In the spring state lawmakers came to then-cash-strapped developer Anthony Stewart’s rescue, providing $3.5 million to help fund the completion of his Honey Locust Square project that is intended to help revitalize the East End with a supermarket, restaurant and more. “It messes up my timeline,” the developer, owner of the Ashlar firm, acknowledged. “I am trying, but money makes a big difference. It makes a big difference.” He said a recent loan from a Wallingford-based organization allowed him to re-start construction. The state’s $3.5 million was actually awarded the city for Honey Locust Square in April from the Community Investment Fund that Connecticut lawmakers established in 2021. That pot of money — $875 million total, spread out through 2030 — was set up to funnel financial support to projects/initiatives like Stewart’s that will benefit underserved and marginalized communities and people adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/bridgeport-east-end-honey-locust-square-18406446.php