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Money Secured for Bennett Building Restoration

By Andy Hart

April 30, 2009

Senator Eric Coleman (D-Bloomfield) recently announced that the state Bond Commission has approved $500,000 for the Capitol Region Conference of Churches (CRCC) to renovate the Rev. Collin Bennett Building, located at 1229 Albany Avenue in Hartford.

CRCC is a 107 year old faith-based ecumenical organization that serves a regional network of 450 Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches in the 30 cities and towns in Hartford Country. The mission is to achieve social justice for all people through faith-based leadership, education, advocacy and partnerships.

The Capitol Regional Conference of Churches is planning to purchase the building and covert it into a new headquarters for its administrative operations and Economic Empowerment Development Center. The $500,000 in state funding will be used for renovations and improvements. It will be an economic empowerment center and headquarters.

“This funding will help clear the way for the Capitol Region Conference of Churches to buy the Bennett Building, make renovations, and use it for their headquarters and an economic empowerment center,” said Senator Coleman. “It is good to have the presence of the Conference of Churches in a reinvigorated Bennett Building in the North End of Hartford. This will add to the overall effort to revitalize Albany Avenue.”

“In these times of economic challenges we know that we are fortunate to have the approval of the state bond dollars. We also recognize that now more than ever there will be a need for the services we can offer, and that’s why we made the decision strategically to relocate in one of Hartford’s most distressed neighborhoods,’ said Rev. Shelly D.B. Copeland, the president and CEO of the Conference of Churches. “We’re thankful for the leadership of Senator Coleman, who helped us to access the funds and was an advocate for us along throughout the process.”