpanelli and company. And of course, I shouldn’t forget the Connecticut Post–their propaganda arm–in this regard).
Just whose property is this??? Is this property the city took off Uncle Sal’s hands to do his demolition work or is this part of the property Uncle Sal still owns? I have read this several times and I cannot honestly answer the question. But I’m convinced directly or indirectly Sal DiNardo is benefitting from this.
What is this $300,000 going to be used for?
What State agency provides this money?
Nice report on the history of the property but there is a certain aspect of the “missing years” that would find a certain present politician culpable and responsible for this property’s demise. Does anyone care to comment? If nobody remembers then we are in very bad shape with institutional memory amnesia.
More affordable, low-income housing! Just what our city needs.
HW, the Washington Park Revitalization Project was (and is) a very successful low-income-housing rental project in the same neighborhood in the East Side as the Remington project. That was done fifteen years ago and look at how well kept up it is today! Thirteen properties with their roofs burned off by the way. Now meticulously historically restored, still “low income” housing. Let me advise you of a well-kept secret: “Low Income Housing” in Fairfield County is not what you would think! The 38 families have not caused any problems, go to work, send their kids to school, get home from work, walk their dogs, go to church, get home from school and go to bed.
Bob, I don’t think the concern is about housing for low-income Bridgeporters. The concern by Harvey, et al. (I hope) isn’t about taking care of our own. The concern is about creating new housing for new residents who will reside here as the result of the plan to make Bridgeport the region’s “Housing Hub” (per Jim Himes, et al.) in order to provide a workforce to maintain the tax base and lifestyle of the Gold Coast/Suburbs (they don’t want to host their own workforces–with all of the costs and social problems entailed thereof). The Gold Coast wants to have their cake and eat it too–at our expense. They love getting a free ride on our back, and they have installed political operatives locally and at higher levels to make sure we enjoy the opportunity to give them that free ride.
Yes, let’s take care of our own. Bridgeport First! Good housing and good, local jobs for all Bridgeporters!
That is not the current plan for Bridgeport at the state or federal level. Google “One Coast, One Future.”
Look at the development/taxbase expansion/job creation being financed in Bridgeport by the state and federal government, compared with say Stamford or Greenwich.
If I’m wrong, please explain our dilemma to me–especially in light of DeJesus-gate and the Denise Merrill situation.
The Gold Coasters constitute the power (mis)representing us at the state and federal level. They are only too happy to watch us chase our tails blaming our problems on the petty grafters who constitute our “horrible” local corruption problem.”
Of course, there is no corruption in Stamford, or Greenwich, or Shelton, or Monroe, or Trumbull, or Fairfield, or Easton …
** The money will end up like other moneys given to Bpt. end up, “no”; City’s General Fund? **
Jeff, the lack of regional government, the phenomenon of “white flight,” the bad schools, the zoning prohibitions, non profits and hospitals not paying taxes, Bridgeport as the County Seat having all the courthouses, having all the hospitals, having bad representation in Hartford and an institutionally corrupt political machine, all not lost on me.
But housing is the entry point as we should take a page from New Haven, Norwalk and Stamford. Housing comes first, then retail and we should give priority to this Shot Tower. It is one of a kind, as is Bridgeport itself.
In Hartford they take the historic Colt Gun factory and make a National Park out of it. Perhaps we should do the same: “Dresden National Park.”
The usual drivel from the ministry of public enlightenment and propaganda:
“making our city a place where our kids and grandkids will choose to live, work, and raise a family.” Thanks to Gov. Malloy for his commitment to helping Bridgeport get better every day,” said Mayor Bill Finch. Yada, yada, yada.
$300,000 would cover a study to determine how to board-up windows so this administration can cite an ongoing redevelopment of the site.
Serious developers are not fooled by this malarkey, but this administration is hoping the DTC and voters will be.
Suggesting a historic basis for an effort makes sense. The shot tower is the only building with historic significance.
A lot of legitimate concerns expressed by posters.
Bob, it certainly wouldn’t seem Stamford and Norwalk should be cited as exemplary providers of affordable housing. Much of the recent Bridgeport population addition has been because of Norwalk and Stamford residents seeking affordable housing. It isn’t any accident they (Norwalk and Stamford) have affordable housing shortages. New Haven is better than most cities in Connecticut in this regard, but not really “exemplary” in the usual sense.
Bridgeport, as deficient as we are in quality affordable housing, is probably ahead of the curve, as it were, for the rest of the state. (Despite the most corrupt Housing Authority in the country–which seems to go unnoticed in Hartford and Washington.)
Yes we need quality, affordable replacement housing for the residents we have now, but we certainly don’t want to start creating new housing toward the hair-brained (nightmare scenario) Gold Coast-inspired Finch Administration goal of having a city with 350,000 people.
Housing usually follows jobs. As concerns expand and seek an expanded workforce, the housing market is stimulated and accommodates. This is what history (e.g., the industrial revolution, the Gold rush, etc., teaches us).
Bridgeport needs first and foremost a positive-return tax base that is represented by good local jobs. All good things municipal derive from this.
This is not rocket science. Poverty–joblessness–breeds crime, corruption, and decay. Again, obvious lessons of history.
What then, is the obvious antidote? Development that further strains a municipal budget coupled with an exodus of good jobs? That is what the state and federal government seem to want for Bridgeport.
How about a few Bridgewaters, Charter communications, GE factories, etc. That is what we need–not more service/infrastructure-intensive development such as added housing units (e.g., Steel Point, the new train station development).