NEWINGTON — The town hall building committee has decided to stick with the architect that drew up the plans for the renovation proposal that was rejected by voters last year. Chairman Alan Bongiovanni said that the committee agreed to stay with Kaestle Boos Associates Inc. of New Britain because of the quality of its work and its deep knowledge of the current town hall gained from previous projects. The former building committee, not the Kaestle Boos, chose the previous design, Bongiovanni emphasized.
"Kaestle Boos did not design the last project in a vacuum," he said. "You can't point at Kaestle Boos and say they ruined that referendum. That's not true."
The firm sweetened the pot by agreeing to charge the town nothing until a referendum on a new proposal, Bongiovanni said. It received $120,000 for the first project.
The arrangement not only saves money, but also time that would have been needed to pick a new architect, Bongiovanni said.
Kaestle Boos told the committee this week that it needs additional information on the space needs of the school board and the parks and recreation department before it can begin a new design, Bongiovanni said.
"Those are the two biggest components and the two most difficult to design," he said.
The committee will invite the schools and parks and recreation department to meetings to discuss their needs, Bongiovanni said.
What to do about the deteriorating Morstensen Community Center is perhaps the biggest challenge of the project. A proposal to move the center from town hall to a standalone building in Mill Pond Park was decisive in the defeat of the initial proposal. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
East Haven's land disposition committee mulls bids for Tyler Street property
EAST HAVEN >> The town’s Land Disposition Committee is choosing between three requests for proposals for the development of the 200 Tyler St. property.
Director of Economic Development Sal Brancati said Wednesday that the town received the three bids after publishing the RFP in November. The RFP’s had a deadline of Dec. 15.
Brancati said that the committee, which consists of himself, zoning director Frank Biancur, Jr., town Assessor Michael Milici, Assistant Director of Administration & Management Frank Gentilesco, Jr., and Town Attorney Joseph Zullo, could have a recommendation for Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. as soon as next week.
The town wants to turn the 240,000-square foot former site of East High School into a senior housing complex. “We would like to see the school used for some type of assisted living,” Brancati said. The town is hoping to place the building back on the Grand List, as the facility has been mostly vacant since 1997. According to a release from Maturo’s office last fall, the property could generate an estimated $400,000 to $600,000 in new tax revenue each year. A senior housing complex would also create jobs, Brancati said, as there would be permanent on-site occupational opportunities as well as construction jobs created as the building is built. “If we get it done, it will be a boost for our town,” Brancati said. “We think there is a demand for senior housing.” Brancati said the name of the three companies who submitted RFP’s wont be made public until after a company is chosen.
“We don’t want to disclose that until we have chosen one that will become the best company,” Brancati said. The RFP had four major goals, Brancati said, including gathering background on each company, receiving a listing of their development team, an outline of approach to the project and proof of financial capacity. According to RFP, the plans would also need to include provisions for a new town pool, a new Biddy Basketball facility and a community center. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Malloy outlines transit goals, puts off cost for another day
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy opened his second term Wednesday with a warning of a sclerotic Connecticut whose economy and quality of life are threatened by crumbling and clogged highways and inadequate and underfunded mass transit.
In a drive-time State of the State Address, Malloy broadly hinted he will seek new revenues to finance overdue transportation improvements, saying gasoline taxes are not sufficient to maintain existing infrastructure, much less expand the capacity of the state's highways and transit systems.
He never got to "the ask," the pitch for money. That is for another day, after Malloy begins what says will be a conversation with the state's taxpayers and its political and business leadership. He knows he must first make a case to a skeptical public that new revenue will not be diverted.
"Today, I am proposing that Connecticut create a secure transportation lockbox that will ensure every single dollar raised for transportation is spent on transportation, now and into the future," Malloy told the joint session of the General Assembly. "No gimmicks! No gimmicks and no diversions."
He is prepared to rely on Wall Street to be the enforcer.
Knowing that any law can be amended, Malloy said the administration will use bond covenants – the conditions attached to borrowing on the bond market – to ensure that transportation revenues will not be siphoned off. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Director of Economic Development Sal Brancati said Wednesday that the town received the three bids after publishing the RFP in November. The RFP’s had a deadline of Dec. 15.
Brancati said that the committee, which consists of himself, zoning director Frank Biancur, Jr., town Assessor Michael Milici, Assistant Director of Administration & Management Frank Gentilesco, Jr., and Town Attorney Joseph Zullo, could have a recommendation for Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. as soon as next week.
The town wants to turn the 240,000-square foot former site of East High School into a senior housing complex. “We would like to see the school used for some type of assisted living,” Brancati said. The town is hoping to place the building back on the Grand List, as the facility has been mostly vacant since 1997. According to a release from Maturo’s office last fall, the property could generate an estimated $400,000 to $600,000 in new tax revenue each year. A senior housing complex would also create jobs, Brancati said, as there would be permanent on-site occupational opportunities as well as construction jobs created as the building is built. “If we get it done, it will be a boost for our town,” Brancati said. “We think there is a demand for senior housing.” Brancati said the name of the three companies who submitted RFP’s wont be made public until after a company is chosen.
“We don’t want to disclose that until we have chosen one that will become the best company,” Brancati said. The RFP had four major goals, Brancati said, including gathering background on each company, receiving a listing of their development team, an outline of approach to the project and proof of financial capacity. According to RFP, the plans would also need to include provisions for a new town pool, a new Biddy Basketball facility and a community center. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Malloy outlines transit goals, puts off cost for another day
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy opened his second term Wednesday with a warning of a sclerotic Connecticut whose economy and quality of life are threatened by crumbling and clogged highways and inadequate and underfunded mass transit.
In a drive-time State of the State Address, Malloy broadly hinted he will seek new revenues to finance overdue transportation improvements, saying gasoline taxes are not sufficient to maintain existing infrastructure, much less expand the capacity of the state's highways and transit systems.
He never got to "the ask," the pitch for money. That is for another day, after Malloy begins what says will be a conversation with the state's taxpayers and its political and business leadership. He knows he must first make a case to a skeptical public that new revenue will not be diverted.
"Today, I am proposing that Connecticut create a secure transportation lockbox that will ensure every single dollar raised for transportation is spent on transportation, now and into the future," Malloy told the joint session of the General Assembly. "No gimmicks! No gimmicks and no diversions."
He is prepared to rely on Wall Street to be the enforcer.
Knowing that any law can be amended, Malloy said the administration will use bond covenants – the conditions attached to borrowing on the bond market – to ensure that transportation revenues will not be siphoned off. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE