September 30, 2015

CT Construction Digest September 30, 2015

Stamford’s Harbor Point application held up for fourth time

STAMFORD — Patience is a virtue and the Zoning Board seems to have plenty of it. It remains to be seen whether developer Building and Land Technology does as well.
For weeks, the board has been waiting enduringly for responses from a city lawyer to its questions about BLT’s latest Harbor Point application plans, which include an apartment complex on the corner of Washington Boulevard and Atlantic Street. The board had wondered whether it could connect that project with a legal snafu on another property within Harbor Point.
BLT, the city claims, violated the Harbor Point rules when it tore down a boatyard on a 14-acre parcel in 2011. The developer is now in court with the city over the issue, although the case was postponed while the city reviews a plan to replace the boatyard on another parcel on Southfield Avenue. In two separate memos, a city lawyer has argued that the Zoning Board can't connect the two issues. Yet those decisions, often explained in closed-door meetings, only seem to spawn new questions.
The latest one is about whether Harbor Point can be considered a subdivision, an issue that factored into the city lawyer’s opinion, according to Board Member Barry Michelson.
“We’re looking for some clarification,” he said, noting that he'd rather see the boatyard situation resolved before a vote on the apartment. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

New Milford finance director questions turf field funding

NEW MILFORD — The plan to install artificial turf on two of the high school’s athletic fields hit a snag Monday night when the town’s finance director requested time to further consider funding options.
The Town Council planned to discuss and possibly take action Monday on setting a special Town Meeting for Oct. 20 for residents to decide on using $4 million from the Waste Management Settlement Fund to pay for the fields, track renovations and field lighting at the high school.
However, no one had discussed with Finance Director Ray Jankowski how the project should be funded.
“Taking an appropriation from the Waste Management Fund would reduce 10 percent of the balance that town revenue is based on,” Jankowski told the board. “No one informed me that this was going to be on the agenda. I would recommend bonding the project, but I’m not prepared to talk about that tonight.”
Pete Bass, chairman of the Artificial Turf Field Construction Committee and Town Council vice chairman, said the push to get the funding secured is needed to send out bid requests by November. Bass said bids received after that time are expected to be more expensive.
Despite a push from Joe Failla, another turf committee and council member, Jankowski declined to explain his thoughts on the funding. The council eventually voted to table the discussion until the next meeting on Oct. 13.
“Our director of finance asked for time,” Council member Katy Francis said. “He’s not ready to discuss this right this minute. I don’t want to rush Ray to act on this before he’s prepared.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Stamford point of interest: Washington Boulevard under construction

Washington Boulevard and Rippowam Place: Developer Randy Salvatore, founder of RMS Companies, plans to build a six-story building next to the Stamford Government Center. The project, which will cost an estimated $50 million, will bring 122 residential units and more than 8,000 square feet of ground floor restaurant and retail space to the downtown.

Renovation of Meriden’s Platt High School marks another milestone

MERIDEN — City and school leaders dedicated the completed second phase of construction at Platt High School with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday afternoon.
The event was held in the school’s new cafeteria, which, with its floor-to-ceiling windows on one side, offered dramatic views of the Panther practice fields as well as the teams using them Tuesday. 
Board of Education President Mark A. Hughes, a self-confessed “movie buff,” likened the experience of seeing the cafeteria for the first time to the experience of the actors in the 1971 film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” upon seeing the chocolate factory for the first time.
“What a lot of people don’t know is that famous scene where they walk into the chocolate world for lack of a better word — they didn’t let any of the actors, the kids or the adults, see that world before they walked in the door because they wanted the shot of them walking in and dropping their jaw, just that awe that they had,” Hughes said. “That was the thought that I had when I walked in this room. This is just absolutely an outstanding project so far, I’m in awe as I walk through the hallways.”
Construction on the second phase of the $111.8 million renovation of the school was largely finished before school started this fall. It entailed a new cafeteria and kitchen, weight and fit- ness rooms, locker rooms, classrooms, and two technical education rooms.
School Superintendent Mark D. Benigni thanked teachers and students for being flexible while construction has been ongoing. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
 
 
  


September 29, 2015

CT Construction Digest September 29, 2015

3 workers hurt in I-91 Middletown crash involving tractor-trailer, state construction trucks

MIDDLETOWN >> A crash involving a tractor-trailer and three state vehicles injured three construction workers on Interstate 91 southbound on Monday.
At about 9:30 a.m., a tractor-trailer struck three contractor vehicles owned by Mohawk Northeast of Plainville between exits 20 and 21 on I-91. All the “vehicles were heavily damaged,” state Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Nursick said in an email.
According to a state police accident report, a truck was parked in the breakdown lane along with a pickup truck and sign truck. A Mohawk worker was setting up signs, police say, for a construction job when a tractor-trailer “suddenly veered” into the breakdown lane and hit all three vehicles.
State police, city firefighters and multiple ambulances were called to the scene. 
The worker in the first truck was in the rear bed at the time, the report details, and when the vehicle was hit, he fell and hit his head. He was taken to Hartford Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Two construction workers standing nearby “jumped over the guardrail upon hearing the screeching of tires,” state police say. They were also taken to Hartford Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released. The accident report says the tractor-trailer driver was cited for failure to drive at a reasonable distance in a construction zone, failure to maintain proper lane in a construction zone and failure to stop on the right side of the road. After the crash, one of the tractor-trailer’s fuel tanks began to leak and state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection crews were called in. 
“Approximately 10 gallons of motor oil and five gallons of gasoline were released” on the pavement and highway shoulder, according to DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain.
“This material was solidified with speedy dry and recovered for disposal.” The saddle tanks on either side of the tractor-trailer were badly damaged, Schain added, but they did not break. They were removed, he said, to make sure the towing process was a safe one. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Norwich Public Utilities announces natural gas expansion program

Norwich Public Utilities recently announced that its successful natural gas expansion program will target nearly 150 homes and businesses in the Occum section of the city. NPU will extend its natural gas main along the Taftville-Occum Road, with construction beginning in the spring of 2016. NPU will reach out to customers through direct mail, and community meetings held in November, December and January will provide information on the process of converting to natural gas, construction schedules, incentive and rebates and financing options.

Farmington Residents Express Concerns On Proposed Apartments

FARMINGTON — Residents on Monday questioned how practical it would be to build a 268-unit apartment complex in the town's Unionville section designed for young professionals making more than $80,000.
About 60 people attended a public hearing before the planning and zoning commission on CenterPlan Development Co.'s proposed $60 million apartment complex to be built on 10 acres at 19 Perry St. The parcel is adjacent to the Union School and borders the Farmington River.
Resident Jason Wong said the complex is not likely to attract the demographic group the developers hope. Most young professionals live and go out in West Hartford, where there are more restaurants and shops, he said.
"[The developers] reference it as 'Live, work and play,' " Wong said. "I'm wondering, where is the play? Because I don't want to play at McDonald's."
Unionville business owner Viviana Pinhasi, however, praised the developer's plans and said it would be a "wonderful addition" to the area. Pinhasi, who owns Culteavo Tea Shop, said she would like to see more people walking around Unionville center.
The town council voted 5-2 on Sept. 8 to modify the 3-acre conservation easement allowing CenterPlan to access the property. Critics said the vote could be construed as tacit approval of the plans.
The developer plans to clean up the property, provide parking and allow for a walking trail and a canoe and kayak launch to be established along the river.
In addition to the conservation easement, the developer was also granted a 3-acre easement from the rear of the site, outside the fence that forms the perimeter around the far side of Union School's field and out onto Mill Street, contingent on approval by other boards and commissions.
Union School students are currently picked up and dropped off on Perry Street, but the apartment proposal envisions a loop road around the back of the school property that would direct traffic away from the front of the school and provide a new side street where parents can drop off or pick up children. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

New southbound Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge opens in New Haven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Hy6HYo4m0&feature=player_embedded

NEW HAVEN >> The Monday morning commute is off to a good start in and around Greater New Haven with no major accidents, construction projects or other delays to slow you down on Interstates 91 or 95 and Route 15. Local traffic is also moving smoothly to begin the day.
(If viewing on mobile, click here for the video by VM Williams.)
We do have some good news for people heading into and out of New Haven: The new southbound Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge on I-95 opened this past weekend and there are now five lanes in each direction. Hopefully that will ease rush-hour for area drivers.
Stay current on with the latest developments affecting your commute by checking out our live, real-time traffic map throughout the day and by following us on Twitter (@nhregister). Share what you see on the road by tweeting it to @breaking203 and we might include it in our coverage. Make sure you include your name and the town where you took the photo.

Naugatuck offered $4 million for 2 properties 

Big project planned for Uniroyal parcels A and B

NAUGATUCK — A Westchester County real estate developer has offered the borough $4 million to acquire two land parcels in the heart of Naugatuck's downtown.
Developer Benjamin Zitron plans to build a grandiose commercial and residential project on downtown properties where former industries once thrived. Those properties are known locally as the former Uniroyal Chemical parcels A and B.
"This is a huge deal for Naugatuck and something that will benefit the community and surrounding communities tremendously," said Jay Carlson, chairman of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corp.On Monday, the development corporation voted unanimously at Town Hall to move forward with drafting a tentative agreement to transfer ownership of the parcels to Zitron after a series of steps are taken, including land use approval and millions of dollars in contamination cleanup. Zitron, who lives in Westchester, N.Y., and is chief executive officer of the New Haven-based Sustainable Development Corp., wants to build dozens of commercial buildings and between 300 and 400 residential dwellings in the borough's downtown.
Parcel A is a seven-acre parking lot on the corner of Old Firehouse Road and Maple Street. Parcel B is a more than 360,000-square-foot former U.S. Rubber Co. and Uniroyal Chemical industrial warehouse that most recently housed the world headquarters for General DataComm. The borough owns both parcels. The agreement with Zitron would call for him to take ownership of the property on June 30, 2017, after remediation efforts to remove underground contaminants are complete. The cleanup, which would require state and federal funds to finish, is estimated to cost $1 million to $14 million, Carlson said.
The deal would require the state Department of Transportation to move the former train station platform from 195 Water St. to the site of the proposed development between Parcels A and B.
Discussions between the borough and the state DOT are ongoing, and Zitron has been engaged in those, said Edward "Ned" Fitzpatrick, borough attorney.
Other developers have looked at the parcels in the recent past. The difference between Zitron and the other developers is that Zitron has money to put up right now and doesn't need to wait for loans or grants to begin development, Carlson said.
"He's paying with cash out of pocket, no financing," Carlson said.The proposal needs approval from the Board of Mayor and Burgesses and land use boards. Realistically, Carlson said, development should begin in 2017.
Zitron said Monday night he had not had an opportunity to discuss the outcome of the NEDC meeting with borough officials.
"I want to speak with them, and I know there are going to be other meetings coming up, so once those happen, I will be glad to discuss the plan in detail," he said.
Ron Pugliese, president and CEO of the NEDC, said he's thrilled to work with Zitron, who he called a wonderful developer.
"This is a great thing for Naugatuck," he said. "Everything we've been working toward is starting to come to fruition downtown, and it's an exciting time."



September 28, 2015

CT Construction Digest September 28, 2015

Berlin seeks developer for Farmington Avenue apartments, retail space

BERLIN — The town is hoping to increase its transit-oriented development around the train station.
Economic Development Director Chris Edge said it has issued a Request for Qualifications, seeking a developer to transform a 1.2-acre piece of what used to the site of the abandoned Pioneer Precision factory at 889 Farmington Ave. into a mixed-use space that will house both apartments and retail, similar to the Depot Crossing building across the street.
“We feel that it will be a great stepping stone to more development around the train station,” Edge said, adding that it’s a “great project for the right developer.”
The town will use the remainder of the 1.65-acre property to construct a boulevard that will connect the train station to Farmington Avenue. The boulevard would also run next to the proposed site of the new police station.
The town acquired 889 Farmington Ave. through foreclosure, and has since razed the buildings.
There is a push for transit-oriented development along the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line. Federal and state governments plan to spend $900,000 to advance transit-oriented development on the corridor. About $700,000 are coming from federal funds and $200,000 from the state. The state Department of Transportation will use the funds to advance four stations (North Haven, Newington, West Hartford and Enfield) as well as two stations that are being relocated in Windsor and Windsor Locks. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Ansonia moving forward on Olson Drive police headquarters

ANSONIA-It was May 29, 2014 when Mayor David Cassetti first proposed building a state-of-the-art police headquarters in the former Olson Drive housing project.
Now 16 months later, the city is taking the first step toward that possibility by seeking bids from a combined architectural and engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study.
“This is the starting point,” Mayor David Cassetti said Sunday night. “We need to determine what the costs might be and what options we have.”
Currently the police department is headquartered in the 121-year old former Larkin Elementary School on Elm Street. Space is limited both inside and out.
“Our facilities are so outdated they represent a lawsuit waiting to happen,” Cassetti said. “We have our officers working out of closet spaces.”
That became very evident back in 2013 when State Police were called into investigate an officer accused of accessing narcotics evidence. A state police crime lab and temporary evidence trailer were set up in the back parking lot with search lights and heaters.
The investigation recently led to the arrest of retired Officer Matthew Macero on charges of altering records, second degree larceny and possession of narcotics. He is free on $5,000 bond pending an Oct. 27 New London Superior Court appearance. Macero is expected to plead not guilty to the charges.
Recently Cassetti, Police Chief Kevin Hale and city hall staffers toured the Seymour Police headquarters for ideas. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

$35M project to replace Route 8/25 bridges

BRIDGEPORT — A new stage of work begins Sunday on the $35 million rehabilitation and replacement of four heavily used Route 8/25 bridges. The bridges, with eight separate northbound and southbound spans, are over Capitol Avenue, Lindley Street and a parking lot.
About 88,000 vehicles pass over these bridges each day, according to state Department of Transportation data.
The 43-year-old bridges, about 2 miles from Interstate 95, are nearing “excessive deterioration” and need to be replaced, according to DOT. The new bridges will have prefabricated modular steel beams that will require no maintenance or paint during their estimated 75-year life. The number of spans will also be reduced from eight to three.
Lindley Street bridges
Total length: 575 feet
Current spans: Seven spans in each direction, each approximately 82-feet long. One span is over Lindley Street, six spans over private parking lot.
Current lanes: Four, 12-foot lanes in both directions with two shoulders.
New spans: Reduce both bridges from seven spans to two. Filling in five spans.
New lanes: Four lanes in both directions with two shoulders.
Capitol Avenue bridgeLocated north of Lindley Street bridges.
Current span: One 90-foot span.
Current lanes: Four, 12-foot lanes in both directions with two shoulders.
New span: Maintain one span configuration.
New lanes: Four lanes in both directions with two shoulders.
 The plan is to replace the bridges’ superstructure with new beams and decks that will be constructed off site in what’s called Accelerated Bridge Construction. DOT says once new beams and decks are completed, they can brought to the highway and “be quickly installed with minimal impact to the traveling public.” The state’s using ABC because of the high volume of traffic on Route 8/25. By using ABC, the impacts to Route 8/25 traffic are reduced from two years to approximately one month during the bridges’ replacement. Last summer, two bridges on Interstate 84 in Southington were replaced using the ABC, design and build method. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Extra drinking water infrastructure funds in limbo

