Steel Point Redevelopment Nears Launch in Bridgeport CT
UPDATED
BRIDGEPORT, Conn.—In most cities, the sight of heavy construction vehicles rumbling down the street doesn't merit a second glance. But in Bridgeport's historic Steel Point neighborhood, it signals a sea change for a long-dormant civic dream. Six Bridgeport mayors have sought to redevelop the 52-acre peninsula on Long Island Sound, named for a steel works that operated there for decades. The city and state combined have spent about $100 million on the venture over the past three decades, but those efforts have been slowed by property disputes, a corruption scandal and three recessions.
Bridgeport officials now say the fortunes of Steel Point will turn this summer when building begins on the area's first anchor, a 150,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops, which sells boats and outdoor supplies. The city plans to add other shops, hotels, a public waterfront and up to 2.6 million square feet of housing in a project estimated at $1 billion. To be sure, no deals have been cinched for the other elements, but Mayor Bill Finch said Bass Pro Shops would serve as a catalyst for what he describes as Bridgeport's biggest initiative since the Industrial Revolution. "It's happening," he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUEConnecticut's Transportation Infrastructure Needs "Hardening"
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the State of Connecticut is applying for $600 million in federal transportation funding to help cover the capital costs of three resiliency, or “hardening”, projects central to the commuter rail infrastructure of Connecticut. The federal funds will be matched with $200 million in state funds for various upgrade and replacement projects along the New Haven Line.
“We learned some tough lessons during Super Storm Sandy, but one of the most important was that several aspects of our transportation infrastructure are in dire need of hardening measures. We have made billions of dollars in investments in new rail infrastructure in recent years, but it is just as crucial to maintain, protect and replace existing systems along the Northeast rail corridor,” said Governor Malloy. “The New Haven Line is the busiest single commuter rail system in America and the backbone of our economy and its failure due to a weather-related event would have a catastrophic ripple effect throughout the region and the nation. In anticipation of adding even more service on this state owned rail corridor, we want to undergo these projects now to ensure a safe and reliable commute for riders, prevent any major system interruptions and protect against future natural disasters.” Congress and the Obama administration made $3 billion available for 11 states affected by Storm Sandy in October 2012. Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) Commissioner James P. Redeker said that the Federal Transit Administration will announce grant awards under the Sandy Resiliency Project Program in the fall. Connecticut is applying for $603 million to be applied to the following key components of the New Haven Line, which is owned by ConnDOT and operated by Metro-North: CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Manafort pays $2.4M penalty
Manafort Brothers Inc. has agreed to pay a $2.4 million penalty to the federal government to avoid prosecution over allegations that the company made false claims to win the bidding on a $39.7 million Route 72 reconstruction project.
Federal prosecutors allege that the 95-year-old, Plainville-based company rigged the bidding process for the two-mile relocation of Route 72, which runs through Plainville and Bristol, by falsely claiming it would allocate 11 percent of the work to “disadvantaged business enterprises” when, in fact, it didn’t, court papers said. In order to win a bid for a state project paid at least in part with federal funding, construction companies are required to give 10 percent of the work to contractors that are considered disadvantaged. Federal authorities contend that in its bid, Manafort named a disadvantaged business, referred to as “Company 1” in court papers, that would receive $3 million in work for the project. But, court papers said, as the project continued, it became obvious that “Company 1” wasn’t performing the work and was being used as a “pass-through” entity to pay other subcontractors “to skirt DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program) regulations.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUECTFasTrak: Moving full speed ahead
With more contractors and subcontractors onboard and the warmer weather here, CTfastrak managers are now speeding ahead on finishing construction, installing a hi-tech ticket system and training new drivers. Two years ago, Department of Transportation engineers, contractors and subcontractors were breaking ground with only a vision of the CTfastrak busway. Today, with nearly 60 percent of the construction work completed, CTfastrak transit stations with their green-colored canopies are visible. Parts of the future CTfastrak five-mile, multiuse trail are already being used by pet walkers and others, and the basics of the bus-only route from New Britain to Hartford could be completed as early as October. “We’re primarily done with the underground work,” said Richard Symonds, DOT project manager. “Over the next month, you’re going to see concrete work where sidewalks will be installed around the station. It will probably be early to midsummer before we start paving. You’ll also see landscaping being installed around the station.” Symonds said a landscaping contract involving two separate projects is yet to be awarded. The projects will include plantings along the CTfastrak guideway. The proposed landscaping will enhance adjacent properties and soften the view of the retaining walls and noise barrier walls. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Mystic - Workers will begin sawing through curbs along Water Street this week as part of the second phase of the Mystic Streetscape project. Construction signs for the beautification project on Water Street went up April 3, and contractor H.M. Nunes and Sons Construction Inc. began layout work last week. Workers are expected to first clear an area on the west side of Water Street and cut through pavement to replace existing curbing. Then they will demolish the sidewalk on the east side of the road from the Mystic Arts Center driveway to just north of the Oyster Club, according to a project update by the town manager. The streetscape project includes extension of sidewalks, granite curbing, landscaping, drainage and on-street parking improvements along Water Street. Work will extend from the entrance to the Mystic Art Association to the intersection of Water Street and Noank Road and is expected to finish by the end of June.
Busy bridge shuts down
Built in 1941 of concrete and stone, the structurally deficient School Ground Road Bridge is overdue for an upgrade. On April 14, the bridge will be completely shut down, with traffic detoured to Route 139, as replacement construction begins. The new bridge is expected to open in late November, 2014. Signs warning of the impending bridge closing have been posted on School Ground Road for the past weeks. “We’re anxious to get project underway and we’re trying to get word out to as many people who use that road that the bridge will be closed. It’s a pretty busy road,” said Branford Town Engineer Janice Plaziak. According to State Dept. of Transportation estimates, the School Ground Road Bridge averages 7,110 vehicles per day. Traffic that usually short-cuts from Route 1 to Route 139 over School Ground Road will need to detour along Route 139; but drivers traveling to businesses on either side of the bridge will have access from one side of the bridge or the other. Plaziak said the detour adds between one to two miles of additional travel. She also said the town has been working with all of the local businesses on either side of the bridge to ensure the best possible access during the construction period. “We will provide access to all the driveways to all the different businesses on either side of the bridge, and the businesses will remain open,” said Plaziak. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Hartford Healthcare eyes aggressive capital investments
Hartford Healthcare is preparing a major five-year capital spending plan headlined by a new $110 million bone and joint institute that will reshape Hartford Hospital's Seymour Street campus.
The capital investments, which could reach $1.2 billion, also will fund a health information technology makeover and significant expansion of Hartford Healthcare's ambulatory care network, hospital executives say. The project pipeline represents Hartford Healthcare's most ambitious capital plan ever, as the state's second largest health system restructures and expands to meet a new era in health care. The investments, however, also come at a time when hospitals are facing significant financial headwinds, leaving little room for bad bets. "We must invest to reinvent ourselves," said Jeffrey Flaks, Hartford Healthcare's chief operating officer. "This is a strategic plan to transform our system." Flaks said the investments aim to better position Hartford Healthcare as the industry moves away from a fee-for-service model to a system requiring providers to manage patient populations.
To do that effectively, Flaks said, hospital systems must care for people where they live, offer better coordinated services, and do it all more cost effectively. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Construction poised to be CT's growth industry
Construction will lead Connecticut's industries in job growth over the next 10 years, economists and labor analysts say. The industry hit hardest by the Great Recession is poised for a strong rebound this year and beyond as public projects move forward and the backlog of private projects built up during the economic downturn starts to clear, said Andrew Condon, director of the state Department of Labor office of research. "It is coming back, but it is coming back from a very big fall," Condon said. "You have to put that in context because construction was coming from a very low place."
As Connecticut's unemployment rate continues to inch downward, the economic recovery is being felt differently by various industries, a Hartford Business Journal analysis of state labor data shows.
