COVID-19 and its unexpected boost for NW Connecticut

TORRINGTON — David Lehman from the state Department of Economic and Community Development told an audience at the Five Points Arts Center in Torrington that the silver lining in the COVID-19 cloud is the revitalization of small cities.

Lehman spoke to a group Thursday, Sept. 23, at the 2021 Northwest Connecticut Economic Development Summit, hosted by the Northwest Hills Council of Governments, the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce and the Five Points Arts Center. The event was sponsored by the City of Torrington.

Lehman said the in-migration into Connecticut during the pandemic has changed the “quality of life” landscape. Big cities are no longer the only big draw. “Now small and medium-sized cities are cool.”

Lehman said that from the state’s point of view, the pandemic — and the influx of federal pandemic recovery money — presents an opportunity “to modernize state government.”

He specifically mentioned the Department of Motor Vehicles, which drew appreciative chuckles from the audience.

Lehman said it was unclear if the in-migration of people to Connecticut is cyclical or structural.

“In my opinion,” he continued, “you’re going to see more development.”

Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone told the audience that “economic development doesn’t happen in a silo.”

She said development occurs through the efforts of people such as those in the audience, “who do the unexciting things, like marketing studies.”

The Five Points Arts Center is located at the former Torrington campus of the University of Connecticut.

Carbone said when UConn decided to close the campus, there were two bids for the property: one from an education group and one from “the arts community.”

She went with the latter. I knew that the arts would be a game-changer.”

Five Points’ Judy McElhone said there is “no separation” between the arts and economic development.

The arts are an important sector in the state’s economy, she continued.

“And we’re part of it.”

Other speakers addressed, briefly: improving internet access in Northwest Connecticut via fiber optics; the “Discover Litchfield Hills” website; the Northwest Connecticut Food Hub; small business support; the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council website (including an extensive section for local artists to sell their work); and a series of video profiles of young professionals by Ted Perotti.