Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch announced Wednesday that the developer of Steel Point made a contribution that could help get construction work on the project under way.

The developer of the Steel Point area, located south of I-95, donated $50,000 to erect a statue of Bridgeport native and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee James O'Rourke outside the baseball field at Harbor Yard, where O?Rourke once lived.

O?Rourke?s house was the only structure left standing in Steel Point until an agreement was reached on how to memorialize him. The residence is now set to be demolished Monday.

"With the development now poised to move forward, we felt it was time to change the image of the site," says Bob Christoph, of the Bridgeport Landing Development.

Mayor Finch says the fact that the developer is willing to spend money to improve Steel Point and celebrate a local hero is a sign of more positive changes to come.

The mayor says he hopes to announce a finalized agreement for the development project in August. Before construction in Steel Point can go forward, the project will have to be approved by the Bridgeport City Council.