Norwich ― Standing on a gravel former farm road that will become part of an access road into the new Business Park North, city and state officials on Monday celebrated the $11.3 million state grant that will pay for the first half of the road.

The city recently received approval of the grant from the state Community Investment Fund that will construct 2,700 feet of access road and install utilities running from Route 97 in Occum into the 384-acre Business Park North. The Norwich Community Development Corp. purchased the property in December for $3.55 million.

During a news conference Monday morning at the site, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz noted the (Interstate 395) highway noise just beyond the vast farm field behind the podium where she and state Department of Economic and Community Development Deputy Commissioner Robert Hotaling stood.

“This is going to be a key access point and an economic development hub here in Norwich and the entirety of eastern Connecticut,” Bysiewicz said.

Bysiewicz said the state’s investment will foster the growth of thousands of new jobs for an industrial and manufacturing base, potentially supporting the construction of submarines at Electric Boat in Groton and the offshore wind industry at State Pier in New London. Bysiewicz said within 60 miles of Occum, there is a population of almost two million people and one million existing jobs.

The grant will build a road from the area near the Exit 18 ramp from I-395 into the business park property to Canterbury Turnpike and prepare 12 development pads. Norwich Public Utilities will install natural gas, water and electric lines along the roadway.

The business park plan calls for another 2,700 feet of road, with a roundabout at Canterbury Turnpike to be designed to keep industrial traffic off the local road. NCDC is awaiting word on a $15 million federal grant application that would complete the road through the property.

Mayor Peter Nystrom said the state and local partnership has come to fruition, and now the project needs a new partnership with the federal government.

NCDC President Kevin Brown said the rest of this year will be spent designing and engineering the road and market the development sites, now that construction is imminent. Brown said construction should start next January, with a goal of opening the first development parcels by December 2024.

But for now, the property entrance off Old Canterbury Turnpike where Monday’s news conference was held does not even have an address to direct the state and city officials to the site. Hotaling joked that he would have gotten lost if he had not followed Bysiewicz to the site.

“But soon, after this project is developed, no one will be lost,” he said. “They will know exactly where we’re coming to.”

As chief investment officer for DECD, Hotaling oversees the state’s Community Investment Fund. He pitched that the third round of grants opened Monday and encouraged eligible distressed municipalities to apply for the competitive grants. The $11.3 million approved for the business park was part of nearly $100 million approved by the state Bond Commission April 6.

State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, said legislative leaders’ goal in creating the CIF was to jumpstart development in distressed municipalities. Norwich, she said, fits into all the targeted goals, and the second business park will bring back the city’s former position as an industrial and manufacturing center.

State Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montville, thanked Brown for his work in bringing the second business park development to fruition.

“This is a great location,” Ryan said. “We know we have a great workforce in Norwich that are going to access the jobs that are going to be available here. It’s also going to help a lot of local businesses as you see the construction that occurs here, not to mention it will help the Norwich Public Utilities, which is always a great partner in these endeavors.”

c.bessette@theday.com