By Brian Gioiele, Connecticut Post

The focus of the city’s continued revitalization of Canal Street has now turned to the historic Star Pin Co. building, which was built in 1875 and has sat vacant for some 15 years.

The state Department of Economic & Community Development, on Dec. 19, announced it has approved a $750,000 grant for the remediation of hazardous building materials from the building at 267 Canal Street, which the city foreclosed on months ago for back taxes.

“This happens a lot in Connecticut,” said Mayor Mark Lauretti about the foreclosure, adding that the city foreclosed on the property because of about $600,000 owed in back taxes. “But you have to finally recognize that we’re never going to recover that, it’s abandoned. The best thing to do is cut your losses and get the property back on the tax rolls. We, as a city, have been pretty successful at doing that with several properties in downtown.”

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For the entire article, see

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Old-Star-Pin-factory-in-Shelton-to-get-cleanup-13503932.php

By Emma Wright, WFMZ TV-69 News (Allentown, PA)

A dilapidated eyesore on Easton's Bushkill Drive may once again become an inspiration for art.

Famed raw metal sculptor Karl Stirner used to visit the old Easton Iron and Metal Co. for material and now his namesake trail has plans to buy the property and once again turn trash into treasure.

"For the last two years, we've been looking for one, a strategy to expand the trail and two, where would it be logical for it to make it work," said Dick McAteer.

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For the entire story, see

http://www.wfmz.com/news/lehigh-valley/easton-junkyard-could-contribute-to-growing-arts-scene/952348824

New Haven Register (CT)

The Science Park Development Corp. has been awarded a $200,000 state grant for the environmental assessment of the fomer Winchester Repeating Arms Co.

David Silverstone, the chairman of the board of the corporation, said the plan is to bring in a developer to finish the rest of the proposed housing at the former arms manufacturer in Newhallville.

Winchester Lofts, which was finished in 2015, is a $60 million conversion to 158 apartments that preserved much of the historic architecture for a large portion of the factory. The corporation had signed a deal with Forest City for the plan in 2008, just before the Great Recession delayed it for years.

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For the entire article, see

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/State-grant-may-equal-more-housing-in-Newhallville-13481345.php

Greenwich Time (CT)

The city has been awarded a $100,000 brownfield grant for cleanup of the former Hendey Machine Co./Stone Container Corp. property, the governor’s office said in a release.

The property is located between 200 Litchfield St., 105 Summer St. and Turner Avenue, near the Torrington Commons Shopping Center, and the plan is to turn part of the site into a regional transit facility.

In addition to the $100,000 state grant, the city was awarded $200,000 assessment grant to prepare for future revitalization. The money is to be used for a hazardous building material investigation and environmental assessment of the same property, officials said in the release.

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For the entire article, see

https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/Torrington-gets-100-000-abatement-grant-for-13480898.php

By Jean Falbo-Sosnovich, New Haven Register (CT)

Who knew a few years ago that a 109-year old former factory could be transformed into the thriving brewery and tap room that has since become the Valley’s Bad Sons Beer Co.

The Connecticut Economic Resource Center certainly knows that the work to turn the contaminated Brownfield site at 251 Roosevelt Drive into the popular brewery was no small feat. And for that, CERC recently presented Bad Sons with a “Celebrate CT!” award for its success in repurposing a former industrial property.

Bad Sons co-owner John Walsh recently accepted the award during CERC’s annual “Celebrate CT!” ceremony at Infinity Hall in Hartford. CERC President/CEO Robert Santy presented Walsh with the award. The ceremony, annually held since 2010, honors economic development successes throughout the state. Santy was not available for comment Wednesday.

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For the entire article, see

https://www.nhregister.com/valley/article/Derby-Bbrewery-honored-for-turning-something-old-13478775.php

Editorial, The Day (CT)

There’s no doubt Stonington’s plan to transform a Mystic River brownfield into a public park and boathouse site is challenging and complex. While the town has secured public funds for parts of the plan, it must pass muster with a variety of state officials. Those working to make the park a reality must also satisfy a set of local regulations and public preferences about boathouse design, parking and public access.

That means many interests, some which don’t easily mesh, have and will continue to weigh in on this project. Stonington officials say they understood these complexities before seeking residents’ approval in 2016 for $2.2 million in bonding to create the park. And because of those complexities the park may be developed in phases and progress might be slower than the public had expected.

Those officials recognize they must be flexible in working out details. The master plan may change a little or, perhaps, a lot depending on future decisions by state and local agencies and commissions.

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For the entire editorial, see

https://www.theday.com/editorials/20181214/confronting-challenges-for-mystic-boathouse-park

by Meg Dalton, Energy News Network

A new state incentive offers money to developers that build solar projects on polluted properties instead of forests or farmland.

A Rhode Island program promoting solar development on polluted properties could help relieve tensions between the state’s fast-growing solar industry and conservationists concerned with preserving green space.

Solar has surged in Rhode Island in recent years on the heels of ambitious new renewable energy goals and state incentives for developers. Gov. Gina Raimondo announced a goal last year to reach 1,000 MW of clean energy and 20,000 clean energy jobs by 2020. 

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For the entire article, see

https://energynews.us/2018/12/10/northeast/rhode-island-looks-to-spare-green-space-with-brownfield-solar-projects/

Editorial, Burlington County Times

There is a valuable plot of land on Route 73 in Palmyra where the difference between what is and what could be is as vast as the long and confusing history attached to it. 

What it could be is a modern commercial and residential complex that greets out-of-state travelers to New Jersey and the tiny borough of Palmyra at the foot of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge.

What it could be is a worthy extension of the adjacent Palmyra Cove Nature Park, an easy-to-miss, bucolic park with a network of nature trails ideal for hiking, birding and admiring flora and fauna.

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For the entire article, see

http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/opinion/20181212/editorial-palmyra-seeing-red-over-brownfield

by Eric Zavinski, Jamestown Post-Journal (NY)

Sheet piling being placed into the ground next to the future site of the Jamestown Brewing Company may have caught the attention of some residents last week. Now with the piling in place, the site is prepared for a Brownfield Cleanup slated to remove contaminated soil beneath the parking lot.

The sheet piling will provide structural support for an excavation of 20 feet of soil. A crew will remove the first 8 feet of healthy soil and then remove the 12 feet of contaminated soil that was found in an environmental investigation last year to have been infiltrated with dry cleaning solvents that had seeped into the ground when a dry cleaning business was located in the area.

G. Patti Development will spearhead the cleanup as they have also led the renovations to the upcoming brewery, which is still slated to open in January 2019. The approximately $500,000 cleanup will begin in early December and should be finished around the turn of the New Year. Contaminated soil will be disposed of at the Chautauqua County Landfill, and another site in Canada will receive the higher contaminated material.

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For the entire article, see

http://www.post-journal.com/news/page-one/2018/12/excavation-project-underway-for-jamestown-brewing-company/

Oswego County Today (NY)

A brownfield site in the Port City is experiencing a rebirth as a multi-use facility.

Ground was broken today (November 30) at the Harbor View Square site, 68 W. First St.; it’s the former home of Flexo Wire, a nationwide wire manufacturer and distributor.

The development is being constructed on the underutilized city-owned brownfield site located at the convergence of the Oswego River and Lake Ontario.

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the start of construction on the $26.2 million mixed-income, mixed-use housing development.

Harbor View Square will feature 75 rental homes serving a broad range of income targets and more than 10,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space intended for small retail and eateries.

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For the entire release, see

https://oswegocountytoday.com/harbor-view-square-development-project-under-way-in-oswego/news/oswego/