Town officials and developers of a proposed 245-apartment, mixed-use project on a contaminated lot said they may reject a $3 million remediation grant from the state, due to stringent conditions that could boost project costs by $25 million. Developers have long kept away from 81 Black Rock Turnpike, as any new construction would require a costly environmental cleanup of the contaminated soil below the site. Looking to transform the vacant lot into a new, five-story apartment building, Post Road Residential — a local property development company — worked with town officials to secure a $3 million grant from the State Department of Economic Community Development in June to clean up the low-level PCB contamination, which originated from aged underground storage tanks used to heat the former factory. According to Montelli, the Brownfield Remediation and Development Municipal Grant came with three conditions that developers are unwilling to meet: increased wage rates, affordable housing requirements and state control over the property.
Fairfield Developers May Reject $3M State Grant Over Costly Conditions on Housing