DANBURY -- Praxair, the global supplier of industrial gases, has scrapped plans to build a new $60 million world headquarters in Danbury amid cost overruns, The News-Times has learned.
While company officials did not make themselves available for comment, both local and state officials confirmed Tuesday the company has decided not to move forward with the proposal, which called for a new building with more than 100,000 square feet of office space.
Several sources told The News-Times the project became too expensive, with costs reaching near $100 million, and that the company is considering other options. Praxair (NYSE: PX) leases about 200,000 square feet in the Matrix Corporate Center on the city's west side. Government officials said they still think the company is committed to Connecticut and the Danbury area.
Stephen Angel, chairman, president and CEO of Praxair, announced the plans for the new headquarters in October. The company, which employs about 500 people in Connecticut, was promised a $30 million incentive package from the state Department of Economic and Community Development as part of the deal. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Meriden wraps up park project with Hubbard Park
MERIDEN — Heavy traffic through Hubbard Park over the years necessitated paving on some of the roads that run through the park.
Crews from Waterford-based B&W Paving and Landscaping LLC repaved Notch Road this week, on the eastern side of Mirror Lake. They also paved the northern portion of Mirror Lake Drive.
“Hubbard Park is a big attraction for residents and non-residents, and the roadway along Mirror Lake is in bad condition in some places,” City Manager Lawrence J. Kendzior said.
The paving is part of a $150,000 paving project in the city parks, Kendzior said. The project is paid for through the capital improvement project fund.
The Hubbard Park project was the last job with money from the current fiscal year. Paving was interrupted by the Festival of Silver Lights last fall, associate city engineer Howard Weissberg said.
“We finished those up today, and (crews) did Parkview Avenue right nearby because that just made sense,” Weissberg said, noting Parkview Avenue near Hubbard Park was also paved. “Those were the last two projects we had on the slate,” as part of approved park paving for the 2014-15 fiscal year.
Hubbard Park remained open through the paving, although traffic had to be diverted through a different traffic pattern than normal.
“Plus, frankly, you get a better (paving) product” around this time of year, nearer the start of the paving season. You don’t want to push it too late in the season, it’s easier to get the product in the spring,” Weissberg said. “This seemed like a good time, right after the Daffodil Festival, as well.”
Another $150,000 has been allocated for more park paving in the 2015-16 fiscal year. The work will go out to bid again for next fiscal year’s paving. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
“This is good news. We’re excited to get things moving,” she said.
Worked ceased on the project March 12 when the original contractor, Klewin Construction of Mystic, said that Senior Living by Masonicare LLC owed it more than $1.9 million for work it had completed.
Klewin has filed a mechanic’s lien and also a lawsuit against Senior Living By Masonicare LLC and project architect Bessolo Design Group seeking damages and possession of the property and improvements. Those actions are pending in Superior Court.
According to a document on file in Stonington Town Hall, Senior Living by Masonicare obtained a $38.2 million construction mortgage in May 2014 from M & T Bank of Buffalo, N.Y. But Kyle Klewin, a partner in the Mystic-based firm, has said Senior Living by Masonicare repeatedly failed to provide his firm with any evidence of adequate bank financing, which he said was a breach of contract. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
American Industries neighbors express dismay at continuing noise, smell
GRISWOLD - Residents who live in close proximity to American Industries gathered at Tuesday's Board of Selectmen's meeting to express concerns and issues they have with the continued operation of the asphalt company. "There is a putrid smell," resident Fabiola Proulx said. "We talk and talk and nothing seems to be getting done." The Board of Selectmen discussed the problems and possible solutions in executive session, but made no decision. Other residents complained about the hours of operation that leave them with sleepless nights. The issue of dust in the air was blamed for breathing issues, among other health problems. The sounds produced by trucks during the early morning hours were compared to mini trains. Although the issues are with air quality, noise and smell, the Board of Selectmen said they can only handle the violation of the stipulated hours of operation which are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. American Industries has said it operates outside of those hours, due to their contract with the Department of Transportation which works at night. They require night delivery of asphalt. As for the issue of pollution and noise, American Industries is working with the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission to obtain permits to construct a high buffer to block noise, among other improvements to the property to avoid further pollution and noise problems. The commission has yet to approve permits to construct those improvements. Residents said they feel the board isn't doing enough. "They're just sweet talking," Kathy Londe said.
