Bridgeport Borough now has nearly $759,000 in grant funding lined up to redevelop the former Camelot parking lot at 440 Mill Street, located behind Wawa.
The borough recently received $508,692 through Pennsylvania’s Local Share Account program for redevelopment of the property. That comes on top of a $250,000 Montco 2040 Implementation Grant awarded by Montgomery County earlier this year for the same project. Together, the two awards total $758,692.
What Bridgeport plans to build
Bridgeport outlined its plans for the property in its spring/summer community newsletter.
The borough said it recently acquired the property, which had been left vacant for more than a decade, with the goal of transforming it into a 56-space municipal parking area.
Plans include EV charging stations, landscaping and green buffers, improved lighting and security, and access to the planned Bridgeport Spur Trail.
Montgomery County provided additional details when it announced the $250,000 Montco 2040 award in May. According to the county, the project is expected to include two EV charging stations, new lighting and security cameras, waste receptacles, seating, bicycle parking and 35 new trees surrounding the lot and reconstructed sidewalk.
The property is also expected to serve as a venue or staging area for future community events and provide another access point to the proposed trail.
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Why the borough says the project is needed
Bridgeport has periodically used the former Camelot lot for parking during community events, but the borough said the property currently cannot be opened for consistent public use because it lacks lighting, creating security, safety and liability concerns.
Borough officials have also identified a lack of off-street parking as an obstacle for businesses and events in Bridgeport.
The borough said its goal is to create a large municipal parking area that can serve patrons of local businesses while also providing space for community events and contributing to improvements in the downtown area.
Two grants now awarded
When Bridgeport published its spring/summer newsletter, the borough said it had applied for funding through two programs.
The first was Montgomery County’s Montco 2040 Implementation Grant Program. The county subsequently awarded Bridgeport the program’s maximum standard grant of $250,000 for the 440 Mill Street project in May.
The second application was through Pennsylvania’s Local Share Account program. On Sept. 17, state Rep. Tim Briggs announced that Bridgeport had been awarded an additional $508,692 for the parking lot redevelopment.
The Local Share Account distributes gaming revenue through the Commonwealth Financing Authority for projects considered to be in the public interest.
With both awards now announced, Bridgeport has secured a combined $758,692 in grant funding toward redevelopment of the former Camelot parking lot.
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