Senate President Helps Deliver Funding for New Parking Garage at ECSU
Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) & First Selectman say project will help town/gown relations
April 21, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Hartford: Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) is pleased to announce that funding for a new parking garage at Eastern Connecticut State University will be approved by the State Bond Commission on April 24, 2009. The $18 million dollar garage, located on the north campus in Willimantic, will hold 808 vehicles.
“This impact of this project stretches beyond the ECSU campus,” said Senator Williams. “More than $16 million is dedicated for construction costs, an investment that will help create high quality jobs for families in the area.”
Jean de Smet, First Selectman for the town of Windham, said, “This has been a high priority for town of Windham. Neighborhoods have been strained by the number of cars parking on the streets: this new garage will help emergency vehicles better navigate the streets and keep our neighborhoods quieter. In addition, the garage will make the campus more accessible to the community. I am glad ECSU made this a priority and that the legislature ultimately made it happen.”
The parking garage is one part of a $2.8 billion two-year bond authorization bill approved in 2007 that includes a major investment in improvement projects for the four universities that comprise the Connecticut State University System (CSUS).
“The 2007 bill was the most historic thing the General Assembly has done for higher education since UConn 2000,” said Senator Williams. “We saw the incredible transformation that brought about for the University of Connecticut. This is doing the same for our State University System, and the new facility at Eastern is the latest example.”
The bonding package includes a $950 million, 36-project, 10-year investment in the Connecticut State University System for system-wide infrastructure and capital improvements — beginning in 2009.
Contact:
Senator Williams’
Press Aide
Derek Slap
860-240-8641
derek.slap (at) cga.ct (dot) gov
