103 Main Street, aka Former Gong Bell Property

Partnerships between the town, EPA, State agencies, local businesses and volunteers have successfully transformed this former brownfields site into an attractive community asset.

An EPA clean up grant was awarded in May 2007, which provided funding to clear and remediate the 103 Main Street site that included capping impacted soils with a specially designed impermeable liner and soil, and paving the remaining areas. The goal of the grant funding was to provide convenient parking and mitigating environmental threats to Pocotopaug Creek with a vegetative buffer.

The EHBRDA consulted with the East Hampton Garden Club and volunteer licensed Landscape Architects to identify appropriate plantings and develop a landscaping plan. New planting beds were installed at the site thanks to an Eagle Scout project.

Between May and July, Scout Eli Gates organized three volunteer work parties to prepare more than 15 raised beds and install 287 plants under the supervision of his Scoutmaster, Rich Arnold. In all, 34 volunteers contributed a total of 180 physical work hours to complete the project. Several local groups and businesses generously contributed to the success of the project including the East Hampton Belltown Garden Club, Paul & Sandy’s, American Distilling, McDonald’s and the Town Public Works Department.