Bridgeport's Restored Gateway 

Leads to a Whole New 

Impression 

Bridgeport, Connecticut 

continued �

Whether arriving by boat or train, or just driving through on the I-95 

overpass, visitors to Bridgeport, Connecticut, at last have a positive first 

impression of the city. 

gateway into a baseball stadium and arena has initiated new economic 

stability, new jobs, and the much-needed restoration of the city's derelict 

industrial areas. 

In recent years, Bridgeport suffered severe economic decline brought on 

in part by the departure of vital industry, and the abandonment and 

perceived contamination of former industrial sites. 

bankruptcy in 1990 due to its continued financial deterioration, Bridgeport 

had become one of the poorest yet most highly taxed cities in the nation. 

Nowhere in the city was this economic decay more evident than at the 

former Jenkins Valve site, located directly at Bridgeport's main gateway. 

Visitors coming in via the city's ferry, from Amtrak and Metro-North 

Railroad cars arriving at Bridgeport's train terminal, and in vehicles 

buzzing overhead on the Interstate 95 overpass, were all subjected to a 

clear view of the abandoned, run-down property. 

manufacturing site sat unused for nearly ten years. 

Thanks in part to assistance from EPA and other federal agencies, 

Jenkins Valve and other unused industrial sites within Bridgeport have 

undergone dramatic transformations. 

assessment grant provided to the city as part of EPA's Brownfields Pilot 

Program in August 1994, a city-wide inventory was performed to identify 

potential brownfields. Valve site and two adjacent 

brownfields, the former Sprague Meter and Drummond McCall sites, 

were included in this inventory. 

Jenkins Valve site, the Zurich Re corporation stepped in and invested $10 

million to clean up and redevelop the property. 

put up a $7 million bond for the project. 

the 5,500-seat Ballpark at Harbor Yard, which opened in May 1998 as 

the new home of the Bridgeport Bluefish. 

The success of the ballpark spurred interest for redevelopment of the 

adjacent Sprague Meter and 

been transformed into a 10,000-seat arena and parking garage. 

Arena at Harbor Yard opened in September 2001 and is the home of the 

American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Fairfield 

University's basketball teams, as well as a venue for concerts and special 

Redevelopment of brownfields at the city's 

Coming close to 

This former industrial 

Using a portion of the $200,000 

The Jenkins 

Following Pilot assessments of the 

The City of Bridgeport 

This long-idle property is now 

Drummond McCall sites, which have since 

The 

Jenkins Valve site 

JUST THE FACTS:
 • Using a portion of Bridgeport's EPA 

Brownfields Assessment Pilot grant, a 

city-wide inventory was performed to 

identify potential brownfields. 

• Brownfields Pilot-funded assessments of 

the former Jenkins Valve site led to a $10 

million cleanup and redevelopment effort. 

The property is now the 5,500-seat 

Ballpark at Harbor Yard, which serves as 

home for the local baseball team. 

• The success of the ballpark project 

spurred redevelopment of two adjacent 

brownfields that have since been 

transformed into a 10,000-seat arena and 

a parking garage. 

Coming close to 

bankruptcy in 1990, Bridgeport had 

become one of the poorest yet most 

highly taxed cities in the nation. 

in the city was this economic decay more 

evident than at the former Jenkins Valve 

site, located directly at Bridgeport's main 

gateway. 

ferry, via train, and in vehicles buzzing 

overhead on the Interstate 95 overpass, 

were all subjected to a clear view of the 

abandoned, run-down property. 

Nowhere 

Visitors coming in via the city's 
CONTACTS: 

For more information contact 

US EPA - Region 1 (617) 918-1424 

Or visit EPA’s Brownfields Web site at: 

http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ 

Bridgeport’s new stadium, home of 

the Bridgeport Bluefish 

events. 

the arena. 

million, the City of Bridgeport invested more than $10 million, and Volume 

Services invested $10 million after signing a contract to be the long-term 

operator of the facility. 

jobs, 68 of which are full-time. 

The comprehensive effort to redevelop Bridgeport's brownfields includes 

the Grow Bridgeport Fund (GBF), a capital access loan fund for growing 

small businesses. 

assessments or remediation, loans have been made available for these 

purposes. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 

funding; $475,000 from a HUD Economic Development Initiative (EDI) 

grant; and $1,000,000 from the Economic Development Administration of the 

Department of Commerce. 

institutions are also contributors to the GBF. 

manages the GBF also manages the $350,000 received by the City of Bridgeport from EPA's 

Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund grant program. 

The collaboration and partnership of multiple federal agencies have allowed Bridgeport's cleanup 

and redevelopment efforts to progress well beyond the assessment and planning stages enabled by 

EPA's initial $200,000 brownfields grant. 

efforts: 

Bridgeport has received over 200 inquiries about this Pilot from developers 

and other investors [since the program was initiated]...we continue to 

build on the momentum generated by the Brownfields Pilot." 

Bridgeport greeted by a view of new ballpark and arena can testify to 

the success of the city's efforts. 

The new parking garage is used by commuter rail travelers as well as those visiting 

To make this project a reality, the State of Connecticut invested $35 

Redevelopment of these three sites created 721 

Although not established specifically for site 

The $7 million fund is comprised of $1,750,000 in U.S. 

The State of Connecticut and four member lending 

In addition, the administration that 

As stated by a long-time supporter of Bridgeport's 

"To give you an idea about how much things have changed, the City of 

Visitors to 

Brownfields Success Story Solid Waste EPA 500-F-03-033 

Bridgeport, Connecticut and Emergency March 2004 

Response (5105) www.epa.gov/brownfields/