Hartford — It's questionable whether Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration will borrow $50 million to help fix aging drinking water infrastructure across Connecticut, funds some public water systems have been counting on to make needed repairs.
State and federal officials estimate Connecticut has nearly $3.6 billion worth of infrastructure improvement needs. About $2.6 billion of that amount includes repair and replacement of water mains, some of which are 100 years old. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency projects it will cost $384 billion over 20 years to maintain the nation's existing drinking water infrastructure, while replacing pipes, treatment plants and other needs to handle a growing population could cost as much as $1 trillion.
Gian-Carl Casa, spokesman for the state Office of Policy and Management, said the budgetary agency "continues to consider the policy implications" of legislation passed in 2014 requiring the state to borrow money to fund the grant program. Under the initiative, grants would be provided to certain small and large public water systems that participate in the state's Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund, which is federally funded.
"It might not make sense to take on the expense of what would be a new entitlement when we already have a very good loan program in place," Casa said in an email. "We encourage water companies to avail themselves of the revolving loan funds."
Connecticut receives about $8.5 million annually from the federal EPA to finance the existing revolving loan fund. It makes low-interest loans available to the state's 2,500 or so public water systems, which can vary greatly in size. While a review of national data by The Associated Press determined more than $1 billion from the EPA's federal aid program is sitting unspent in government accounts, Connecticut officials contend the state's record for doling out the money bests the national average. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Conn. Transit Plan Spares Stately Merritt Parkway

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) In a bid to unclog Connecticut’s notorious traffic jams, the governor has put forward a plan to rip up and widen two major highways, Interstates 84 and 95.
A third highway, the stately Merritt Parkway, would remain little changed from when it was completed in 1940, a 38-mi. roadway dubbed the “Gateway to New England” that winds through the wealthiest part of the state beneath old-growth trees and stone bridges.
“People do treasure it as it is,” said Jill Smyth, executive director of the Merritt Parkway Conservancy, an advocacy group.
The powerful conservancy has a history of pushing back against plans that would bring in bulldozers. Its chairman, investor Peter Malkin, is also chairman emeritus of a trust that counts the Empire State Building among its properties, and its honorary board includes Vincent Scully, professor of the history of art in architecture at Yale University, and Robert A.M. Stern, the dean of Yale’s architecture school.
A proposal to widen a section of the parkway was defeated in the 1970s, according to Smyth, and this time around officials said there were no serious discussions about major changes. The conservancy insists that widening the Merritt is not a possibility because its distinctive overpasses would have to be destroyed or significantly altered.
The state has proposed a new interchange with a local road and a recreation trail that would run along the parkway, but those are opposed by the conservancy.
Connecticut Transportation Commissioner James Redeker said officials often work with property owners, advocates and others with stakes in improvement projects, but the support for the Merritt is different in its passion and organization. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Work under way on state's new bus depot 


WATERTOWN — Work is progressing on an $85 million bus storage and maintenance facility on Frost Bridge Road.
Workers are laying the foundation for the 276,000-square-foot bus depot between Route 262 and the Naugatuck River, according to Judd Everhart, director of communications for the state Department of Transportation.
He said work on the project began in April and should be completed in May 2017. The project is currently 6 percent complete, he said.The state is building the new facility to house about 100 paratransit and intercity buses.
It will replace the facility on Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury that was originally converted from an old foundry.The existing facility, owned and operated by North East Transportation, is in poor condition, too small and outdated, officials said. Although the state will own the new facility, North East Transportation will continue to operate the buses.
The new facility is designed to be more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. The building will meet the Connecticut High Performance Building Standard, according to a flier from the DOT.
"Design elements such as the clerestory windows over the maintenance bays reduce the reliance on utilities and create a more efficient and enjoyable workplace. The building design is configured for internal bus circulation that not only reduces the noise to the surrounding area but reduces wear on the buses created by the exposure to environmental elements," the flier said.
By storing the buses indoors, the buses should last longer, officials said.
In addition to indoor parking, the building will include a service lane with an automatic bus wash, indoor fueling and fare box retrieval, a vehicle maintenance area with lifts and component repair areas. It will also have an administrative office and facilities for the drivers and maintainers, according to a press release.
In addition to the work on the facility itself, workers are extending the sewer and water line up Frost Bridge Road, according to Watertown Engineer Charles Berger. He said the sewer line started at the intersection of Sylvan Lake Road and now stretches almost to the end of Frost Bridge Road at Route 262. He said workers have started some of the 12-inch water line on Echo Lake Road.
A combination of federal and state funding will pay for the project.
The bus facility abuts a new construction debris recycling facility on Frost Bridge Road that is also under construction.

September 25, 2015

CT Construction Digest September 25, 2015

Controversial Stamford developer subject of complaint

STAMFORD — Developer Nagi Osta, whose controversial development on High Ridge Road prompted the creation of the website stopnagi.com, is again the target of a zoning complaint over that project.
Osta has angered residents since 2011 with his long-evolving proposal to build apartments and a day care center next to his jewelry store.
Under a zoning approval he received for the development, Osta is required to have a landscaped buffer between the mixed-use project and his jewelry store until a traffic light is installed at the intersection of High Ridge Road and Bradley Place. The buffer is required so users of the development couldn’t cut through store’s parking lot and exit onto the residential side street.
But that landscaping apparently was removed over the weekend, despite the lack of a traffic signal. Now, only a curbed buffer with weeds remains between the two properties.
Elizabeth Carlson, a city spokeswoman, said the mayor’s office received a complaint about the buffer shortly after it was removed. On Monday, a city zoning inspector visited the site and was assured the landscaping would be replaced promptly, she said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Danbury‘s Morganti wins $78m contract for Platt Tech renovation in Milford

DANBURY — Locally based Morganti Construction was awarded a $78 million contract to manage a renovation and expansion of Platt Technical High School in Milford —and is guaranteeing its price.
Robert Tripi, director of business development at Morganti, said the company won a so-called construction management at-risk contract by the state, which is increasingly relying on contractors to be involved early in a project’s design phase and guarantee a maximum price for the work.
“As the contractor we are obligated to make sure that we don’t exceed that price,” said Tripi. “It’s becoming the state’s preferred contract for any project over $20 million. The customer gets a lot of value added for having the contractor be involved early in the process. It’s become our preferred form of contracting and it works well with all kinds of projects.”
Morganti, which has more than 400 employees throughout the region, has created a niche for itself in recent years in public school construction. The company has completed more than $1.7 billion in school projects over the last decade, with 16 projects in Connecticut including renovations and expansion work at high schools in Newtown, Brookfield and Bethel.
The Platt school work involves renovation of about 208,000 square feet of the existing facility, which houses classrooms, shops, labs and offices, along with new additions totaling about 26,000 square feet. The building will be designed by Drummey, Rosane and Anderson Architects, of South Windor.
CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Final closures, detours this weekend for New Haven bridge work on I-95

NEW HAVEN — The final work on the approaches to the new Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge will create another — hopefully last — traffic headache this weekend.
“Construction activities related to the shifting of I-95 southbound traffic onto the new pearl Harbor memorial Bridge are expected to cause significant delays during the weekend,’’ the state Department of Transportation warns.
The series of closures and detours will begin tonight and last until 6 a.m. on Monday. View all of traffic alerts and detour maps here.
The Woodward Avenue on-ramp to I-95 southbound and the Route 34 will be closed at 6 p.m. today and will reopen on Monday morning. Vehicles can travel down Woodward to Forbes Avenue and cross the Tomlinson Bridge, turning left onto Long Wharf Drive or Canal Dock Road to rejoin the highway at Sargeant Drive.
The southbound off-ramp to Route 34, at Exit 47, will close at 9 p.m. Friday and reopen at 6 a.m. on Monday. Vehicles should exit the highway at Exit 43, First Avenue in West Haven, and cross back into New Haven on Kimberly Avenue.
At the same time off-ramp from I-95 south to I-91 north, Exit 48, will be also be closed and motorists are advised to take East Street or Hamilton Street to rejoin I-91 at Exit 2.
The exit will be relocated at 6 a.m. Saturday approximately one mile north, in the area of Woodward Avenue, before opening in its final alignment at 6 a.m. on Monday at the western end of the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge.
The 10-lane bridge (five lanes in both directions) is the main crossing of New Haven Harbor. The bridge is the first “extradosed” bridge in the United States. The extradosed system is a hybrid design that is a combination of a concrete cable stressed girder bridge (such as the Baldwin Bridge on I-95 over the Connecticut River), and a cable stayed bridge (like the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in Boston). It was built to last a century, engineers say. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

E. Hartford approves casino site

The East Hartford Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved its proposed casino site, in the hopes that the Connecticut's two Native American tribes select the city as their third location.
Silver Lane Partners has proposed turning the vacant Showcase Cinemas on Silver Lane into the third Connecticut casino and sought the planning and zoning approval to make it more attractive for the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes to put a casino there.
As a way to mitigate the losses to their Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino properties in southeastern Connecticut after Massachusetts builds out hour gaming locations in the coming years – including an MGM Grand off I-91 in Springfield – the two tribes sought and obtained approval from the Connecticut General Assembly to put a jointly-operated casino in a strategic location in the northern part of the state.
Enfield officials also have discussed enticing the tribes to build the casino in their town.
The Silver Lane proposal would cost anywhere between $140-$300 million and seek to prevent gamers from the Hartford market from driving to Massachusetts, as the MGM location would be closer than the two in southeastern Connecticut. If the tribes pick the East Hartford proposal, the developers still would need to have the build-out plan approved by the city's planning and zoning commission.

OKs in hand, Rentschler mall to start

Groundbreaking is imminent for the proposed Outlet Shoppes at Rentschler Field after East Hartford planners granted zoning approval for the 410,000-square-foot retail development, authorities say.
Chicago developer Horizon Group Properties said Thursday the planning and zoning commission's green light at its Wednesday meeting followed Monday's clearance by the town's inland wetlands/environment commission.
Horizon previously had said that, if approved, the project would break ground in October, with the outlet mall to open in late 2016 or early 2017.
"We are pleased that the Town of East Hartford has seen the value in the design of the project which complements the historical attributes of the aeronautics and aerospace industry while embracing open spaces and comforting amenities such as fountains, fireplace, and well landscaped covered walking corridors for shoppers. We are excited to start building," said Tom Rumptz, Horizon Group senior vice president of development/construction, said in a statement Thursday.
The mall is intended to anchor a development plan from United Technologies Corp., whose Pratt & Whitney Co. jet-engine division occupies a number of buildings adjacent to Rentschler.

CT $840M transportation bonds given AA rating

Fitch Ratings has given its second highest AA rating to $840 million in Connecticut's special tax obligation bonds that will be used to improve the state's transportation infrastructure.
Fitch gave the very high credit quality rating on the STO bonds because of the state's pledged revenues to cover its payments from taxes and fees on fuel, vehicle sales and licenses, as well as the bonds being part of the larger Let's Go CT! plan, which is a $30-year, $100 billion initiative to improve the state's transportation system.
Fitch also reaffirmed its AA ratings on Connecticut's $3.7 billion in outstanding senior lien bonds and $334 million in outstanding second lien bonds.
The strong credit rating will help Connecticut get more competitive interest rates for those transportation projects.

Bristol Babcock demolition begins without permit, plan

WATERBURY — Without a permit, without notifying the state and without an environmental cleanup plan, the demolition of a massive factory began this week in the city's South End.
The lack of these items concerned neighbors and at least one city environmental official. Whether it is in violation of any state regulations remains to be seen.
As a Waterbury Wrecking Co. crew knocked down walls of the former Bristol Babcock complex with a big tractor Thursday, city Environmental Control Commission Chairman Steven Schrag spent the morning calling local and state agencies.
Schrag wants an inventory of hazardous chemicals within the building. He believes property owner Norman S. Drubner should have at least completed a certified plan for asbestos.
"That's not right," Schrag said of the lack of public information. "People around that site have a lot of concern about what they've already been exposed to. And here they go with demolition and they have given no information to people in the neighborhood about how they are going to go about it."
The 310,000-square-foot Bristol Babcock factory in the city's Platts Mill neighborhood has attracted squatters, trespassers, teenagers and graffiti artists since the factory moved to Watertown in the late 1980s.
Drubner, a developer and attorney with a long history in Waterbury, bought the property for $3 million, but the building has sat vacant and decaying.
Bristol Babcock made gauges to measure electricity, heat and liquid volume. The company was also involved in making movie and sound equipment. The building is about 118 years old.
In August, a massive fire burned at the factory for days, hollowing out portions of the sprawling complex. Waterbury Wrecking Co. owner Peter Vileisis recently received the go-ahead from city Building Inspector E. Gil Graveline Jr. to begin demolition without a permit.
Graveline said Thursday he hadn't been able to issue a permit because Eversource Energy and Connecticut Water Co. had not issued shut-off notices for the gas and water service.
Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross said Thursday a gas service shut-off notice was provided 10 days ago. Connecticut Water spokesman Daniel J. Meaney confirmed his company had not provided a notice. A request was received the first week of September. The company will issue the notice today and investigate why the request was not acted upon earlier, he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Road being relocated for I-84 work 


 WATERBURY — Harpers Ferry Road will be temporarily relocated as part of the ongoing Interstate 84 reconstruction project.
A contractor for the state Department of Transportation, I-84 Constructors, is building a bypass road from lower Harpers Ferry Road, near Rede Garden Center, to the Reidville Drive intersection.
I-84 Constructors, a joint venture between Empire Paving in North Haven and Yonkers Contracting in New York, won the bid for the $298 million project, which involves eliminating an S-curve on the highway and adding a third lane to each direction.
The work, scheduled to be completed by 2020, is occurring on a 2.7-mile stretch of I-84 between Washington Street and Pierpont Road.
The highway will be moved south of its current location near Harpers Ferry Road. To accommodate the new alignment, a bridge carrying Harpers Ferry Road over I-84 will be built, and Harpers Ferry Road will be shifted slightly west of its current pathway.
The bypass will allow the bridge to be built in one stage, without interfering with traffic. Other bridges, including Hamilton Avenue and Scott Road will be demolished and rebuilt in stages, allowing them to continue carrying traffic while construction is underway.
Building a bridge in one stage whenever possible is the most cost-effective and efficient method, said Christopher Zukowski, a state DOT project engineer.
"We don't have the real estate to build all of our bridges in one stage," Zukowski said.
Workers have rough graded the new bypass road since blasting away part of a massive ledge south of Reidville Drive to create a path for it. Utility poles along Harpers Ferry Road are being moved to the bypass, which is expected to go into service by winter.
The bridge will take about two years to build. Traffic will begin using the new Harpers Ferry Road in early 2018. The relocated highway, which will pass through the former bypass route, should be finished by the end of 2018.

September 24, 2015

CT Construction Digest September 24, 2015

Public opinion sought on revised Town Hall plan

NEWINGTON — Elected officials are anxious to hear residents’ views on a $32.5 million plan to renovate Town Hall, approved by the Town Hall Building Committee last week.
At the Town Council’s meeting Sept. 22, committee chairman Alan Bongiovanni answered questions on the design, which is $3 million cheaper and 10 percent smaller than one presented in July. Residents criticized the last proposal at two public hearings over the summer, urging architect Kaestle Boos and the committee to focus on the town’s “needs, not wants.”
After 10 months of work, committee members voted 5-1 in favor of this latest project. It calls for a new 90,367-square-foot facility that houses town and Board of Education offices, the Mortensen Community Center, Newington Community Television, the Central CT Health District and the Transition Academy. Entrances are handicapped-accessible, and offices are connected by a central corridor on all three levels.
“It’s a logical design,” Bongiovanni said. “Everyone will be able to find their way around it much more easily.”
Construction would take approximately two years to complete, and the $2 million cost to move town and BOE operations to temporary locations would bring the project’s tentative budget to $34.5 million.
Bongiovanni pointed out that construction inflation is expected to rise 4 percent in the next year, which means the longer the project is delayed, the more expensive it will be.
“If something isn’t done soon we’re going to miss out on the lowest bond rates in recent history,” he said. “I’m a taxpayer in this town too, and over the long term, it’s going to be a much larger burden the longer we wait.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Route 113 in Stratford to reopen Friday

STRATFORD — It’s official — Route 113 (Main Street) between Sniffens Lane and Dorne Drive will be reopened for vehicular and pedestrian traffic beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, the state Department of Transportation had announced.
The realignment of Route 113 will be completed and the shared use path will also be opened.
The DOT says that until Friday, expect daily lane closures between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m to complete miscellaneous items on the project. The regular work schedule for this project is from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday).
The road was closed July 27 between Sniffens Lane and Dorne Drive to allow work on Sikorsky Memorial Airport safety improvements. Originally, the road was going to open on Sept. 1, but DOT says there were extensive utility delays for the relocation of the 16-inch water main and 8-inch gas main.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

N.Y. probe may be linked to train station developers

Politically connected real estate developers involved in the stalled half-billion-dollar expansion of the Stamford train station are reportedly the focus of a federal investigation into contracts for major projects in upstate New York.
The offices of both Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and Connecticut U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly declined comment Tuesday on whether an investigation into LP Ciminelli Construction of Buffalo, N.Y., includes a related real estate venture that was selected by the Connecticut Department of Transportation for the Stamford project, which has stalled in recent months.
Several New York news organizations have reported that investigators are looking into LP Ciminelli Construction, whose owner, Lewis P. Ciminelli, is the brother of Paul Ciminelli, president of the Williamsville, N.Y.-based family real estate company, which often works with the construction company.
Lewis Ciminelli is a major contributor to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Both brothers have also given tens of thousands of dollars to Connecticut Democrats.
Requests for comment were not returned Tuesday by Ciminelli officials, nor by officials at the JHM Group of Companies of Stamford, which the state Department of Transportation designated to lead the development team called Stamford Manhattan Development Ventures.
The team chosen to replace the Stamford train station’s 30-year-old parking garage and to build 60,000 square feet of retail space, 600,000 square feet of office space and 300 hotel and residential units. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

75th anniversary of Merritt Parkway on Friday in Stratford

STRATFORD —The Merritt Parkway’s 75th anniversary will be celebrated with old cars, speeches, preservation awards and museum tours on Friday afternoon at the Sikorsky Estuary Walk at 88 Ryders Lane.
The event will be held from 1 until 2 and the public is invited to park along Ryders Lane or in the parking lot of the adjacent shopping center, where the Merritt Parkway Museum will be open for the event.
The main speaker will be state Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker. Merritt Parkway Conservancy Chairman Peter Malkin will be presenting the Partnership in Preservation Award for the restoration of the 6 service areas, including the volunteer architects who helped retain the character of the historic brick service centers.
The 37.27-mile road, named for U.S. Rep. Schuyler Merritt of Stamford, starts in Greenwich and ends at the Housatonic River, where the younger Wilbur Cross Parkway continues on to link to Interstate-91. The parkway is a National Scenic Byway and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Congressman Merritt, who died at age 99 in 1953, served in the U.S. House from 1917 until 1931 and then again from 1933 until 1937.

Work on North Avenue bridge suspended as new problem arises

The problem-plagued reconstruction of the North Avenue bridge has hit another bump in the road.
Work on the span over the Merritt Parkway, where the state’s lagging project threatened to pose a major traffic bottleneck for school buses in late August as the new academic year was about to start, has now been suspended. That’s because contractors have to shore up damage caused by “numerous impacts from over-height vehicles,” a state Department of Transportation spokesman said.
The latest setback to the construction schedule is expected to push back completion at least a month past October, the date that state and town officials agreed on after the initial mid-August date could not be met.
“Due to the numerous impacts from over-height vehicles, the lower portion of the temporary support had to be removed due to damage,” Judd Everhart, the Department of Transportation spokesman, said Wednesday. “The contractor is redesigning the support system to give additional clearance to vehicles.”
“At this time, work has temporarily stopped until this issue is resolved,” he added.
Meanwhile, traffic lights have been installed at either end of the bridge to control traffic — alternating in opposing directions — across the single lane that remains open. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

State regulators approve massive solar project planned for Sprague

SPRAGUE - A planned solar array for Sprague, said to be the largest east of the Mississippi River, clinched approval this week from state regulators reviewing the project.On Tuesday, the Connecticut Siting Council gave signed off on the 97,000-panel solar farm to be constructed on 200 acres between Potash Hill and Westminster roads by Albany, N.Y.-based Coronal Development Services.“I believe it is a strong sign of support for the project and lets us move forward with what we need to do to make it happen,” First Selectman Cathy Osten said.Construction is set to begin early next year, with commissioning and testing to take place by the end of 2016.The $50 million venture will produce 20 megawatts of electricity for Eversource and United Illuminating, which has power purchase agreements.On top of that, the town is expected to generate more than $750,000 in annual tax revenue – filling a gap left by the departure last year of Fusion Paperboard, its largest taxpayer.“It is a good industry with a good revenue stream that helps us out significantly,” Osten said.The next step will be to put together a development and management plan that addresses several ecological issues, including mitigation plans to protect the habitat of two federally or state-designated threatened species: The wood turtle and long-eared bat.Officials said thousands of trees are being removed from the private property as well.“Site development would require the clearing of 134 acres of trees, or the removal of approximately 21,130 trees with a diameter of 6 inches or greater to achieve a 4.6 percent shading loss,” the Siting Council wrote.Dave Gustafson, the town tree warden and a member of its Conservation Commission, said none of the trees that will be taken down are on public land. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Rentschler Field Outlet Center Plan Approved In East Hartford

EAST HARTFORD — Planning officials Wednesday approved a proposal to create a new outlet shopping center.
The commission reviewed the application for The Outlet Shoppes at Rentschler Field, which would create 10 retail buildings totaling 425,000 square feet, with the potential to expand to 482,000 square feet, with about 1,800 parking spaces.
"Rarely do we have an opportunity to build something that is going to be as transformational as this will be," Horizon CEO Gary Skoien said.
The project will be carried out in two phases. The first, which developers estimate to be a $100 million investment, will consist of 349,000 square feet and 85 retailers. The second will be 71,000 square feet and 15 to 20 retailers.
The plan includes a food pavilion, phone charging stations and a playground for children. All lights on-site will be LED, and all roads built to town standards, even though they are currently private. Architects added that there are plans to include bicycle racks.
Commissioners said they were pleased to see certain design elements pay homage to the town's aerospace heritage, which include a structure resembling an air traffic control tower and the food pavilion, tentatively called The Hangar.
Once completed, the center would generate about $405 million in tax revenue over 20 years, Skoien told the council. The developers say they expect to create 1,208 jobs during construction and 1,628 permanent and seasonal jobs once the center is complete.
Skoien said the company has signed leases with tenants, but he declined to name the businesses. He said the project is out to bid, in order to break ground by October.Horizon projects the shopping center will open in fall 2016 or early 2017. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Downtown New Haven office building to be converted to apartments, keep retail component

NEW HAVEN >> The classic Washington Building on Church Street will be converted from office space to apartments with a continuation of retail space on the ground floor.
It is the latest conversion to living space downtown along Crown Street, as there are two major apartment construction projects in the area and one major conversion only blocks away.
The four-story building at 35-39 Church St. was originally built in 1900. Attorney James Segaloff, who represents the owner, the Hurley Group, said they plan to bring in a restaurant or retail to the first floor space with 18 apartments on the upper floors.
He said the facade will be restored to meet the secretary of the interior’s standards for historic rehabilitation. Antique air and light skylight domes will be refurnished as part of that renovation.
The basement will be renovated with amenity space for the residents that will feature a fitness room, a party room , as well as bicycle storage.
The site plan was approved at a recent City Plan Commission meeting, while zoning approval to waive open space requirements was obtained a year ago.
Originally built before the 1926 zoning ordinance, the building covers the entire 8,096-square-foot lot. While it has no open space, it is within 1,000 feet of the New Haven Green. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Consultant says Waterbury needs new schools 

WATERBURY — In the past decade the city has spent $309.5 million in a nearly continuous program of school construction to begin updating the school district's long-neglected building stock.
A report recently finished by consultant Milone & MacBroom recommends the city continue that program with two new elementary schools and renovation/expansion projects at Wendell Cross and Kingsbury elementary schools. The total up-front cost is estimated at $172.8 million to $198.9 million.Tonight, the Board of Education will hear more about the report from its consultants and staff. Soon, the board will have to consider if it follows the recommendations.
Board of Education President Charles Stango expects simple discussion, no decisions or votes this week or next."I think we review the report and then make some sort of decision, probably in the School Building Committee as to what do we do next," Stango said.
State school construction aid has carried the bulk of cost for Waterbury's building spree. Milone & MacBroom estimates the city's share of the four recommended projects at $46.2 to $51.9 million. All four schools would add to the city's fleet of pre-kindergarten through eighth grade schools, but wouldn't fully convert the district into this "neighborhood school" model.
The three large middle schools would remain open.The city has built four pre-kindergarten through eighth grade schools, beginning with the reconstruction of Gilmartin Elementary in 2010. City officials approved a fifth school off Ferrone Avenue at a cost of $49.6 million last year. Mayor Neil O'Leary pulled the plug after fierce opposition, which including Alderman Lawrence V. De Pillo's successful push to put funding before voters last November.
At the time, O'Leary said he'd decided to back-burner the project and await results of the study.
Stango said he still supports building a new school for the city's East End, but he couldn't quite commit Wednesday to the entire Milone & MacBroom recommendation, at least not quite yet.
"Only because it's such a massive thing," Stango said.
Stango said he needs an update on the city's outstanding debts and ability to afford more borrowing before committing to additional construction.Milone & MacBroom offered two slightly different versions of its top recommendation. The first would have construction staggered two buildings at a time. Work would begin in 2017. Two completely new schools would open in 2020 and the two renovations would be finished for 2022. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Power needs driving push for Watertown to Harwinton electric line

LITCHFIELD — Eversource Energy is in the preliminary stages of planning a new electric transmission line from the substation on Frost Bridge Road in Watertown to a substation on Campville Hill Road in Harwinton.The 10.4-mile line would run along an existing right of way through Watertown, Thomaston, Litchfield and Harwinton, Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot said Wednesday.
The project is important to continue delivering reliable power to northwestern Connecticut, Poirot said. He said ISO New England, the operator of the region's power grid, determined that increased power flow to the region is crucial.Poirot said the existing transmission right of way has been operating since the late 1920s or early 1930s.
The company tests the system all the time and computer modeling shows that there could be an issue with the system years from now as demand grows, Poirot said.Electric usage in the area is increasing at normal rates of 1 percent to 1.5 percent per year, Poirot said, and Eversource expects that trend to continue.The current system is reliable, he said."It's operating in a normal fashion, but we can foresee a time when that reliability, it will be challenged," Poirot said.
Eversource is holding two open houses for residents to learn more about the project. Project members will explain details of the proposal, answer questions, and show residents detailed maps of where the line would go, the width of the right of way, and where structures will be placed, Poirot said.
The first open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 29 is at the Northfield Volunteer Fire Department at 12 Knife Shop Road in Litchfield. The second meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 30 will be in the Lena Morton Art Gallery at Thomaston Town Hall at 158 Main St. in Thomaston.
Most of the right of way runs through remote, heavily wooded areas, Poirot said. He said it will cross some public roads, where people may notice construction activity. Although some trees will removed, there should still be a wide tree buffer between the right of way and other land, he said.
Some points of the strip are more than 400 feet wide, Poirot said, while others are as narrow as 250 feet.Eversource is still in the earliest phase of the application process for the project to be approved by the Connecticut Siting Council.He said Eversource will be explaining the project to town officials and interested residents before filing a formal application, possibly in December.It will take the Siting Council about one year to make a decision, Poirot said.
Under a rough schedule, construction would begin in the third quarter of 2017 and be completed by the fourth quarter of 2018, Poirot said.He said the project will have no impact on service to residents or businesses along the way.

Waterbury quarry allowed to resume work on 37-acre site

WATERBURY — A years-long zoning battle over a quarry on Sheffield Street came to an end at a Zoning Commission meeting Wednesday night.
The commission voted 4-2 to approve a special permit for commercial earth-excavation on the 37.4-acre site, which is owned by the Hychko family.
Attorneys for Level Development, the Hychko family's company, and the city have been arguing the case for six years in Waterbury Superior Court. Level Development appealed the Zoning Commission's previous denial of an earth-excavation permit for the site, questioning the city's decision to designate it as a residential zone in 2011.
Wednesday night's decision overturns the earlier denial, allowing Level Development to once again mine and crush rock. Blasting also will occur.
Level Development's application went back to the Zoning Commission this summer as part of an effort to resolve the lawsuit before going to trial, which was scheduled for Oct. 28.
Attorneys for both sides have said approval of the special permit would render the lawsuit moot.
Michael Hychko, who was unable to attend the meeting because he was at his son's military graduation in South Carolina, applauded the commission's decision.
He said it was "a long time coming" and that he plans to move ahead aggressively to make up for eight years that his quarrying operation was at a standstill.
Neighbors on Sheffield Street vehemently opposed the application, saying the street can't handle more truck traffic or blasting. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE







September 23, 2015

CT Construction Digest September 23, 2015

Meriden eatery likely victim of new bridge

MERIDEN — The Bradley Eatery is one of two properties likely to be taken by the state in order to replace a West Main Street bridge, it was revealed Tuesday.
Officials from the state Department of Transportation and representatives associated with the work held a public hearing Tuesday on a proposal to replace an aging bridge that carries West Main Street, also Connecticut Route 71, over Sodom Brook.
The project is not expected to start until 2018, but an official said Tuesday that the Bradley Eatery — formerly the Bradley Diner — at 376 W. Main St. was “within one of the total takes of the project.”
The work will entail completely replacing the bridge, which Nicholas Giardina, a consultant liaison engineer from the Meriden-based BL Cos. Inc., said Tuesday was rated between fair and poor condition.
Giardina, the state’s consultant for the project, said the bridge is deficient in three major areas.
“All three reasons in themselves could warrant replacement, but when you have all three, you definitely need to talk about replacing it,” he said.
He said the bridge is still safe to travel over, and doesn’t yet fall within a range that would warrant more frequent inspections than the typical schedule: every two years.
The plan is to build a temporary bridge north of the existing bridge, which would maintain two-way traffic through the area during construction at the current volume. Once traffic is diverted, work to fully replace the bridge would begin. A separate, smaller, permanent bridge would be built between the new bridge and the temporary one to carry the utilities in the area.
Work is expected to begin in 2018 and will take 18 to 24 months over two construction seasons.
The project is expected to cost between $3 million and $4 million, to be paid by state and federal funds.
Michelle Miller, a project coordinator from the rights of way branch of the state DOT, said that two total acquisitions, two partial acquisitions, and six construction easements would be required to do the work. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
 
 
Stonington — A group of about 40 residents, most of them members of the Stonington Volunteer Ambulance Corps, quickly and unanimously approved funding to repair the ambulance building and the Lantern Hill Road bridge at Tuesday night’s town meeting.
There was no comment from the public on either item before the votes were taken.
Voters approved a plan to take $185,000 from the town’s undesignated fund balance to repair structural problems at the ambulance building, which will involve replacing the slab and footings.
The problems have forced the ambulance company, which primarily serves the borough and central section of town, to station its ambulances at the Stonington Borough and Quiambaug fire departments.
The ambulance headquarters temporarily has been moved to the borough firehouse. The town owns the land where the building is located, and the ambulance company built and owns the building.
Plans are to do the work this fall so repairs can be completed before winter.
The voters also approved $329,000 to fix the Lantern Hill Road bridge, half of which will be reimbursed by the state.
The cost of the Lantern Hill Road bridge is being split with Ledyard, which is contributing approximately $350,000. The bridge connects the two towns.

Springfield casino’s redesign would eliminate hotel tower, relocate apartments

 MGM Springfield, the Massachusetts casino being built near Connecticut’s northern border, has undergone design changes that MGM officials say won’t affect the amount being invested in the $800 million project.
In a statement Tuesday, MGM said it was providing Springfield officials with updated renderings that show the elimination of what was supposed to be a 25-story hotel tower as well as the relocation of 54 apartment units.
“We have revised our design, and in so doing, have developed a concept that we believe will permit more cost effective construction, address the interests raised by the state and local historic commissions, and serve as a catalyst for increased economic activity in Springfield,” Michael Mathis, MGM Springfield’s president, wrote in a letter to Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.
Mathis said the redesign eliminates the hotel tower, relocating the hotel's 250 rooms to the front of the project along Main Street between State and Howard streets. The hotel would instead rise five stories above a ground floor devoted to retail space. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

East Hartford Planning Commission To Discuss Outlet Center, Vacant Theater Plans

SOUTH WINDSOR — The Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday is expected to discuss plans for two potential large developments in town.
According to the meeting agenda, the commission is set to review a site plan application for The Outlet Shoppes at Rentschler Field, which would create 10 new retail buildings totaling 425,000 square feet.
Representatives from Chicago-based Horizon Group Properties Inc., the group leading the plan to create The Outlet Shoppes at Rentschler Field, told the council earlier this month their plan would be a catalyst for economic development and jobs.
"Rarely do we have an opportunity to build something that is going to be as transformational as this will be," said Horizon CEO Gary Skoien.
The project will be carried out in two phases. The first, which developers estimate to be a $100 million investment, will consist of 349,000 square feet and 85 retailers. The second will be 71,000 square feet and 15 to 20 retailers.
Once completed, the center would generate about $405 million in tax revenue over 20 years, Skoien said. The developers say they expect to create 1,208 jobs during construction and 1,628 permanent and seasonal jobs once the center is complete.
Skoien said the company has signed leases with tenants, but he declined to name the businesses that are on board. He said the project is currently out to bid, in order to break ground by October.
Horizon is projecting a grand opening date in fall of 2016 or early 2017. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Governor Seeks $7 Million For Busway Expansion Into Manchester And East Hartford

 Maintaining a commitment to extend CTfastrak across the Connecticut River, the governor on Tuesday announced an expected $7 million in funding for new routes into Manchester and East Hartford.
The State Bond Commission, which Gov. Dannel P. Malloy chairs, is scheduled to vote on the allocation next week. The money would be used for additional buses and other equipment, Malloy said.
The system now has 10 stations along the 9.4-mile busway serving New Britain, Newington, West Hartford and Hartford. The planned east of the river expansion would use existing HOV lanes on I-84. The target date to launch the added service is late next year, DOT Commissioner James P. Redeker said.
A single CTfastrak route currently runs from Manchester Community College through East Hartford to the busway. That line, however, doesn't have dedicated stations or parking lots, and intervals between buses vary from 20 minutes to an hour, a service frequency far less than on the main busway routes.
State Rep. Jason Rojas, a Democrat whose district covers parts of Manchester and East Hartford, said the expansion "will result in a positive economic impact for riders in the Hartford-East Hartford-Manchester corridor, where there are more than 150,000 jobs."
The Department of Transportation is studying the best routes for extending the system into Manchester, using a $500,000 allocation that the bond commission approved earlier this year, Malloy said.
The Buckland commuter lot at Pleasant Valley Road and Buckland Street is an obvious place for a busway station, Manchester's head town planner, Mark Pellegrini, said. A stop there would benefit the area's growing commuter population and many workers in nearby retail and industrial businesses, Pellegrini said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Malloy vows to up the pressure for transportation ‘lockbox’

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy urged the public Monday to join him in pressuring the General Assembly to support a state constitutional amendment to safeguard budget revenues earmarked for transportation.
Speaking with reporters while reviewing upgrades at the New Haven rail yard, the governor also said his goal is to have a proposed amendment before voters for final consideration on the 2016 ballot, when the presidential race traditionally ensures a higher turnout.
Malloy’s statements also come just a few days after his administration announced weakening income tax receipts that could worsen a major projected deficit starting in mid-2017 beyond $1 billion.
The governor’s fellow Democrats in legislative leadership have said shielding transportation from potential budget cuts – amid a deficit of that scope – would only put more pressure on other equally vital programs.
People ask, what’s the next big step we could make in modernizing our transportation system? It is to get the legislature to adopt a constitutional lockbox,” Malloy said. “We do that, we establish faith with the citizenry of the state of Connecticut, they’re going to support the kinds of investments that we are making.”
“In the coming months, we’re going to need to really ramp it up so that the legislature hears from the citizens,” Malloy added. “They don’t want transportation dollars being spent in any other way.”
The governor convinced legislators during the 2015 regular session to dedicate a portion of sales tax receipts annually to transportation. That means about $160 million this fiscal year, $260 million in 2016-17, and an amount equal to one-half of 1 percentage point of sales tax receipts every year after that. In 2017-18, that half point would translate into $362 million for transportation. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

ARTBA Presents Awards for Innovative Project Financing

The I-95 Express Lanes project in Virginia and two former public officials from Florida and Pennsylvania have been recognized as models of excellence in innovative transportation financing by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).
Awards were presented July 16 in two categories during ARTBA’s 27th Annual Public Private Partnership (P3) in Transportation Conference, held in the Nation’s Capital.
P3 Entrepreneurs of the Year  Given to two individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the forward progress of P3s in the U.S. transportation industry.
Ananth Prasad, who joined HNTB Corp. as senior vice president in January 2015, spent 22 years with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), including a four-year appointment by Gov. Rick Scott to serve as the agency’s secretary.
Under Prasad’s leadership, FDOT led the nation in the use of design-build–finance project delivery, and developed an internal P3 expertise/strategy that set a precedent for other transportation agencies across America. Prasad was instrumental in the development of significant P3 projects, including the: $2.3 billion I-4 Ultimate Project in Orlando — the largest availability payment based P3 project ever undertaken in the United States; the $1.8 billion I-595 Express project in south Florida; and the $1 billion Port Miami Tunnel project.
Bryan A. Kendro was selected in 2012 to serve as the director of the newly-created Office of Policy & Public-Private Partnerships at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Litchfield zoners help clear way for new supermarket

LITCHFIELD —With help from the Planning and Zoning Commission, Village Green owner Mark Greenberg is one step closer to demolishing three buildings in the West Street commercial plaza to make room for a new Stop & Shop.
The razing of the three buildings at the rear of the plaza is scheduled to begin Nov. 15. Once the buildings are gone, construction of a 38,000-square-foot Stop & Shop and a 369-space parking lot would begin.
Greenberg received a boost Monday when Planning and Zoning granted special exception approval that will allow the China Rainbow Restaurant to move from its current location in one of the buildings that will be demolished to a vacant space in the plaza building housing Dunkin' Donuts.
The commission amended the classification of the vacant space from "office" to "restaurant" to accommodate Greenberg's request. China Rainbow Restaurant currently has 850 square feet of space, the same amount of space in the location it will be moving to.
Planning and Zoning also approved Greenberg's plan designating eight parking spaces in the adjacent Litchfield Commons property for China Rainbow Restaurant.
The extra parking will allow the restaurant to meet Planning and Zoning regulations for parking.     



            

September 22, 2015

CT Construction Digest September 22, 2015

Newest Sacred Heart residence hall taking shape

Across the street from a just-opened building that houses the school’s business and communications schools, Sacred Heart University is watching the rise of a new residence hall.
Shawmut Design and Construction last month began a new phase of construction at the 87,000-square-foot hall, scheduled for completion next April, which will provide space for both educational and social activities. A $1.2 billion national construction management firm, Shawmut in August began structural steel work, followed by the building of the first floor precast plank and the pouring of foundations and constructing of masonry walls.
The two residential wings will accommodate 216 students.
“We are excited to work on Sacred Heart’s newest residence hall,” Ken Procino, Connecticut regional director at Shawmut, said in a statement. “We love the opportunity to work with universities and contribute to the student and faculty experience, and cannot wait to have this hall ready for the Sacred Heart class of 2020.”
The team also removed the parking lot on the 1.5-acre project site to landscape and irrigate the space in preparation for the construction of the hall, including a central courtyard. Shawmut also replaced and installed underground utilities. To complement the adjacent Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center on the university's Park Avenue campus, the exterior of the residence hall will be primarily glass, brick, and copper siding and roofing. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Appreticeship programs funded

Connecticut has been awarded a $5 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to increase apprenticeship programs in high-demand fields, such as manufacturing, health care, business services and construction and related industries.
The money being provided as part of the department’s American Apprenticeship Initiative and will fund the state Department of Labor’s Connecticut American Apprenticeship Initiative. Funds will be used for tuition and training cost assistance for 1,000 registered apprentices and 500 pre-apprentices around the state in advanced manufacturing, health care and business services.
“Significant commitments from employers, ranging from small machine shops to General Dynamics Electric Boat for apprenticeship placement, as well as support from Connecticut’s Workforce Investment Boards and the Board of Regents, will help our agency to expand the apprenticeship model and ensure the sustainability of this valuable workforce program,” said state DOL Commissioner Sharon M. Palmer in statement.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced the receipt of the grant earlier this month.
“As our economy continues to grow, so does the demand for skilled workers to fill new jobs,” he said in a statement.

Ground broken for Plainville artificial turf field

PLAINVILLE — Town officials and athletes joined state Rep. Betty Boukus and representatives of the Tinty Foundation for the groundbreaking of the synthetic turf field at Plainville High School last Thursday.
Kaestle Boos had a crew at work preparing the foundation as field supporters gathered to thank those who made the project possible. The field is slated for completion by Thanksgiving.
School Superintendent Jeffrey Kitching, in a presentation last year, said synthetic turf helps reduce the frequency of concussions, accommodates more community use during the year and costs less to maintain than grass fields. He has stressed that studies have shown no scientific evidence of any health danger to athletes.

Town Manager Robert E. Lee has also said that having synthetic turf would help the school district avoid potential pressure from groups trying to restrict use of herbicides and pesticides on grass fields.
The cost of the project will be covered by a $950,000 state grant, which Boukus announced July 2014, a $1 million donation from the Tinty Foundation and $225,000 from the town’s unassigned fund balance. After posing with oversized checks, Boukus lead town leaders in breaking ground with ceremonial shovels. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Quinnipiac River Linear Trail is expanding in Wallingford

 WALLINGFORD — More than 10 years after the completion of Phase 2, and despite formidable challenges, the section of linear trail that stretches from its current terminus at a tunnel under the Wilbur Cross Parkway into Yalesville is underway.
“We just finished trimming the trees and started the ground work for the trail,” said Kyle Schultz, of Schultz Corp. of Terryville. “We’re about one-third of the way through the bridge.”
Phase 3 of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail, which began in June, will run a mile and a quarter from its endpoint after the tunnel under the Wilbur Cross Parkway. It will wind through the flood plain forest beside the Quinnipiac River and eventually cross a 208-foot pedestrian bridge onto Fireworks Island and into Yalesville.
The project was put on hold as the town secured local, state and federal funding and state and local permits that covered the site plan and impacts on local wetlands. The $2.4 million segment is slated to be completed in July 2016, with a typical winter shutdown from Dec. 1 to April 1, said Town Engineer Robert Baltramaitis.
“There are a tremendous amount of wetlands involved,” said Environmental Planner Erin O’Hare.
The Quinnipiac Linear Trail Advisory Committee was also bogged down in negotiations with the owners of Yalesville on the Green condominiums over use of their bridge to Fireworks Island. The condominium owners association balked at the idea, citing liability issues, said committee co-chairwoman Mary Mushinsky.
In the end, the committee agreed to build a second bridge parallel to the one owned by the association. But the presence of an endangered plant species — false mermaid weed — led to a relocation of the bridge and further delays, said Mushinsky, who is also a Democratic state representative serving Wallingford. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
 
 
HARTFORD — Replacing the I-84 viaduct through the city will be a complex job, and state engineers want to help motorists visualize what the construction options might look like. The transportation department and its consultants have created an interactive website where visitors can explore the different ways of replacing the deteriorating elevated highway.Engineers are examining various configurations for replacing the stretch of highway with a tunnel, an at-grade roadway, a mix of at-grade and below-grade sections, or simply building a new viaduct. So far, the tunnel option has appeared to be far more costly and time-consuming than the others, and there's been little public support for erecting a new viaduct. Each approach requires a series of related decisions: Where should the exit and entrance ramps be, which nearby local roads should be extended or cut back, and should the parallel Amtrak line be kept in place or relocated. The answers will affect traffic patterns on the highway and in the city for decades to come.
To give drivers and residents a way to see exactly what's at stake, the project website — www.i84hartford.com — now has 27 maps where visitors can highlight just how each option would look. One map, for instance, shows where a tunnel might replace part of the 2-mile highway and what the nearby area would look like if the Amtrak line were moved northward at the same time.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE