VHB is collaborating with the Town of East Haddam to establish a Redevelopment Plan for the Village Center and the surrounding historic area. Our team will support the Town's vision for a community-supported, economically viable, and historically sensitive redevelopment. The revitalization efforts will aim to capitalize on the site’s prime location, enhance pedestrian and bicycle access, and contribute to the vitality of East Haddam’s historic Village Center.
More than a decade ago, the East Haddam town offices were relocated to a new municipal complex, leaving the former town buildings vacant and creating an opportunity to reimagine the Village Center. In May 2025, construction was completed on the East Haddam Swing Bridge, which added a pedestrian/bicycle lane along the south side of the bridge, further priming the area for increased visitor activity and connectivity to neighboring communities.
Beginning in 2023, VHB started working with the Town of East Haddam to obtain and implement a Brownfield grant from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), which would facilitate the redevelopment of Town-owned properties in the Village Center. Our team encouraged the Town to take a wider view of the Village Center when planning for redevelopment, beyond only Town-owned properties.
VHB completed existing conditions assessments, summarizing the area’s environmental features, site design, and regulatory constraints, and is now supporting the Town’s redevelopment planning. Given the abundance of waterways and natural and historic resources, the project team will prioritize balancing economic development with environmental, historic, and cultural preservation so that future investments reflect the scale and identity of the Village Center.
In addition to challenges related to traffic, mobility, topography, and historic preservation, the future use and redevelopment of the Village Center have long been debated. The Town is actively engaging the public to understand their issues and concerns, establish and refine redevelopment concepts, and create a seamless implementation plan. VHB is helping to coordinate two public workshops, where our team will facilitate an interactive activity to solicit public input and feedback on existing site opportunities, constraints, and initial urban design concept schemes.
The redevelopment plan is targeted for completion in January 2026 and will include an implementation strategy for the vision that meets both present and future community needs.
Learn how VHB collaborates with clients on large-scale and complex local and state planning efforts that involve identifying and evaluating historic resources.
