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
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
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.
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$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