NEW BRITAIN — According to City Counsel Gennaro Bizzarro, when Supreme Court Judge Cynthia Swienton reconsidered her ruling on the Costco case last month, the lawsuit against Costco was “pretty much dismissed” for “lack of standing.” However, New Britain resident Elaine Lechowicz insists “it’s not over until it’s over.” Lechowicz filed the suit to block construction of the store south of Westfarms mall. The issue had been whether Lechowicz was legally the proper person to challenge the transfer of property. Costco attorneys from Robinson & Cole argued she did not have “standing”; the only entity that would was the attorney general’s office. Lechowicz said Saturday that she still believes she has standing. “We haven’t filed a second appeal,” she said. “In fact, though I’m only one person — the only person filing suit. I welcome others who feel as I do about city parks to join my cause.” Bizzarro said Parks and Recreation and Stanley Golf Course officials were disappointed that construction on the golf course could not get underway before Nov. 15. Construction will now be delayed until the spring. The city will be responsible for sodding the holes.
Mayor Erin Stewart acknowledged that the city lost a growing season due to the delay in construction because of the suit. As a result, all 27 holes won’t be open next year, only 18. Stewart said there is no indication Costco will ask for more project money. “They chose not to start construction this month because they didn’t want to disrespect the court process,” she said. “We understand and respect that, though it’s frustrating. Costco is still on track; make no mistake about it. They just can’t start construction until spring.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Can't beat the view of Meriden's downtown transformation
MERIDEN — As the landscape of the city changes with continued work downtown, so too do the scenes outside local windows, as residents and city workers witness the evolution of Meriden.
The demolition of the former Hub commercial site and subsequent construction of a 14-acre park have been turning heads for the better part of a year, though views of the site vary depending on your vantage point. Some of the best views are arguably from the upper levels of apartment buildings right in the downtown area, such as Harbor Towers on Hanover Street. Both Deborah Daniels and her 16th floor neighbor, Joseph Kings, recognize their prime viewing real estate. “This view is beautiful like a picture,” Kings said last week, gazing out a window in his living room at an aerial view of the city and the Meriden Hub. “In the summer when it’s green, in the winter when there will be snow, in the fall with all these colors, it’s beautiful,” he said. Daniels, who lives across the hall from Kings, has a view that looks out over the Gold Street area. By craning her neck and looking more north, the east edge of the Hub site along Pratt Street is visible. “I think it’s good for downtown,” she said of the work. She added, “I love seeing the water.” One of the main goals at the Hub is to control flooding downtown by diverting three underground brooks into a single, uncovered channel running north to south through the site. A section of Harbor Brook was uncovered in mid-October, and can be seen running through the Hub for the first time in more than 40 years. The water pooling in the middle of the Hub, and the water Daniels was referencing, however, is groundwater and runoff surface water. It is being pumped into two 20,000-gallon tanks on State Street. The water is filtered, then pumped into the city sewer network. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
NORWICH - In addition to casting votes for Connecticut’s next governor, city residents will decide Tuesday whether to further support an expansion of Norwich Public Utilities’ natural gas pipeline and future infrastructure development. If the $9.5 million bond is approved, it would mark a $20.5 million public investment since 2010 to bring natural gas services into the city. In May, NPU outlined to city regulators how it planned to spend the money: $5.5 million would go toward laying new pipes throughout the city; $2 million to upgrade its automated metering system; and $2 million to prepare for upcoming capital improvement projects in the gas sector – including the possibility of connecting a pipe on Route 2A to the Preston Riverwalk site at the former Norwich Hospital property once a developer is secured. NPU General Manager John Bilda said as with past gas bonds, officials plan to pay it down exclusively through revenues generated by new hookups. That means there must be enough customers signing up in an area to guarantee repayment of construction. “Norwich voters previously approved our ability to borrow $11 million through what we view as two significant votes of confidence in NPU,” Bilda said. “We made a promise this was not going to cost the taxpayers any money. It’s all being paid for by incremental components of the new services.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
HARTFORD — Travelers Tower is nearing the end of a two-year, $30 million face-lift that should take the 1919 skyscraper well into the second half of the 21st century. "We won't do this again in anyone's lifetime that's working here," said James A. Scannell, senior vice president of administrative services at Travelers, who is overseeing the project. We would expect that this wouldn't need to be done for 50 or more years again to this extent. We'll do minor repairs, but we would never scaffold it and everything the way we did it," he said. At the height of construction, the 527-foot tower was encased in an intricate web of scaffolding that took more than a year to assemble fully. Travelers said it was the project's single largest expense. Workers are still replacing the roof on the building's lower section and plan to finish removing the scaffolding and the outside elevator in November. The elevator had run up the center of the tower's southwest side to a point where the building narrows.
Completed in July 1919, Travelers Tower was the tallest building between Boston and New York until the 535-foot City Place I was built in 1983. It has the beacon and light at the top. Its observatory was open to tourists for a good bird's-eye view until 1994. It was home to a local radio station: Travelers Insurance Connecticut (WTIC). CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE