Vernon's $2.5M Grant Revives 19th Century Mills

0:00It's April 2nd. This is Hartford News today, powered by AI. Vernon Connecticut just scored a $2.5 million state grant to finish cleaning up a bunch of 19th century textile mills. These hooking old spots on East Main Street have sat empty for decades, but now a developer plans to transform them into 214. Apartments across about 130,000 square feet. Officials kicked off the effort back in 2015, tackling asbestos, ICBs, and other contaminants in three main mills plus two smaller ones. The worst hit is Daniels Mill, from Civil War days where old fire retardant paintworks soaked the wood beams and floors. Local leaders like the mayor see it as a game changer for downtown, turning blight into a housing anchor right by the village center. It'll spruce up the main entrance and add much needed units, including 20% affordable for folks at 80% of area median income, or, less, clean-ups no joke. They're ripping out contaminated wood entirely, and even a top layer of bricks and stone,

1:03all while using historic tax credits too. Match the original look. Town hands it over to the developer around early or mid-2027, with construction loans and builds pushing tenants in about five years. They're stabilizing roofs next year to beat back grain and freeze damage on these sturdy old structures. In the end, it's housing that honors the past, mixes in workforce spots up to 120% median, and beats demolition hands down.