Strong growth in construction, manufacturing fuel optimism for year ahead
Washington - Expectations are rising for a stronger U.S. economy in 2014 after reports Thursday showed solid growth in manufacturing and construction spending at the end of last year.
Factory activity in December stayed near a 2 ½ -year high. Americans are buying more cars and homes, increasing demand for steel, furniture and other manufactured goods. Manufacturers have boosted hiring to meet that demand and may add jobs at a healthier pace this year.
And builders stepped up spending on home construction in November, despite recent increases in borrowing rates. That suggests many remain confident in the housing recovery. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
Work on new Newtown school set for summer or fall
NEWTOWN — Newtown officials say demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School is finished and construction of a new school on the same site will begin in the late summer or early fall. Officials say the property where 20 first-graders and six adults were killed more than a year ago has been graded and stabilized for the winter. Town leaders expect to decide next week on the location of the new school's access road, and work on the road is expected to begin in the spring. The new school is expected to open by December 2016. The town is using a $50 million state grant to pay for the new Sandy Hook Elementary School. The 400 elementary students in the Sandy Hook district are attending a school just for them in neighboring Monroe.
Foreclosed Plainfield biomass plant restarts
The Virginia financier that bought a 37.5 megawatt Plainfield biomass plant out of foreclosure has brought the facility back online and is feeding power onto the electricity grid.
Leidos Holdings of Virginia assumed ownership of the Plainfield Renewable Energy biomass power plant back in October, following an agreement reached with New Jersey-based Enova Energy Group, the original owner of the plant that failed to finish the $225 million construction.
Leidos has a 15-year contract with electric utility Connecticut Light & Power to sell the power produced by the plant and is already delivering energy to regional grid administrator ISO New England. As a biomass plant, the facility helps Connecticut reach its renewable energy goals by providing in-state Class I power. The facility powers the equivalent of 37,000 homes.
The company will have a ribbon cutting Monday at the facility on Norwich Road to honor the project's completion. The construction process employed 430 people with more than 1 million man hours worked.
Hartford expects $500,000 for Albany Ave. improvements
The State Bond Commission is expected to approve $500,000 for streetscape improvements in the Upper Albany neighborhood when it meets next week.The funding will be used for the first phase of improvements to the area, state officials said, and includes an assessment of all properties on Albany and Homestead avenues and façade enhancements along Albany Avenue.The assessment will include vacant buildings and lots. Once it is complete, design standards will be drawn up to craft a "comprehensive façade improvement plan," officials said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
DEEP allows work to continue on boathouse exterior
Although construction of the boathouse at Riverfront Park missed a Dec. 31 deadline for completion of the exterior, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has granted an extension for the project.Town Manager Richard J. Johnson said the $12 million park expansion that includes a two-story boathouse and boat launch was required to have all exterior work completed by the end of December to protect nesting bald eagles along the Connecticut River. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING