DeLauro, Blumenthal, Hamden Mayor Jackson, Speaker Sharkey Announce $1.5 Million Federal Grant For Newhall Business Incubator
(Hartford, CT) - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-3), Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson, Connecticut Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) and the Hamden Economic Development Corporation announced today a $1.5 million federal Economic Development Administration grant to rehab the former Newhall Community Center into a 40,000-square-foot business incubator, providing vital support, resources and services to local start-ups and new small businesses.
The Newhall Community Center has been closed since 2002.
The effort is projected to create at least 100 skilled and semi-skilled jobs in the region, in addition to generating additional employment opportunities as the start-up businesses grow and expand. The facility is estimated to generate over $4 million in new payroll from small businesses in the short term, and over $200,000 in new property taxes annually.
The incubator will house approximately 20 small and start-up businesses, including web designers and programmers, professional services, medical administrators, small manufacturers and light industry.
This $1.5 million EDA award provides some of the final funding needed to complete the project, paving the way for a ribbon cutting in late 2015. This latest funding complements $450,000 raised in 2010 by the HEDC to study the needs of the building, including asbestos remediation, mold, and roof repairs. A 2013 EPA grant for $150,000 helped to complete the asbestos abatement. In 2013, the HEDC secured $5 million in state bonding for design and construction costs, as well as $350,000 in state brownfields funding. Addition of the property to the State Register of Historic Places also helped secure $1.8 million in Historic Tax Credits.
Blumenthal said: “Newhall is rising with the strong support of federal, state and local governments. From the EPA litigation securing private clean up funds which I strongly advocated on behalf of Newhall residents to environmental grants and state construction funding, this section of Hamden is overcoming the burden of centuries old contamination from large industrial companies, becoming a nurturing place for small businesses. This Economic Development Administration grant is one more step forward for the town and for Newhall.”
“These investments in public and business infrastructure help move our cities and communities toward the future and create the foundations for future economic development in our district,” DeLauro said. “Investing in infrastructure is about whether America can continue to compete, and whether we are going to continue to produce middle class jobs and incomes in our country. Public investment like this EDA grant helps to generate a cycle of jobs and growth, and will give a sizable boost to the Hamden economy.”
“This is an investment in small business job creation that will not only benefit Hamden’s local economy but the entire region.” said Sharkey who last year helped secure a $5 million state grant for property remediation and building renovations at the Newhall site. “I worked closely with Hamden’s economic development team to get this project started, and I can’t thank Sen. Blumenthal and Rep. DeLauro enough for bringing us down the home stretch.”
Jackson said: “We understand that small businesses are now, and have always been, the drivers of our economy. We are very happy that both the state and federal governments have evaluated our incubator project and determined that it is one worthy of funding. We look forward to the entrepreneurship, to the job creation, and to the advancement of the American spirit that this incubator will provide to our start-up businesses.”
Kroop said: "We are excited to provide this opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs to be a part of our incubator. With the EDA funds we are able to do the most important thing for our community and the region, which is to create jobs and economic opportunities.”
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