The old Stanley, Black & Decker factories in downtown New Britain, Connecticut, are getting a green makeover into a high-speed data processing center.
Governor Malloy visited the site of the future Energy and Innovation Park on Monday.
“We’re going to have thousands of jobs on this site in the not so distant future,” Malloy said.
Stanley, Black & Decker officials say data storage needs will quintuple in the next five years and this facility will help house that data.
Malloy says the renovation will transform the former manufacturing site into a $1 billion energy efficient facility that will also house 44 fuel cells. Those are clean energy batteries the size of semi-trucks.
New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart says Stanley Tool Works was the reason her city was founded 175 years ago, and now this project will redefine its future.
“This project is an absolute game changer for the City of New Britain. When you talk about wanting to invest in urban areas in our state and wanting to give new life to areas that look like this – and we see many dilapidated factory buildings all across the state of Connecticut – this is exactly what our urban areas need.”
Construction will start early next year. When the final building phase is complete, it will be the largest fuel cell facility in the world.