Media Alert – New Britain to Celebrate Grand Opening of Rafael Apartments

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Media Alert
August 29, 2017

Media Contact:
Christine Schilke
Communications Director
860.280.2356
christine@ctmainstreet.org

First units to come online using Come Home to Downtown program

On August 31st, we’ll celebrate as the first 16 apartment homes built as a result of the Come Home to Downtown program open within walking distance of the CTfastrak terminus. The 16 newly renovated, market-rate residential units above fully occupied ground floor retail are housed in the Rafael Building, which is on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places.
This event is the culmination of five years of hard work and successful collaboration between the Connecticut Main Street Center, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, JASKO Development and many others. Developer Avner Krohn received technical assistance for this building during Year 2 of Come Home to Downtown program.
CMSC’s outgoing CEO, John Simone, who spearheaded the Come Home to Downtown program, will be a featured speaker. Other speakers include CHFA Executive Director Karl Kilduff and CT Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, August 31st
Time: 5:00-7:00 PM
Location: 99 West Main Street, New Britain 06051

Come Home to Downtown is the result of an award-winning collaboration between CMSC and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA). In 2012, CHFA contracted CMSC to develop and administer the Come Home to Downtown program with the aim of bringing more housing downtown by assisting the owners of small properties redevelop their underutilized buildings into housing above commercial space. Since then, 9 property owners in 8 towns have received assistance through this program. To date, 6 of the 9 property owners have taken steps to redevelop their buildings.

 

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About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC’s mission is to be the catalyst that ignites Connecticut’s Main Streets as the cornerstone of thriving communities. CMSC is dedicated to community and economic development within the context of historic preservation, and is committed to bringing Connecticut’s commercial districts back to life socially and economically.

CMSC is supported by its Founding Sponsors, the CT Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) and Eversource Energy.  CMSC is also supported by its Growth Sponsors,  UIL Holdings Corp.   and the State Historic Preservation Office . More information is available at www.ctmainstreet.org.