Sewer replacement project in Farmington lead to long morning commute delays yesterday
FARMINGTON - The town said that a pair of "unexpected" occurrences at a construction site on Route 4 has led to several recent traffic delays.
The project, the replacement of a sanitary sewer line along Farmington Avenue from Garden Street to Spring Mountain Road, began in mid-April and is expected to run through January of next year.
Town officials said in a statement that the contractor handling the project is mandated to only work from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. when alternating one-way traffic is expected on the road, but that two instances recently have led to road closures.
An underground pipe failed in the area early Tuesday morning that required emergency repairs that were not completed until after 8 a.m., town officials said.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation said the road was reopened at approximately 8:15 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Another unexpected occurrence on the project occurred on the evening of Friday, May 8, when a safety related condition "was noted that required the town to immediately shut down one lane of traffic." The town did not state how long the road was closed for.
"The town is sensitive that these unexpected delays were very disruptive but they were unavoidable," the town said in a statement. "In these situations, the safety of the public and the construction workers is critical and had to be addressed immediately, which resulted in daytime lane closures. The town is hopeful that these types of delays will be limited throughout the duration of the project."
Radio ad campaign on highway trust fund targets Congressional & Tax Committee leaders
Two of the nation's leading transportation advocacy organizations have joined forces to launch a radio campaign urging key members of Congress to stop playing games with federal transportation funding and find a permanent solution for the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF).
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) are timing the campaign to coincide with a May 31 deadline to extend funding through the HTF for the federal highway and transit program. With just weeks to go, congressional leaders have still not reached agreement on a course of action. The continued uncertainty is causing states to delay or cancel transportation improvement projects.
ARTBA and APTA are running 30-second spots in states and districts represented by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and five others. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Sewer and water bond package approved
WATERBURY — The Board of Aldermen has approved borrowing $28 million to improve the sewer and water system, but not the rate increases needed to fund it. Republican aldermen approved the bond package without debate, but argued that water and sewer rates ought to be set as part of the city budget process, not on their own.
The proposed rate increases — 13 percent for sewer, and 9 percent for water — stalled in finance committee Monday, where Republicans control the vote. "Perhaps we can find savings as we go through the budget," Alderman Steven R. Giacomi said. "Perhaps we will ultimately end up raising rates. We won't know until we begin the budget."
Those additional savings must have gone unnoticed by the working group that vetted both the bond projects and the water and sewer budgets for months before the Monday vote.
The group trimmed the $41.5 to $76.5 million capital water and sewer improvement project recommended by Woodard & Curran, the city consultant, to $28 million. In its cost-of-service study, Woodard & Curran determined the water and sewer bureaus were run efficiently, and neither it, nor the committee, called for big changes, city officials said.
That group included Minority Leader Paul V. Ciochetti and Independent Party Alderman Lawrence V. De Pillo, who both sought to delay a rate increase vote Monday. The delay won't last long. The Board of Aldermen starts its annual budget review Thursday and, according to City Charter, must complete the process by June 5. With bond authorization in hand, the city could start its five-year capital plan to improve the water and sewer plants, aging distribution system and its far-flung reservoir system. But Chief Mayoral Aide Kevin M. DelGobbo said Tuesday that Mayor Neil M. O'Leary is unlikely to conduct a major bond sale without the rate structure in place to repay the debt.
The bond money would pay for projects ranging from dam repairs to manhole cover replacement to lining about 10 miles of the city's century-old water pipes. To repay those bonds, the city is proposing rate increases that would cost the typical Waterbury family almost $68 more a year by 2019.
But even those increases wouldn't cover debt service in the final years of the program, requiring the city to find other ways, like grants, to cover an estimated $11.8 million budget gap.