Governor Dan Malloy today announced grant funding for several city development projects. Description from the governor’s office:
Bridgeport will receive a $1,014,821 grant for site assessment, remediation, and redevelopment work at the Security, EE Wheeler, and EW Harral buildings–three historic properties in the downtown village district on Main Street. Redevelopment plans call for restoring about 76,000 square feet for 57 market-rate and affordable housing units, and 20,000 square feet for retail space. Located in the heart of Bridgeport’s downtown and near the central business district, the $16 million project will meet transit-oriented development criteria and LEED sustainable standards.
Bridgeport will also receive a $1 million grant for remediation and redevelopment of a 3.4-acre site to be known as and the Heroes Village Urban Agriculture Center Greenhouse Project. The project calls for 80,000 square feet of state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouses that will provide about 800,000 pounds of high quality produce for commercial sale. A retail center will be built to sell subsidized food to nearby residents, helping to alleviate the urban food desert–a community without access to supermarkets with high quality food. The development will also house an extension program of UConn’s agriculture school, which will train unemployed veterans to farm in an urban setting and to operate and manage a retail food and produce distribution center from the site.
Governor Malloy is the bearer of good news. These two grants add upside to the growing list of downtown improvements. I hope MetroCrops is involved with the urban farming grant. I would love to see Bridgeport become a regional powerhouse for rapidly grown fruits and veggies!
Bridgeport will also receive a $1 million grant for remediation and redevelopment of a 3.4-acre site to be known as and the Heroes Village Urban Agriculture Center Greenhouse Project. The project calls for 80,000 square feet of state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouses that will provide about 800,000 pounds of high quality produce for commercial sale. A retail center will be built to sell subsidized food to nearby residents, helping to alleviate the urban food desert–a community without access to supermarkets with high quality food. The development will also house an extension program of UConn’s agriculture school, which will train unemployed veterans to farm in an urban setting and to operate and manage a retail food and produce distribution center from the site.
Break out the Shish Pipes!
Someone tell Finch there is no food market in the 138th. Hydroponic farming, give me a fucking break.
*** Affordable housing in Bpt? Not anymore, remediations and all can’t help the overtaxed property owners and affected city renters. The only ones not feeling the property tax squeeze are those on section 8 or in public housing at this time! The middle class is being pushed out of the State or 55+ senior living and even public housing slowly but surely. Time to head South or West to a new beginning! *** KING OF THE ROAD ***