Despite freezing temperatures and gusty winds, construction workers on site at the new Guilford High School keep plugging away. Work is on schedule for completion in summer 2015, making the graduating class of 2016 the first to make use of the new school. To date, the new floor decking has been added to the second floor of the new school structure, the construction of the roof deck has begun on the classroom wing, and over in the southwest corner, construction on the gym and locker rooms is well underway. Other forward motion includes the Guilford High School Building Committee's decision to add a third construction phase to the project for technology. The committee's Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mary Beeman explained, "This decision allows us to push back decisions on technology until February of 2015. It poses no risk to the project." In addition, discussion for months has been orbiting around the inclusion of a black box theater as part of the project. To date, the design development of the theater was approved by the committee, for a fee of $37,500. However, the committee has not yet approved the addition of the black box theater, only its design, in order to get a more specific cost quote. The next Guilford High School Building Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Meeting scheduled for middle school renovation
A special town meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 28th to discuss and take action on plans to renovate the North Haven Middle School. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the middle school. Prior to the meeting, tours of the 55-year-old school will be held, starting at 6 p.m.
At the meeting, North Haven voters will be asked to authorize the North Haven Board of Education to “apply to the Commissioner of Education of the State of Connecticut for a grant in connection with a “renovate as new’’ plus “new” addition construction project at the middle school. Voters will also be asked to allow the North Haven Middle School Building Committee to hire an architect for the “preparation of schematic drawings and outline specifications for the project, as well as other incidental pre-referendum professional services.’’ A referendum to proceed with work on the middle school project is expected, according to school and town officials, to be held this June.
Regulators lower CNG rate increase by $14M
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on Thursday will lower Connecticut Natural Gas' proposed $20 million rate increase to $6.5 million, according to a release from the agency.
CNG, which provides natural gas to 165,000 customers in Greater Hartford, had asked for the $20 million ensure its financial strength and add critical infrastructure to meet Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's goal of adding 280,000 customers to the home heating distribution system in the state over the next 10 years. PURA had approved other funding mechanisms to pay for the natural gas expansion, which includes CNG, Yankee Gas, and Southern Connecticut Gas. Because of those measures – which include charges new customers more on their distribution fees – PURA said CNG didn't need the whole $20 million. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
Recycling center breaks ground in Watertown
WATERTOWN -- The project to build a construction debris recycling facility at the former drive-in site on Frost Bridge Road broke ground Jan. 1, according to the company's owner, Robert Sachs.
He said crews have been pouring the foundation and construction is progressing steadily.Sachs said the foundation should be completed by some time in February and he hopes to start erecting the building at the end of February. “We're planning on working through the winter,” Sachs said. He said he hopes the business is in operation by the end of 2014. Frost Bridge Associates bought the property for $750,000 in May 2008, and originally planned to start construction on the 48,000-square-foot transfer station in beginning of 2013. Sachs said there was no particular reason for the delay other than the company hadn't gotten its plans together. The new owners cleaned up the formerly contaminated site and the new facility is expected to add a healthy sum to Watertown's tax roles once it is up and running.