CT Construction Digest March 31, 2016

Vitti ordered to stop rock crushing

STAMFORD — The city was right to order a South End excavating company to stop using its crushing machine on construction debris, an appeals court has ruled.
The decision by the Stamford-Norwalk District Superior Court marks a major victory in the city’s multiyear battle with A. Vitti Construction, which stores and processes excavating refuse on its property straddling Rugby Street and Elmcroft Road.
 Judge Edward R. Karazin Jr. ruled that the company, which operates as Ten Rugby Street at the site, must comply with zoning rules, which bar rock crushing in city limits. No fines were imposed.

High school expansion will displace athletics for two years

DANBURY — As a general contractor completes plans for Danbury High School’s $50 million expansion this summer, the complications of disrupting 1,000 student-athletes are becoming apparent.
The temporary loss of grass fields, tennis courts and other athletic facilities behind the high school where construction is planned could cost $275,000 in relocation and rental expenses, according to an internal report.
And that doesn’t count the $140,000 expense of staging two graduations off-campus, or the cost of losing the use of the football stadium during construction, which is expected to take two years.
“Everybody knows there is going to be an impact when construction begins — we get that,” says longtime Danbury High School Athletic Director Chip Salvestrini. “But we are counting on the use of that stadium. We have 100 boys on the (varsity) football team — what am I going to do, put them on three buses?” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Bridgeport job fair draws dozens

BRIDGEPORT— At 27, Jameson Terry hopes to transform nine years of working dead-end jobs into one offering a lifelong career.
Jermaine Smith, 36, who was carrying around a folder of environmental remediation certificates, hopes to parlay them into training as a heavy equipment operator.
And 20-year-old Jeremy Marshall just wants to get his hands “dirty” on a job that offers training, benefits and a career.
The three were among dozens of area residents looking for work in the building trades during a job fair organized by state Sen. Edwin Gomes at the downtown Burroughs-Sadin library Wednesday.
“I’m just trying to do what I can to get people jobs,” said Gomes. “All these trades offer apprenticeship programs where you learn while you earn. I got representatives from several different trades to inform people what they have to an offer.”
During the program, Gomes took the opportunity to try a virtual reality spray-painting program at the Painters and Allied Trades and the Finishing Contractors’ Association table.
“They showed me where I missed a couple of spots,” laughed Gomes, who represents the city’s East Side and parts of Stratford. “My brother, who lives in New Jersey, makes big money painting bridges.”
Alika McFarland, 35, a native New York who heard about the event from a friend, spent several minutes talking to Michael Komaromi, the painting union’s director of training, about career offerings.
“I’ve painted, but never went to school for it,” said McFarland. “I’m going to apply for the classes in October...People always need painters. What’s good is you could take that certificate anywhere.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Brooks Street in Meriden permanently closed for new train station

MERIDEN — As part of work on a new train station, Brooks Street has been closed.

The state Department of Transportation anticipated closing the road this month to accommodate a temporary platforms while crews work on the existing platforms. On Wednesday, the road was closed to traffic, causing confusion for some motorists.

In February, the City Council voted to abandon a portion of the street, between State Street and the Amtrak right-of-way, about halfway up the street and just past the railroad tracks. Eventually, the space will be combined with the 88 State St. parcel and converted into rail passenger parking. Officials have said the city will maintain access to businesses on the western half of Brooks Street.

“We’ll still preserve public access to properties on Brooks Street on the other side of the railroad tracks,” City Councilor David Lowell, who chairs the Economic Development, Housing, and Zoning subcommittee of the council, said last month. “From a flow of traffic and public use standpoint, it’s not going to have much of an effect — you’ll still be able to go down to Camp (Street) to cross over (to Colony Street). Plus eventually, the whole downtown flow is going to be modified.”

The Meriden station, as well as stations in Wallingford and Berlin, comprise just one section of work being done across Southern New England to upgrade 62 miles of track between New Haven and Springfield, known as the Hartford Line.

The ultimate goal of this $650 million project — for which the state of Connecticut, Amtrak and Federal Rail Administration have partnered — is to offer more frequent train stops and entice commuters to use rail travel more consistently. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Plainville, New Britain highway project requiring lane closures begins this week 

 

PLAINVILLE — Highway motorists can expect plenty of traffic cones and flashing lights over the next 18 months as five bridges in Plainville and New Britain are rehabilitated, beginning this week.

The bridges are along Interstate 84, both westbound and eastbound, as well as Routes 72 and 372, according to a statement from the state Department of Transportation.  

“The overall scope of rehabilitation for these bridges consists of patching of the deck, applying a new bituminous overlay, repairing the steel superstructure members, and patching the substructure as necessary,” the DOT stated.

Work on the bridges is set to begin Friday and be completed in late October 2017. Manafort Brothers Inc. of Plainville will spearhead the project.

“This is very similar to what we did on the Northwest Drive Bridge that we worked on last summer,” Plainville Town Manager Robert E. Lee said. “While the bridges may not look like they’re in bad shape, they need to do this kind of maintenance so that it doesn’t get to the point where you have to rebuild the whole bridge.

“I’m glad to see the state is being proactive and taking care of something before they get really bad.”

Lane closures can be expected throughout the project. Most closures will occur between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., with some variation based on location and days of the week.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Eversource to inspect power lines with helicopters

 

By Jesse Buchanan Record-Journal staff

Eversource Energy will use helicopters over the course of the next week to inspect power lines in a host of towns and cities including Meriden, Southington, Wallingford and Cheshire.

The inspections, which started this week, are intended to check for foliage encroaching on power lines.

“The helicopter inspections of our transmission lines are a crucial and effective part of our commitment to reducing the frequency and duration of power outages,” Steve Driscoll, Eversource Energy vice president of operation services, wrote in a statement released Wednesday.

The helicopters are blue and silver with the tail number N1431W and blue and white with the tail number N411DD.

Last year, the company used helicopters to replace power lines. Using helicopters instead of bucket trucks saves time and reduces impact to the environmentally sensitive area, according to company officials. Using trucks would mean building access roads, which would take months and disturb the environment.

The inspections this year are expected to continue until April 8.

Broad Street properties to be demolished soon for future CVS

 

MERIDEN — Demolition of three Broad Street buildings to make way for a CVS Pharmacy will begin soon.

Assistant City Planner Tom Skoglund said Tuesday that demolition could start this week or early next week. Demolition preparations, including chain-link fencing around the site and a tarp over a section of one building, has already been done.  

A 14,000-square-foot CVS store will span the three parcels at 167, 153, and 143 Broad St. on the southeast corner of Broad and Ann streets. The site will also have a 68-space parking lot.

The plan received all local approvals at the end of July, and was sent to the state Department of Transportation for approval, since Broad Street is a state highway: Route 5.

DOT spokesman Judd Everhart said Tuesday that the department received the latest plans from the development consultant Monday, in response to earlier comments from the DOT about the traffic signal at the intersection of Broad Street, Ann Street and Gale Avenue.

“The proposed revision to the signal, which is owned and maintained by Meriden, is minor, and the review is expected to be complete shortly,” Everhart said.

The revision won’t affect traffic crossing from Ann Street to Gale Avenue, an “offset” intersection.

“The geometry between Ann Street and Gale Avenue will remain as it currently exists and the operation of the existing traffic signal will remain unchanged,” Everhart said.

Developers had already pledged to add a left-turn lane on Ann Street, to be built and funded by them on land they donated from the parcel at 167 Broad St. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

DOT discusses improvements to Route 85 in Salem

 

Salem — Representatives from the state Department of Transportation conducted a public information meeting Wednesday night on proposed improvements to a segment of Route 85.
Under State Project 120-92, the transportation department is proposing to widen Route 85 between Skyline Drive and Burnett's Country Gardens and install rumble strips along the center line to reduce congestion and the risk of crashes.
Scott Bushee, principal engineer and project manager with the Department of Transportation, said during the presentation that the $1.2 million project is slated to begin in June 2017 and end by November 2017, though some of the utility work could start as early as April 2017.
Eighty percent of the project would be funded through federal money, and the remaining 20 percent would come from the state.
Bushee said congestion and rear-end collisions are common in front of Burnett's Country Gardens as people traveling southbound attempt to turn left into the parking lot.
The curve toward Skyline Drive also has been the scene of 13 accidents in five years, with one fatality, Bushee said.
He said First Selectman Kevin Lyden specifically reached out to DOT to improve this section of Route 85.
"It's an important safety improvement," Lyden said, "and I think all the emergency responders in this town will say they've been out there at different times and seen deaths or serious injuries."
Project engineer Byong Kim presented the proposed improvements, which included widening the 0.6-mile stretch and installing rumble strips in the center line, to a nearly full room at Town Hall. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Bristol Hospital On Course With Depot Square Plan

BRISTOL — Bristol Hospital is on track to start building a medical office complex downtown next year, and the city plans to hire a consultant to coordinate development of the rest of the Depot Square site.
The schedule for the hospital's project looked in jeopardy in late winter because of uncertainty about how that state would solve its budget crisis. But with the General Assembly's budget agreement on Tuesday, the hospital is now expected to receive the nearly $5 million in overdue Medicaid reimbursements that it was at risk of losing.
"They're going forward full speed. The hospital has had this on their fast track since they began," said Mayor Ken Cockayne, whose best hope for advancing the long-stalled Depot Square development hinges on the hospital's plan for a four-story lab and medical office center on one corner of the property. "We're on track," hospital President Kurt Barwis said Wednesday evening. "We've got a deadline to reach a purchase agreement [for the land] on May 28."
The hospital is doing extensive architectural and engineering work, and plans to seek a developer to build the center. The developer would finance the project and get extensive long-term leases from the hospital to locate specialists' offices, laboratories and other facilities in the building. Those offices are spread throughout the region in assorted leased spaces. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

UConn To Spend $10 Million To Fix Gampel Ceiling 

TORRS — UConn is embarking on a $10 million plan to fix the frayed and crumbling fabric hanging from the ceiling inside Gampel Pavilion that should extend the life of the facility for 10 to 15 years.
The interior ceiling is not only unsightly, but it leaks, according to Laura Cruickshank, UConn's chief architect and master planner.

"I actually saw a leak during a basketball game," Cruickshank said. "It was kind of to the side so most people weren't observing it, but I saw it."

Cruickshank added that the problem is going to get worse if it's not fixed now. She said the roof has "long since needed to be fixed … These games are televised nationally."
She added: "It's going to look a heck of a lot cleaner and you won't see all those dripping pieces of fabric."
The UConn Board of Trustees approved the repair plan for the pavilion, which was constructed in 1990, at its Wednesday meeting.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

UConn Hartford Campus Will Include Public Library

HARTFORD — The University of Connecticut's vision for creating an urban neighborhood campus around its new downtown location is taking shape with Wednesday's approval of a $4 million plan to renovate and lease space at the Hartford Public Library on Main Street.
The center of the new, $140 million campus will be at the former Hartford Times building on Prospect Street, where construction is well underway. The library will provide space for classrooms, a library collection and study areas. Last year, UConn paid $4 million for the building at 38 Prospect St. for classrooms and offices.

And UConn is negotiating an agreement with the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art for the use of its auditorium, with an agreement expected later this spring.

"We envisioned from the beginning that the downtown campus would be integrated with neighboring properties to get students and employees out into the community," Stephanie Reitz, a UConn spokeswoman, said, after the plan's approval. "This is an important first step in the process.'
When UConn moves its regional campus in West Hartford to downtown Hartford in the fall of 2017, it expects to welcome 2,300 students and 300 faculty. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Malloy hears from homeowners with crumbling basements

Enfield – The good news Wednesday night was that at least a dozen of the people waiting to question Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had minimal interest in Connecticut’s intractable budget problems. The bad news: They came to talk about their crumbling basements.
Not everyone made it to the microphone in the gymnasium of Asnuntuck Community College, but Malloy told them he was aware of the problem that has left thousands of homes unmarketable with deteriorating foundations blamed on defective concrete.
“It’s a complicated issue,” Malloy told Walter Zalewa of Willington, a member of the Connecticut Coalition Against Crumbling Basements.
The Department of Consumer Protection and the Insurance Department are investigating the source of the problem, as well as the position of insurers that they are not obligated to cover structural defects.
“There’s no help for these people,” Bob Tofolowsky of Stafford told Malloy. “What about the people right now? What do we do?” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Housing pieces arrive on site 

WATERBURY — A Pennsylvania contractor hired to build a $550,000 apartment building for the Waterbury Housing Authority began delivering pieces Wednesday, belying misgivings voiced earlier by a highly placed official. "We are just going to do the job, get it done and everyone will be happy," said Bud Miller, president of the Arcon Group. "And people who move in here will have a very nice apartment." In early March, Waterbury Housing Authority Board Chairman James Lawlor announced Arcon was behind schedule and he'd contacted the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with concerns about losing $350,000 already paid out. The announcement came shortly after the authority put its executive director, Robert Cappelletti, on paid leave.
Soon after, a housing authority employee visited the Pennsylvania factory where Arcon builds pieces of structures to be delivered and assembled on distant building sites. On March 23, Waterbury Housing Authority Director of Development Joe McNiel told the agency board during a meeting that construction was proceeding in step with payments.
Arcon builds modular pieces of buildings, which are then shipped by truck and assembled quickly on building sites. Lawlor, reached Wednesday, said he couldn't speak to his confidence in the project. He said he was out of state and hadn't had an update from authority staff. Lawlor could not describe the concerns that resulted in Cappelletti being placed on paid leave.
The matter is being investigated by a New Haven attorney, he said.
In Cappelleti's absence, the authority is being led by Maureen Voghel. Lawlor said Voghel — sister of state Sen. Joan V. Hartley, D-15th District — served as one of two assistant directors before taking the helm as interim director. A telephone message left with the housing authority was not returned Wednesday. Lawlor said he cannot elaborate on the concerns about Cappelleti's leadership. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

 

        

            

            

CT Construction Digest March 30, 2016

Demolition of McDonald’s in Wallingford completed

WALLINGFORD — Demolition of McDonald’s on Route 5 has been completed.

Only the entrance sign remained as of Tuesday afternoon. Rubble near the center of the site had yet to be cleared.

The former restaurant closed for demolition on March 11. It was built 40 years ago and underwent several interior renovations.

Construction of the new 5,088-square-foot building will take about 90 days. Plans include a two-lane drive-through that should improve the flow of traffic in the parking lot.

The dining room will feature roomier beverage stations and modern décor.

Owner Ted Zafaris said the building’s playscape will have new tubes for children to play in, along with a video game station and design area.

 

East Lyme school board endorses plan to close Niantic Center School, update Haynes and Flanders

 

East Lyme — The Board of Education voted 8-2 Monday to endorse a proposal that would fully renovate the Lillie B. Haynes School, postpone rebuilding Flanders Elementary School but refurbish it in the interim, and close Niantic Center School. 
Before endorsing the new proposal, the board rescinded a vote taken last November that approved an earlier proposal to simultaneously rebuild Flanders Elementary School and fully renovate Niantic Center, while closing Lillie B. Haynes and returning the building to the town.
The project would have cost $82,755,855, and the town would be responsible for an estimated $58 million of that, following state reimbursement.
The new proposal approved by the board on Monday calls for renovating "as new" the 101,000-square-foot Lillie B. Haynes School, the largest of the three elementary schools, for $45.06 million, an estimated $34.25 million cost to the town after state reimbursement.
The proposal also includes spending up to $1.5 million to refurbish Flanders Elementary, while rebuilding the school would be postponed for five to seven years.
The Board of Selectmen will next review the new proposal. If approved by the selectmen, the proposal then would move to the Board of Finance and then to townwide referendum.
Before Monday's vote, more than 20 residents addressed the board during public comment.
While some residents said the focus should be on the benefits the project would bring children, the majority raised concerns and urged the board to slow down the decision and allow them to be included in the process. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

QVCC to spend $1.9 million to upgrade parking lots, improve entry road
  DANIELSON – Students who come back to Quinebaug Valley Community College after this summer’s break will be greeted by new parking lot decks, brighter lighting, freshly laid curbs and a less treacherous entry road. The $1.9 million state-funded parking lot project will upgrade four lots at the main Danielson campus, said Paul Martland, dean of administrative services. He said the project will be the first upgrade of the lots in 35 years. “They’re in pretty sad shape,” Martland said. “In some cases, we’ll peel the layers off and lay down new material.” Martin Charette, the campus’ building maintenance supervisor, said the lots are “way past their life expectancy,” though regular coats of sealant are applied to mitigate the worst cracks and divots. “The problem is, if water gets into those cracks, they freeze in the winter and get bigger,” he said. The project will also add new, more durable curbing around the lots, replacing the crumbling material damaged by plows and weather.

CT construction job growth lags nation

Keith Griffin

The construction boom seen in other parts of New England is not being felt as strongly in Connecticut, which lags well behind most states.

According to a national Association of General Contractors report, Connecticut saw a 2.3 percent increase in construction jobs in 2015 from 56,700 to 58,000, ranking it 39th in the country, tied with Maine.
Four New England states were in the top six for construction job growth. Rhode Island saw the second highest year-over-year growth in the country at 14.6 percent, followed by Massachusetts third at 11 percent. New Hampshire was fourth nationally at 10.2 percent annual growth. Vermont was ranked sixth at 7.9 percent.
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between Feb. 2015 and Feb. 2016, according to analysis of Labor Department data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The association did not provide national numbers.

#3 Large Company Category: Shawmut Design and Construction

Employees at the North Haven offices of Shawmut Design and Construction have a good reason to put their all into the work they do. They own the company.
In addition to yearly and spot-performance bonuses, every staff member can enroll in Shawmut's Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) after they have been with the company for one year. An ESOP provides workers with an ownership stake, usually in the form of stock.
At Shawmut, that translates into annual contributions of company shares to a personal retirement account. Those shares can average 12 percent of their annual salary, over and above 401(k) contributions. To date, 54 of Shawmut's Connecticut staff are ESOP participants.
To bring in the best and brightest employee-owners, Shawmut runs a construction management skills training program for recent engineering graduates looking to enter the construction industry.
According to Ken Proscino, director of the company's Connecticut office, most participants in the program come with a four-year degree in some sort of engineering. Trainees go through a rigorous 36-month curriculum with rotations through project management, site supervision and estimating, paired with leadership development curriculum. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Proposed DOT Project Would Repave Route 2, Close Exits In East Hartford

 

EAST HARTFORD — A proposed Department of Transportation project would repave a 2.8 mile stretch of Route 2 as well as make safety and bridge improvements.
The federally funded $48 million project would resurface the highway and reconstruct the median to install a concrete barrier and create wider shoulders.

Existing drainage systems would be cleaned out and modified and the guardrail will be upgraded to be compliant with modern standards. Several overhead signs and light fixtures will be replaced.

Project engineer Susan Libatique said the project is being undertaken to extend the highway's life.
"The purpose of the project is to extend the service life and to improve the facility by resurfacing the highway and providing safety and bridge improvements within project limits," Libatique said.
In addition to resurfacing the road, Libatique said the department is considering closing Exit 5B.
"Because of the proximity of Exit 5A, the Main Street off-ramp and High Street on-ramp, to Exit 5B, the Cambridge on-ramp and Sutton Avenue off-ramp, weaving of conflicting traffic in a relatively short distance occurs between these two exits," Libatique said. "Motorists have difficulty in attaining the operating speed to merge with mainline traffic. Closing Exit 5B will eliminate this weaving … and minimize crashes within this section of Route 2." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

            

CT Construction Digest March 29, 2016

'Construction Chiefs' to meet in Rocky Hill

ROCKY HILL — The Professional Women in Construction organization predicts 2016 will be another year of positive growth for the construction industry, with an expected 6 percent bump in nonresidential construction. With that growth comes new challenges on multiple fronts.
To offer analysis and conversation on current prospects and industry forecasts of the industry, the Connecticut chapter of the PWC will host executives from some of New England’s top-ranked construction firms at “Meet the Construction Chiefs!” next week.
The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5, at the Sheraton Hartford South, 100 Capital Blvd.
The presentation panel will include Daniel Bauer, senior vice president of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company; Lynn Fusco, president and chief executive officer of the Fusco Corporation; Al Gogolin, senior vice president of Skanska USA; Michael Kolakowski, president and chief executive officer of KBE Building Corporation; Karrie Krat, vice president and Connecticut operations manager of the Gilbane Building Company; Gregg D. Scholler, vice president of operations of Turner Construction; and Ron Simoneau, vice president of Shawmut Design & Construction. Arch Currie, the principal of No Left Turn, LLC, will serve as panel moderator.
PWC is a nonprofit organization “committed to advancing professional, entrepreneurial and managerial opportunities for women and other ‘non-traditional’ populations in construction and related industries.”
The group comprises six chapters with more than 1,000 members and serves a constituency of close to 15,000, representing a broad spectrum of the industry. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Pike International seeks to create apartments in historic New Haven section

NEW HAVEN >> Pike International wants to continue its conversion of mansions in the Prospect Hill Historic District to apartments and has proposed 10 more units off Huntington Street.
Plans have been shared with the city’s zoning office and will be discussed at a meeting of the East Rock Management Team Monday night, but city officials said there is no formal application at this point. Developers in New Haven often contact management teams to get feedback on their proposals.
This latest renovation is for property at 164 Huntington St., an 8,000-square-foot buildable lot in an RS-2 residential zone and 162 Huntington St. which has a 15-room, 10,840 square-foot-home and a 600-square-foot carriage house in an RS-1 zone.
RS-2 is a general single family zone, while RS-1 is a special single family zone.
William Kaplan, president of the Ronan-Edgehill Neighborhood Association, said the people he has heard from feel the city should leave the RS-1 zone in place, as it was put there for good reasons.
He said part of the reason it is a beautiful neighborhood, is because it is zoned for single family homes and it is ironic that a PDU would allow something different than that.
“There are plenty of places in the city that can be developed,” Kaplan said of other sites for Pike’s plans. The parcels being considered cover 1.25 acres and the builder has proposed creation of a Planned Development Unit for the unified tract. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest March 28, 2016

Work on Massachusetts MGM casino kicking into full gear

BOSTON (AP) — This time last year, MGM officials and state and city leaders were reveling in a confetti-filled groundbreaking at the future site of a resort casino in the western Massachusetts city of Springfield.

But what had been projected to be the state's first Las Vegas-style gambling destination has faced a series of setbacks. Now MGM Springfield is gearing up for its first full season of construction, one year later than hoped. "It's had a serious number of twists and turns, but those are finally behind us," said Kevin Kennedy, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno's chief development officer. "We're pleased we're on course for a September 2018 opening."

The project endured a lengthy review by historic preservation authorities over the planned demolition of downtown buildings in the months after last year's March 24 groundbreaking.

Then MGM asked the state and city for permission to open a year later in September 2018, on account of a major interstate highway project happening nearby that it feared would impact the first year of operation.

The company followed that request up by proposing cost saving design changes, including the controversial elimination of a 25-story glass hotel tower (in favor of a six-story structure with the same 250 rooms) and a reduction in total square footage of the complex by about 10 percent.

Even with the changes, the project has ballooned from $800 million to $950 million because of updated labor, material and administrative cost estimates. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Building projects continue at Greenwich High

 

GREENWICH — A busy summer of building projects and site work awaits at Greenwich High School after the Board of Estimate and Taxation last week approved the district’s capital budget for the next school year.
The major projects planned for the summer will include a $1.6 million gym roof replacement and an $850,000 allocation for new artificial turf at Cardinal Stadium. The roof is leaking and has reached the end of its useful life, while the turf is due for replacement, according to school officials.

“For capital projects, this will be a very busy summer,” said Jim Hricay, the school district’s managing director of operations. “But there’s a plan for the work, and we’re confident about executing the projects.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Roadwork resumes on Merritt Parkway

 

Spring is here which means milder temperatures, flowers and the return of construction crews to the Merritt Parkway.
Work that was suspended during the winter has resumed on the Merritt Parkway in Stamford and New Canaan from the Greenwich town line. And that will mean some lane closures, mainly during the evening hours.
The project consists of 6.5 miles of roadway resurfacing, safety improvements and landscaping “enhancements.” The work also includes the rehab of five bridges that cross over the Merritt. The spans include the Route 124 (South Avenue), the Metro-North Railroad, Ponus Ridge, River Bank Road and Guinea Road bridges.

 The state Department of Transportation said the work, in both directions, is just north of Exit 31 (North Street) to the vicinity of Exit 37 (Route 124 / South Avenue).

Traffic will be shifted on Route 15 southbound and northbound near the area south of Newfield Avenue Bridge.
O&G Industries started the $53,031,743 project in July 2013 and is anticipated to be completed by this September. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Skid Steer Owners: What You Need to Grasp

Skid steer loader tires work against each other by design. A skid steer loader operates on a zero turn radius, which means the rubber is often spinning, dragging and twisting on the ground, significantly reducing the lifespan of tires.
Standard duty tires are sufficient if you lift and move light loads and put low to medium hours on your machine. Examples are light duty construction, landscaping or agriculture.
For higher machine hours, look for heavy duty and severe duty tires with a wider footprint, reinforced sidewalls, large lugs, deep tread and extra thick ply ratings. Severe duty tires with normal wear and tear can provide as much as two to three times the lifespan of standard duty tires.
For maximum durability, solid tires are a great option. Solid tires are reliable and can save a lot of money and headaches by guaranteeing never having a ruptured sidewall or puncture flat. In addition, the structure of the solid tires allows for the deepest tread, thus making them the longest lasting tires, some as high as 3,000 hours under normal conditions. Solid tires are also available with cushioning holes that do a fair job of mimicking the smoother ride of pneumatic tires.
Dirt-terrain solid tires are the best choice for regular dirt, sand or soft ground work, snow plowing or grading. All-terrain solid tires use an extra-wide footprint, heavier weight and more surface area to grip on a variety of hard dirt and paved surfaces. They also perform exceptionally well for recycling yards, demolition work and rough terrains. For heavy loads on concrete or asphalt, the most practical choice is a solid tire with a wide, super smooth tread. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Paving to begin in Plainville Tuesday

PLAINVILLE — The town will be initiating the 2016 Paving Program beginning Tuesday.

Plainville and its subcontractors will begin construction activities encompassing the repair of the existing pavement and the installation of new roadway surfaces on Bohemia Street, Forest Street, Fairbanks Street and West Main Street. During construction, motorists can expect a gravel roadway surface. Additionally, the construction activities will involve the replacement of catch basin grates and frames. Construction is anticipated to continue through May 6.

Construction will likely occur from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on some Saturdays contingent upon scheduling and weather conditions. No nighttime construction is projected. Motorists can expect delays and it is also likely that vehicle traffic at times will be restricted to only residents and emergency vehicles from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should consider an alternate route during these times. A detour will be established and identified should it be necessary.

 Old-school change: Senior apartments, day care update former school

BRISTOL — Cafeteria lunches, sneakers, books and, of course, children, have been replaced by the smell of freshly sawed wood, concrete dust and new paint at the former John J. Jennings Elementary School.
The 1920-era brick building on Burlington Avenue held its last class there in 2012. It is now in the process of being converted into two floors of active-senior rental apartments, with a day care facility on the bottom level, said Tony D’Amato, of D’Amato Construction, the project’s contractor.
It is expected to cost a total of $8 million to convert the property, D’Amato said. The day care, which is currently housed at Bristol Baptist Church, plans to open in the new facility before August, D’Amato said.
“We’ll definitely finish the large-scale construction for the senior housing before the preschool opens,” he said.
Demolition of interior walls, exterior portions and asbestos abatement began last fall, but the idea is to leave the essence of the school present in the building’s new incarnation, said Triad Real Estate Services representative Kyle Meccariello, who will be handling the leasing of the space.
“We’re looking to keep the historical look of the building on the outside and keep the feel of the old school on the inside,” Meccariello said, adding that it took two years for the design to be completed. The rental prices have not yet been determined, D’Amato said.
D’Amato led Meccariello and city councilors Jodi Gagne and Mary Fortier, all donning construction hard hats, on a tour of the project Thursday. D’Amato, who is also a councilor, invited the other members, but they were unable to make it, he said.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Fort Trumbull development: Do it right or not at all

Working with a new mayor perhaps too desperate to see some progress in the Fort Trumbull area, Rep. Ernest Hewett introduced complex state legislation ostensibly for the purpose of giving the city new taxing and bonding authority that could provide added incentives to attract development.
The process was rushed. The legislation was flawed. And none of the officials closely involved with the development efforts in Fort Trumbull could well explain to us how it would work.
“You need five Philadelphia lawyers to figure it out,” commented one such official, speaking on background.
Electric Boat, which occupies the twin office buildings originally built by Pfizer as the only new construction that has yet come out of the redevelopment efforts, learned of the legislation only after it was introduced in the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee and presented at public hearing. This is not how to treat a major taxpayer, employer and potential future partner in development at Fort Trumbull.
In other words, this was a debacle, an unforced error by Mayor Michael Passero and a rookie mistake by a veteran legislator. Withdraw it, discuss it with all the local players and, in a manner that is transparent to the public, decide whether it is worthy of being reintroduced in 2017.
At best it was a well-intentioned but rushed effort to provide the city with another development tool. At worst, there was a hidden agenda, perhaps not even clear to some of the parties involved. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Engineers: Sprague dam needs $1 million for repairs

SPRAGUE — A 116-year-old earthen dam along the Little River in Sprague needs about $1 million worth of work to shore it up. That’s according to Norwich-based engineering firm CLA Associates, which provided town leaders with a site assessment of the Hanover Dam in late January as Sprague officials prepare to apply for a $44,200 federal Department of Agriculture grant that would pay for pre-planning services. The dam is among six in Sprague, but the only one to carry a “C” classification by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. That means it must be inspected every two years. State engineers say the dam has a high hazard potential if it fails. According to the agency’s website, a “C” rating is the most severe that can be applied to dams, and it means failure would lead to “probable loss of life; major damage to habitable structures; damage to main highways; and great economic loss.” Inspectors and First Selectman Cathy Osten said despite the dam’s grade, its structural integrity is not the problem. Instead, years of overgrowth and build-up around its base have made regular maintenance difficult. Osten said the final price tag could be “significantly lower” than the $1 million projection. “Until we have an idea of what is entailed in this, we have to try and make an early assessment,” she said. “There is 30 years of growth there that has not been taken care of.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT funds $28M for affordable housing

The state's housing agency said Thursday $28 million is being awarded to develop about 200 units of affordable housing statewide.
Department of Housing Commissioner Evonne M. Klein said the funds are part of the state's Competitive Housing Assistance for Multifamily Properties (CHAMP) program.
These awards will play a role in helping to create, rehabilitate, or preserve approximately 200 units of affordable housing and focus on expanding access to transit-oriented development, creating new veteran's housing units, and adding supportive housing for those who are living with disabilities.
Administered by the housing agency, CHAMP provides developers and owners of multifamily affordable housing the necessary gap financing to create more affordable units in their developments.
 CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

$5.8M in DEEP trails grants awarded

More than $5.8 million in grants has been allocated for 38 projects to build, expand or enhance greenways and multi-use trails in more than 27 communities across the state. Eventually $7 million will be awarded toward the projects.
The program is being run by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Its commissioner said the funds will be used to make trail and greenway network improvements and connections.
The Recreational Trails Program was expanded under terms of a law passed last year, which allows DEEP to provide funding for a full range of multi-use trails and greenways projects. This legislation also expanded grant eligibility so that nonprofits are able to receive funds.
Grant money can be allocated for a wide variety of purposes, including planning, design, land acquisition, construction, construction administration, and publications for bikeways, walkways, and greenways as well as for equipment and trail amenities, such as parking lots, toilet buildings, signs, and benches.

Power plant to have 'switching station' 

MIDDLEBURY — Eversource Energy plans to build a new a "switching station" at the site of the Oxford power plant as part of a project that will go through the town. Frank Piro, a spokesman for Eversource, said the power company expects to file a petition with the Connecticut Siting Council for the 115-volt switching station within a month and, pending approvals, start the work by late spring.
"At a very high level, the switching station is like an on ramp to the New England power grid," Piro said Friday. "It regulates the voltage coming from the power plant and the flow. When they turn off the plant to do normal maintenance, it helps safely isolate the power plant without disruption to grid."
Piro said engineers from Eversource walked the construction site last week. "It provides them with a clearer picture of what exists in the field," he added.
The CPV Towantic Power Plant in Oxford power plant is expected to provide the equivalent power needed to supply approximately 800,000 homes, according to CPV's latest estimate. The proposal faced strong resistance from environmental groups and neighbors, including the town of Middlebury, before its application was approved by the Connecticut Siting Council.
During a presentation on the line project to Middlebury officials on Jan. 14, Eversource Energy representatives acknowledged that fact.
"Eversource recognizes that the new Towantic Energy Plant has generated concern for the residents in the local towns and those living in close proximity to the project site," a company information packet stated. "However, it is Eversource's obligation to install the necessary systems and equipment for the Towantic generating plant to interconnect to the transmission grid."
Eversource has already bought land from CPV for the switching station. Piro said lines will connect it to two existing substations. Then line upgrades will lead out of the switching station north and south.CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest March 24, 2016

Today's Bond Commission Agenda

Putnam hires architect for town hall, library complex work

PUTNAM — The town has hired an architect to help it develop plans for a new town hall and library complex.

Putnam's Board of Selectmen approved the Facilities Committee recommendation to hire LLB Architects of Pawtucket, R.I., for the project. The board then approved adding $50,000 to its five-year capital plan to cover the costs of the work to develop the project.

“We interviewed five architects and did site visits to the places designed by two of the firms,” Facilities Committee Chairman Allen Rawson said. “We were really pleased with what we saw.”

The committee had received 17 proposals from architects and narrowed it down to five that it interviewed, Rawson said. From those five there were two that warranted site visits, he said.

After discussing costs and fees, LLB Architects was the one who stood out, Rawson said. Rawson said the contract with LLB is for $43,750.

Town Administrator Douglas Cutler said the town will likely be able to pay for the costs of the architect through some of its LOCIP funding, which is a state grant that can be accrued over time. If the town approves construction of a new town hall and library complex, which would also house the Aspinock Historical Society, the architectural fees would become eligible for funding through the grant, Cutler said.

Mayor Tony Falzarano said he’s been impressed with the work of the Facilities Committee.

Both the Town Hall and library are in dire need of new homes, Falzarano said, and renovations to each building to keep them functioning are too expensive. He said Town Hall needs a new roof because every office on the third floor has water damage. A roof is likely to cost at least $250,000 and would only solve part of the problem. The library needs an elevator to become handicapped accessible, he said, and that would likely cost another $150,000. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Bill Documenting Source Of Failing Concrete Foundations Goes To House

 

HARTFORD — A bill that would require the name of the individual or company that poured a new building's concrete foundation to be documented is on its way to the House of Representatives.

The legislation, House Bill 5180, was approved in a unanimous vote of the planning and development committee last Friday.

Introduced by Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, the bill responds to the failure of concrete foundations across north central Connecticut.

As of Wednesday, 168 homeowners have filed complaints with the Department of Consumer Protection alleging their foundations are failing. A dozen homeowners have sued their insurance companies for refusing their claims and four others have filed a class-action law suit against 111 active insurance companies in Connecticut.

