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07/31/2013 12:00 AMESSEX - The town has received a $435,000 grant from the state-funded Main Street Investment Fund (MSIF) to help finance creation of a "shared street" in Ivoryton Center at the intersection of Main Street and Summit Street. The announcement was made recently by Governor Dannel P. Malloy.
Joined by Department of Housing Commissioner Evonne Klein, Malloy announced $4,973,865 in Main Street Investment Fund (MSIF) grants to 14 municipalities across Connecticut. The program provides funding to develop or improve town commercial districts, attract small businesses, and improve pedestrian access and livability in town centers.
"Main Street Investment grants play an important role in strengthening economic development initiatives on the local level. This program is unique in that it builds a working partnership between state government and the smaller communities that are striving to strengthen their commercial centers and attract additional business," Malloy said.
"There is a recognizable link between housing, economic, and community development. All three are interdependent and all are crucial factors in the overall economic strategy that is moving Connecticut forward," Klein added. "The Main Street Investment Fund is a vital tool that is helping communities revive commercial centers and downtown areas and lay the foundation for expanded economic activity and housing opportunities."
Essex's 2012 application sought funding for the "Ivoryton Village Intersection-A Shared Street for the Arts." The project is another step in the effort "to continue to enhance the Village of Ivoryton as a 'Village for the Arts,'" the town said in its application.
The grant project will create a "shared street" at the core of Ivoryton through the installation of colored, stamped concrete along approximately 18,000 square feet of Main Street and Summit Street, the extension of a curb to narrow the crossing distance of Main Street from the primary parking area to the Ivoryton Playhouse, and to install new crosswalks across Main Street and Summit Street.
The existing planted island at the mouth of Summit Street will be removed and replaced "by a new, iconic Village Seal to be installed at grade," the application said.
The specific design of the seal will be developed as part of a design competition sponsored by the Ivoryton Village Alliance.
The project is designed to accomplish a number of goals including adding the shared street elements that will "dramatically" slow traffic through Ivoryton Village, improve the pedestrian environment, and unify the village by visually tying together key elements with a strong pedestrian network. Once started, the project is expected to take 10 to 11 months to complete.
"The Town of Essex is extremely excited about receiving this grant to help in the continued renewal of Ivoryton. It has become a vital economic center and has been revitalized by investment by the state, town, and community including all of the organizations and businesses that have started in Ivoryton. We look forward to implementing the grant," said First Selectman Norman Needleman.
The Main Street Investment Fund provides financial incentives to eligible municipalities as well as owners of commercial private properties for expenditures that directly support and enhance a qualified project. Awards are not more than $500,000 and can be used for expenses such as building improvements, signage, lighting, and streetscape improvements.