Brownfield Remediation and Development

The Colt Armory in Hartford is being transformed into apartments and a national historic park through brownfield remediation.


Brownfield remediation provides us with the opportunity to spark new development in our town while taking advantage of existing resources and protecting our environment. 


The Town of East Hartford was awarded a $200,000 brownfields assessment grant from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection in May of 2015.  Learn more about that exciting news by clicking here.  We also received a $200,000 Brownfields Area-Wide Revitalization (BAR) Planning Grant  from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development in January of 2016.  This money will be used to create a comprehensive plan to continue the revitalization of the Silver Lane corridor.  Learn more about this news by clicking here.

You may view the Town of East Hartford's application for the BAR grant here:

Brownfields Area-Wide Revitalization (BAR) Grant Application

You may view the DECD Financial Assistance Proposal for the BAR grant here:

Brownfields Area-Wide Revitalization (BAR) Financial Assistance Proposal


What are brownfields?

Brownfields are parcels of land that have been previously developed but are now underutilized.  A brownfield property has been contaminated in some way, or there is the perception that it has been contaminated based on a past use.  Brownfields differ from greenfields, which are parcels of land which have never been developed and are still in their natural state.

Examples of brownfields:

Brownfield sites may include former factories, gas stations, auto repair sites, dry cleaners, railroad properties, homes, offices, or retail establishments and infilled landfills.  Active sites are not considered brownfields.   

Why care about brownfield redevelopment?

Developing brownfields allows us to preserve greenfields, protecting environmental resources for future generations.  Remediating contamination and removing eyesores also help to attract new development and increase property values in the area.

Adaptive reuse of brownfield sites, for example, converting a former factory into apartment housing, can help preserve architectural heritage and preserve or enhance the community’s unique sense of place.

Why is brownfield development especially important in East Hartford?

Nearly all of East Hartford’s developable land has already been developed.  In order to continue economic growth, it is important to build on brownfield sites.  This will preserve the town’s remaining greenfields, revitalize neighborhoods, and grow the Town’s tax base.


Learn more about Connecticut’s brownfield remediation initiatives at www.ctbrownfields.gov, including nearby success stories at Hartford’s Colt Armory and Rockville’s Hockanum Mill.  You may also learn about the federal Department of Environmental Protection’s efforts to rehabilitate brownfields at www.epa.gov/brownfields

If you have further questions, you may contact our Development Department at (860) 921-7300.