Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM| JANUARY 9, 2023 9 5 TO WATCH Daum takes reins of DECD's new multimillion-dollar economic development programs, incentives strategy By Hanna Snyder Gambini hgambini@hartfordbusiness.com A lexandra Daum, in her new role as commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, plans to continue the work started by her predecessor in building, sustain- ing and promoting Connecticut. The 35-year-old New Haven resident who had served as deputy commissioner under David Lehman, stepped into the lead role as of the first of the year, and is awaiting legis- lative approval of her appointment. Daum said her real estate back- ground makes her a good fit to lead DECD, especially as the agency focuses significant funding on urban redevelopment. Prior to joining the agency, Daum was the founder of a New Haven real estate investment firm, Field Properties. Before that, the Harvard Business School grad worked for commercial real estate and invest- ment giant Trammell Crow Residen- tial in its northern California division. Daum — a married mother of two children who still owns a small rental properties portfolio in the Elm City — said she has her sights set on four main focus areas in 2023: small business support, corporate business performance, smart growth in downtown and Main Street areas, and tourism. Daum said many programs launched under Lehman, some of which she spearheaded, are rel- atively new, and DECD wants to foster them and see them take root. For "2023 and beyond, it's good to have consistency and a long- term view," Daum said in a recent interview with the Hartford Business Journal. "It's my opinion and the opinion of many in Connecticut, hopefully, that we're on the right track, and that the DECD has been doing the right stuff. A lot of these initiatives are new, and we want to see them settle." Mixed-use housing Revitalizing urban areas as well as smaller downtowns is a multifaceted top priority, with a strong focus on boosting mixed-use and other eco- nomic development, Daum said. Two key programs were launched recently under the Lamont admin- istration, including the $100 mil- lion Communities Challenge grant program, which invests in tran- sit-oriented development and other housing projects. The program has a goal of cre- ating 3,000 jobs with 50% of the funding going to distressed munici- palities. So far, two funding rounds have occurred, with more than $80 million going to 20 cities and towns and leveraging more than $217 mil- lion in private investment. A third round of about $18 million is scheduled to be announced in 2023. Projects that have received fund- ing so far include $6.3 million for a mixed-use redevelopment of the Arrowhead Cafe block near Dunkin' Donuts Park, which aims to create a better connection between down- town Hartford and the city's North End. The planned $17.4-million project will result in 43 apartments and 7,300 square feet of retail space in multiple buildings. Goodwin University's efforts to build a marina on the Connecticut River near its East Hartford campus — part of a larger mixed-use devel- opment plan — got $2 million from the program. Part of Communities Challenge's focus is to help address the state's affordable housing shortage, which is seen as a significant factor con- tributing to the workforce shortage, Daum said. Connecticut employers reported more than 100,000 job Alexandra Daum is the new commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development, with a focus on housing, smart growth, business support and tourism. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER ALEXANDRA DAUM Commissioner State Department of Economic and Community Development Education: Bachelor's degree, Harvard College; MBA, Harvard Business School Age: 35

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