East Hartford Receives $12 Million Grant for Rentschler Field Area
East Hartford Mayor Marcia A. Leclerc announced that the Town has received a $12 million grant from the Department of Economic and Community Development for “public infrastructure improvements for redevelopment of the Silver Lane and Rentschler Field corridor.”
“I would like to thank Governor Malloy and the East Hartford delegation for their support of the Silver Lane corridor and Rentschler Field infrastructure funding. I have been working tirelessly to set the foundation for renewed development in this very important area in the center of our town. Recently, the Town has been the recipient of two planning grants for this corridor – one which will assess our transportation needs, and the other which will address planning and market studies. Together with the infrastructure support from the State, the Town will have a solid basis for renewed economic growth in this vital area. We have a strong partnership with United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney as they construct their new world headquarters and expand the United Technologies Research Center. We welcome the new vibrant activity at the former airfield which is already home to UConn Footfall and Cabela's.”
The East Hartford delegation, which includes Senator Tim Larson, Rep. Jason Rojas, Rep. Henry Genga and Rep. Jeff Currey, released a joint statement on the grant-in-aid:
“Our delegation is thankful that the governor and State Bond Commission are continuing to invest in East Hartford’s commercial success and viability. We, along with the mayor and the planning and development office, have worked hard to secure this important funding as part of our continued push to revitalize infrastructure in the Silver Lane and Rentschler Field corridor. This is great news for East Hartford, our businesses and our residents and we believe it speaks strongly to the state’s commitment to the success of our community’s economy.”
The grant award represents yet another step forward for new development at the 400-acre Rentschler Field complex and the Silver Lane corridor, which has seen erosion in its retail base over the past twenty years. Building upon successes including the UConn football stadium, Cabela’s, the construction of the new world headquarters for Pratt & Whitney and expansion of the United Technology Research Center, this funding will give added strength to the effort to bring positive development to this key area of East Hartford.
The town has been working with United Technologies Corporation for over ten years to assist with the development of a mixed–use project on an area of Rentschler Field located to the south of the UConn football stadium and Cabela’s. The build-out is part of a 2006 Rentschler Field Master Plan which includes retail, housing and entertainment venues. The retail and entertainment venues will be a strong compliment to Hartford’s Front Street area, convention center, science museum and the UConn football stadium.
The timing of this award is ideal as it coincides with other planning efforts underway in the Silver Lane corridor. The Town of East Hartford was recently awarded a Brownfield Area-Wide Revitalization grant from the Department of Economic and Community Development to study many aspects of the Silver Lane corridor including market studies, zoning regulations, full-build-out scenarios, and others. In addition, the Capitol Region Council of Governments is conducting a transportation study of the same area to determine where and what type of traffic and safety improvements should be implemented.