Health and education services, for example, didn't have an employment drop during the Great Recession and has maintained either slow growth or a leveling off its workforce. Leisure and hospitality gained back all the jobs it lost and added nearly 10,000 more. Manufacturing just started a slow uptick. Financial services still is bottoming out. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Union protests contractor's role in SCSU project
NEW HAVEN >> Members of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters want to know why a Glastonbury contractor that was told by the state to stop working in late February at the University of Connecticut is allowed to continue construction of the $49 million science building at Southern Connecticut State University. A dozen unionized carpenters conducted informational picketing 2½ hours Monday along Fitch Street, where the laboratory is being built in part of a former school parking lot. Some of the carpenters went on campus to hand out fliers to students. The pickets were targeting the presence of Intext Building System, a Glastonbury company working as a subcontractor at SCSU. A stop-work order was issued Feb. 23 against Intext for improperly classifying workers and concealing payroll on a project at UConn, according to the state Department of Labor.
“They are a law-breaking contractor,” said Tim Sullivan, a union organizer. “Unemployment among carpenters is in the 10 to 12 percent range and that’s a little higher than we’d like. The presence of the company on this job site and their practices make it difficult for honest contractors to compete.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Haven in line for $308M BioMed investment at 2 sites
Winstanley Enterprises is partnering with BioMed Realty to attract life science companies to the city, as well as help businesses grow to the next level. Specifically, the large real estate trust, which has properties in Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, North Carolina and the United Kingdom, is investing in 100 College St., under construction, and 300 George St., both developed for research businesses.
Carter Winstanley, a principal in the firm that has been working 15 years in New Haven, said as BioMed’s tenants “look to expand, New Haven will become one of the major market opportunities they will evaluate. Our job will be to work closely with BioMed to show them what makes New Haven such a great market.” BioMed, in a press release, said it plans a $308 million investment in the two sites over time. Winstanley called it a recapitalization of equity partners. The developer said the day-to-day role of Winstanley Enterprises in marketing, construction and management at the properties, which will be more than 1 million square feet upon completion, will not change.
“I have had other partners in the past and this is a new partner that brings great expertise to the table and shares our philosophy that real estate is a long-term hold business,” he said. “As in the past, we will continue to be a strong local presence in the community.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Torrington City Council approves $800,000 bid for sewer repair
TORRINGTON >> The city took its first step toward completion of a massive sewer repair project Monday as the City Council unanimously approved a bid to begin work on a portion of its water pollution infrastructure. The council voted unanimously to award a $828,792 bid to True Blue Environmental Services of Wallingford to begin a multi-million dollar capital improvement project on its sewer lines. The payment funds the East Torrington Sewer Rehabilitation Project Sewer Replacements and was the lowest of four bids received by the city. The funding will be provided from the $3.9 million Water Pollution Control Administration budget (WPCA) line, WPCA administrator Ray Drew said. The massive, multi-year project to improve the city’s wastewater infrastructure is estimated to cost $51.3 million. The WPCA hopes to begin advertising for bids for the project in 2016 and complete the construction in three years. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Busy bridge shuts down
Built in 1941 of concrete and stone, the structurally deficient School Ground Road Bridge is overdue for an upgrade. On April 14, the bridge will be completely shut down, with traffic detoured to Route 139, as replacement construction begins. The new bridge is expected to open in late November, 2014. Signs warning of the impending bridge closing have been posted on School Ground Road for the past weeks. “We’re anxious to get project underway and we’re trying to get word out to as many people who use that road that the bridge will be closed. It’s a pretty busy road,” said Branford Town Engineer Janice Plaziak. According to State Dept. of Transportation estimates, the School Ground Road Bridge averages 7,110 vehicles per day. Traffic that usually short-cuts from Route 1 to Route 139 over School Ground Road will need to detour along Route 139; but drivers traveling to businesses on either side of the bridge will have access from one side of the bridge or the other. Plaziak said the detour adds between one to two miles of additional travel. She also said the town has been working with all of the local businesses on either side of the bridge to ensure the best possible access during the construction period. “We will provide access to all the driveways to all the different businesses on either side of the bridge, and the businesses will remain open,” said Plaziak. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Hartford Healthcare eyes aggressive capital investments
Hartford Healthcare is preparing a major five-year capital spending plan headlined by a new $110 million bone and joint institute that will reshape Hartford Hospital's Seymour Street campus.
The capital investments, which could reach $1.2 billion, also will fund a health information technology makeover and significant expansion of Hartford Healthcare's ambulatory care network, hospital executives say. The project pipeline represents Hartford Healthcare's most ambitious capital plan ever, as the state's second largest health system restructures and expands to meet a new era in health care. The investments, however, also come at a time when hospitals are facing significant financial headwinds, leaving little room for bad bets. "We must invest to reinvent ourselves," said Jeffrey Flaks, Hartford Healthcare's chief operating officer. "This is a strategic plan to transform our system." Flaks said the investments aim to better position Hartford Healthcare as the industry moves away from a fee-for-service model to a system requiring providers to manage patient populations.
To do that effectively, Flaks said, hospital systems must care for people where they live, offer better coordinated services, and do it all more cost effectively. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Construction poised to be CT's growth industry
Construction will lead Connecticut's industries in job growth over the next 10 years, economists and labor analysts say. The industry hit hardest by the Great Recession is poised for a strong rebound this year and beyond as public projects move forward and the backlog of private projects built up during the economic downturn starts to clear, said Andrew Condon, director of the state Department of Labor office of research. "It is coming back, but it is coming back from a very big fall," Condon said. "You have to put that in context because construction was coming from a very low place."
As Connecticut's unemployment rate continues to inch downward, the economic recovery is being felt differently by various industries, a Hartford Business Journal analysis of state labor data shows.
Health and education services, for example, didn't have an employment drop during the Great Recession and has maintained either slow growth or a leveling off its workforce. Leisure and hospitality gained back all the jobs it lost and added nearly 10,000 more. Manufacturing just started a slow uptick. Financial services still is bottoming out. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Union protests contractor's role in SCSU project
NEW HAVEN >> Members of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters want to know why a Glastonbury contractor that was told by the state to stop working in late February at the University of Connecticut is allowed to continue construction of the $49 million science building at Southern Connecticut State University. A dozen unionized carpenters conducted informational picketing 2½ hours Monday along Fitch Street, where the laboratory is being built in part of a former school parking lot. Some of the carpenters went on campus to hand out fliers to students. The pickets were targeting the presence of Intext Building System, a Glastonbury company working as a subcontractor at SCSU. A stop-work order was issued Feb. 23 against Intext for improperly classifying workers and concealing payroll on a project at UConn, according to the state Department of Labor.
“They are a law-breaking contractor,” said Tim Sullivan, a union organizer. “Unemployment among carpenters is in the 10 to 12 percent range and that’s a little higher than we’d like. The presence of the company on this job site and their practices make it difficult for honest contractors to compete.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Haven in line for $308M BioMed investment at 2 sites
Winstanley Enterprises is partnering with BioMed Realty to attract life science companies to the city, as well as help businesses grow to the next level. Specifically, the large real estate trust, which has properties in Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, North Carolina and the United Kingdom, is investing in 100 College St., under construction, and 300 George St., both developed for research businesses.
Carter Winstanley, a principal in the firm that has been working 15 years in New Haven, said as BioMed’s tenants “look to expand, New Haven will become one of the major market opportunities they will evaluate. Our job will be to work closely with BioMed to show them what makes New Haven such a great market.” BioMed, in a press release, said it plans a $308 million investment in the two sites over time. Winstanley called it a recapitalization of equity partners. The developer said the day-to-day role of Winstanley Enterprises in marketing, construction and management at the properties, which will be more than 1 million square feet upon completion, will not change.
“I have had other partners in the past and this is a new partner that brings great expertise to the table and shares our philosophy that real estate is a long-term hold business,” he said. “As in the past, we will continue to be a strong local presence in the community.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Torrington City Council approves $800,000 bid for sewer repair
TORRINGTON >> The city took its first step toward completion of a massive sewer repair project Monday as the City Council unanimously approved a bid to begin work on a portion of its water pollution infrastructure. The council voted unanimously to award a $828,792 bid to True Blue Environmental Services of Wallingford to begin a multi-million dollar capital improvement project on its sewer lines. The payment funds the East Torrington Sewer Rehabilitation Project Sewer Replacements and was the lowest of four bids received by the city. The funding will be provided from the $3.9 million Water Pollution Control Administration budget (WPCA) line, WPCA administrator Ray Drew said. The massive, multi-year project to improve the city’s wastewater infrastructure is estimated to cost $51.3 million. The WPCA hopes to begin advertising for bids for the project in 2016 and complete the construction in three years. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE