OLD SAYBROOK >> The town’s elderly seeking affordable living quarters will soon benefit from state funding awarded by the Department of Housing to municipalities across Connecticut.
Last week, the governor announced the dispersal of $9,555,585 in loans for the creation or rehabilitation of affordable housing units in small multifamily rental and homeownership developments across the state. The funding aims to expand affordable housing opportunities by fostering innovative approaches in design, location, construction costs, operating costs, environmental sustainability, affordability or support services, according to a release. Developments that could serve as a model and be replicated on a larger scale were especially encouraged. We’ve already accomplished more in the past four years on housing than had been done in decades. The question now is, how do we raise the bar again to have a both short and long-run impact? Investments in safe, affordable housing undoubtedly pay long-term dividends, promoting healthier lives, stronger communities, and a more vibrant economy,” said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Saye Brook Village South will receive $2 million to Old Saybrook Affordable Elderly Housing, Inc. to assist in the development of 15 affordable rental units which will be in close proximity to the central business district and within walking distance to the senior center. This project promotes sustainable development through its construction entirely on the parcel of a former single-family home adjacent to two existing phases of Saye Brook Village East and West.
These units will help to address the area’s waiting list for affordable elderly rental units — which includes over 100 households and a seven-year wait. DOH funds for this project are leveraged by a commitment from Essex Savings Bank of a $935,000 loan together with a bank-sponsored $500,000 capital contribution from the Federal Home Loan Bank through the Affordable Housing Program.
“This funding was intended for smaller projects with total development costs of no more than $6 million and we limited our financial assistance to no more $2 million to ensure applicants leverage state assistance with substantial financial and/or in-kind resources from other sources, particularly private sources of debt and equity,” said Department of Housing Commissioner Commissioner Evonne Klein.
Other award recipients are: CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Southington PZC approves West Street retail plans
SOUTHINGTON — The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved plans for a 60,000 square-foot retail center off of West Street Tuesday.
Property owner Fredric Leopold of New York-based Northstar Properties declined to comment on what restaurants and retail shops might be coming to the center at 99 Executive Boulevard South. The location is near exit 31 off Interstate 84.
He’s owned the land since 2008 and also owns the adjacent Target property. Leopold said he hopes to begin construction by the spring the main building and three pad sites that constitute the center.
The planning commission approved preliminary plans for a shopping and restaurant center around 2008 according to commission Chairman Michael DelSanto. With the economic downturn at the time, the plans didn’t progress.
DelSanto said he didn’t know of any potential tenants for the site, although he said the commission had approved a Red Robin around 2008.
He was pleased about the potential economic development on Tuesday.
“It brings business in, it brings people to West Street,” DelSanto said.
At the last meeting, commissioners asked Leopold if he could improve the look of the buildings. DelSanto said the original designs were “straight-forward” and rather plain.
Eric Brown, an architect with Prellwitz Chilinski Associates of Cambridge, Mass. presented new designs for the buildings that included brick, clapboard and metal. Tenants would further customize the buildings with colored awnings. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Groton — A Mystic businessman received approval Tuesday for a seven-year tax break to help him build a multimillion-dollar indoor sports complex that could accommodate tennis, soccer, lacrosse and baseball. Matthew McCormack, chief executive officer of the technology firm QDiscovery in New London, asked for tax incentives on existing and future improvements to 90 Welles Road. The facility, the former Mystic Indoor Tennis property — now Mystic Indoor Sports LLC — had been neglected, resulting in bankruptcy and numerous fire and building code violations. McCormack plans to fix up the tennis building, build a new 3,000-square-foot clubhouse and construct a second large facility to house indoor soccer, lacrosse and baseball in the complex. He would invest as much as $3 million. He held a grand re-opening of the facility on Jan. 1 and has paid the back taxes on the property. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Hartford meeting to offer newest info on I-84 viaduct
The engineers who are studying how to replace the aging I-84 viaduct in Hartford will present their latest updates on options at a public meeting Wednesday at the Hartford Public Library.
Many transportation and economic development leaders in central Connecticut see the viaduct replacement as an opportunity to transform part of the city and perhaps change some unwelcome consequences of decisions from decades ago.
It's widely agreed, however, that the project will be costly and time-consuming, and that it's nothing imminent.
State Transportation Commissioner James Redeker has said the elevated highway, which extends almost two miles between Exit 46 and the I-91 interchange, remains safe, and that drivers can expect to be using it for years to come. The Department of Transportation is pumping millions of dollars into short- and mid-range maintenance work for the past several years.
Hartford meeting to offer newest info on I-84 viaduct
The engineers who are studying how to replace the aging I-84 viaduct in Hartford will present their latest updates on options at a public meeting Wednesday at the Hartford Public Library.
Residents will get a chance to comment on which alternatives they would prefer, and which ones they hope to avoid.
It's widely agreed, however, that the project will be costly and time-consuming, and that it's nothing imminent.
State Transportation Commissioner James Redeker has said the elevated highway, which extends almost two miles between Exit 46 and the I-91 interchange, remains safe, and that drivers can expect to be using it for years to come. The Department of Transportation is pumping millions of dollars into short- and mid-range maintenance work for the past several years.
Eventually, though, the elevated highway will need to be rebuilt where it stands or, more likely, reconstructed at a different level and perhaps in a slightly different location. The DOT wants residents to know as much about the options now, before major decisions are made that commit Connecticut to a specific plan. "Much of I-84 and its interchange ramps in Hartford are elevated on structures known as viaducts, consisting of several long, multi-span bridges high above ground level," engineers said in a statement. "Now near or past their anticipated 50-year service life, many of the viaducts are classified as either 'structurally deficient,' 'functionally obsolete,' or both, and are in need of rehabilitation or replacement.
"Despite continual maintenance, repairs and capital investment, the condition of these bridges will continue to worsen over time and lead to extensive rehabilitation and ultimately full replacement of many of the bridges," they wrote.
The project is expected to cost well north of $1 billion, and could be several times that — or more — depending on what option the state chooses. Many city residents like the idea of tunnel that would free up the land current in the shadows of the viaduct, but that choice would be the most expensive and perhaps the most time-consuming, designers have said after preliminary reviews. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Munger Construction selected for third term as CROCG southwest regional contractor
On-Call Construction Services Save Time and Money For CRPC Members
January 15, 2015 - Branford, CT; The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), in partnership with The Gordian Group, has awarded its two year Southwest regional Indefinite Quantity Construction service contract to Pat Munger Construction Company, Inc commencing January 1, 2015. Using ezIQC®, Gordian's turnkey solution, Purchasing Council members can immediately access competitively-bid regional contracts to expedite the completion of repair, maintenance and renovation work. They no longer have to go out to bid separately for each project and can realize time and cost saving efficiencies that can ultimately be passed onto their constituents. ezIQC® is a competitively-bid system for procuring an indefinite quantity of on-call construction-related services, typically covering repair, maintenance, and smaller-scale construction/renovation work. A single competitive solicitation is issued for up to hundreds of thousands of construction task items up front-from general construction to specialty areas like mechanical, electrical, plumbing, flooring, roofing, painting, HVAC, and more. "As part of CRCOG's ongoing commitment to save its members tax dollars and help them operate more efficiently, regional contracts provide communities with a proven vehicle to simplify their construction procurement activities," stated Chip Beckett, Chair of CRCOG. "The program has experienced explosive growth in the last year and a half alone as we welcomed a cadre of new users and many of our experienced members re-engaged ezIQC contractors to address some large-scale renovation needs. We look forward to working with our partners at The Gordian Group and our regional contractors to provide widespread access to this innovative procurement tool." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Branford zoning board may vote on Atlantic Wharf Project Thursday
BRANFORD >> The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission could approve conceptual plans for a 205-unit apartment complex on Church Street on Thursday.
Interim Town Planner Richard H. Stoecker said Tuesday that the commission will continue discussing the Atlantic Wharf plans submitted by Metro Star Properties LLC of Milford.
The development site, 1 Church St., once housed the Atlantic Wire Mill. Developers are interested in turning the entire site into a mixed-used property that would center around the apartment complex and include retail shops and business offices. Stoecker said the commission could make a decision to approve the property’s conceptual designs and would give developers two years to submit a detailed site plan. The discussion this week arrives two weeks after a public hearing on the project drew mixed opinions, including one resident who is concerned about the business competition it may bring and another, the chairman of the town Economic Development Commission, who supports the project.
The topics of discussion Thursday include a traffic study for the property that was first presented during the previous commission meeting, among others.
“The commission has heard everybody,” Stoecker said. “A big project like this, we don’t want to rush to it and we don’t want to drag it along.
Robert Smith, executive managing director and founder of Metro Star, said that the commission could give approval with conditions that would require adjustments to the plan.
“It’s up to them to decide if they like the project as a whole,” Smith said. He’s previously said that he’s open to board suggestions for the plans and will work with the town to develop possible changes to assure the project moves forward.
The commission will also hear from representatives from Fusco-Shiller Branford Associates, who are interested in turning a former Friendly’s site at 22 Leetes Island Road into a sit-down restaurant. Representatives from Fusco-Shiller did not immediately return calls for comment. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
City bond vote postponed
WATERBURY — The Board of Aldermen postponed a $19.5 million bond vote on a downtown road project Tuesday to give the city time to clarify the real purpose of the project.
The Waterbury Active Transportation and Economic Project, or what's being called WATER for short, might have started as a dream to lengthen the Naugatuck River Greenway trail, but that's not what it is anymore. The U.S. Department of Transportation chose not to fund the trail part of the city's application for federal funding, city officials told aldermen and residents at a board meeting Tuesday. But what's left is still a "game changer," said mayoral adviser Kevin M. DelGobbo. It would rebuild Freight and Jackson streets, improve Meadow Street and build a pedestrian bridge from the train station to Library Park.
For an investment of $5.1 million, Waterbury would get a $14.4 million federal grant that will unlock the development potential of a 60-acre swath of the long neglected Freight Street area, project boosters said. If the Board of Aldermen were to reject the bond proposal, Waterbury would never get another federal transportation again, said project official Salvatore Porzio. No one has ever turned this kind of grant down. Board President Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. declared at the outset of the meeting that there would be no vote Tuesday, giving the public, as well as aldermen, a chance to mull over the proposal details. He said he hopes to call a special meeting Monday to hold a vote. It was unclear whether the bond proposal would have had the 10 votes needed to pass Tuesday. Republicans wanted to know the city's plans for extending the greenway, and if the road work stood alone without it.
They also voiced concerns about the tax impact of the project. City officials had been reluctant to disclose the impact before, saying that it was unlikely the city would ever have to pay for its entire $5.1 million share because the state would probably step up to cover it. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
"Despite continual maintenance, repairs and capital investment, the condition of these bridges will continue to worsen over time and lead to extensive rehabilitation and ultimately full replacement of many of the bridges," they wrote.
The project is expected to cost well north of $1 billion, and could be several times that — or more — depending on what option the state chooses. Many city residents like the idea of tunnel that would free up the land current in the shadows of the viaduct, but that choice would be the most expensive and perhaps the most time-consuming, designers have said after preliminary reviews. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Munger Construction selected for third term as CROCG southwest regional contractor
On-Call Construction Services Save Time and Money For CRPC Members
January 15, 2015 - Branford, CT; The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), in partnership with The Gordian Group, has awarded its two year Southwest regional Indefinite Quantity Construction service contract to Pat Munger Construction Company, Inc commencing January 1, 2015. Using ezIQC®, Gordian's turnkey solution, Purchasing Council members can immediately access competitively-bid regional contracts to expedite the completion of repair, maintenance and renovation work. They no longer have to go out to bid separately for each project and can realize time and cost saving efficiencies that can ultimately be passed onto their constituents. ezIQC® is a competitively-bid system for procuring an indefinite quantity of on-call construction-related services, typically covering repair, maintenance, and smaller-scale construction/renovation work. A single competitive solicitation is issued for up to hundreds of thousands of construction task items up front-from general construction to specialty areas like mechanical, electrical, plumbing, flooring, roofing, painting, HVAC, and more. "As part of CRCOG's ongoing commitment to save its members tax dollars and help them operate more efficiently, regional contracts provide communities with a proven vehicle to simplify their construction procurement activities," stated Chip Beckett, Chair of CRCOG. "The program has experienced explosive growth in the last year and a half alone as we welcomed a cadre of new users and many of our experienced members re-engaged ezIQC contractors to address some large-scale renovation needs. We look forward to working with our partners at The Gordian Group and our regional contractors to provide widespread access to this innovative procurement tool." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Branford zoning board may vote on Atlantic Wharf Project Thursday
BRANFORD >> The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission could approve conceptual plans for a 205-unit apartment complex on Church Street on Thursday.
Interim Town Planner Richard H. Stoecker said Tuesday that the commission will continue discussing the Atlantic Wharf plans submitted by Metro Star Properties LLC of Milford.
The development site, 1 Church St., once housed the Atlantic Wire Mill. Developers are interested in turning the entire site into a mixed-used property that would center around the apartment complex and include retail shops and business offices. Stoecker said the commission could make a decision to approve the property’s conceptual designs and would give developers two years to submit a detailed site plan. The discussion this week arrives two weeks after a public hearing on the project drew mixed opinions, including one resident who is concerned about the business competition it may bring and another, the chairman of the town Economic Development Commission, who supports the project.
The topics of discussion Thursday include a traffic study for the property that was first presented during the previous commission meeting, among others.
“The commission has heard everybody,” Stoecker said. “A big project like this, we don’t want to rush to it and we don’t want to drag it along.
Robert Smith, executive managing director and founder of Metro Star, said that the commission could give approval with conditions that would require adjustments to the plan.
“It’s up to them to decide if they like the project as a whole,” Smith said. He’s previously said that he’s open to board suggestions for the plans and will work with the town to develop possible changes to assure the project moves forward.
The commission will also hear from representatives from Fusco-Shiller Branford Associates, who are interested in turning a former Friendly’s site at 22 Leetes Island Road into a sit-down restaurant. Representatives from Fusco-Shiller did not immediately return calls for comment. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
City bond vote postponed
The Waterbury Active Transportation and Economic Project, or what's being called WATER for short, might have started as a dream to lengthen the Naugatuck River Greenway trail, but that's not what it is anymore. The U.S. Department of Transportation chose not to fund the trail part of the city's application for federal funding, city officials told aldermen and residents at a board meeting Tuesday. But what's left is still a "game changer," said mayoral adviser Kevin M. DelGobbo. It would rebuild Freight and Jackson streets, improve Meadow Street and build a pedestrian bridge from the train station to Library Park.
For an investment of $5.1 million, Waterbury would get a $14.4 million federal grant that will unlock the development potential of a 60-acre swath of the long neglected Freight Street area, project boosters said. If the Board of Aldermen were to reject the bond proposal, Waterbury would never get another federal transportation again, said project official Salvatore Porzio. No one has ever turned this kind of grant down. Board President Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. declared at the outset of the meeting that there would be no vote Tuesday, giving the public, as well as aldermen, a chance to mull over the proposal details. He said he hopes to call a special meeting Monday to hold a vote. It was unclear whether the bond proposal would have had the 10 votes needed to pass Tuesday. Republicans wanted to know the city's plans for extending the greenway, and if the road work stood alone without it.
They also voiced concerns about the tax impact of the project. City officials had been reluctant to disclose the impact before, saying that it was unlikely the city would ever have to pay for its entire $5.1 million share because the state would probably step up to cover it. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE