Success Story: Swift Factory Food Hub Incubator and Manufacturing Facility Helps to Revitalize Hartford’s North End

When Hartford, Connecticut’s Swift Factory closed its doors in 2005, the city lost a large business anchor. M. Swift & Sons, a leading source of gold leafing for state capitol buildings and historic landmarks across the country, was housed in the Swift Factory for 120 years. It employed many citizens in Hartford’s struggling north end neighborhood. In 2017, EDA awarded $2.8 million to non-profit company Community Solutions, Inc to revitalize the vacant industrial building.

Renovations on the Swift Factory began this past summer, and development of a brand-new 19,000 square-foot food manufacturing center and business incubator is currently underway. The Swift Community Food and Business Development Center will bring economic opportunity and prosperity to the north end of the city. The neighborhood is predominantly African-American and Latino, and the revitalized Center will provide new life to the community through new jobs and opportunities for local residents to gain skills they need to grow and progress.

Along with EDA’s investment, Community Solutions was able to attract an additional $23 million in private investment for the redevelopment. The Swift Factory complex will feature a food business incubator, a manufacturing facility, office space, and health and economic initiatives for the community. The renovation is projected for completion by end of 2019 and is expected to create over 100 jobs.