"We are going through the process of working to pass legislation to address this matter on the state level, but many of my colleagues and I believe this situation rises to the level of a 'disaster' for homeowners fearing what will happen next, now that their foundations are structurally unsound," Osten, the chair of the committee, said. "We need to take action now, and to gain access to the resources that I believe the governor and our federal delegation can provide." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Manchester PZC Approves Apartments For Occupants 62 And Older On Spencer Street

 

MANCHESTER — A planned age-restricted apartment complex on Spencer Street has been approved, adding to a surge of development in the area.

The planning and zoning commission on Monday also passed a zoning change that will allow the 128-unit complex to be built at 188 Spencer St.

Calamar Enterprises, a national development company, needed the change from "general business" to "elderly housing development" to build the market-rate apartments at Spencer Street and Hillstown Road. Zoning rules limit residents of such developments to those age 62 and older.

The planned three-story, 128,700-square-foot building is to include 42 one-bedroom and 86 two-bedroom apartments. A centrally located lounge and community room in the H-shaped building and a 20,000-square-foot patio also are planned.

The developer also plans support services such as meals, laundry, housekeeping, transportation and social and recreational activities, according to a town planning department report. About 40 percent of the 9-acre site would be open space.

Although residents in the elderly housing zone must be at least 62 years old, regulations also say "a unit may be occupied by the surviving member of a household, regardless of age, if the other household member at the time of death met the age requirements for occupancy."
A huge demographic, baby boomers are seeking rental properties near services, amenities, shopping and highway access, town planning and economic development director Mark Pellegrini said. Spencer Street off I-384 is a busy strip with stores, restaurants, multifamily housing and access to public transit. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

West Haven residents pack public hearing to criticize use of eminent domain for upscale outlet mall

WEST HAVEN >> With 100 onlookers split between opposing any use of eminent domain and supporting The Haven high-end outlet mall — an opportunity many people don’t see coming back around anytime soon — the Redevelopment Agency Wednesday night unanimously endorsed the acquisition of a handful of holdout properties.
The possible acquisitions — through either negotiated purchases or eminent domain — of what appear to be four properties owned by three holdout property owners, now go to the City Council. Nine properties are on the list, but several are in the process of having sales either worked out or finalized. The council is expected to meet next week. The meeting has yet to be posted, but reportedly will be next Wednesday,
At a Redevelopment Agency public hearing in the Harriet C. North Community Room in City Hall Wednesday, Mayor Ed O’Brien and Haven Group Vice President Matt Armstrong both said they still hope to reach negotiated sales. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Massachusetts taxpayers group says cutting trees for gas pipeline would violate Clean Water Act

SANDISFIELD, Mass. >> A citizens group seeking to halt a new Tennessee Gas pipeline spur through Otis State Forest is planning to sue the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Tennessee Gas Co. for allegedly violating the U.S. Clean Water Act.
The Sandisfield Taxpayers Opposing the Pipeline (STOP), has filed a “notice of intent” at U.S. District Court in Springfield, a first step toward lawsuits against the commission and the pipeline company, according to Washington, D.C., attorney Alexander English.
As a specialist in Clean Water Act issues, he is lead counsel on the case for the Carolyn Elefant law firm, which has been involved in pipeline cases nationwide.
The citizens group contends that “because construction of the pipeline entails removal of hundreds of trees, including forestland protected by Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution, the project will cause significant harm to the environment and waterways of the state. Therefore, FERC’s failure to comply with the Clean Water Act, which would have at least helped to protect these resources, is particularly disturbing.”
On Feb. 11, the federal regulators approved the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s Connecticut Expansion Project, involving three loops along existing pipelines in Albany County in New York, Sandisfield, and Hartford County in Connecticut totaling about 13 miles. The company is trying to fast-track construction so the spurs could be put into service by next winter.
Tennessee Gas is an affiliate of Houston-based Kinder Morgan, the nation’s largest pipeline company. The loops are part of the company’s Connecticut Expansion Project to increase the flow of natural gas to three utilities in the state. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Construction Employment Increases in 243 Out of 358 Metro Areas Between January 2015, 2016

Construction employment increased in 243 out of 358 metro areas, was unchanged in 43 and declined in 72 between January 2015 and January 2016, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released March 17 by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that many of the metro areas experiencing drops in construction employment were in energy-producing metro areas.
“Demand in most parts of the country is robust and construction employment is growing in more than two-thirds of all metro areas,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “However, the downturn in energy prices appears to be having a significant impact on construction demand in a number of formerly strong markets.”
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, Calif., added the most construction jobs during the past year (12,400 jobs, 15 percent). Other metro areas adding a large number of construction jobs include Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas (11,060 jobs, 6 percent); Orange-Rockland-Westchester, N.Y. (7,700 jobs, 22 percent) and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga. (7,600 jobs, 7 percent). The largest percentage gains occurred in El Centro, Calif. (61 percent, 1,100 jobs); Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio (33 percent, 500 jobs); Monroe, Mich. (30 percent, 600 jobs); Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, Mass.-N.H. (22 percent, 800 jobs) and Orange-Rockland-Westchester, N.Y.

The largest job losses from January 2015 to January 2016 were in Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (minus 4,700 jobs, minus 6 percent); followed by Odessa, Texas (minus 3,800 jobs, minus 19 percent); Midland, Texas (minus 3,500 jobs, minus 12 percent) and Greeley, Colo. (minus 3,100 jobs, minus 16 percent). The largest percentage declines for the past year were in Odessa; Greeley; Victoria, Texas (minus 14 percent, minus 900 jobs) and Huntington-Ashland, W.V.-Ky.-Ohio (minus 14 percent, minus 1,100 jobs). CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

'Dead' tax breaks may rise to fix brownfields 

 

 WATERBURY — In a broken and pitted parking lot next to a huge crumbling factory, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy announced Wednesday a push to resurrect two federal tax breaks for redevelopment of polluted properties The former Anaconda Brass site is one of several along Freight Street that is being targeted for redevelopment with millions of dollars in local, state and federal grants and spending. Officials plan to inventory hazardous chemicals in the roughly 60 acres around Freight Street, cleaning and preparing sites for future development. The area is flat, served by a rail line, and is nestled between Route 8 and Interstate 84. The Naugatuck River borders one end.
Mayor Neil M. O'Leary says the area is the most appealing development prospect the city has to offer. But fear of unknown pollutants and huge cleanup costs have kept developers away for decades. The city is working hard to strip away the mystery of potential costs and, eventually, clean up these areas. Murphy, a Democrat, said his proposal could be a part of the formula that finally unlocks the potential of Freight Street, along with other urban centers where clean and undeveloped land is rare.
"We have spent a lot of time on this site and I feel we are closer than ever before to taking this symbol of the old Waterbury and making it the symbol of a new Waterbury," Murphy said.
Murphy said Connecticut will be unable to grow new jobs without creating more room for development.
WATERBURY HAS 27 POLLUTED sites on the state's inventory of polluted brownfield sites. Naugatuck has two. Cheshire and Watertown have one each. Torrington has five.
U.S. Rep. Elizabeth H. Esty, D-5th District, has introduced duplicate legislation in the House.
The most substantial of the two proposed tax breaks would allow companies to deduct the cost of brownfield cleanup off federal taxes in the first year of expense, rather than phasing that break over five years, Murphy said. "That's a big deal because a lot of these developers need as much money and as much capital as they can in the first year, when they are doing the work," Murphy said.
To qualify, an entity would have to spend more than $550,000 or 12 percent of the property's value on cleanup. This tax credit expired in 2011, according to Murphy's staff. Murphy or his staff could not immediately Wednesday point to examples of developers using the tax credit before it expired. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest March 23, 2016

Meriden Council approves development agreement for 11 Crown St.

MERIDEN — Members of the City Council unanimously approved Monday a Master Development Agreement with New Jersey-based developers Michaels Organization for development of 11 Crown St.

“A Master Development Agreement is the next natural step in the development and transition of 11 Crown,” said Councilor and Economic Development, Housing, and Zoning Committee Chairman David Lowell Monday.

The agreement outlines the responsibilities of both the city and the Michaels Organization in redeveloping the former site of the Record-Journal Publishing Co.

The parcel is one of several city-owned properties downtown that is slated for redevelopment in the coming years. The agreement approved Monday is the first for these parcels.

The city’s goal is to use increased commuter rail service to attract new residents to the city and build downtown foot traffic. Much of the economic development is tied to a flood control project that provided millions in state and federal grants.

At 11 Crown specifically, construction will include 81 apartment units and roughly 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Of those 81 units, 57 will be considered affordable housing, and the remaining 24 listed at market rate.

The city purchased the property in May 2014 for $495,000 using a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Sustainable Communities Challenge grant.

The development agreement stipulates that the Michaels Organization will purchase the property from the city for the same amount — $495,000 — though City Manager Lawrence J. Kendzior said Monday that the money doesn’t need to be paid back against the federal grant.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Groton Town Council votes to move ahead with school construction referendum

By Deborah Straszheim  Day staff writer
Groton — The Town Council voted 7-0 Tuesday, with two members absent, to go forward with sending the school construction project to referendum.
Councilors said their support was contingent on the state providing a potential 72 percent of the total $195.6 million project cost.
If the state agrees, the three schools would cost Groton taxpayers $55 million.
“I completely support this plan,” Councilor Deborah Peruzzotti said, adding that it sounds "like we do have the state on our side.”
“I think we would have to be crazy not to take advantage of this,” Councilor Karen Morton said.The construction plan would build one new middle school and two new elementary schools to replace aging buildings and address an ongoing racial imbalance problem.
Three older elementary schools would close.
Councilors Dean Antipas and Diane Barber said they are concerned about what Groton would do with the empty school buildings.

OSHA to Propose Safety Guidelines for Construction Sector Alone

 The website Businessinsurance the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will craft a separate set of safety and health program management guidelines for the construction industry, based on feedback on a proposed update to its voluntary guidelines.

The agency is in the process of revising its proposed update to its voluntary guidelines, first published in 1989, to help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces. A final version is scheduled for release in June.
“One of the issues that was identified as a result of the public comments was that both employers and workers in the construction industry said to us that what we're planning on doing is not going to work for them,” Andy Levinson, deputy director of OSHA's Directorate of Standards & Guidance, said at a public comment meeting in Washington on Thursday. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE


 

 

            

CT Construction Digest March 22, 2016

Groton Town Council to consider school construction project Tuesday

Groton – The Town Council is expected on Tuesday to send the proposed school construction plan to a referendum in November.
The town is seeking $141 million from the state to build one new middle school and two new elementary schools to deal with aging buildings and address a persistent racial imbalance problem that has forced Groton to repeatedly uproot students.
If the state agrees, the construction projects would cost Groton taxpayers $55 million, with the state picking up about 72 percent of the total cost of $195.6 million.
“I personally have done a whole 180 on the whole school building project,” said Karen Morton, a newly-elected Republican town councilor who formerly opposed building new schools. “I mean, if we can pull that off and the state approves that, that is a no-brainer.”
Groton would be able to build three new schools for what it would cost to refurbish the old ones, she said. The council will consider whether to authorize drafting a bond ordinance - the first step in the referendum process - during its committee of the whole meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Town Hall Annex. Councilors, including its four newly-elected members, heard details of the plan last week from the School Facilities Initiative Task Force.

 

“It just went extremely well,” Superintendent Michael Graner said of last week's meeting. Councilors asked questions but ultimately “expressed enthusiastic support,” he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Energy company looks to build in Killingly

KILLINGLY — A Florida-based energy company is looking to build a 550-megawatt natural gas center in Killingly, a project officials said will require hundreds of construction workers, lead to the creation of more than two dozen permanent jobs and have the potential to bring in millions in tax revenue NTE Energy proposes to invest $500 million to construct a combined-cycle, natural gas power plant on Lake Road in Dayville near the town’s industrial park. Project developers said the air-cooled plant has the potential to develop and sell enough electricity to the grid to power 550,000 homes The town’s role in the proposal is limited because the project would be built on private land, Town Manager Sean Hendricks said. “The property would have to be re-zoned for commercial/industrial use, but that’s something that was previously planned for that land per the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development,” he said. “And if the project gets approved, the town would see annual tax revenue in the multi-million amount, similar to what we get from the Lake Road Generating plant. A preliminary project schedule calls for making air quality permit and siting council applications to the state in the spring, with construction to begin in the summer of 2017. If the plan is approved, commercial operations would start in 2020. Elsie Bisset, the town’s economic development coordinator, said the projected 2 ½-year construction phase would require between 250-350 workers. “We had something similar when the Lake Road plant was built,” she said. “The workers ate at our restaurants, stayed in our hotels and even rented houses in the area – all of which means local revenue.” The plant is expected to employee 25-30 full-time employees once it’s up and running. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Transportation focuses on engineering innovation

Q&A talks about the challenges of urban infrastructure development with Carrie Rocha, associate vice president, Connecticut office leader of engineering-consulting firm HNTB Corp.
Q: Talk about improving I-84 through Hartford has been gathering steam as of late. What are going to be some of the engineering challenges if and when this project gets the green light?
A: There are many challenges to improving or replacing highways that run through major urban areas such as I-84 through Hartford. Engineers typically consider many alternatives and go through a lengthy process to determine those that meet project goals and improve safety and efficiency of travel along the highway as well as improving connections.
One major challenge is how to stage or phase construction to minimize impacts to the traveling public and allow access to neighborhoods, businesses and other destinations. Other challenges encountered on these projects include limited space for construction activities, the presence of pre-existing infrastructure such as above- and below-ground utilities, environmental and subsurface conditions, preservation of historic features and multi-modal connections.
Q: In the old days, i.e. currently, the tendency is to keep highways partially open while doing the work. But with I-84 there seems to be a sense of tearing it down and then building the new highway. What approach is going to work best and why?  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Massachusetts attorney general picks up fight against natural gas pipeline that would serve Connecticut

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has signaled that her office plans to confront Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Co. in court over access to Otis State Forest in Sandisfield to construct its new natural gas pipeline spur serving three utilities in Connecticut.
Kinder Morgan filed suit in Berkshire Superior Court last week seeking an injunction to allow immediate tree-cutting to begin along the nearly four-mile pipeline loop that cuts through state-protected land in Sandisfield.  The court filing listed the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Department of Conservation and Recreation and its commissioner, Leo P. Roy, among the defendants.
Healey’s office confirmed that it will represent the state and the DCR and will file in opposition ahead of a court hearing on the case. “Our state Constitution protects conservation land across Massachusetts, including Otis State Forest,” Healey stated in an email message to The Berkshire Eagle. “Any company with plans to build on or re-purpose state-protected land has an obligation to fully comply with the requirements set forth in our Constitution.” Article 97, an amendment to the constitution, shields state-designated land from development. The state acquired as conservation land the woodlands including Spectacle Pond Farm for $5.2 million in 2007.
Kinder Morgan is seeking the court injunction because federal environmental guidelines limit tree-clearing to a period between Oct. 31 and March 31 through the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The company’s construction schedule aims to put the pipeline into service next winter to supply the Connecticut utility companies with additional natural gas. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Demolition begins at New Haven’s Church Street South complex

NEW HAVEN >> The first two buildings at the 47-year-old Church Street South housing complex were being demolished Monday, a harbinger of things to come. Standard Demolition was hired by the property owners, Northland Investment Corp., to take down the laundry building and a separate daycare center. City Building Official Jim Turcio said both ancillary buildings on the site have not been in use for a long time. The laundry building was completely demolished by the end of Monday, with workers expected back Tuesday to complete the job on the daycare center.
The buildings were coming down with little fanfare with few people stopping to watch the demolition, which was on the Union Avenue side across from the train station.
The demolition company first removed all the material that had been left behind inside the two structures, separating the wood and other items so the concrete block can be put to another use.
Turcio said he does not have a schedule of when the apartment units themselves will start coming down.
The 301 units at Church Street South eventually all will be razed as the tenants in the deteriorated complex continue to move out. Serious mold and structural problems caused many of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development subsidized apartments to be condemned by Turcio and the Livable City Initiative, with 58 families sent to hotels since the summer.CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

CT Construction Digest March 21, 2016

Hayward Baker opens Middletown outpost

A geotechnical construction company has opened a new location in Middletown to service its Connecticut and Southern New England projects.
The new Howard Baker Inc. office, the company said in an announcement, represents a commitment to serving Connecticut's market of general contractors, geotechnical consultants, and commercial property developers.
The office will be led by engineer and project manager Brian Eastman, with oversight from engineer and New England area manager Kevin Dawson.
Eastman is joined by Ray Smith, superintendent, who had more than 15 years of project experience.
Howard Baker said it has provided engineering support to the new Earth Tower Hotel and Sky Connector at Mohegan Sun as well as to a new wet weather treatment facility at the Metropolitan District Commission's Hartford Water Pollution Control Facility.

Decision on widening I-95 key step in transportation master plan

Lets say you are one of the thousands of unfortunates stuck in the fuming swath of bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-95 between Bridgeport and Stamford, where four-hour, 20-mile backups are routine, morning and evening,  and “rush hour” is an oxymoron.

You might look to the side of the road and think: ”If there were just another travel lane there, the traffic could flow freely and I’d make my meeting/get home for dinner.”

But would you? Or would the new lane just attract more cars and create more congestion and more pavement to maintain?

The question could wreak havoc with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s  30-year, $100 billion plan to restore and expand the state’s aging transportation infrastructure.

While generally praising “Let’s Go CT,” as the plan is called, critics have assailed one major provision of it — the proposal to add a lane in each direction across the full length of I-95 at an estimated cost of $11.2 billion.

Transportation advocates, several Fairfield County legislators and and some business leaders have challenged the idea; one called it a 1950s solution to a 21st century problem. 

In a report titled “Boondoggles 2,” issued in January, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund and the Frontier Group put the widening of I-95 at the top of a list of a dozen highway projects it considers monumentally wasteful, saying it "would do little to solve congestion along one of the nation’s most high-intensity travel corridors.”

“There is … tremendous opposition to widening I-95,” said Jim Cameron of Darien, a longtime commuter advocate and founder of CommuterActionGroup.org. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Engineer bridges gap between ideas, reality

 NAUGATUCK — The project includes removing concrete piers underneath the on-ramp leading commuters from the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge to the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City and then replacing them with new steel piers. During the construction, the ramp must remain open at all times. No problem, says Vincent Siefert, a Naugatuck-based professional engineer whose firm is currently working on that project.

"It will be supported by temporary supports that we design that are independent of the existing footings for a period of a few months, and the traveling public won't know any different," he said. "They will just be driving over the bridge and what used to support the bridge will be gone for a while." It is one of dozens of examples of major construction projects Siefert and his firm, Siefert Associates at 180 Church St., have been involved with over the past 16 years. The company, which will be tapped to work on the renovations of the Whittemore Memorial Bridge on Maple Street here, is widely considered one of the leading bridge construction engineering firms in the country, as evidenced by its body of work.
The growing firm has been involved with work on some of the most iconic structures in the United States, including the Tappan Zee Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge, the Triborough Bridge, numerous projects at the rebuilding of the World Trade Center and a Columbia University expansion.
CURRENTLY, SIEFERT is preparing to bid on work that is being planned to place suicide prevention nets along the 1.7-mile Golden Gate Bridge, where there have been more than 1,600 suicides since it opened in 1937. Officials in California have allocated at least $76 million for that project. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Torrington courthouse taking shape

 

TORRINGTON — Its profile from Route 8, wrapped in a Christmas-esque combination of brick veneer and green insulation boards, now dominates the city's downtown skyline.
The county's new $81 million Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse on Field Street is on schedule for a ribbon-cutting ceremony this fall and is expected to be fully functional by Jan. 1, 2017, said Jeffrey Beckham, a spokesman for the project at the state Department of Administration Services.
After the ribbon cutting, the four-story, 183,600-square-foot building will be turned over to the state's judicial department for final fittings and the installation of furniture, computer systems and legal files. A relatively tame winter kept construction on course, Beckham said, though some water lines had to be rerouted as part of the installation of underground utilities. A portion of a ledge area also had to be chipped back.
"When we dug up the street, it was clear there would be significant disruption," Beckham said. "But that was the only unforeseen circumstance. For a building of its size and complexity, remaining within the time frame and the budget is unusual."
Michael Kolakowski Jr., assistant project manager at general contractor KBE Building Corp. of Farmington, said the courthouse's brick veneer is 85 percent complete.
Metal paneling soon will cover the rigid, green insulation boards. Interior work is focused on framing the walls so mechanicals can be installed, Kolakowski said. On average, 120 to 150 construction workers, design team consultants and contractors are at the scene daily, he said.
Started in the fall of 2014, the building's steel hull was completed last summer. Concrete was poured last fall. A tower near the entryway will contain a main staircase and remain lit at night. Of the total budget, $67.8 million is being spent on design and construction, while 1 percent will be reserved for artistic and cultural work. The city has devoted $240,000 to rebuild sidewalks along Prospect and Pearl streets. Competing for work on a national level at some of the most recognizable landmarks in the world is a dream come true for Siefert, a 54-year-old married father of four girls who lives in Naugatuck. Siefert, a Monroe native who moved out of state for several years after graduating from Villanova University, had experience in construction oversight and engineering when he returned to Connecticut in the late 1980s for a chance to work on a major repair project of the Mixmaster in Waterbury. He planned to be here just a couple of years. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE