For Immediate Release                                                                                       

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jessica Mayorga, Director of Communications 203-946-7660, 203-627-4224 (cell)
August 25, 2010    

CITY OF NEW HAVEN OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
165 CHURCH STREET      
NEW HAVEN, CT 06510
TEL.203.946.7660  FAX.203.946.4866

___________________________________________________________________

-PRESS RELEASE-
CITY OF NEW HAVEN SUBMITS 3 GRANTS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE CITY’S
ECONOMIC BASE

NEW HAVEN- This week, the City of New Haven partnered with various
municipalities, State agencies and private organizations in the
submission of three separate federal grants.  Each of these grants seeks
funding for projects that will grow the economy, create new job
opportunities for residents and support New Haven as a livable
community.

The City’s Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking, with
the support of the State of Connecticut’s Department of Transportation
(ConnDOT) and the Department of Economic and Community Development
(DECD) and a private developer, submitted an application for a $21.3
million “TIGER II” grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT).  If awarded, this grant will support the first phase of
infrastructure improvements for Downtown Crossing, the City’s plan to
convert Route 34 from a limited access highway to an urban boulevard
that will reconnect City neighborhoods as well as support the growth of
the medical district.

The first phase of Downtown Crossing includes the conversion of North
and South Frontage Roads to boulevards with road, streetscape, bike and
pedestrian enhancements, as well as the reconstruction of College Street
to grade level.  All elements of this conversion follow the City’s
Complete Streets standards, a rigorous set of criteria that ensures City
streets and sidewalks are safe for all forms of transportation.

-more-
The grant will allow for the development of 100 College Street, a
400,000 square foot health sciences building, located adjacent to a
growing cluster of research and development facilities associated with
Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Yale School of Medicine, including
Smilow Cancer Center, 55 Park Street and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.    The
development of 100 College Street will result in approximately 2,000
construction jobs and up to 1,000 permanent jobs.

The City of New Haven has also submitted two grants to the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  Both of these grants
would support the planning and redevelopment of the areas around Union
Station.  Specifically, these applications address the six livability
principals established by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities,
an initiative of HUD, DOT and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The livability principals include: (1) provide more transportation
choices; (2) provide equitable, affordable housing; (3) enhance economic
competitiveness; (4) support existing communities; (5) coordinate and
leverage federal policies and investment; and (6) value communities and
neighborhoods.

The HUD Sustainable Regional Planning Grant application was submitted
by the Regional Plan Association of New York on behalf of the NY-CT
Sustainable Communities Consortium.  The Consortium is a bi-state
collaboration that includes various municipalities and agencies
throughout Connecticut, New York City, Westchester County and Long
Island.  This grant will allow the Consortium to network the region’s
innovation capabilities as well as connect the next generation of
mixed-income housing to the Metro-North and Long Island railroad
systems,

The City of New Haven and the Town of Meriden partnered with DECD in
submitting a $2 million HUD Challenge Grant application.  The requested
grant will support the planning and redevelopment of communities along
the rail corridor and will help to increase the viability of the
proposed New Ha
ven-Hartford-Springfield rail line; facilitate the
development of affordable and workforce housing and economic development
projects; promote planning efforts that will foster development of
mixed-use, walkable, more dense and transit-oriented communities; and
improve the state as a place to live, visit and work.  In New Haven,
this grant will cover the area around Union Station and will include
initial concept plans for Church Street South and the Robert T. Wolfe
development, with a focus on connecting these areas to Union Station and
the rest of the Hill neighborhood, the Medical District and Downtown.

“As a leader in smart growth and transit-oriented development, New
Haven’s epitomizes the livability principles outlined by the EPA, DOT
and HUD,” said Kelly Murphy, Economic Development Administrator for
the City of New Haven.  “Funding from these grants would allow us to
continue to build the City’s economy with a focus on transportation
options, affordable housing opportunities and job growth.”
[END]

Jessica A. Mayorga
Director of Communications
City of New Haven
203.946.7660
203.627.4224 (mobile)
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www.cityofnewhaven.com