Norwich receives $4 million to clean up Capehart Mill. What's next for the blighted site?

The city can finally begin to make plans to remediate the blighted former Capehart Textile Mill, thanks to a $4 million state grant.

The mill, which has been the scene of numerous fires over the years, will be developed into a new riverfront park. In addition, it has been a location for homeless people to take shelter, and drug dealings to take place.

“It is a safety hazard," said Kevin Brown, president and executive director of the Norwich Community Development Corporation. “The roofs have all caved in. There are charred timbers everywhere and the brick is crumbling. And in some cases, the brick is crumbling into the Shetucket River, which makes this a dual hazard. There’s the hazard of an unsafe location on the ground and then there’s the hazard of this old mill crumbling into the water and harming the safe and clean waterway.”

About the grant

The grant will be used to complete a remedial action plan and asbestos work plan, abatement and demolition of buildings A and B, the skywalk and 5th Street Bridge at the 6.05-acre site.

Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom said the city needs to work out a start date for the action plan. He expects the completion of the riverfront park is a few years away.

“There’s a lot of steps ahead of us, but the point is we got the initial grant now to begin that whole process,” Nystrom said.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced the approval of a $4 million grant to remedy the site as part of a series of state grants he had approved. These grants total $26.3 million and will be used to support the remediation and redevelopment of 130 acres of contaminated land throughout Connecticut, consisting of 22 properties located in 17 towns and cities.

The grants are being released through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program.

According to Lamont’s office, the projects are expected to create approximately 1,285 jobs and 373 units of housing, including 148 affordable units. Approximately, 58% of the overall funding is being awarded to projects in distressed municipalities.

“I would like to thank our friends at the Department of Economic and Community Development for working together in tandem with our administration to focus some of our state’s efforts on really bringing these spaces back to life,” Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said in a press release. “This is a transformative investment that turns otherwise unusable property into a new space blossoming with opportunities for Connecticut businesses and residents.”

Impact of the project

Nystrom said that the removal of the blighted mill will increase property values in the area.

“We’re going to clean up the neighborhood by starting this project,” he said. “We’re going to help elevate the value of properties around it."

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: State grant to remedy site of blighted textile mill in Norwich