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| Our mission is to be the catalyst that ignites Connecticut's Main Streets as the cornerstone of thriving communities. |
Hazy days seem to be here in abundance, but lazy? Hardly. Here at CMSC, we're hard at work planning our new fiscal year while greeting new friends and bidding others farewell.
Read on to learn more. . .
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CMSC Bids Farewell to One of Its Own
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Chris Heitmann, Executive Director of Westville Village Renaissance Alliance, is heading west to Cleveland, Ohio.
Chris
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Chris in the heart of Westville Village. Photo Credit: Markeshia Ricks, New Haven Independent
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is leaving Westville (New Haven) to be with wife, Cyra Levenson, who has accepted a position as the director of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Chris has led WVRA for seven years, helping shepherd the organization from event producer to downtown revitalization organization, galvanizing the community into an active artists village in the process. WVRA has been a designated main street member in the CMSC network since 2006. As a tribute to Chris's impact on the neighborhood, he was featured in both the New Haven Independent and with a video farewell from his many friends, colleagues, collaborators and neighbors.
All of us at CMSC thank Chris for his tremendous dedication to WVRA and Westville, and wish Chris and his family the very best of luck in Cleveland!
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CMSC Welcomes Marty Halpin, VISTA Volunteer
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As our VISTA Downtown Resource Specialist, Marty will help create the online component of a new downtown resource center.
Marty joins us through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, through which CMSC successfully partnered with UCONN Extension's Community & Economic Development program to apply to CT Campus Compact for an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer. Marty will be with CMSC full-time for a one-year term and will also work with CMSC, UCONN Extension and CT Campus Compact to explore the roles universities can play in directly shaping neighborhoods and downtowns as drivers of economic development.
Marty is an accomplished executive with comprehensive knowledge of sales & marketing, customer
care operations, IT and facilities management, and holds a degree in architecture. He worked for Ping Identity, Adobe and the Intergraph Corporation. More recently, Marty attended the UCONN Public Policy School's Encore!Hartford Program which is designed to transition private sector professionals to the nonprofit sector. Since then he has been involved with Harc Inc., Habitat for Humanity and CLICK - a Commercially Licensed Cooperative Kitchen in Willimantic.
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New Website Available for Municipalities to Create Affordable Housing
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The new website from the Partnership for Strong Communities provides information and resources to towns.
The Partnership for Strong Communities has a new website to help municipalities create affordable housing. The website provides many resources regarding the benefits of increasing affordable housing options in communities including fact sheets, case studies, land use tools, demographic and market information, and much more.
Have comments or questions about the website? Email Katy Shafer, Deputy Policy Director, Partnership for Strong Communities to provide feedback.
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Local Developer Wins ULI Award
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Spinnaker Real Estate Partners has been awarded the Arthur Collins Sr. Visionary Award for Leadership in Land Use.
Spinnaker, headed by Clayton H. Fowler and Kim Morque, engages in the acquisition, development, ownership, and management of commercial and residential properties in the NY/Fairfield region.
Spinnaker was chosen for this award in part due to the company's sustainable and green building urban redevelopment projects focused on creating vibrant communities that connect people, housing, business, jobs and recreation. Spinnaker has built over 5,000 multifamily units in three markets and is currently working on an adaptive reuse and historic preservation project in Bridgeport, and over 175 units of mixed use housing development in Stamford.
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The 60th Annual NEDA Conference in New Haven, CT is fast approaching. Around two hundred economic development practitioners will convene at the Omni Hotel from September 11-13 for "Transportation at the Crossroads: The Economic Developer's Road Map." Register today! Conference sponsorships are still available.
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Photo Credit
Steve Smith, Hartford Courant
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New President takes the helm of Rockville Downtown Association
Drew Crandall, owner of a local marketing firm, has been selected as the new President of RDA, reports the Hartford Courant. Crandall joined the RDA about three years ago as has designed a "roadmap" for the RDA's future based on feedback provided by RDA members during a brainstorming session a year ago on what direction the group should take going forward. Some of his first steps have been to form an executive round table of Rockville business leaders and reconnect with the Connecticut Main Street program. He also hopes to foster more cooperation between the RDA and the Rockville Community Alliance and other community organizations, as well as helping contribute to the economic vitality of Rockville by being a champion and advocate for local businesses.
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Enfield's 3rd Community and Farmers Market Now Open
The Town of Enfield will host its 3rd Community and Farmers Market each Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. beginning July 13th. The market is located in Downtown Thompsonville and features live performances and a variety of handcrafted and locally grown, harvested, and produced products made in Connecticut. The goal is to connect area residents with local crafts, food specialties and produce to foster community while creating healthier eating habits that enhance the quality of life in Enfield and throughout area communities. Click here to view the event flyer with more information including how to become a participating vendor.
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