WALLINGFORD — For over 10 years, the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Advisory Committee worked to design a bridge to cross the river and connect Wallingford Center to Yalesville. On Thursday afternoon, committee members stood with smiles as they watched the installation of the 208-foot bridge.
The bridge was delivered from Alexandria, Minnesota, and arrived in Wallingford on Thursday morning. By mid-afternoon, half of the bridge was installed.
Using an access point created off Warehouse Point Road, committee members were able to stand by the abutment closest to Route 15 and watch as contractors worked to put each section in place.
“It’s like a dream,” said Tim Gallogly, a member of the committee for 11 years.
Contractors began working on the site in June 2015. The installation of the bridge is part of Phase 3 of the Linear Trail.
It is expected to cost $2.4 million. State Rep. Mary Mushinsky, who is also the co-chairwoman of the committee, said Phase 3 could be completed in the spring because the recent weather allowed contractors to work into the winter season.
“We are here to welcome the bridge, which is going to allow this trail to connect to Yalesville from Wallingford Center and for the first time connect the two parts of Wallingford without cars,” Mushinsky said. “So you will be able to get back and forth on your bicycle or on foot.”
Committee members waited years for construction while the town worked to secure local, state and federal funding, in addition to state and local permits.
“It’s been a long journey,” said Cathryn Granucci, co-chairwoman of the committee. “... Who benefits? All the people and all the residents who use the trail on an almost daily basis.”
After the obstacles and hurdles the committee has had to overcome, seeing the bridge set in place was an memorable experience. For Mushinsky and Granucci, the two said they weren’t going to miss it.
“We were both home resting for this,” Mushinsky said, adding the two co-chairs were sick. “Both Cathy and I wouldn’t miss this. We would have been out here on a stretcher.”
Once the bridge is set, four benches and a kiosk will be installed. The committee has started working on Phase 4 of the expansion, which will consist of connecting the Linear Trail from Hall Avenue to North Haven. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
WEST HARTFORD — A multimillion dollar financing package that will assist in the purchase and renovations of three prominent buildings on LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center closed Thursday.
The buildings were purchased in December by investment group LaSalle Road Partners, LLC. LaSalle Road Partners is composed of Corridor Ventures, Rockport Investments and Tecca Ventures.A First Niagara Financial Group spokesperson said the group did not wish to disclose the specific amount of the financing package.
LaSalle Road Partners now owns 52-84 LaSalle Road, a building that stretches from DeRobertis Jewelers to Restaurant Bricco, and includes the women's clothing store BK&Co. and Matthew Phillips Salon.
In addition, the company has acquired 977 Farmington Ave., occupied by Grant's Restaurant and Cookshop Plus, and 989-991 Farmington Ave., where Music & Arts is located.
"We look forward to working with existing and prospective tenants in these buildings to enhance the physical characteristics of the space and to develop a diverse mix of tenants and businesses," Dan Joseph, president of Corridor Ventures, said in a statement Thursday. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Glastonbury Town Manager Proposes $5.3 Million In Capital Projects
GLASTONBURY — Town Manager Richard J. Johnson has proposed $5.3 million in capital improvement projects, including repairs to bridges, a study to find a replacement for the Grange pool and replacing the sythetic turf field at Glastonbury High School.
Members of the town council, the boards of education and finance and other officials met Thursday for the annual capital improvement program workshop. Johnson outlined 29 projects ranging from $2.4 million for the replacement of the Eastern Boulevard bridge over Salmon Brook and design work for the replacement of the Fisher Hill Road bridge over Roaring Brook to $50,000 for ADA compliance in the kitchen at Glastonbury High School.
The proposal, which will become part of the town budget, goes next to the town council for review. Johnson said "a vast majority of the projects are about taking care of what the town owns now and ongoing initiatives."
Taking care of school facilities is a large portion of the proposed funding, including $150,000 of the $550,000 needed to replace the football field turf, which is heavily used by a variety of teams. Funding would also include $185,000 to replace carpeting at elementary schools and $100,000 to replace the gymnasium floor at Hopewell Elementary School. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
WETHERSFIELD — The planning and zoning commission gave the green light Wednesday for a 20-lot subdivision off Back Lane, the town's largest housing development in at least 15 years."We're very excited to get started," developer Frank Dibacco said after the unanimous vote. "It's been a long time coming."
Dibacco said that many homeowners want to do their own landscaping and often tear out trees planted by the developer. He asked to be allowed to build a sidewalk only on the west side of the main road because walkways on the steet's east side and in the two cul-de-sacs would be short.
Dibacco also asked for relief from a commission rule limiting the amount of wetlands in the required open space to 50 percent. Jim Dutton, an engineer hired by Dibacco, said that a waiver made sense because the open space his client will provide borders the 1860 Reservoir and will help protect it. Dutton said 88 percent of the project's open space would be wetlands. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Connecticut getting $54 million in ‘disaster resilience’ money
Bridgeport and the new administration of Mayor Joe Ganim appear to be the biggest beneficiaries of $54.2 million in federal funds awarded Thursday to Connecticut to help Fairfield and New Haven counties better prepare for coastal flooding and climate change.
Ganim, who was at the White House in connection with a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was pulled aside and told the city was receiving about $38 million for flood control in the city's south end, said his spokesman, Av Harris. Related link CT mayors network, seek money and meet Obamas
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Rockefeller Foundation as part of the $1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition for states and communities affected by major disasters between 2011 and 2013. Ganim's predecessor, Bill Finch, was a strong backer of the application.“Climate change is real and we must think more seriously about how to plan for it,” said Julián Castro, the HUD secretary who recently visited Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport.
From cutting-edge building technologies to innovative construction methods and better decision-making systems, projects are getting smarter. Given the rapid development of emerging construction opportunities, owners should demand faster projects, lower costs and better buildings. In this guide, we've compiled 10 trends that will shape and improve construction projects in 2016 and beyond.
1. Detailed 3D BIM Modeling
Architectural models have changed. Instead of 2D drawings, 3D computer designs using Building Information Modeling (BIM) are becoming the standard, providing owners better visualizations. And today, these are no longer limited to architectural models, but also models of specific building systems. Subcontractors' design consultants use BIM to model structural engineering, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, ductwork, steel work and more. Combined with clash detection programs, designers can ensure no systems interfere with each other, preventing field coordination problems before they arise on the job site.
2. Cost and schedule modeling with 5D Macro-BIM
More and more design firms are adopting 5D Macro BIM at the earliest stages of design. These models show owners how early design concepts affect cost, schedule and constructability, allowing them to evaluate large-scale options and make informed decisions. These pre-construction designs used to be little more than napkin sketches, now they'll be far more scientific and complete as the industry adopts 5D Macro BIM technology.
3. Pre-fabrication
Owners are increasingly realizing value as construction firms pre-fabricate building elements off-site. Instead of sequentially constructing facilities, contractors are starting to deliver multiple project elements at the same time to streamline schedules. While subcontractors pre-fabricate walls off-site, a contractor pours the foundation. With some of the most technical work performed off-site, in a more controlled environment, safety is improved too. Combining pre-fabrication with 3D BIM, project teams avoid potential conflicts regarding the use of building space. And owners see a safer, faster, less expensive project. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Dibacco, owner of CCC Construction, said he hopes to begin work next month. The subdivision will be built in three phases, with the first batch of six homes expected to done by fall, he said.
Dibacco said it would take three years to build all 20 homes, which will likely sell for $650,000 to $800,000. Dibacco said that many homeowners want to do their own landscaping and often tear out trees planted by the developer. He asked to be allowed to build a sidewalk only on the west side of the main road because walkways on the steet's east side and in the two cul-de-sacs would be short.
Dibacco also asked for relief from a commission rule limiting the amount of wetlands in the required open space to 50 percent. Jim Dutton, an engineer hired by Dibacco, said that a waiver made sense because the open space his client will provide borders the 1860 Reservoir and will help protect it. Dutton said 88 percent of the project's open space would be wetlands. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Connecticut getting $54 million in ‘disaster resilience’ money
Bridgeport and the new administration of Mayor Joe Ganim appear to be the biggest beneficiaries of $54.2 million in federal funds awarded Thursday to Connecticut to help Fairfield and New Haven counties better prepare for coastal flooding and climate change.
Ganim, who was at the White House in connection with a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was pulled aside and told the city was receiving about $38 million for flood control in the city's south end, said his spokesman, Av Harris. Related link CT mayors network, seek money and meet Obamas
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Rockefeller Foundation as part of the $1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition for states and communities affected by major disasters between 2011 and 2013. Ganim's predecessor, Bill Finch, was a strong backer of the application.“Climate change is real and we must think more seriously about how to plan for it,” said Julián Castro, the HUD secretary who recently visited Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport.
Connecticut's entry on behalf of the state was made by the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation, a joint center run by UConn and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. It had asked for nearly $115 million for resiliency work in Bridgeport and New Haven and for resiliency planning in the Connecticut coastal counties most damaged by Storm Sandy.
HUD only mentioned Bridgeport in its announcement, but the state also is receiving planning funds for floodplain design guidelines and further work on the "Connecticut Connections Coastal Resilience Plan" in Fairfield and New Haven counties.
The HUD announcement upstaged plans for a press conference Friday at noon by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, and the U.S. representative whose districts include Bridgeport and New Haven, Jim Himes of the 4th District and Rosa L. DeLauro of the 3rd District. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
1. Detailed 3D BIM Modeling
Architectural models have changed. Instead of 2D drawings, 3D computer designs using Building Information Modeling (BIM) are becoming the standard, providing owners better visualizations. And today, these are no longer limited to architectural models, but also models of specific building systems. Subcontractors' design consultants use BIM to model structural engineering, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, ductwork, steel work and more. Combined with clash detection programs, designers can ensure no systems interfere with each other, preventing field coordination problems before they arise on the job site.
2. Cost and schedule modeling with 5D Macro-BIM
More and more design firms are adopting 5D Macro BIM at the earliest stages of design. These models show owners how early design concepts affect cost, schedule and constructability, allowing them to evaluate large-scale options and make informed decisions. These pre-construction designs used to be little more than napkin sketches, now they'll be far more scientific and complete as the industry adopts 5D Macro BIM technology.
3. Pre-fabrication
Owners are increasingly realizing value as construction firms pre-fabricate building elements off-site. Instead of sequentially constructing facilities, contractors are starting to deliver multiple project elements at the same time to streamline schedules. While subcontractors pre-fabricate walls off-site, a contractor pours the foundation. With some of the most technical work performed off-site, in a more controlled environment, safety is improved too. Combining pre-fabrication with 3D BIM, project teams avoid potential conflicts regarding the use of building space. And owners see a safer, faster, less expensive project. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE