CT Construction Digest March 31, 2015

Rough winter affects Hub project schedule, forcing city to consider contract extension

MERIDEN — Below freezing temperatures and heavy snow accumulation halted construction work on the Hub for most of February, pushing the deadline for the park project back to the end of the year, city officials said Friday.

“The snow impacted us,” said Public Works Director Bob Bass. “And the cold really killed us. You have to be careful about the workers. There was very little work done in February.”

City officials will meet with representatives of general contractor La Rosa Construction next week to determine how much more work is needed and whether or not to extend the company’s contract. The mostly funded $14 million Hub project is part of a larger flood control upgrade taking place throughout the city.

“There will not be additional costs due to any weather-related delays,” said City Manager Lawrence Kendzior. “We expect the project to reach substantial completion in the November/December 2015 time frame, with the park fully ready by spring of 2016.”

Work crews were back on the job for much of March, and the loud banging at the Hub site is the sound of workers driving piles 45 to 60 feet down to the bedrock to install the supports needed to hold the large pedestrian bridge that will span the width of the 14-acre site from Pratt Street to State Street leading to and from the city’s new train station, and two smaller foot bridges.

“It’s going to look like a staircase,” Bass said.

Rip-rap or large stones can be seen lining the bottom and sides of the newly dug channel. The stone base will mimic the rocky bottom of a naturally occurring river or stream. Rip-rap placed along the banks of the channel will prevent erosion of the surrounding soil. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Demolition starts at Ideal Forging site in Southington

 

SOUTHINGTON — Demolition is underway at Ideal Forging, a factory that's been closed since 2003.

A brick building at 61 High St. was being torn down Monday by Stamford Wrecking, which has the job of demolishing almost all the buildings on the property near the Quinnipiac River.
"We'll likely finish this building in a few days. Then we'll start on the one across the street," company Superintendent John Hennessey said as his crew slowly took apart walls and the roof of the High Street structure. "We'll likely finish this building in a few days. Then we'll start on the one across the street," company Superintendent John Hennessey said as his crew slowly took apart walls and the roof of the High Street structure.
Huge sections of the metal roof trusses were carefully lowered into a pile of scrap metal that will be recycled, he said. Bricks and other debris will be hauled away in covered trucks.
Under the permits issued by the town and state, the wrecking company must wet down the work site to minimize dust and follow specific routes to truck away materials. Hennessey said the job will require several months.
Prior to demolition, mitigation crews removed as much hazardous materials as possible. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Committee starts looking at turf field at Avon High School

AVON — Members of the town's recreation and parks committee who are charged with creating a plan for a synthetic turf playing field at Avon High School will start their work on Tuesday morning. According to an agenda for the meeting it will be at 7:30 a.m. in the selectmen's chambers in town hall. An earlier study that included building a turf field at the high school will be discussed and the panel will also talk about the scope of work for the consulting firm that will take another look at the project. The consultant, BSC Group, will draw up plans for the committee and it will then recommend one to the town council. This is the second time the recreation and parks committee has taken a look at building a turf field. Last year, it looked at building one on a 15-acre parcel the town owns on Thompson Road. BSC staff told the committee doing that would cost at least $5 million. After reviewing a report from the committee, the council decided to take another look at the high school. A study done several years ago by another firm put the cost of building a turf field at the high school at about $2.78 million, but it also found that doing so would be difficult. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Officials announce $100M plan to fix Raymark contamination around Stratford

STRATFORD >> State and federal officials have announced a $100 million plan to clean up sites around town that remain contaminated from dirt that came from the Raymark Industries Superfund site.
The consensus agreement calls for the federal government to pay for 90 percent of the cleanup for any private property that has been contaminated by materials from the former automotive components plant on East Main Street, said Dennis Schain, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. The state and federal governments would split the cost of any cleanup associated with any public properties like parks or athletic fields, according to Schain.
The basic terms of the agreement were announced in a press conference held Monday at Town Hall.
“We are still early in the process and nothing is written in stone,” U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, said in a statement about the agreement reached between federal, state and local officials. “The proposed approach still needs to go through a public comment process, so I have no doubt that some aspects may change. But it gives me hope that we are finally moving to a permanent resolution to Raymark.”
The terms of the agreement provide a conceptual approach to address cleanup of all waste from Raymark still left in town, whether it is on residential, commercial or recreational properties. It also includes any pollution caused to Ferry Creek as well as any groundwater coming from the former Raymark plant site. The agreement calls for more than half of the waste from Raymark that is still left in town to be removed from the community entirely. That includes the most hazardous of the excavated waste.
The plan that is being proposed calls for keeping environmental clean-up activity as far away as possible from any neighbors of the contaminated properties, especially those who live near the former Raymark athletic field. Vertical barriers will be constructed between the environmental clean-up site and the neighborhoods.
Any trucks removing the contaminated material will use secure covering and will seek to minimize the use of routes that go through residential neighborhoods. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Mayor Harp's appointment to equal opportunities panel withdraws

NEW HAVEN >> A nominee for a seat on the board of directors of the Commission on Equal Opportunities, who is also under investigation by that agency, has been withdrawn from consideration. The Board of Alders passed over approving the appointment of Rodney Williams at its March 2 and March 16 meetings after the leadership became aware of the investigation.
The issue arose when a contractor for whom Williams was working, Yul Watley of Advanced Construction Technologies, questioned a workers’ compensation insurance document that Williams had given to him to prove he had coverage protecting ACT and Neighborhood Housing Services, while Williams’ company worked as a subcontractor at 15 Lilac St. in December 2014.
Watley showed the CEO a copy of a document he said was sent to him by Williams to prove he had the required insurance.
It lists a Nationwide Insurance agency address in Guilford as the office where the policy was issued.
It lists First Choice LLC as the name of the company at that address, but there is no First Choice LLC there, according to agents at the site. The owner of the agency in Guilford said he did not have a policy for Mr. Rock Drywall LLC, which is the name of Williams’ company on the document.
The insurance agency owner said he did not know who Williams was and the agent referenced on the policy, a John Steinback or John Stienbach, did not work for him. He said he reported the situation to Nationwide Insurance.
Williams has declined several requests to answer questions about the insurance document.
“The excuse he gave me was that, you know, he wasn’t working,” Watley said. “I told him, I said man, you put my company at risk. One of his guys could have fallen off the scaffolding and gotten hurt and — boom — that would be on me.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

CT Construction Digest March 30, 2015

Travelers spending $25M to open up plaza, fix garage leaks

HARTFORD — At its highest point, the granite wall surrounding the plaza next to Travelers' iconic tower downtown is 10 feet, making it impossible for even the tallest person to see inside from the street.
Built in the early 1960s, the plaza's design was likely a defensive reaction to growing Cold War tensions and social unrest of the era. The garage below the plaza was constructed to meet government standards for a fall-out shelter.
Whatever the original design intentions, the walls are getting cut down.
Next month, the Travelers will embark on a two-year, $25 million project that will open up the nearly 2-acre plaza on Main Street. At the same time, the plaza will get much-needed repairs — including leaks into the underground garage.
"The design reflects who we are now, welcoming to the community and part of the community," said Andy Bessette, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Travelers. "Nothing is going to block your view."
The project also will include replacing a three-story, copper-domed rotunda with a more modest entrance, in keeping with the tower's architecture. Massive granite planters will be removed, making way for landscaped lawn areas.
Travelers had considered saving the glass rotunda but its condition has continued to deteriorate even though the insurer spent $1 million four years ago to repair it, said Tom Luszczak, senior director of asset management at the company. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Tax breaks for developers debated

BRIDGEPORT -- If watching developers sweat is your thing, it's time to sit in on a meeting of the City Council's Economic Development Committee.
That's the body that -- for the second time this year -- on Wednesday tabled a request by the prominent JHM Financial Group for 40 years worth of tax subsidies to help build its ambitious, 177-unit-minimum housing project aimed at revitalizing the East Side.
"I am not into 40-year tax abatements, I don't care what anybody says," said Councilwoman Michelle Lyons, D-134.
She recalled when a decade-long tax break was a big deal.
David Kooris, Bridgeport's economic development director, insisted the subsidies are the one tool the city has to help important projects break ground and generate some revenue from otherwise dormant sites. He said while the lost taxes from the "handful" of sites enjoying tax breaks equal around nine-tenths of a percent of the city's total tax revenues, the taxes gained are about 2 percent of that same total.
"This is by no means giving away the store," Kooris said.
Councilwoman Denise Taylor-Moye, D-131, said if that is what it takes to improve Bridgeport, the council must act.
Even if she is not around in 40 years, Taylor-Moye said, "I would definitely like to know I was part of a system trying to make this city grow."
But others questioned whether the East Side neighborhood's schools would be able to handle the influx of students.
Kooris said school officials are projecting declining enrollment.
"It's not true, it's not true," said Councilwoman Lydia Martinez, D-137, who chaired Wednesday's meeting and represents the area. She insisted there is no room for more students.
"These units will take time to build," Kooris said. "Things change, demographics shift."
Councilman Robert Halstead, D-132, said perhaps another developer should be considered rather than "somebody who might be a little connected from the outside."
As reported earlier this year, the McClutchy family behind JHM have been big contributors to the Democratic State Central Committee. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

NY-CONN head excels in male dominated industry

DANBURY -- For MaryJean Rebeiro, growing up in a house with several brothers taught her to be assertive and make her presence known.
"If I wanted people to listen to me as a kid, I really had to speak up," she said.
Today, she's flourishing in a male-dominated industry and receiving accolades for her achievements.
Rebeiro was a young entrepreneur when she completed her business degree at Western Connecticut State University and began her own electrical company.
With just a few employees and a small office, Rebeiro began to make her mark in the industry when she opened NY-CONN Corp. More than 25 years later, the company employs more than 70 people, both men and women, who work on residential and large-scale commercial projects throughout Connecticut and New York state, including work at Fairfield University and the Bridgeport Correctional Center.
As a young girl, Rebeiro and her brothers would often help out their father, Tony Rizzo, an electrician and also a successful entrepreneur in the region, on the job.
"I don't like to admit it, but I guess I was always a little bit of a tomboy growing up," Rebeiro said. "If we weren't in school, we were at work with my father helping out. That's just what we knew as kids. It was our livelihood."
In 1989, after being one of the first members of her family to graduate college with a bachelor's degree in business administration, she decided to return to her roots and start an electrical firm.
"In the early years, I really didn't get a lot of respect," Rebeiro said. "It's a male-dominated industry and there weren't a lot of women working in the trades at time." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Stamford's Metro Green developers get state loan

STAMFORD -- Metro Green in the South End, the state's first newly constructed "green" affordable-housing project, has been awarded a loan of up to $5 million from the state. The money will go toward construction of the third phase of the development, a 155-unit complex near the train station.
The project, which is being jointly developed by Jonathan Rose Cos. and Malkin Properties, opened its first phase, a 50-unit building on Henry Street, in 2009. Another 50 units opened in 2012.
The project was cited as one of 14 across the state that won funding from the state and federal governments. All told, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday announced $60 million in funding for affordable-housing developments. Of those selected, the project in Stamford was the only one to receive money in the form of a loan. Others received grants.
According to a news release, of the 155 units at Metro Green, 73 will be affordable by serving those who earn 50 percent to 60 percent of the area median income and 82 will be market rate. According to standards set by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, 50 percent of the area median income for a family of four in Stamford is $62,050.
The project has obtained more than $10 million in low-income housing tax credits and approximately $38 million in non-state resources.
"We have done more in affordable housing over the past several years than Connecticut has in decades -- and this is yet another step in that direction," Malloy said in a statement. "As we make smart investments today for a brighter Connecticut tomorrow, affordable housing is an integral part." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Bus-only corridor opens after 18 years of study and debate

By The Associated Press
HARTFORD >> Riders got their first look at Connecticut’s new $567 million bus-only rapid transit corridor between Hartford and New Britain on Saturday. The 9.4-mile CTfastrak system has been 18 years in the making and is hoped to be a quick, reliable and environmentally friendly alternative to cars. The buses run on a dedicated course, with no cars and trucks. Critics have called it a boondoggle taking money from other transportation projects. The first riders were Hallie Lehmann and Elliot Newman of New Britain, who got on the 4:52 a.m. at the Travelers stop in Hartford, the Hartford Courant reported (http://cour.at/1MgfCtZ). CT Transit Director David Lee greeted them.
Newton and Lehmann said they hadn’t been on a bus in years.
“I see them driving all the time, but I haven’t been on a bus since the school bus,” Lehmann said. “I’ll take this one. My commute takes me 45 minutes — and then there’s parking. This looks great.”
Teacher Kristi Gillespie said she was the first passenger out of Manchester at 5:35 a.m. and spent the morning “joy riding” and checking out the route for her Northwest Catholic High School students in West Hartford. “Some of them, I think it’ll make their lives much, much easier,” she said.
CTfastrak staffers were also riding and monitoring a few glitches. 
A bus carrying CTfastrak chief Michael Saunders broke down in New Britain when it overheated. There were minor delays, a Wi-Fi glitch on one bus, and problems with the GPS-based bus arrival notices at a few stations. State transportation officials say the system is more flexible than rail because buses can exit the corridor and continue to other destinations. It has two lanes with pullouts for drop-offs and pickups and for express buses to pass. The buses are diesel-electric hybrids.
The project has cost the state $112 million, with the rest paid by the federal government.

Masonicare says Klewin is out, but project is on

Stonington — A change in contractors working on the $32 million Masonicare at Mystic assisted living facility has resulted in an indefinite delay in construction, but a spokeswoman said Friday the nonprofit still is "fully committed" to the project.
Masonicare spokeswoman Margaret M. Steeves, vice president of marketing and communications for the Wallingford-based organization, acknowledged that Klewin Construction of Mystic had walked off the jobsite on Clara Drive in a dispute over timely payments and changing orders. She said Masonicare is trying to line up another contractor under the expectation that the project will be completed sometime in 2016, rather than the initial target of late fall this year.
"Overall, we just hadn't met our own expectations regarding timing," Steeves said in a phone interview. "This is unfortunate. This is not how we'd like things to go."
Klewin filed suit last week against Senior Living By Masonicare LLC and the architectural firm Bessolo Design Group, claiming it is owed more than $458,000 for work done from Jan. 1 to March 12, when it walked off the 18-acre site.
The suit alleges that Bessolo and Masonicare had concocted "groundless reasons" to stall payments and that progress on construction was slowed by their failure to provide plans in a timely manner. A hearing over a mechanic's lien placed on the property by Klewin will be held April 6 in New London Superior Court.
Steeves called the dispute an "unfortunate setback" but promised that completing the project is still a priority for Masonicare. The many depositors who are waiting for units to open will be invited to a construction update April 14, she added, when more details are expected.

CT Construction Digest March 27, 2015

White Street transfer station to get $5M makeover

DANBURY -- Executives with Winters Brothers are undertaking a multimillion-dollar construction project at the White Street transfer facility that they hope will improve both revenue streams from recycling efforts and the facility's own environmental footprint.
Ryan Bingham, director of government affairs for the trash hauler, said erecting a new building to process construction and demolition debris was long overdue and will allow all of the operations, including the removal of recyclable materials, to be conducted indoors.
The project is part of a nearly $5 million plan, he said, to improve recycling operations within the company that also included the construction of a new single-source sorting facility that was completed last year on Oliver Terrace in Shelton.
Bingham said the goal of the project is to improve the efficiency of the transfer station, provide additional revenue and clean up the site.
"Previously, the construction material was dropped outside," Bingham said. "By moving all the operation indoors, it reduces the amount of dust that's created and any potential for water-quality issues."
The new facility, he said, will also include new sorting equipment that will allow the company to remove additional materials from the debris including wood, plastics and other elements that can be recycled.
Bingham noted that commodity prices for paper and cardboard, traditionally higher-value materials for recycling, have been near historic lows, at least for the past decade.
"Of course, we are hoping to increase our revenue from recycling, but we also want to do the right thing and clean up the site," Bingham said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Newtown residents criticize plans for community center

NEWTOWN -- If town leaders learned anything from Tuesday's spirited discussion about the proposed community center being built with a $15 million gift from General Electric, it's that there needs to be more spirited discussion about it.
"I would like to have at least three more meetings about it because there was a lot of interest and a lot of good questions and a lot of good information exchanged," First Selectman Pat Llodra said Thursday.
Critics said the concept for the first phase of the project is too focused on meeting needs of seniors, to the exclusion of the rest of the town.
"The town is painting this community center picture, but the plans are to build a senior center first," said Kevin Fitzgerald, a former member of the town's Legislative Council. "I think that is where some of the resentment is coming from."
The town is proposing construction of a 35,000-square-foot building on a 5-acre site next to the Newtown Youth Academy on the town-owned Fairfield Hills campus.
The new building would include a senior center, a two-pool aquatic center and space for parties, classes and exhibitions.
Future phases of the project include the possibility of buying the youth academy building to house recreation programs.
For now, the town is focusing on gaining voter approval on April 28 to accept the GE gift and complete the first phase of the project.
Fairfield-based GE surprised Newtown one year after the 2012 Sandy Hook shootings by donating $15 million for a community center where all ages could interact.
GE donated $10 million toward design and construction and $5 million toward operating costs. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Construction worker fatality shot

Police have released a photo 33-year-old Gregory Weathers Jr., who was arrested in Thursday morning’s fatal shooting of 30-year-old Jose Araujo, of Milford.
Weathers, of Saunders Avenue, is facing murder and gun charges, police said. No motive has been established, and police said there’s no indication the suspect and victim knew each other. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Essex Place getting affordable housing funds

HARTFORD >> Fourteen affordable housing projects across the state, including Essex Place in Essex, will share investments of more than $60 million to build and rehabilitate 851 affordable apartments and 246 market-rate units, officials said Thursday. The funding was announced in a release by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Department of Housing Commissioner and Connecticut Housing Finance Authority Board Chairman Evonne M. Klein. “We have done more in affordable housing over the past several years than Connecticut has in decades – and this is yet another step in that direction,” Malloy said in a release. “As we make smart investments today for a brighter Connecticut tomorrow, affordable housing is an integral part. These units will help hundreds of families, support municipalities, attract talented workers, contribute to our economic growth, and create the communities that will be more competitive in today’s business climate. It’s progress for Connecticut.” The projects competed successfully in either the sixth round of the state’s Competitive Housing Assistance for Multifamily Properties initiative or the federal 9 percent LIHTC round. Investments include more than $60 million in state capital funding, a projected $84.6 million in federal 4 percent and 9 percent LIHTC credit equity, and $19.4 million in permanent CHFA tax exempt bond financing.   CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Contractor stops construction at Masonicare at Mystic project site

Mystic — Work has ceased on the $32 million Masonicare at Mystic assisted living project on Clara Drive after the project’s construction management firm said it was not being paid and left the site.
Last week, Klewin Construction of Mystic filed a suit against Senior Living By Masonicare LLC and Bessolo Design Group in New London Superior Court, saying it is owed more than $458,000.
The suit states that the contract between Klewin and Masonicare calls for Masonicare to make monthly payments to Klewin for work it completed.
Klewin stated it performed the work in strict compliance with the contract and plans for the project despite interference and “improper acts” by Masonicare and Bessolo. It stated it also did work, outside the scope of the contract, upon the direction and approval of Bessolo.
Klewin alleges that Masonicare failed to make payments for work it did in January and February and it ceased work on March 12.
Klewin further alleges that Masonicare “conspired” with Bessolo to “manufacture groundless reasons” to resubmit applications for payment in an effort to stall the payments. It also alleges that Masonicare and Bessolo failed to provide proper plans in a timely manner, which affected the progress of the work and forced Klewin to incur greater costs. The suit also charges that Masonicare has breached its contract with Klewin.
Klewin has now placed a mechanic’s lien on the property. A judge has slated a hearing on Masonicare’s request to discharge the lien on April 6. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Norwich Ponemah Mill project receives $14M state funding

Norwich – The Ponemah Mill renovation project will receive more than $14 million in funding from three different sources to complete financing for the $25 million first phase of the Ponemah Mill renovation project.
The Ponemah Mill renovation was one of 14 housing projects with nearly 1,100 proposed housing units statewide to receive some $60 million in state assistance announced Thursday by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
The Lofts at Ponemah Mill, owned by Ponemah Riverbank LLC, a subsidiary of New Jersey-based Onekey LLC, will receive up to $4.97 million from the state Department of Housing, another $8.25 million in tax-exempt bond funding from Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and $1 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credit proceeds to rehabilitate the largest building in the historic Ponemah Mill complex.
The funding will cover the first phase to create 116 new units of mixed-income family housing, including 41 affordable units targeted to families with 50 to 80 percent of area median income. The remaining units will be at market rates.
The funding comes one month after the Norwich City Council agreed to rework the property tax abatement schedule for the stalled project, allowing property taxes on the full value of the project to be phased in over 15 years with the developers paying full taxes on existing values and growing portions of the new construction value over that period.
The city tax abatement schedule was seen as critical to winning state officials’ approval for the state Competitive Housing Assistance for Multifamily Program (CHAMP), administered through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

DOT chief pitches 30-year transportation plan

HARTFORD — A long-term overhaul of the state's transportation network would cut air pollution and save time for commuters, but perhaps more importantly would help shore up Connecticut's economy, Transportation Commissioner James Redeker told lawmakers Thursday.
In drawing up a 30-year, $100 billion proposal this winter, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the transportation department were focused on attracting new development and retaining current businesses, Redeker said.
"I was responding to what I'm hearing from the business community: 'Fix the congestion or we're leaving,'" Redeker told the General Assembly's transportation bonding subcommittee.
The DOT and Malloy will be looking for the subcommittee's support to finance part of the plan's five-year ramp-up, the first stage toward a massive rebuilding and expansion of highways, bridges and transit systems.
At current funding levels, the state would normally put up $3.8 billion for transportation work over the next five years, and the federal government would add $3.4 billion. To pay for design and engineering of major highway construction and new transit improvements, the DOT wants to spend an additional $2.8 billion in that time.
Malloy is on the verge of appointing a panel to recommend a mix of ways for Connecticut to pay for the five-year ramp-up and the following 25 years of construction.
Any option is virtually guaranteed to require long-term borrowing. Republicans in the General Assembly earlier offered a far more modest 30-year plan, but even that relied heavily on new bonding to cover the costs. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Construction costs yet to rise in 2015

 

Construction costs fell again March, according to IHS and the Procurement Executives Group . The headline current Information Handling Services (IHS) PEG Engineering and Construction Cost Index (ECCI) registered 44.7 in March, a slight uptick from February’s record low, but still considerably below a neutral reading. The headline index has not indicated rising costs since December 2014.
“The rout in crude oil markets is clearly having a chilling effect on capital expenditure plans,” said Mark Eisinger, senior economist at IHS. “That said, survey respondents remain optimistic that projects are simply being delayed and not canceled.”
The current materials/equipment index registered 43.0 in March, a slight improvement from February’s 39.6 reading, but still consistent with the overall narrative of softer prices. Nine of twelve individual components registered falling prices in March, led by copper-based wire and cable, carbon steel pipe, alloy steel pipe, and fabricated structural steel.
Copper-based wire and cable has now shown falling prices for five of the past six months. “Non-ferrous metals markets continue to be weighed down by the specter of slowing consumption growth in key emerging markets and dampened investor interest due to the pending normalization of US monetary policy,” said Frank Hoffman, senior economist at IHS.
Ready-mix concrete was the outlier in the March survey as the only underlying component showing higher month on month prices. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest March 26, 2015

Malloy meets with transportation investors

HARTFORD -- Public-private partnerships with large investors might be one of the ways that the state could pay for his 30-year, $100 billion transportation-infrastructure plan, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said.
Malloy attended a Wednesday morning meeting in the White House where he and several other governors met with potential investors who might be interested in long-term opportunities as Connecticut rolls out big plans for wider highways and a rebuilt rail system. He later discussed the meeting on a conference call with reporters.
In particular, Malloy said he thought investors could help the state build a string of new train stations along the Metro-North line as well as the planned New Haven-to-Springfield route.
The morning event focused on alternative ways to fund infrastructure improvements. A lot of it depends on the proposed $478 billion transportation reauthorization bill.
The group discussed potential changes in the tax code that could convince corporations with profits currently kept overseas to repatriate money for transit use.
"There was $7 trillion of investment in the room today, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds," Malloy said. "There are many ways to pay for transportation infrastructure. I think we're getting to the conclusion that people in Connecticut want to do that."
He said that with 10-year Treasury notes paying less than 2 percent, there's an opportunity to attract major investment with a slightly competitive rate over 30 years. "Return on investment is what they want," Malloy said. "A dedicated source of repayment makes a lot of sense."
Malloy said with the next few days he plans to release the names of members of his planned Transportation Strategy Board, which will be tasked with coming up with funding schemes.
The governor called himself an "agnostic" when it comes to tolls, but acknowledged that they are part of the statewide conversation. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

East Hampton council creates police station building committee

EAST HAMPTON >> The Town Council has established a police station building committee to “design, build and/or renovate a police facility.” The council voted 6-1 Tuesday to establish the seven-member committee. The lone “no” vote was cast by Councilor Ted Hintz Jr.
Last month, the council said finding a new home for the police department is the town’s Number One infrastructure priority. The police currently occupy a meager 2,800-square-feet in the basement of Town Hall. A 2008 report concluded the station was “lacking space and was in disrepair, impacting the efficiency and effectiveness of the services and safety delivered to the residents of East Hampton.” Since then, there has been little or no improvement in the situation, councilors said.
A review of the station by a Facilities Evaluation Committee last year concluded that, among other things, the building was not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
During a public meeting on the town’s municipal facilities in early January, Police Chief Sean Cox said the outmoded station is like a runaway train labelled “Liability” hurtling down the tracks toward the town. Now, the council has taken steps that could lead to the construction of a new facility or the modification of an existing building to house the police. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest March 25, 2015

Griswold roof repair fast-tracked

BERLIN — The aging, leaky roof at Griswold Elementary School will be replaced.

With the project becoming more urgent due to changes in both the approval process and state reimbursement, the $1.5 million expenditure was unanimously approved by the Town Council.
Public Works Director Art Simonian said approval of the project locked in state reimbursement at 47 percent.
“Delays in construction can escalate costs and possibly result in a change in reimbursement from the state,” he said.
Work is scheduled to begin in the summer.
The council had to waive Rule 7, giving it the ability to take action immediately following a public hearing, in order to swiftly move the project along. Councilor David Evans said he is never in favor of waiving the rule, as it takes away the public’s ability to weigh in on the matter.
“Although I think this needs to go forward, I am not in favor of waiving Rule 7,” he said.
Griswold’s two roofs — one over the original building and another connecting it to the addition — are each approaching three decades old. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Wyman, officials urge caution during road repairs

NEWINGTON — With more than 10,700 crashes in Connecticut work zones in the past 10 years — or almost three per day — state officials are renewing efforts to combat the problem.
With Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman in town to highlight the concern, the message was clear Tuesday morning at the Department of Transportation headquarters: Slow down for work zones.
With winter having subsided, DOT Commissioner James Redeker said, construction and road repair season has begun, and the safety of work crews should be a concern for anyone who gets behind the wheel.
“April 1 is the traditional start for construction season. That means that our crews and our contractor crews will be out on the road,” Redeker said. “Make no doubt about it, work zones are — not just can be — but are dangerous places. Living and working them each and every day is a hazard. Protect them, respect them.”
Several state, local and law enforcement officials echoed Redeker’s sentiment.
Wyman said just the other day she had attended a wake for a member of the public works department in her town who was killed while on the job.
“This is very, very serious — it really is,” Wyman said. “We talk about obeying the orange [that marks and warns of work zones] and making sure we slow down. We want to make sure we’re careful. Work zones have to be safety zones.”
This week has been dubbed Work Zone Awareness Week. The national and state campaigns are designed to raise awareness and educate the public about the dangers of work zones in an effort to keep both workers and motorists safe while on the road.
The campaign, which is in its 15th year, has proven itself effective. Amy Jackson-Grove of the Federal Highway Administration said there has been a 47 percent reduction in work zone fatalities since 2003. However, according to information supplied by the DOT, 20,000 workers nationally are injured in road construction work zones each year, with nearly half the fatalities the result of the worker being run over or backed over by a vehicle or mobile equipment. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

States pull back on transportation improvements over uncertain federal highway trust fund money

Four states have canceled or delayed $780 million in transportation improvement projects and another nine say over $1.8 billion are at risk because of continued uncertainty over whether Congress will take action soon to fix the ailing Highway Trust Fund (HTF).
The Washington, D.C.-based American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) reviewed news reports, public statements and testimony from state officials to compile the list featured in a March 24 report.
On average, the HTF is the source of 52 percent of all highway and bridge capital investments made annually by state governments. Funding for the federal highway and transit program expires on May 31 unless Congress acts. The HTF has suffered five revenue shortfalls between 2008 and 2014, and the next cash crisis is expected to occur in summer 2015.
So far in 2015, four states—Ark., Ga., Tenn. and Wyo.—have shelved $779.7 million in projects due to the uncertainty over federal funds.
Nine states—Colo., Conn., Miss., Mont., Neb., Nev., Pa., Vt., and W.Va.—have expressed concern over the feasibility of future transportation infrastructure projects totaling more than $1.8 billion if Congress does not act before May 31. ARTBA expects more states will make similar announcements as the deadline draws nearer.
Last year, before a last-ditch effort by members of Congress led to an extension of MAP-21, DOT officials in 35 states publicly stated that they would be impacted by the precarious HTF situation.
“It’s déjà vu all over again as Yogi Berra would say,” according to ARTBA President & CEO Pete Ruane. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

MGM breaks ground on $800M casino in western Mass

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - With confetti and fanfare, MGM officially broke ground Tuesday on an $800 million casino in western Massachusetts that represents the largest economic development project the region has seen in generations. 
Hundreds attended the ceremony held on a cold but sunny day in front of an old school the casino plans to raze to make way for a parking lot. The groundbreaking was largely symbolic: Casino officials say there's more to be done before construction can start in earnest. But the event marks a significant development in New England's ever-escalating casino race. MGM seeks to become Massachusetts' first resort casino as rivals in Connecticut and the Boston area are also trying to open casinos. "We're No. 1 one in Vegas, and we'll be No. 1 in New England, regardless of what Connecticut does," CEO Jim Murren declared. Here's what you need to know about the project, which officials hope to open in 2017:
THE CASINO PLAN MGM's casino is being developed on 14.5 acres in the downtown and South End neighborhoods, an area still recovering from a devastating 2011 tornado. The casino will have 3,000 slot machines, 75 gambling tables and a 250-room hotel. It will also include shops, restaurants, meeting and office space, and residential apartments. The project has been billed as a unique, urban-centered casino that will restore or reuse all or parts of a number of historic buildings, including a castle-like armory. It will also preserve Main Street's traditional storefront row and offer new downtown amenities like a public plaza, ice skating rink, cinema and bowling alley. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Widening of I-84 to begin on Monday

BY ANDREW LARSON REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN 
WATERBURY — After years of delays, the long-awaited widening of Interstate 84 between Washington Avenue and Pierpont Road is so close, the smell of bituminous concrete is practically in the air. Reconstruction of the 2.7-mile stretch of highway, which Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has called one of the most infamous bottlenecks in the state, will begin Monday.
The state Department of Transportation's contract with I-84 Constructors, a joint venture between North Haven-based Empire Paving and Yonkers Contracting in New York, requires the project to be complete by June 25, 2020, with incentives for the contractor to finish by August 2019.
The project budget, including construction and utility work, is $298 million. The DOT is paying $145 million toward the project; the rest will be funded by the Federal Highway Administration.
State and officials held a public information session at Crosby High School on Tuesday where they presented a project overview and a preliminary construction schedule to a crowd of more than 100.
Speakers seemed to agree that I-84 needs to be widened and reconfigured, but many said they fear traffic delays will become far worse before they improve.
"It's going to be bad, I mean seriously it's going to be bad, especially during the first couple of weeks as people get used to it," said Kenneth Fargnoli, district engineer for the DOT.
The project involves widening the highway from two lanes to three in each direction, eliminating an S-curve near Harpers Ferry Road, reconfiguring exits, adding 12-foot-wide shoulders and building an access road, called Plank Road East, between Scott Road and Harpers Ferry Road.
The work entails replacing nine bridges, six culverts and 20 retaining walls. The Mad River and Beaver Brook Pond Brook also need to be realigned.
On March 30, motorists won't notice much of a change on I-84. They may see construction crews staging equipment, installing signs and moving dirt, Fargnoli said.
By mid-April, crews will be working at night to widen the shoulders closest to the median. The shoulders will be turned into full-fledged travel lanes, allowing crews to extend the highway outward.
By the end of spring, the first major change will go into effect — the Exit 24 westbound off-ramp that leads to Harpers Ferry Road will be closed permanently to make room for Plank Road East. Also, closing the exit ramp will eliminate a "weave" section of the highway where traffic uses the same lane to enter and exit the highway.
During construction, four detours will be implemented. The DOT says it will make every effort to ensure traffic moves as smoothly as possible. It has installed signs that will tell motorists how long it will take to get through the construction zone. Live travel times will also be available at www. ct.gov/dot.
During peak hours, the DOT says there will be two travel lanes in each direction. At night there will be intermittent lane closures.
For information and to register for project updates, visit www.i-84waterbury.com, www.facebook.com/i84waterbury or Twitter @i84waterbury.

CT Construction Digest Match 24, 2015

East Lyme school project drawings to be unveiled

East Lyme - An architect will unveil the first design drawings for the proposed elementary school project to a committee on Thursday. Architect Al Jacunski is slated to present the footprint layouts for a new Flanders Elementary School and a renovated Niantic Center School at the Elementary Schools Design Steering Committee's meeting.
The meeting will take place at 4 p.m. at the Central Office conference room.
Board of Education Chairman Tim Hagen also updated the school board Monday that a referendum vote on the elementary school proposal won't happen in time to apply for state funding this year.
The school board had endorsed a plan in December to build a new school at the site of Flanders Elementary, renovate and expand the Niantic Center School and close the Lillie B. Haynes School and return it to the town. The board's vote had allowed the committee to begin planning the project. Hagen said Monday the committee reviewed the steps needed and realized last month that it would be "impossible" to have a referendum on the school project before June 30, 2015, the deadline to submit materials to the state for reimbursement. The proposal requires approval from the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and then a 30-day period after those approvals before it can be voted on at referendum. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

'The Haven' mall plan gains proposal for water front amphitheater

WEST HAVEN >> The Haven upscale outlet mall plan’s first phase will include a waterfront amphitheater in addition to the previously proposed 100 high-end outlet stores and six restaurants, Mayor Ed O’Brien said Monday. “This is great news for the residents of West Haven that the developers are adding a public assembly and entertainment component — an amphitheater overlooking New Haven Harbor — to this transformative project,” O’Brien said in a press release.
“Any further elements will only make this development more exciting and more vibrant,” O’Brien said of the proposed $200 million, 347,826-square-foot waterfront project that developers Sheldon Gordon and Ty Miller have proposed for an area along what is now Water Street.  O’Brien said he “had a meeting with them (last) Monday and they dropped this on me. It looked like it had a covered stage” and “a raised grass area with steps that went down.” Gordon confirmed that he and Miller, through The Haven Group LLC, are working with O’Brien and Commissioner of Planning and Development Joseph A. Riccio Jr. to tweak their proposal to include the amphitheater. The addition of the amphitheater to The Haven South Municipal Development Plan, which will include a new site plan that will show the amphitheater, is expected to delay the revised document’s completion by a few weeks, said Riccio. The Redevelopment Agency previously received a draft of the MDP — which includes provision to use eminent domain, if necessary — and set an April 23 public hearing date.  O’Brien subsequently said the draft was flawed after residents pointed out that it showed apartments; something O’Brien had said wasn’t in the plan. He said a new one would be presented soon. “I believe we’re going to have to delay the public hearing on the MDP” because of the latest changes, O’Brien said Monday. “So the Redevelopment Agency will have to go through that whole thing all over again.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

DOT to discuss I-84 widening today

WATERBURY --  Representatives from the Connecticut Department of Transportation will be at the Crosby High School Auditorium, 300 Pierpont Road, at 6 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the schedule for the phase 3 construction plan on Interstate 84 between the Hamilton Avenue bridge and Exit 25 A at the Cheshire line.
Construction equipment is being staged at Harpers Ferry Road in anticipation of the work which, will begin on April 1, and continue for five years.
DOT engineers will be on hand to describe to people how the construction will impact Waterbury and neighboring towns.

More money needed for municipal stadium

BY PENELOPE OVERTON REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN 
WATERBURY -- The city will have to come up with another $437,000 to complete its Municipal Stadium grandstand project, even without the amenities once planned inside the facility.
The city has already bonded $4 million for a project that was to have included bathrooms and locker rooms under the bleachers. After adding in state grants, that left city taxpayers on the hook for $2.5 million. But poor soil conditions led to cost overruns, a shuffle of contractors, project delays and the removal of all the internal amenities once planned for the Watertown Avenue facility.
New bids indicate the city will need another $437,000, on top of that original $4 million bond, just to finish the grandstand itself. It is asking for another $244,000 to design a stand-alone locker room facility. The city's quasi-public development branch, Waterbury Development Corp., predicted last year that it had enough money left in the original $4 million bond to finish the grandstand, but not the stand-alone facility.
But bids to complete the work came in higher than WDC had hoped.
The agency revealed how much higher for the first time Monday as it asked the Board of Aldermen to start the process of adding $800,000 to its original $4 million bond amount. The Board of Aldermen set an April 6 hearing date. WDC doesn't know how much it will cost to do the work it had to cut out of the original grandstand project, including the stand-alone building and a new parking lot, sidewalks and fencing.
The state is kicking in another $966,000 to help fund this work. The scaled-down design and the delays have begun to wear on city officials and residents alike, with several speaking out about the lagging project on talk radio and city meetings. The grandstand project was to have been the third and final phase of a seven-year, $6.7 million renovation of the 85-year-old former dog track. Earlier phases included a new synthetic football stadium turf and lighting.
BREAKDOWN OF MUNICIPAL STADIUM BOND INCREASE
Original Bond: $4 million
City Share of Original Bond: $2.5 million
Requested increase: $800,000
- $436,966 to complete grandstand construction
- $244,000 to design locker room facility, parking lot
- $119,034 owner-controlled contingency     

CT Construction Digest March 23, 2015

Construction to begin on states first casino

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Construction is about to begin for what likely will be the first full-scale resort casino to open in Massachusetts.

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled in Springfield on Tuesday for the $800 million casino that will be operated by MGM Resorts International. The facility will occupy a 14.5-acre site in Springfield's South End that was heavily damaged in a tornado nearly four years ago.

The casino is expected to open in 2017.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission awarded MGM the state's western Massachusetts resort casino license last year. Wynn Resorts was later awarded the sole Boston-area license but has not yet begun construction in Everett.

A slots-only facility at the Plainridge racetrack in Plainville is expected to open in June.

 

DOT outsourcing plan ripe for conflict of interest

 

When his legacy is written, it could be as the transportation governor.
But before Gov. Dannel P. Malloy widens a single highway or replaces a bridge -- the thrust of a $100 billion plan to fix Connecticut's decaying infrastructure-- his administration might loosen some of the contracting reforms that stemmed from the tarnished legacy of another governor, John G. Rowland.
The state Department of Transportation is asking the Legislature to remove several hurdles on the hiring of outside contractors and consultants to help it carry out the vast scope of projects envisioned in the governor's plan.
The department contends the changes, tucked into a 29-page transportation bill, will save taxpayers money and reduce project delays, and are recommended by the Federal Highway Administration.
Concern is growing among government watchdogs and state employee unions, however, that the Malloy policy shift will chip away at clean-contracting legislation that stemmed directly from Rowland's resignation and imprisonment a decade ago for accepting gifts from state contractors.
"We're always worried about rolling back anti-corruption initiatives," said Tom Swan, executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group. "Whether it be the recent announcement that (the University of Connecticut) may not fall under the Contracting Standards Board or the use of federal party accounts to circumvent the state ban on contractor (political contributions), this appears to fall in that continuum."
Malloy's office referred questions on the matter to state Transportation Commissioner James Redeker, who bristled at the mention of the former governor's corruption. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Northeast gas pipeline progresses, to some landowner dismay

HARPERSFIELD, N.Y. (AP) — The 124-mile Constitution Pipeline will likely bring some relief from high natural gas prices to residents of New York City and New England, but it will also bring anguish to some landowners in the wooded hills and valleys in its path.

It will slash a mile-long gash through a pristine forest tended by the Kernan family for seven decades. It will spoil Andrew Havas' plans to build a home and automotive shop. It will disrupt farming operations for dairyman Ken Stanton. It will dash hopes Bob Lidsky and Bev Travis had of building the hilltop home where they planned to retire with their five huge mountain dogs.

"This pipeline destroys any hope of either building or selling the land for a profit," said Lidsky, a retired designer who raises Leonberger dogs with his wife in the Catskills hamlet of Andes and also owns 42 acres in the pipeline's path.

Of 651 landowners in New York and Pennsylvania affected by the $700 million pipeline project, 125 refused to sign right of way agreements. Condemnation proceedings undertaken by Constitution under the Natural Gas Act have largely resolved the remaining disputes, either through settlements or access granted by a judge.

Only four property owners still have cases pending, all in New York. The courts will set compensation for landowners who did not reach agreements on their own. In Lidsky's case, for example, the judge granted Constitution access and ordered the company to cover compensation of up to $11,600.

"We're looking at early summer to start construction," with completion next year, said Chris Stockton, spokesman for Tulsa, Oklahoma-based pipeline operator Williams Partners LP. Most regulatory hurdles have been cleared, though the project still needs air and water permits from the state Department of Environmental Conservation and another permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Riverwalk at Preston

 

It may be time, finally, to get serious about the potential of marketing and developing the former Norwich Hospital property.
Despite the lack of development, much has happened, beginning with the state's dereliction of duty to do anything to secure the massive campus when it closed the mental health institution in 1996, leaving the buildings to deteriorate and not even bothering to turn off the water.
There were repeated failed attempts by the state to market the 400-acre property. There were years wasted dealing with a huckster who promised to construct a "Utopia" theme park. A deeply divided Preston decided by a narrow margin to take the state's offer to assume ownership and responsibility for the property, only to see town infighting continue on how to proceed.
But in recent years there has been substantial progress and an administration in Hartford far more willing to help the town in its efforts to get the property ready for development. About 85 percent of the buildings have been razed and hazardous materials removed.
Leading through it all has been First Selectman Robert Congdon, elected to 10 consecutive terms, sometimes by the narrowest of margins. Mr. Congdon may yet land his white whale - the development of the property and its resulting tax revenue - before he leaves office.
On Friday, a team of real estate consultants provided their preliminary observations and recommendations. Change the name of the development site from Preston Riverwalk to Riverwalk at Preston, placing the emphasis on the location along the Thames River. Hard to see that tipping a potential developer's decision, but it can't hurt. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Forum Monday on Stonnington school project

By Joe Wojtas
Stonington — The K-12 Building Committee will host community informational meetings on the $69 million elementary school renovation project today at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center and Wednesday at the Stonington Community Center. Both meetings are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
The committee’s plan calls for renovating West Vine Street School and building a 34,000-square-foot addition and renovating Deans Mill School and constructing a 40,000-square-foot addition. The project would be completed in time for the 2019-20 school year.
The schools will hold students in pre-kindergarten through grade 5 and 115-year-old West Broad Street School will close.
State reimbursement is expected to decrease the cost to taxpayers to $52.3 million.
A referendum vote is expected in late April. The town needs to submit an application for state reimbursement by the June 30 deadline. This means that if the referendum is rejected, the project would be delayed at least one year.

Construction employment increases in 247 out of 358 metro areas year over year

Construction employment expanded in 247 metro areas, declined in 56 and was stagnant in 55 between January 2014 and January 2015, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said they were also launching a new effort, called #DriveBetterRoads designed to get Congress and the administration to finance and pass a long-term highway and transit measure.
"The picture is very positive overall, with more than two-thirds of metro areas recording increases in construction employment over the past 12 months," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "However, the gains remain spotty–several states have metros at both extremes of jobs added and lost. The market is likely to remain turbulent, as the drop in oil prices creates a different set of winners and losers from what existed a year ago."
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas added the largest number of construction jobs in the past year (14,100 jobs, 7 percent), followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (11,200 jobs, 10 percent), Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. (10,300 jobs, 12 percent) and Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. (10,200 jobs, 14 percent). The largest percentage gains occurred in Lafayette-West Lafayette, Ind. (28 percent, 700 jobs), Bend-Redmond, Ore. (26 percent, 1,000 jobs), Lake Charles, La. (26 percent, 3,300 jobs) and Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas (25 percent, 4,300 jobs). CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

CT Construction Digest March 20, 2015

Bill allowing uo to 3 more casinos advances by wide margin

HARTFORD — A proposal to expand casino gambling in Connecticut advanced Thursday, easily passed by the legislature's public safety committee.
The bill, An Act Concerning Gaming, passed 15-8. The easy passage reflects concerns that a lack of action in Connecticut would leave the state's two casinos without a response to competition building in neighboring states, especially Massachusetts.
"This is simply a logical step to allow the joint compact to move forward with the opportunity to preserve revenue," said Sen. Timothy D. Larson, D-East Hartford, who voted for the plan.
"This is a proven commodity," Larson said. "Let's give them a chance."
If passed by the legislature, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and the Mohegan Tribe would operate as many as three casinos placed strategically near state highways that lead to competing out-of-state casino developments, like MGM Resort International's $800 million casino scheduled to open in Springfield in 2017 or 2018.  Continuing the status quo, according to one prediction, would result in a sharp dive in spending at the casinos, by as much as $700 million in the next couple of years.
Reservations about the bill expressed by some on the committee focused on the social costs of expanded gambling and the sense that the proposal is only trying to slow the ongoing reduction in casino jobs. One legislator cited the results of a recent Quinnipiac University Poll that found that voters opposed expanded gaming in Connecticut by a ratio of nearly 4-to-1. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Guilford High School on time and on budget

GUILFORD >>The general consensus for the construction of the new Guilford High School is that everything will be “on time and on budget,” according to local officials. The budget for the new high school is $92,220,800, which the public voted on last June. First Selectman Joseph Mazza said the high school should be completed in three months, and said the furniture will start to get moved into the new building as early as June and July, and will be ready for the start of the next school year in fall. “We’re delighted to see the progress of the new high school and we’re extremely proud of the Guilford High School Committee for doing a fantastic job keeping the project on time and within budget,” Mazza said. “And I have no doubt that the facility will be one of the finest high schools in the state of Connecticut. And we’ll be ready to accept students on opening day in September of this year.”  Town officials recently took action on grants awarded to the town for the installation of technical infrastructure in the school, including the network switching equipment, wireless network equipment and the telephone system.
According to Superintendent of Schools Paul Freeman, the new building will be significantly larger and will use less energy.  “The space in general will be more open and flexible,” Freeman said.  Freeman listed large meeting rooms, a television studio, Internet cafes and non-traditional work desks as features of the new building, among others.  “From an energy perspective, it will be more robust than the old building,” he said. For example, the new building will feature and energy-efficient lighting that shines only to the optimal level, which will reduce wasted energy, according to Freeman.
“The new high school is incredibly exciting. It is going to allow us to continue to be the exciting high school that we’ve been but it’s going to open up new opportunities for us, as well,” Freeman said. “It’s on time and on budget, and I’m very much looking forward to September and having our high school students in that building.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Construction accident at Charter Oak school in West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD — Construction workers at Charter Oak School Friday morning lost control of a tree they were removing, causing minor damage to the gym roof and a broken pane of glass, according to a letter sent to parents.
The incident occurred at 7:30 a.m. No one was injured, and while some students were arriving early for music lessons, workers were blocking the area around the tree, preventing students from walking past, according to the letter, sent by school principal Mary Thompson.
Thompson did not respond to a call for comment Friday.
Plans are underway to construct a new school building and tear down the existing building, and the workers were removing the last of several trees in the area, Thompson said in the letter.
Following the accident, workers secured the area and brought in the town's structural engineer. Town certified arborists removed the remainder of the tree, "as the safety audit felt that with the wind picking up, it was best to remove it," according to the letter. "The window and roof will be repaired and there should be no further impact on our school's programs. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

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CT Construction Digest March 19, 2015

New Brewster roof goes to hearing

By Mark Dionne Town Times

At its regular meeting on Wednesday, March 11, the Regional School District 13 Board of Education voted to move forward with a $2,085,000 roof replacement project for Brewster Elementary School and scheduled a public hearing for Wednesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at Coginchaug Regional High School.

The project has two components and was broken into two separate motions, which both passed unanimously. 

The Brewster roof, which is leaking and at the end of its projected life, will be replaced at a cost of $1.3 million.

The BOE also approved adding solar panels to the Brewster roof at a cost of $785,000.

This solar panel project is similar to existing projects at John Lyman Elementary School and Memorial Middle School and not related to the solar farm project recently voted down by the Durham Board of Selectmen.

Responding to a question from Middlefield Board of Finance member Dave Lowry, BOE members said the solar panels had a payback time frame of 18 years, with a 30-year life expectancy.

The project will use bonds, which require a public hearing.

At the Nov. 12, 2014 BOE meeting, Business Manager Ron Melnik told the BOE that all sections of the Brewster roof are older than 20 years, making the project eligible for some state reimbursement.

According to the resolution, the $1.3 million can go towards “design, construction, and implementation of roof replacement and related improvements,” including asbestos and hazardous material disposal.

According to Melnik at the Nov. 12 meeting, tests for hazardous materials have so far come back negative

 

Funding in place to create appartments near vacant building near capital

 

HARTFORD — Conversion of a long-vacant yet prominent building into apartments could begin in early summer in the Frog Hollow neighborhood now that a key piece of funding has fallen into place.

The State Bond Commission has approved $7 million in taxpayer-funded loans from the Capital Regional Development Authority for a $35 million makeover of the former Hartford Office Supply Co. building at Capitol Avenue and Flower Street.
Once construction begins, it would take about 15 months to complete the project, said Roberto Arista, a principal in Dakota Partners of Waltham, Mass., the developer.
The project is expected to add 112 mixed-income rental units and street-level commercial space to the neighborhood.
Arista said the building's location near the state Capitol and in an area where there are state office buildings will help fuel demand.
"We're hoping to capture a lot of those state office workers," Arista said. "It's close to downtown. You can walk across Bushnell Park."
The plans call for 89 market-rate apartments and 23 rentals for low- and moderate-income families. Rents for the one- and two-bedroom apartments will range from $900 to $1,250 a month. Rents for the "affordable" units will be about $100 less a month.
Rents for the market-rate units are about 20 percent lower than the apartments now under construction downtown. Parking will be provided on a lot in the back of the building, but it hasn't been decided if that will be included in the rent, Arista said.
Dakota recently completed the conversion of the former Professional Building at 179 Allyn St. into 63 one-bedroom apartments. Those units began leasing in late February. So far, 12 apartments have been leased and seven more have prospective tenants, Arista said.
The Hartford Office Supply building, vacant since 2005, is in the Frog Hollow Historic District. Its exterior will be renovated to preserve its appearance. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Shoppes at Avalon Project again approved by commission

LASTONBURY — The Shoppes At Avalon project is ready to get underway after gaining final approval Tuesday from the town plan and zoning commission.
By a 4-2 vote, the commission approved developer John A. Sakon's plan for the 94,640-square-foot retail and restaurant development that had been approved in 2010 and again in 2013 before the permits expired earlier this month.
"It is the exact phase one and phase two plans," Kenith E. Leslie, the town's community development director said Wednesday. "The exact same conditions, maps, everything. Nothing has changed. Where it goes from here, only Mr. Sakon can answer that."
Before the decision Tuesday, the town attorney submitted a ruling noting that since nothing had changed from the original approvals in 2010 and 2013, the commission was obligated to approve the development.
"Many of us who voted in favor found that to be a compelling reason," commission Chairwoman Sharon H. Purtill said Wednesday. "Unless we could find something that had changed significantly about the proposal and nothing had."
Commission members Eric W. Schaefer and alternate Lillian Tanski voted against the proposal.
Sakon has hired Diggs Construction of Hartford, a minority-owned company, to build Avalon. It is intended to feature upscale restaurants and stores similar to West Hartford's Blue Back Square and South Windsor's Evergreen Walk.
Diggs Construction has built Stop & Shops in Wilton and Sturbridge, Mass., as well as done renovations and built additions at Bloomfield High School and Hartford magnet schools. One restaurant already confirmed for Avalon is Cheesecake Factory. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Committee sends toll bill to legislature; also oks 'lockbox'

HARTFORD — The state took a major step Wednesday toward levying electronic tolls on highways, but motorists won't know for months, or longer, whether they'll actually be charged fees to drive on Connecticut interstates.
After a party-line vote by a key committee, it appears the full General Assembly will now decide whether to establish tolls, what they should cost and where they should be.
Before the legislative session ends in June, lawmakers will be able to scuttle the idea or choose among different ways to levy tolls.
Republicans who tried to kill the measure in committee are expected to fight it on the House floor, while Democrats anticipate a campaign to build support.
"You can't have it both ways. You can't say we have to fix our bridges and roads, we have to do something about traffic congestion — but then shoot down a plan to pay for fixing things," said Rep. Tony Guerrera, co-chairman of the transportation committee and an outspoken advocate for tolls.
Guerrera scored a major victory Wednesday when his committee voted 18-13 to send a tolls proposal to the full legislature.
Republicans opposed the idea, with Rep. Laura Devlin of Fairfield saying, "I cannot support an additional tax on Connecticut residents. We have to stop going the easy way and grabbing into the pockets of our state residents and businesses."
Democrats voted for the bill, saying opponents are being "disingenuous" by admitting the state's transportation infrastructure needs billions of dollars of work but refusing to pay for it.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE