The grant will be used to revamp the site of an old factory. Located in the city’s south-eastern area, the worn-down factory has been vacant for several decades. Officials plan to use the funds to clean up the plot and provide more open space for residents. Graphic design can be used to create visualizations of such projects.
Yazemeni Vasquez lives in the area and walks past the abandoned factory almost every week. She expressed to News Break how happy she was to hear that it will be put to good use. The money for the grant is coming from the EPA Brownfield Grant. The city will get $150,000 that will be used to clean out any contaminants in the area and eventually demolish the nine buildings on the plot.
The Mayor of Waterbury commented:
“This money will be used to start to address those issues and most importantly demolish all the buildings, the roofs are caved in, they’re decaying they are a health and safety hazard for the kids in this neighborhood.”
Another $4 million will be used to clean up other dilapidated sites across the Naugatuck Valley. Senator Chris Murphy said he feels these projects will bring many new jobs to the area.
According to the Mayor of Waterbury, the buildings will be developed in the middle of next year and the green spaces will be accessible in 2024.