Createherenow to open on Water Street Thursday

TorringTon >> A building reuse program that started in Bridgeport is having its grand opening and informational meeting on Thursday at Morrison’s Hardware on Water Street.

The program, called CreateHereNow Connecticut, will also include a pie social, an art exhibit and live musical entertainment during its first meeting, according to organization’s website. After the pilot program in Bridgeport, Torrington is the second city participating city. The program has expanded to the entire state.

The primary goal of the program is helping build and revitalize creative businesses by reusing vacant storefronts and buildings near downtown areas. The pilot program helped develop five local businesses in downtown Bridgeport inside the historic Arcade on Main Street.

Some of the businesses the program helped developed include a jewelry store, a desktop publishing business and a weaving workshop.

In May the pilot program for CreateHereNow earned $500,000 in funding from ArtPlace America, a national arts advocacy group, according to a press release.

“ArtPlace America recognizes the central role arts and cultural activities can have in the revitalization of American cities,” chairman of ArtPlace Rip Rapson said in the release.

The money will be used to fund 20 participating cities and towns, Department of Economic and Community Development commissioner Catherine Smith said in the release.

“Our effort to bring arts directly into communities is important economically—not only does it revitalize communities, but it creates jobs and raises the visibility of the artists and their work,” Smith said.

CreateHereNow is a collaboration between the city and the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development. Thursday’s event at 63 Water St. will start at 4 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.

ESTEBAN L. HERNANDEZ—THE REGISTER CITIZEN Morrison’s Hardware on the corner of Water Street and Prospect Street on Tuesday. The store will host the CreateHereNow grand opening on Thursday.