Economic and Community Development

The Hospital partnered with a number of city agencies and organizations to promote economic and community development in the Greater Bridgeport area.

• Bridgeport Hospital President & CEO Bob Trefry was elected chairman of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council Board of Directors. The 1,000-member Business Council, whose affiliates include the Bridgeport, Stratford and Trumbull Chambers of Commerce, serves as an advocacy group for business and economic development.
• The Hospital continued to lead the Seaview Avenue Business Alliance (SABA), a group of local businesses interested in cleaning up the Seaview Avenue corridor and improving access between I-95 and Route 1. The Hospital also continued its leadership role in the development of the Seaview Avenue Corridor and support of the Lake Success Office Park. Through the support of SABA, a subsidiary of DuPont and North American Realty has agreed to reclaim and develop the former Remington Arms property behind the General Electric plant on Boston Avenue.
• Hospital representatives participated in the development of a Master Plan of Conservation and Development for the City of Bridgeport. The Master Plan, which is updated every 10 years includes sections dedicated to land use and zoning, cultural and historic resources, parks and open space, economic development, housing, supporting infrastructure, municipal facilities and services, neighborhoods, and environmental setting. The Master Plan is scheduled for approval in FY 2008.
• Hospital leadership continued to participate in several initiatives focused on increased quality-of-life throughout the City of Bridgeport including Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) strategic planning committees. These committees were formed as part of an ongoing citywide urban renewal effort. As a result of the community NRZ process there is a proposal for the addition of a supermarket on the East End of Bridgeport, which will bring fresh produce to the community.
• The Hospital worked with its network of local government and community organizations to address issues, such as replacing non-working streetlights, lowering ambulance siren noise levels in the neighborhood, and establishing relationships between interested community members and the organizations to pursue long-term change.

  In FY 2007, the Hospital launched an initiative to affect measurable and sustainable quality-of-life enhancements in the Hospital’s East End neighborhood, one of the poorest in Bridgeport. The blocks immediately surrounding the Hospital were the first areas targeted.

• In an effort to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with community, religious and political leaders, to communicate key happenings at the Bridgeport Hospital and to identify and resolve any issues, Hospital leaders met one-on-one with community leaders. These discussions led to a variety of collaborative efforts between the Hospital and other organizations. For example, Hospital representation on the Bridgeport East End Community Council resulted in improved access for the underserved community to personal medical-alarm services. In addition, a toy drive for East End children was held during the holiday season.