CT Construction Digest May 31, 2016

Shipbuilder asks ConnDOT to rethink Walk Bridge

NORWALK — As the state moves forward with an estimated $700 million plan to replace the Walk Bridge over the Norwalk River, some local residents believe a much cheaper fix would better serve the public.
Bob Kunkel, president of Alternative Marine Technologies, a shipbuilding company that designed the R/V Spirit of the Sound for The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, says the bridge can be repaired.
“It is our opinion that rebuilding the existing bridge in place, updating its structural design and fixing the bridge in the closed position will greatly improve the economics, reduce the time period of the construction and drastically reduce both the environmental impact to the harbor and the economic impact to the citizens and companies already affected in Norwalk,” Kunkel said.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation plans to spend up to $700 million to replace the bridge, build a rail dockyard and make track improvements.
As an alternative, Kunkel says ConnDOT should repair the existing bridge, which pivots open to allow vessels to pass, and leave it in the closed position afterward. Barges could pass beneath the closed bridge, which has a 16-foot clearance, through use of a low-profile tugboat that he has designed.
“Every port in the world deals with this issue when ships, tugs and barges approach their harbor,” said Kunkel, who also operate Harbor Harvest, a Cove Avenue business that sells farm-to-market food. “Much like the Norwalk problem the height of certain bridges or overpasses must be addressed by any ship entering the port and as different commercial trades are developed, new equipment is put into place to solve these problems.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

DOT, Metro-North move ahead with Walk Bridge agreements

NORWALK, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut's Department of Transportation and Metro-North Railroad are moving ahead with agreements to eventually replace the 120-year-old swing bridge over the Norwalk River.

DOT and Metro-North recently signed a "partnering letter," agreeing to their shared goals for the project. The letter also spells out schedules of meetings to ensure open communication.

Construction of the new Walk Bridge is not expected to begin until mid-2018. Three advance construction projects must be completed before the aging railroad bridge can be replaced.

The bridge carries four tracks across the river and is considered a key link on the New Haven Line. It carries more than 165 commuter and freight trains daily.

Metro-North is one of the nation's largest commuter railroad systems. It connects New York City, its northern suburbs and Connecticut.

 

Environmentalists: Connecticut powerline habitats in danger

 

WATERBURY >> They cut through the state’s forests and countryside like ski slopes, dotted from one end to the other with vast, 80-foot towers of steel that help provide electricity to thousands of utility customers. But Eversource’s rights of way, as they’re called, have come to provide another critical resource, environmentalists say: Little ecosystems have formed in the grassy, shrubby areas beneath those towers, where rare species of bird, insect, mammal and plants thrive.
That’s why conservationists are concerned that the utility company is covering some of them, including one in Washington Depot, with deep, gravel roads. An Eversource spokesman said the practice provides a safer passage for trucks and workers. Conservationists say doing so destroys the environment and threatens the species in it.
“Power lines collectively provide really essential habitat for a wide variety of rare plants, butterflies, moths, birds, the New England cottontail rabbit, just a whole litany of wildlife and plants,” said Patrick Comins, director of bird conservation for Audubon Connecticut. “What’s happening is they’re putting gravel paths and roads underneath the power lines, sometimes impacting 25 percent of the habitat underneath those power lines,” Comins said. “It is definitely a concern.” Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot acknowledged the company is covering certain of its 1,600 miles of Connecticut transmission line corridors with gravel to accommodate heavy equipment needed to replace some of towers as a preventive maintenance measure. It isn’t prudent, he said, to wait until there is a power outage to replacing aging equipment. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Metro-North plans to connect Penn Station and Grand Central

NEW HAVEN — Metro-North riders could be within six years of choosing to commute to Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal, a prospect that the railroad says will expand capacity and convenience.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans $10 billion of construction to connect the country's two busiest commuter rail lines to both Manhattan stations.
The work will be done primarily in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx, but stands to have a big impact on Connecticut commuters. If all goes according to plan, it would let New Haven line riders with jobs on the West Side choose a Penn-bound Metro-North train, sparing the need for a daily cross-town walk or subway, bus or cab trip.
New York state officials last week endorsed the project as part of the MTA's overall long-term capital plan, which MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast praised as showing that "public transport is the backbone and lifeline of the region's economy."
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal agreed the decision to go ahead with the East Side Access project could help Connecticut commuters, but stressed that it must be done in conjunction with the MTA's second major commuter train operation, the Long Island Rail Road
"This is good news, but only if it's done right," said Blumenthal, who plans to talk with Prendergast this week. "Routing Metro-North into Penn Station would be welcome, but it has to be part of routing the LIRR into Grand Central."
Currently, Metro-North can use only Grand Central, while the Long Island Rail Road can reach only Penn. That puts tens of thousands of commuters in the wrong part of the city every day, leaving them to either walk or take cabs, subways or buses to reach their jobs. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

New Haven development plan eyes demolition of former Gateway Community College building

NEW HAVEN >> The state is looking to a private-public partnership to bring in a developer to the city’s Long Wharf area, who in turn would help underwrite an academic program for Southern Connecticut State University.
The site in question is the highly visible former home of Gateway Community College at 60 Sargent Drive, just off Interstate 95. The property was turned over to Southern after Gateway, in 2012, moved into its new $198 million two-block-long home at the entrance to downtown on Church Street.
Mark Rozewski, executive vice president for finance and administration at Southern, said they have a number of options to consider, but the one factor they have agreed on is that the 1971 building formerly used by Gateway should be demolished.
Home to Gateway for more than 30 years, it was long inadequate for the community college’s needs. A consultant study determined it is in poor condition and the real value is the 6-acre property on which it sits. That land is next to Jordan’s Furniture at one end of the block with IKEA at the other end, both of which generate considerable commercial traffic.
Generally, Rozewski said the plan is to lease the site to a developer who would then raze the building and construct one or more new structures. Part of the new development would serve a commercial use, while a portion could support a program for Southern, accommodating such uses as its outreach activities or an academic program, most likely in the graduate school. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Studies come & go; Waterbury magnet school problems go on

WATERBURY — District school officials are uncertain of a lot of things when it comes to walls that are repeatedly cracking and floors that are sloping at the relatively new Waterbury Arts Magnet School. They don't know when the problems were first noted or what remedies have been attempted. Until somebody noticed a plaque at the entrance of the school, they were uncertain what company oversaw construction.
Officials have turned up a 2009 report by BL Companies of Meriden outlining three possible remedies to the settling and cracking issue. It's not know if any were tried. A 2007 report in the Republican-American quoted officials as promising to investigate wall cracks and a floor depression in what was then a 4-year-old school. Then, as now, officials say the issues are cosmetic and no threat to safety or student learning. The 2009 report identifies the suspected culprit as settling of soil beneath concrete slabs supporting the school's foyer and a row of nursing and administrative offices. This soil was backfilled during construction, BL reported. BL did not take samples or dig to diagnose the issue or its cure. At the time the foyer doors would not close tight, prompting a safety and security concern. Today, the doors seal, and it's not known what remedy was applied. In 2009, BL suggested a new support beam underneath the entryway slab, tied into the school's main foundation.
BL suggested two remedies for the administrative wing. One would involve major demolition and reconstruction to install underground beams tied to the foundation.
The second would involve boring holes in a grid pattern underneath the slab, then filling them with grout to support the slab. the problem with that suggestion is results would depend on the type of soil underneath the slab. BL advised against the second option.
No estimate of costs accompanied the study shared with the Board of Education last week.
Now, the Board of Education is requesting $150,000 for another study to investigate the problem and suggest remedies. This one would involve digging samples underneath the concrete slab.CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest May 27, 2016

School projects to get Bond Commission approval

The State Bond Commission on Friday is scheduled to approve $21.5 million in school construction projects throughout Connecticut.
According to the agenda, set by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who also is chairman of the 10-member, Democrat-dominated panel, urban schools classified as Alliance Districts by the state Board of Education will get special funding for improvements to windows, doors, heating and cooling systems, athletic fields and other facility upgrades.
Ansonia will receive $1.2 million; Bridgeport, more than $963,000; Danbury, $1.7 million; Derby, $1.2 million; Norwalk, $1.4 million; and Stamford, $255,000.
The commission, which meets monthly in the Legislative Office Building, is scheduled for a 10:30 meeting Friday in which about $342 million in projects is scheduled to be allocated.
Also on the agenda is a $5 million loan to Crescent Crossings 1B LLC, for the second phase of Crescent Crossings, for the replacement of housing units at the former Father Panik Village in Bridgeport. In all, 84 units of mixed-income rental housing is planned in the $34 million development.
The commission has planned for $5.4 million in local bridge funds scheduled for disbersement, including $298,000 for a Weston span over the West Branch of the Saugatuck River along Godfrey Road West; three in Greenwich on Brookridge Drive over East Brothers Brook, on Burying Hill Road over Wilshire Pond Brook, and Dingletown Road over Rockwood Lake, for a total of more than $118,700; and in Stamford, over an unnamed brook along Hunting Ridge Road for $1.5 million, and along Riverbank Road spanning the Mianus River, for $647,767. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Hartford Turns Up Heat On Ballpark Developer, Moves Toward Filing Claim

HARTFORD — In a decision that could delay construction on Dunkin' Donuts Park indefinitely, the Hartford Stadium Authority on Thursday moved toward putting in a claim with the developer's insurance company to ensure that there is enough money to finish the beleaguered project.
In a 4-0 vote, the stadium authority gave the green light to Sean Fitzpatrick, its executive director, and Howard Rifkin, the city's corporation counsel, to file the claim, known as calling the performance bond. Authority Chairman I. Charles Mathews said the claim would be signed by the end of the day Friday and sent out in a registered letter.
What that would mean for ongoing work on the $63 million minor league baseball stadium was a matter of dispute between the city and the developers, DoNo Hartford LLC and Centerplan Cos.
Jason Rudnick, a principal with DoNo Hartford, said all work would stop once the city formally makes the claim. He said it would be at least six to nine months before the insurer's investigation into the claim would be completed and that construction would be halted for that long.
But Mayor Luke Bronin and Mathews said they have been advised by lawyers that work could continue during the investigation.
"We have not terminated them," Bronin said. "They have an obligation to continue to work."
Mathews said calling the bond now makes more sense than waiting for next Tuesday, when city officials are scheduled to meet with the developers' insurer, Arch Insurance. By calling the bond, Mathews said, the insurer would move quickly to get the project back on track. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

A.H. Harris celebrates 100 years, expansion in New Haven

NEW HAVEN >> If you find yourself needing six, 90-degree angled number 4 rebar, there is a place in New Haven that will custom provide that for you within an hour. Customization and quick service, among other features, are what brings contractors to the A.H. Harris construction supply and distribution company on Wheeler Street, a century-old Connecticut business that has grown exponentially in New Haven in the past five years. Across the country, it has 52 locations from Maine to North Carolina, with a presence in 13 states and some 600 workers.
It’s local facility was a 15,000-square-foot outlet in New Haven, which more than doubled at the new warehouse that is now the hub for its state and western Massachusetts operations.
In terms of employees, the New Haven site now has 22 employees, after having started with two, said Gregg Lanouette, regional vice president of the company. “I don’t know too many companies that have experienced that kind of growth in such a short period of time,” Lanouette said. They are involved with most projects from beginning to end. “We get in early and learn who the players are. That really helps us down the road when it comes time to caulking the joints, kind of the last thing on the project,” said Kim J. Corwin, president and CEO of the company. They mainly supply what is needed for concrete, site work and the repair and restoration of concrete. Corwin said 78 percent of a construction job is labor with 22 percent material cost and they try to help contractors save on both. Creating a rebar form at the warehouse on demand saves money. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Senate appropriators OK federal funds for Coast Guard museum

Washington – Senate appropriators for the first time on Thursday approved federal funding for efforts to build a Coast Guard museum on New London’s waterfront.
Although the money, $5 million, is a small fraction of the projected $100 million cost of the museum, retired Coast Guard Capt. Wes Pulver, head of the National Coast Guard Museum Association, called it a breakthrough.
“It’s great news because now all or our elements are finally coming together,” he said. The appropriation still must make it through the full Senate and the U.S. House, but approval by the Senate appropriators was a critical step.
Pulver said he is hoping for a total of $30 million in federal funding for the museum. The federal money would be used for initial appraisal, cataloguing and organizing of the existing collection of artifacts.
The state of Connecticut already has committed $20 million to build a pedestrian bridge from downtown New London to the museum, the waterfront and train station.
In addition the city of New London donated land for the museum in 2014.
The rest of the money needed for the project, about $50 million, would come from private donations. Pulver said about $7.5 million of that already has been raised.
The Coast Guard is the only branch of the armed services that does not have a national museum devoted to it, the museum's organizers say.
The $5 million in federal funding for the project was secured by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and was included in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security spending bill. The Coast Guard is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

State aid eyed for Waterbury school 

WATERBURY — City and school staff are busy putting the finishing touches on an application for state aid to help cover the anticipated $42.6 million cost of converting Wendell Cross Elementary School into a larger building serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The application is due June 30 and two more city votes are required before it's sent. The Board of Education is expected to vote on the education specifications during a June 2 meeting.
The Board of Aldermen are expected to vote on a bundle of measures needed for the state application at a June 20 meeting. That doesn't leave a lot of time to assemble a detailed application before the state deadline. School Personnel Director Robert Brenker said that teams of city and school staff are assembling the application ahead of time with the blessing of Mayor Neil M. O'Leary, should the project gain all needed approvals. On June 20, aldermen will be asked to vote on three measures: to allow the school board to send the application; to assign the building project to the school board's Building Committee and to allow drafting of schematics. Board of Education member John E. Theriault spoke up against the proposal during a review of the education specifications during a school board meeting Thursday. He said the project would do nothing to curb alleged overcrowding in Generali and Chase Elementary Schools. Rather, it would decrease the population at Wallace Middle School, he said. Theriault said the school board would do better to build an entirely new school to replace Wendell Cross elsewhere, then use the emptied building as an overflow site for East End students who are shipped to schools around the city due to crowding at Chase and Generali. Theriault also calculated that the proposed construction project would only add room for 213 additional students, with each spot costing $218,000.
Brenker said the current Wendell Cross building dates back to the 1950s and will require costly repairs whether the project moves ahead or not. The draft "education specifications" presented to the school board Thursday claims Wendell Cross needs: greater technology, more pre-kindergarten space to comply with state demands, space for bilingual education, a larger student capacity and a new library.     


 

CT Construction Digest May 26, 2016

Preston prepares for negotiations with Mohegan tribe over former hospital property

Preston – Negotiations will kick off next week between officials from the Mohegan tribe and the town of Preston that should lead to a proposed purchase and sale agreement for the 393-acre former Norwich Hospital property.
The Preston Redevelopment Agency has spent much of the past six years immersed in tedious details of grant writing, environmental assessment and cleanup, more grant writing and working with economic development planners. Now, the agency suddenly faces a six-month mission to write and win voter approval of a development agreement with the Mohegan tribe that could bring $200 million to $600 million development to the property now called Preston Riverwalk.
PRA Chairman Sean Nugent said the first negotiation meeting will be held Wednesday in Hartford with First Selectman Robert Congdon, tribal leaders, attorneys for both parties and perhaps officials from the state of Connecticut participating.
The memorandum of understanding approved last week by voters at a town meeting gives the parties 180 days to come back for another town meeting to approve a purchase and sale agreement and a more detailed “Property Disposition and Development Agreement.” That approval would start the clock on a one-year period for the town to complete any remaining environmental cleanup on the property.
With those tasks now in front of the PRA, Nugent suggested forming three subgroups to work on distinct tasks, one for handling the negotiations, a master planning committee overseeing the proposed design of the development and a third committee to work on the environmental cleanup.
The PRA already has a negotiations committee that worked extra hours in recent weeks to iron out the terms in the MOU, and also has members in charge of grants, Jim Bell, and daily cleanup operations, Ron Harris. Nugent suggested keeping those duties intact and perhaps doubling some of their tasks. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Seaside plan combines private lodge with public park, beach access

Waterford — A state-commissioned master plan for the 32-acre Seaside property includes a 100-room, privately-run state park lodge surrounded by a public park and beach access.
Officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Administrative Services presented a master plan Wednesday that consultants have developed in the almost two years since Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced that Seaside would be turned into a state park.
According to the plan, the state would develop a public-private partnership that would mimic the management structure of state park lodges like the inn at Bear Mountain State Park in New York or the hotels and lodges in the National Parks system across the country.
State officials hired PKF Consulting USA last year to study the economic viability of such a property.
PFK's report found that the local market could sustain a private, 100-room hotel at Seaside with an occupancy of about 60 percent at a daily rate of about $200, assuming it opened in 2020.
The plan for a lodge would keep the property's four biggest buildings, the site of the former tuberculosis hospital designed by the renowned architect Cass Gilbert in the early 1930s, intact.
Many of the buildings are run-down but can still be restored, DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan K. Whalen said in an interview before Wednesday's public presentation.
"That was the pivot point for us to find out, if they're salvageable, what are the potential uses?" she said.
Consulting firm Sasaki Associates Inc. considered several ideas proposed by members of the public — including an artists colony and housing for disabled veterans — and proposed that the buildings would be best used for a hotel.
"We are in the lodging business," Whalen said, citing campsites and cabins the state maintains across the state. "We're definitely trying to provide a broader array of lodging opportunities." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Stamford housing development to expand in South End

STAMFORD — A South End housing development that has given many low-income residents a decent place to live will be expanding in the next year.
A ceremonial groundbreaking was held Tuesday for the third building of the Metro Green development. Construction began in December and the building is expected to open in June 2017.
“When I bought this land about 30 years ago, I had a vision of transportation-oriented affordable housing,” said Peter Malkin, chairman emeritus of Malkin Holdings and a co-developer on the project.
The complex, which is located a block from the downtown train station, is meant to live up to its “green” name. The transit-oriented apartment building is also LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Jonathan F.P. Rose, president of Jonathan Rose Companies, is Malkin’s co-developer for the $53 million project, temporarily dubbed Metro Green III.
Metro Green III, located near the corner of Atlantic and Henry street, will consist of an 11-story, 131-unit apartment building and a 17-story, 350,000-square-foot office tower.
While the first two Metro Green buildings almost exclusively consisted of affordable housing units, Metro Green III will be a mixed-housing development, consisting of 58 at-market units and 73 below-market units, restricted to households with incomes ranging from 50 to 60 percent of the area median income. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 North Stonington moves forward after school vote

On May 16, North Stonington voters approved the project to renovate town schools by a three-vote margin, with a recount Tuesday sustaining the 908-905 result. That is not what you call a mandate.
Those who opposed the $38.5 million project have to be feeling frustrated. Voters convincingly defeated two earlier proposals. Both were more expensive than the latest version. In this case, winning one out of three is enough to claim victory.
The situation poses a major challenge for town leaders. They will have to deliver this project within the budget. Unanticipated expenses or unforeseen delays could revive opposition. That’s the reality when a town is this divided.
According to information provided to voters prior to the referendum, owners of a house assessed at about $175,000 can expect the cost of paying off the school construction bonds to add $480 to $540 to their property tax bills annually over two decades. This will create great pressure to control all other expenditures and keep tax hikes to a minimum, no easy task in a small town with a limited tax base and bare-bones government.
The fundamental issue in this referendum was whether to maintain Wheeler High School. Stonington made it clear it had the capacity to handle North Stonington students in its high school, meaning North Stonington would only have to renovate facilities for grades K-8. By that 3-vote margin, the townspeople indicated they wanted to keep their high school. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Senate Republicans: Don't Use State Money To Finish Yard Goats Stadium

Fifteen Republicans in the state Senate wrote Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Wednesday saying no state money should be used to finish construction on Hartford's delayed minor league baseball stadium.
"As a result of construction of the stadium exceeding the agreed upon deadline, we understand that costs are now likely to increase for the project," the legislators wrote. "We are also aware of comments from the Hartford Stadium Authority indicating that they will not go back to the city to seek the needed added capital. That needed capital should not come from the state and our already overburdened taxpayers."

There are no plans to use state money to finish construction of the stadium, which wasn't completed in time for the Yard Goats' April 7 home opener and missed another deadline last week. The first pitch at the $65 million stadium won't be thrown until at least mid-June.

Malloy has previously said he wouldn't commit state money to the project. Republicans said he would be breaking that commitment "if any additional aid is given to Hartford for this project's new costs due to missing its deadline."
The legislators were also critical of language in the budget implementer bill that allows the city of Hartford to impose a 10 percent ticket tax at the stadium. The estimated $400,000 raised from that tax previously would have gone to the state's general fund. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Quinnipiac defends Hamden field plans amid heavy criticism

HAMDEN >> Opposition to Quinnipiac University’s plans to construct two stadiums around its two existing fields on Mount Carmel Avenue continued during Tuesday’s Planning and Zoning Commission hearing on the application. But the activity planned for the fields isn’t much different than what’s already going on there, the school’s attorney told the commission.
Quinnipiac’s plans include resurfacing the playing fields and the construction of locker room and bathroom facilities at each of the fields, with the construction of stadium seating above those buildings. The stadium on one field would seat 1,500, while the other stadium would accommodate 500 people.
“It’s important to keep in mind that all of the proposed activities to take place on the fields are already taking place,” attorney Bernard Pelligrino told the commission. “To say these are going to be giant, monstrous fields is just not true.” But that is how several residents described the plans as they spoke in opposition to the application, including members of the Sleeping Giant Park Association, several of whom attended the meeting. The association has been urging the commission to deny the application, saying “let the Giant sleep.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

AEM, Northwestern University Unveil Future of Infrastructure Study

On May 23rd the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) launched an in-depth study on the future trends and opportunities influencing how U.S. transportation infrastructure will move people and goods in the year 2050. The study was unveiled during a symposium hosted by AEM and Northwestern University to close out Infrastructure Week 2016.
Download the full study: www.aem.org/IV2050
The study was produced by a multi-disciplinary team at Northwestern University, including experts in the fields of civil and environmental engineering, economics and sustainability, which reviewed the study's findings and discussed how to leverage future opportunities, technologies and trends in pursuit of a national and comprehensive plan for U.S. infrastructure.

The symposium also featured remarks from several national and state transportation thought leaders and policymakers, including, Kennametal CEO Ron De Feo, who urged the audience to think about what U.S. infrastructure could and should look like in the year 2050.

“The objective of the study is not to predict the future, but to frame scenarios and trends that will inform the public and policymakers about what is possible,” said De Feo, who serves as chairman of AEM's Infrastructure Vision 2050 Task Force. “AEM and its members will use this study to articulate the factors and trends that will shape a national, long-term vision for U.S. infrastructure. There is much to discuss, debate and, most importantly, decide.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

State plans to rehabilitate 2 bridges on I-84 

SOUTHBURY — Two bridges carrying Interstate 84 traffic over routes 67 and 6 are deteriorating, showing signs of chipping paint, cracked concrete, water leaks and rusting steel. State Department of Transportation officials conducted a public information meeting Wednesday night on a $3.5 million project to rehabilitate both bridges. The five residents attending the event at Town Hall were concerned only about the impact construction would have on traffic. "Old Waterbury Road and South Main Street are impacted by accidents on Interstate 84, and the movie theater is coming," Beverly Stoddard of Little York Road said of the theater project to be built on Main Street South.
Tom Lopata, project engineer from CME Associates, which was hired by the DOT, said: "We're hoping having construction late at night will alleviate most of these concerns."
The federal government will fund about 90 percent of the project and the state will pay for the other 10 percent under the "Fix It First Transportation Initiative" program. If the project is approved, work would begin in the spring of 2018 and end that fall.
"The project is in the preliminary stage, so anything can change and we welcome your input," said Dobie A. Kania, project manager for the Division of Bridges at ConnDOT.
Andrew J. Cardinali, a project engineer in bridge consultant design at the agency, and Donald P. Wurst, senior project manager for CME, were also on the panel during the meeting. One of the photos in the night's presentation showed a large orange vehicle underneath a bridge. Lopata said it is called a paint train, which is used to sand blast old paint from under bridges. He said it sucks up the debris as a containment measure. The vehicle is one of the reasons why there would be some lane closures on Route 67. Cardinali said traffic will still be allowed through during construction.
"They'll probably close a lane on each side of 67, depending on what they're doing," he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest May 25, 2016

DOT plans hearing on new I-95 ramps in Stratford

STRATFORD - The state Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on the planned Exit 33 ramp project on I-95. The hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 16 at the Baldwin Center, 1000 West Broad St.
Construction is anticipated to begin in 2017 “based on the availability of funding.” DOT says. The estimated construction cost is approximately $22 million.
The DOT said in a release announcing the meeting, “the purpose of the project is to enhance access to I-95 and local roadways by providing a full interchange at Exit 33 on I-95 in Stratford. Currently, Exit 33 is a partial interchange consisting of a northbound off-ramp and a southbound on-ramp. It is proposed to construct a new northbound on-ramp and a new southbound off-ramp at this location. The new northbound on-ramp would begin at the Ferry Boulevard/U.S. Route 1 intersection on the south side of I-95 and the new southbound off-ramp would connect with Veterans Boulevard on the north side of I-95.”
The bridge carrying I-95 over East Main Street would be widened to accommodate the new northbound on-ramp/acceleration lane. The additional ramps would relieve congestion at Exits 32 and 34, and eliminate the current need for motorists to travel additional miles on local streets in heavy traffic to access the next closest interchange in Milford or the center of Stratford. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Area towns stand to gain state funds

HARTFORD — The State Bond Commission has its work cut out when it meets on Friday to review more than 40 requests for funding. Four of those agenda items, including the funding appeal for the “Beehive Bridge” project in downtown New Britain, would benefit area municipalities if approved.
Twenty-eight state school districts, through the Department of Administrative Services, have requested a bond authorization of more than $20,000,000 to finance supplemental grant-in-aid general improvements to school buildings. The city of New Britain stands to reap $23,000 from the bond commission. This round of bonding, when added to a previous allocation of more than $28.5 million, funds the $50 million initially authorized.
The Department of Transportation is seeking more than $5.3 million to complete 12 projects in its Local Bridge Program.
On the list are two upgrades in Southington — to bridges over the Eight Mile River on West Center Street Extension and over the Quinnipiac River on Spring Street. The projects carry a combined $1.6 million price tag. According to the bond commission agenda, these projects would create or retain approximately 214 construction-related jobs. Additionally, the DOT reports that state funds will be matched with about $7 million of local and other monies.
Finally, more than $2.5 million is expected to be granted to Hospital for Special Care through the Department of Public Health to acquire and implement an electronic medical records system. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Glastonbury Begins Milling, Paving Project Along New London Turnpike

GLASTONBURY – The town has started a milling and paving project along New London Turnpike.
A three-mile stretch of the road between the intersection of Hubbard Street and Neipsic Road to Main Street will be milled and then repaved over the next few weeks. Due to the high traffic counts, the work will be done from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. to avoid traffic backups in the area due to construction.

"We are trying to coordinate the milling as close to the paving as possible," Town Manager Richard J. Johnson said. "But there are two separate contractors and milling folks get very busy this time of year." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Rescissions Could Cost Highway Fund Billions

 

Associations representing state departments of transportation, legislatures and the nation's governors worked this month to head off a Senate appropriations provision that could potentially take away billions of dollars in already-authorized highway funds.
The groups sent joint letters to Senate and House appropriations committee leaders warning that a proposed rescission of $2.211 billion in contract authority for state DOTs, for the federal fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, could "force states to cut actual highway expenditures at a time when we need to be investing in our nation's infrastructure."
They also said the proposed fiscal 2017 rescission plus another $7.6 billion in rescissions already scheduled to hit in 2020 under the five-year FAST Act have the effect of "potentially eliminating the modest investment gains made in the FAST Act."
The May 11 letters were signed by the executive directors of the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The Senate passed its appropriations bill May 19 that covered Department of Transportation spending, and which contained the $2.2 billion rescission for the coming year.
AASHTO posted copies of the letters to appropriators on its FAST Act portal.
The threat facing state highway spending stems from arcane federal budget procedures, and how Congress "scores" legislation against 10-year spending projections, said AASHTO senior staff officials. But the state groups warned congressional appropriators that the rescissions issue "is not a simple and harmless budgetary maneuver." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

CT Construction Digest May 24, 2016

This Friday's Bond Agenda

State plans bridge makeover in Southbury

SOUTHBURY — The state Department of Transportation will conduct a public information meeting Wednesday to discuss the rehabilitation of the Interstate 84 bridges over Routes 6 and 67.
Construction is expected to begin next spring and be completed in fall 2018, assuming funding is available. The estimated construction cost is $3.5 million and will use both state and federal funds.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Southbury Town Hall, room 205, at 501 Main St. North.
The plan, which is in the preliminary design phase, calls for rehabilitating the bridges during off-peak night time hours. The structures were built in 1963 and rehabilitated in 1991.
The project is another one of a series of short-term transportation improvements on I-84.
For more information, click here.

‘Beehive Bridge’ on state bonding docket

NEW BRITAIN — The Main Street Bridge overpass that will feature very large bee designs, bike lanes, brick pavers and wider sidewalks when it’s completed in the spring of 2018 is on schedule to get its final infusion of funds Friday.
The State Bond Commission will vote on approving $2.1 million of funding for the project over Route 72. Items that make it on the bond commission are approved almost without exception.
“We were $2.1 million short,” Mayor Erin Stewart said Monday of the $5.8 million project, which is being paid via state, federal and local StreetScape bond money.
The mayor said the project “has been a long time in the making. The concept design was my baby and it started one month after we took office (in 2013). We all know that when the state decided to put Route 72 right through the heart of downtown (in the 1970s), that’s what killed downtown. It’s no secret that led to the demise at the time of our businesses on Main Street and since then we’ve tried to figure out how to reconnect Main Street south with Main Street north. I believe this project does just that.”
The beehive concept will play a big part in the look of the bridge, of which the approximate one-year construction project will start in the spring of 2017.
“The bridge will have a strong bee theme,” the mayor said, adding, “The design of the walls will encompass the flight path of bumblebees. And, the material used will allow for the natural light to reflect the colors of the honeycomb.” In addition, officials said, there will be four separate bee sculptures on the bridge. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

State Bond Commission announces infrastructure project in Lebanon

The state Bond Commission recently announced its planned investment of nearly $780,000 in funding for infrastructure projects in three towns in the 19th Senatorial District, including a project involving a Lebanon dam. The commission is expected to approve $208,000 for Lebanon’s Brewster Pond Dam. The funding from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will be used to finance the design and construction of improvements at the state-owned dam. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Bristol Begins Springtime Street Paving

BRISTOL - The public works department advises motorists that it has begun repaving more than a dozen streets around the city.
The streets are Robertson Street, DiPietro Lane, DiPietro Court, Constance Lane, First Street, Bellevue Avenue, Beleden Garden Lane, Fourth Street, Sixth Street, Academy Street, Longview Avenue, Amy Lane, Anita Drive and the southern section of Doris Road.

Crews will mill off the existing pavement and put down a fresh layer.

"Once construction is complete, the city will restore affected areas by loaming, seeding, repairing walkways and driveway aprons," the public works department said in a statement. "There may be minor traffic delays during construction, however the road will remain open for mail delivery, emergency vehicles, and local traffic at all times. Temporary 'no parking' signs will be posted as needed during construction. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

New Haven alders approve $523 million budget, including bonding for $45 million school
project

NEW HAVEN >> The Board of Alders’ Finance Committee recommended a $523.3 million city budget Monday for the forthcoming fiscal year, following lengthy deliberations that concluded with the approval of a $45 million school project by a narrow 6-5 vote.   Committee members noted their overall spending plan focuses on the city’s fiscal responsibilities by providing funding for core services. Yet when it came time to consider the $45 million Strong School project, the alders had their biggest debate of the evening, with both supporters and opponents offering thoughts on why the city should bond for the costly but innovative school project.  The spending plan approved Monday is $1.98 million less than Mayor Toni Harp’s proposed $525 million 2016-17 fiscal year budget, which was first introduced in February. The budget included changes introduced by Harp last week that addressed a shortfall in state budget funding.  The committee’s new budget also adds additional money to pension funding, medical benefits accounts and adds money to the city’s rainy day fund, which currently has about $1.7 million. The recommended budget keeps the city’s tax rate at 41.55 mills, while the tax rate for motor vehicles is 37 mills as called for by the state legislature.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Kent Affordable Housing project to receive $1.55 M grant to continue project

KENT >> The state Bond Commission is expected to approve a $1,552,300 grant-in-aid to the Kent Affordable Housing, Inc., for Phase Two of Stuart Apartments in Kent, according to a statement from state Rep. Roberta Willis (D-64th). Phase Two consists of five new family rental units with restricted rents. The development will consist of three one-bedroom and two two-bedroom apartments and will include a handicap accessible unit as well as two units with a preference for low-income veterans.
The project site is located within walking distance of the commercial center of Kent, minimizing travel distances to local employment and providing easy access to local amenities such as banks, restaurants, the town library, shopping, public services and schools, according to the release.
“I am very pleased the state Bond Commission has placed this request on its agenda for approval,” said Willis, in a written statement. “The project provides additional safe and affordable housing to families that are priced out of the market. This is yet another important investment in needed affordable housing.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

CT Construction Digest May 23, 2016

DOT Commissioner: I-95 widening, improvements should be on ‘front burner’

The commissioner of the state Department of Transportation has told local officials that widening Interstate 95 and improving the interchange with Interstate 395 is the long-term solution to accidents on the highway between Old Lyme and Waterford.
"I think that is imminent in terms of us looking to the Bond Commission shortly to get that going, which is good news," said James P. Redeker. "I think it's been on the back burner, if any burner, for too long, and it's time to bring it to the front burner."
Redeker was responding to a concern raised by local officials about the "growing problem" on I-95 in Old Lyme, East Lyme and Waterford, following his presentation to the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments on Tuesday morning in Norwich.
East Lyme First Selectman Mark Nickerson said the problem on the road goes beyond distracted driving and ongoing construction. He pointed to the tightening of the highway and hills in the area.
He asked Redeker if signs, lights and painting on the highway could alert people to slow down for the five-mile stretch that is a high-accident area.
"The highway has been shut down four times in the last two weeks, and we haven't started summer yet," Nickerson said of recent accidents.
An analysis of data by The Day found that between 1995 and 2014, the stretch from Exit 71 to the split with I-395 had the highest number of fatalities and injuries in the state east of the Connecticut River: 785, or about a quarter of the crashes that injured or killed.
Redeker said the rate of traffic incidents is not much different than it's been in the past prior to recent construction.
He said the DOT has added extra signage during the construction project, which is intended to improve safety in the area with features like safety barriers. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Bonding for Ledyard’s school building projects faces delay

Ledyard — The state Senate on Friday, May 13, approved a measure that would delay until next year the state's reimbursement of the town's $65 million projects to renovate Ledyard Middle School and Gallup Hill School.
Delaying the reimbursement also may delay the construction schedule, according to Permanent Municipal Building Committee Chairman Steven Juskiewicz, leaving the town with a number of less-than-ideal options to move the projects forward.
State Sen. Cathy Osten said she was told the projects were delayed because plans still needed to be confirmed with the Department of Adminstrative Services and were not "truly shovel-ready," as were a number of projects removed from the bonding bill.
The delayed eligibility list is new this year, created in a bill encompassing capital bonds and school improvement projects. School construction grants fall under Department of Administrative Services, which consults with the legislature to include projects on a bill for reimbursement.
Juskiewicz, Osten and Rep. Mike France will meet with members of the DAS to get more information about the decision next week.
The House, which still needs to approve the bill, could do so the same week.
"I'm hoping ... they can find a way to recognize Ledyard should have been funded," Juskiewicz said.
Ledyard's middle school project, along with one in New London, was listed on the 2016 School Building Priority list in category A, which includes projects to renovate or build facilities to correct code or compliance issues.
Gallup Hill was listed in category B.  All three are part of over $1 billion in projects removed from the state's bonding bill.
Rep. France said it was the first time category A school projects had been removed from the bill.
Unlike the New London project, which was slated to begin construction in 2020, the building committee in Ledyard had hoped to issue a bid package as early as next January and begin site work in summer of 2017, getting reimbursement for expenses as early as July or August. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

PCB Concerns Raised In Newington Town Hall Renovation

NEWINGTON - The GOP majority on the town council has set a $25 million cap on renovating town hall, but the full extent of PCB contamination in the building is unknown and clean up costs could escalate significantly, according to Facilities Manager David Langdon.
Langdon's concern is how far PCBs from caulking around the windows may have seeped into the building's walls. "It can go as far as the ground, which will make the cost (of removal) a lot more," Langdon told the council at its meeting last week. "It (unanticipated PCB contamination) is really derailing a lot of projects."
Langdon did not suggest that the added costs could push the cost above $25 million.
Determining the extent of the possible problem and its potential cost would require an extensive study looking at nearly every window in town hall, he said.
Langdon, who has said he supports a renovation or a hybrid project combining parts of the building with new construction, did not return phone messages this week seeking further comment.
A recent study of town hall comissioned by the council also warned the building may require more PCB clean up than expected.
"There is also the (likely) possibility that PCBs may have migrated out of the window caulk into adjacent surfaces, and potentially in the soil below," the study said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

No end in sight for traffic problems on overburdened I-84

DANBURY — Traffic jams in normally quiet areas. Extremely low speeds during rush hour. Road work that causes congestion in the middle of the night. Construction equipment blocking traffic with no crews in sight.
Drivers in the Danbury area face one of the most dire traffic situations in recent times on a severely overburdened stretch of Interstate 84.
“It’s definitely been a struggle,” Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said.
The good news is that some relief is in sight, with three key projects scheduled for completion this year. The bad news is that the ongoing road work is part of a series of short-term traffic solutions — none of which will fix the highway’s major problem: the need for more lanes.
“We are suffering from lack of investment in transportation and infrastructure that dates back decades,” said Bethel First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker. A plan to widen I-84 has been on the drawing board since the mid-2000s. Two years ago, the state dropped a decade-old plan to add a lane to the entire 30 miles of highway from the New York line to Waterbury because the projected $4 billion cost was too high. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest May 20, 2016

Groton moves forward with school building plan

Groton — The Groton Town Council has decided to move forward with the proposed school construction referendum to build one new middle school and modernize two existing middle schools and convert them into elementary schools.
The plan would cost $184 million, of which Groton taxpayers would pay $84 million. That translates into about $136 in additional taxes for every $100,000 of assessed property value.
Groton had earlier sought to obtain additional state money but was unsuccessful.
Councilors, who voted unanimously on Wednesday to proceed, said they were compelled by at least two realities: The schools need significant attention — S.B. Butler Elementary School was built in 1953 — and Groton is losing students to surrounding districts that are investing in their schools.
“I’m really concerned about the consequences of doing nothing, because I think we’re going to really pay for it in the long run,” Councilor Karen Morton said.
She voted against the last two school referendums, but believed the schools were being maintained.
Now she realizes they weren’t to the extent needed.
Groton put off projects for years thinking the latest school referendum would pass, but when it didn’t, nothing got done.
Morton and her husband built their house in Mystic nine years ago, and can’t sell it for what it cost to build it, she said.
In the case of Butler Elementary, the heating system needs to be replaced, the building has air quality issues, the portable classrooms need more security, the electrical system is maxed out and the roof is leaking. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Yard Goats confirm stadium won't open before June 16

The Hartford Yard Goats have once again postponed their home opener. It ws announced this afternoon that its first home game will not come until after Thursday, June 16.
Originally scheduled to open their season on April 7, opening day was pushed back until May 31 because of massive construction delays at Dunkin' Donuts Park in downtown Hartford. When developers didn't have the stadium substantially completed by May 17, the team and its league needed to extend the AA team's home game schedule at Dodd Stadium in Norwich.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said Wednesday afternoon that it's "quite likely" the city will pursue financial penalties against the developer of Downtown North's minor league baseball stadium once the key construction deadline passed.
"The developer has not met today's deadline for substantial completion, and it's clear that they will not be done by the 24th, which was the grace period built in," Bronin said. "We will be working with all of the parties involved and assessing our options. We want to get the stadium open as quickly as possible, but we also need to hold our partners accountable and protect the city's interests." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Preston Voters Approve Sale Of Norwich Hospital Property To Mohegan Tribe

PRESTON — Preston residents Thursday night overwhelmingly backed the town's proposal to press ahead with negotiations with the Mohegan Tribe for the development of the former Norwich State Hospital property on the Thames River.
After an hourlong presentation, hundreds of residents at the town meeting in Preston Veterans Memorial School took only a few minutes to approve hammering out a final purchase and sales agreement with the tribe over the next six months.

Mohegan Tribal Chairman Kevin Brown said he was surprised by the swiftness of the vote.

"Clearly the town of Preston recognizes it's time," Brown said after the vote. "This is a win all the way around. It helps the state, this helps the town of Preston, this helps us continue our development."
Brown said the tribe will now look for a master developer for the 393-acre site just across the river from Mohegan Sun casino. The tribe is in discussions with development partners, but he declined to identify them.
First Selectman Robert Congdon said there were close to 350 residents at the meeting and the votes in support, cast by people standing up, was a clear directive to move forward. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Planners reject Yale science lab proposal

NEW HAVEN >> The City Plan Commission Thursday denied without prejudice Yale University’s proposed construction of upgraded science facilities until the Board of Alders approves the institution’s overall parking plan. The issue is another contentious one between the city and the university; the legislative session in Hartford this year saw clashes over attempts to upgrade taxation of the institution.
Lauren Zucker, Yale’s associate vice president for New Haven affairs and university properties, said there was no reason not to just table the proposed six-story science research lab until next month’s meeting.  After the vote, which was 3 to 1 with one member abstaining over a conflict of interest, Zucker called the action “outrageous.”
“They are costing construction jobs. There are 280 jobs that are now going to be delayed, if done at all,” she said. “The board never set a process. It has been four months, there has been nothing done,” Zucker said, referring to any rules on how the board’s new ordinance passed in December on approving the overall parking plan would play out. “There was no communication as to what the process was supposed to be — at all,” she said. City Plan Director Karyn Gilvarg, at the April meeting, when the Science Hill expansion was first presented, said in her opinion it did not have to go to the alders as the plan did not require any additional spaces. “This project has no impact on parking whatsoever,” she said.
“It’s a real shame for New Haven, frankly,” Zucker said. She said they asked multiple times from the alders on the committee hearing date “and got no response.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

$4B Tappan Zee Replacement Still on Budget

The New NY Bridge project continues to move forward (and upward) in the process of creating a modern, twin span replacement for the 3.1-mi. (5 km) Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson River. Work is reportedly on track for the 2018 opening, and remains within the $3.98 billion budget.
Since construction operations began in late 2013, prime contractor Tappan Zee Constructors LLC (TZC) has utilized more than 620 New York companies to help build the new twin-span bridge between Westchester and Rockland counties. Over 5,000 people have worked on the project so far.
Most of the substructure work, including piles and pier columns, is now complete. Progress continues to place steel-blue girders, road deck panels and segments of the iconic 419-ft. (128 m) main span towers.
According to the project website, the existing Gov. Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge opened to traffic in 1955 and is a vital artery for residents, commuters, travelers and commercial traffic.
“Bridge traffic has grown to about 138,000 vehicles per day, far more than the Tappan Zee was designed to support,” the website noted. “Heavy traffic, narrow lanes and the lack of emergency shoulders can create unsafe driving conditions. As a result, the bridge has twice the average accident rate per mile as the rest of the 574-mi. [924 km] Thruway system. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to maintain the structure in recent years. The cost of maintaining the current bridge for the foreseeable future rivals the cost of a new bridge, with no improvements to current traffic conditions.”
The new bridge will include eight general traffic lanes, breakdown/emergency lanes, and a modern traffic monitoring system. The new crossing also will be mass-transit ready, with space for Bus Rapid Transit as well as a design that can accommodate a future light rail or commuter rail. The bridge also will feature a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Sound and safe 

WATERBURY — A bridge wingwall that supports Route 8 southbound is starting to collapse, forcing the state Department of Transportation to perform emergency repairs. The wingwall and adjacent retaining wall hold back the soil underneath Route 8. The wingwall is slanted toward the road, and a fracture between the structures has caused soil to spill onto the sidewalk. Although the wingwall is part of the bridge, it doesn't provide structural support for it. The bridge is structurally sound and safe, the DOT says. "It's not what we want to see out there from a perception standpoint," said Kevin Nursick, a DOT spokesman. "But yes, it's safe." DOT crews noticed the slanted wingwall about a week ago. Since then, crews have installed steel ties at the top to keep the breach from growing larger. This week or next, crews will install steel struts that will hold the wingwall in place from the ground. "It's secured and we're taking every step necessary to make sure it doesn't move," Nursick said. The DOT believes the wingwall is failing largely because of its age. The bridge was built in 1964. "Part of that wear and tear is likely the result of subsurface water conditions," Nursick said. "That increases pressure on the retaining system and promotes soil movement and erosion." If the breach grew bigger, it could undermine the structural integrity of Route 8, causing the soil underneath the highway to slide onto Huntingdon Avenue. "If some material was to spill onto Huntingdon Avenue we'd work with the DOT to get it cleaned up," said City Engineer Paul Bellagamba. "But it's their responsibility to do any repair work necessary to retain that side slope."
The DOT intends not to let that happen. The DOT will monitor the wingwall and retaining system to make sure the problem isn't getting worse, Nursick said. The retaining wall, which is riddled with rust, will be completely replaced next spring. The new system is being designed now. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest May 19, 2016

New Connecticut law requires transparency in foundation work

It is a tradition dating back to the earliest edifices in America, the cornerstone inscription of the year a building was constructed.
Going forward in Connecticut, builders can add the signature of the entities that poured the foundation — figuratively, anyway.
Under a new state law that takes effect in October, municipalities may only issue a certificate of occupancy for a new structure — commercial or residential — after collecting the identities of the concrete supplier and the subcontractor that poured the foundation.
The law is intended to give property owners and insurance companies recourse to chase down anyone responsible for shoddy work or materials requiring expensive repairs down the road. It comes in the wake of hundreds of homeowners in Eastern Connecticut who traced cracking and crumbling in their foundations to a single contractor’s use of a crushed stone additive that included a mineral that can degrade concrete over time. That contractor testified in support of new rules this past winter, and maintained that many of the problems could have been prevented by better installation techniques, adding that the state should require licensing of installers and mandate inspections at construction sites.
The Connecticut Attorney General’s office and the Department of Consumer Protection have been investigating the issue, primarily in instances involving homes, with nearly 30 subpoenas issued to insurance companies seeking information. The Connecticut Insurance Department last year issued a directive prohibiting carriers from canceling or failing to renew a policy as a result of a crumbling or otherwise defective foundation.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Stop work order lifted for Durham contractor

TORRINGTON >> A stop-work order against Interior Building Contractors, a subcontractor working on the Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse construction site, has been lifted, state officials said Wednesday.
The Durham-based company was cited over the weekend for “misrepresenting employees as independent contractors,” a violation of Section 31-288 of the Connecticut General Statutes, after those working on Saturday refused to explain how they were paid when queried by inspectors, a labor official says.
On Wednesday morning, Staff Counsel and Communications Director Jeffrey Beckham said that the labor department notified IBC that the stop-work order had been lifted around 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
“Our project manager was at the site all afternoon yesterday,” Beckham said. “The review of the paperwork submitted by IBC showed that their employees at the Torrington site are in compliance with our contract requirements, which require compliance with all relevant state laws.”

IBC is a subcontractor hired to work on the construction of courthouse on Field Street in Torrington. KBE Building Corporation is the general contractor for the project, in charge of hiring subcontractors for specific tasks. Joseph Nosal, managing member of IBC, said the order was lifted after the company submitted appropriate paperwork to the state Department of Labor. He said the company’s timeline for work at the courthouse site had not been affected by the temporary delay. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Mohegan Riverwalk project would boost economy

 

For almost two decades, state inaction left a neglected and blighted property perched like a stain on Preston’s waterfront. Norwich Hospital, a former psychiatric facility, was allowed to fall into ruin since the state closed it in in 1996.
In recent years, however, the small town of Preston, having assumed ownership and renamed it Preston Riverwalk, has worked with the Malloy administration to gradually raze the old buildings and clean up the property. Yet until now, no private party has been willing to make a real commitment to developing this exceptional site on the Thames River.
All of that is about to change.
The Mohegans, who on Friday announced their plans to purchase the nearly 400-acre property, have a powerful vision for the Preston Riverwalk. Working together with the Town of Preston and with assistance from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the Department of Economic and Community Development, the tribe seeks to invest in this unique waterfront property with new, non-gaming property tax paying development that will include business and residential facilities. This initiative will boost Preston’s economy, create new jobs, and secure eastern Connecticut’s status as a hub for tourism and commerce. Voters should approve the memorandum of understanding today. It’s a major investment in our region’s future that will bring clear, tangible benefits to all of Preston’s residents. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Recriminations Aside, Hartford (Almost) Has A Ballpark

It will be at least a month before Dunkin' Donuts Park is ready for baseball. Or, put another way: Hartford is only a month away from opening the gates of one of the nicest ballparks around.

It's all too easy to get wrapped up in the disappointments and recriminations over the long list of missed deadlines and cost overruns at the park just north of downtown. To be sure, there's plenty of blame to go around. But all of the problems can obscure the most important fact:

Hartford has a ballpark.

Yes, there's still work to be done at the future home of the Hartford Yard Goats — one could call it a diamond in the rough — but it's close, tantalizingly close, and there's no walking away from it. Mayor Luke Bronin on Wednesday called it "beautiful."
Yes, the process has been an embarrassment, from the secret dealings at its genesis to the finger-pointing along the way. Yes, the construction timeline was overly ambitious. Yes, it's an expensive investment. But at this point, there's no turning back, and continuing to hammer on the mistakes of the past is counterproductive. Focusing on the future — although with a wiser eye — is the best thing for the city. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

City wins land-use case, allowing 2 revenue-generating projects in New Haven

 

NEW HAVEN >> The city has won a land-use case that has held up two major residential developments in the Wooster Square neighborhood for more than a year.
One project includes 299 apartments at 87 Union St., proposed by developer Noel Petra
The second project is 66 residential units on Chapel Street in what is now a parking lot adjacent to the former Strouse Adler Co. and 166 more across the street at the former Comcast building.
The developer, Spinnaker Residential of Norwalk, is calling it Lofts at Wooster Square.
The city and the developers had been sued by 78 Olive Street Partners LLC, which is affiliated with PMC Property Group, owner of the former Strouse Adler Co. where Smoothie undergarments was a major business in New Haven for decades.
The Smoothie building was one of the first in which an old industrial building was converted to housing. Both the Petra and Spinnaker properties will be marketed as transit-oriented developments given their proximity to New Haven’s Union Station and its State Street train station as well as Interstate 95 and Interstate 91.
Smoothie would get direct competition from the Petra and Spinnaker projects, both of which have all the necessary city approvals.
Judge Thomas Corradino combined the five suits filed by 78 Olive Street Partners over rezoning of the properties from BA (general zoning) to BD-1 (central business district), as well as site plan approvals for both and a special permit for the Petra plan. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Construction Spending Posts Solid Increases

Construction spending increased by 8 percent in March compared to a year earlier and also was up slightly between February and March amid growing demand for many types of construction, as the spending total hit the highest level since October 2007, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the growth comes amid strong private-sector demand and new federal investments in surface transportation programs. 

“Construction should be a significant contributor to economic growth in the remainder of 2016 and beyond,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “Right now the biggest challenge for contractors in many parts of the country is that they are worried about finding enough qualified workers to meet demand.”

Construction spending in March totaled $1.138 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, 0.3 percent higher than the revised February total and 8.0 percent higher than in March 2015, Simonson said. Private residential spending increased by 1.6 percent for the month and 8.5 percent compared to 12 months earlier. Spending on multifamily residential construction jumped 5.6 percent for the month and 34.6 percent year-over-year, while single-family spending was flat compared to February but rose 13.4 percent compared to March 2015.

Private nonresidential construction spending increased 0.7 percent for the month and 9.3 percent from a year earlier. Simonson observed that all but one segment increased from 12 months before. The largest private nonresidential segment in March was manufacturing construction, which rose 2.2 percent for the month but dropped 2.0 percent year-over-year. The next-largest segment, power (including oil and gas pipelines), lost 1.8 percent for the month but gained 2.0 percent for the year. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

 

CT Construction Digest May 18, 2016

Northfield Road in Wallingford closed for bridge replacement

WALLINGFORD — Town officials say a section of Northfield Road will be closed until mid-October as crews work to replace a bridge over Wharton Brook.

The section of Northfield Road near Park Lane closed on May 16 and will remain closed until Oct. 14. The $960,000 project will replace an aging bridge with a new concrete prefabricated bridge, according to Town Engineer Rob Baltramaitis.

“Every bridge has a service life and that bridge was installed in approximately 1938,” Baltramaitis said. “A lot of town bridges were constructed in the 1930s as part of a federal program to get people back to work to come out of the Depression.”

Contractors have been on site since April 1 clearing trees and doing the necessary ground and water main work.“Now they are at the point where they are going to start demolition,” Baltramaitis said.

After  the current structure is taken down, a new bridge will be installed in late summer or early fall. The new bridge will be comprised of “precast concrete elements,” which will be manufactured off site, Baltramaitis said.

The final product will make for a more scenic drive.“There will be a bridge rail on both sides of the bridge so that’s a better appearance because you can see through the rail, it’s protective of pedestrians and vehicles but it gives us some openness,” Baltramaitis said.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Bond bill removes Meriden projects

MERIDEN — The legislature is looking at a slimmed-down bonding package that would cancel nearly $1 billion in unauthorized borrowing, including $6.5 million for projects in Meriden.

The bonding package, which awaits a vote in the House, also gives legislative approval to new projects next year, resulting in an overall borrowing reduction of $642 million.

Lawmakers say the cuts were necessary to stay under their bonding cap, and were largely done to projects that never got started. Every year, the legislature approves a package of projects they want to receive money from the State Bond Commission.

“Anything that hasn’t been moved in five years, they removed from the bond bill,” said state Rep. Emil “Buddy” Altobello, D-Meriden, a member of the legislature’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Ballpark Deadline Missed; Major Parties Meeting Wednesday To Figure Out Next Steps

HARTFORD — City officials will meet with all the major players in the development of Hartford's new, $63 million minor league ballpark Wednesday to hash out how to finish the controversial project.

The stadium's developer missed a key deadline Tuesday.

Mayor Luke Bronin said the developer — DoNo Hartford LLC, part of Middletown-based Centerplan Cos. — did not deliver Dunkin' Donuts Park with enough work completed to make the home opener for the Yard Goats possible on May 31. The Yard Goats originally had been scheduled to begin playing in the stadium on April 7, but construction delays forced the team to play home games on the road and, as of last week, in Norwich.

"We'd like to get baseball played in there as soon as possible," Bronin said. "We also need to hold our partners accountable, and we need to make sure we are protecting the city's interests."

On Tuesday, it remained unclear when the first pitch would be thrown at the new, 6,000-seat park just north of downtown.

Bronin said he will meet Wednesday with the developer, team owner Josh Solomon and Joe McEacharn, president of the Double A Eastern League. He declined to predict when there would be a plan for finishing the ballpark, though he said it would be soon.
"I avoid making predictions in general when it comes to this project," Bronin said.
All options are on the table, Bronin said, ranging from daily fines for the developer until the job is complete, to filing a claim, known as calling the performance bond, with the city's insurer for the remaining $2 million needed to finish construction and finding a new developer. The latter options could delay the project's finish for months. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Alternative Trail To Putnam Bridge Walkway Proposed, But State Plan Moving Forward

GLASTONBURY — When avid bicyclist Gerhard Schade heard state funding could indefinitely delay a plan to construct multiuse paths connecting Wethersfield and Glastonbury to the $5 million walkway across the Putnam Bridge, he came up with a plan.
He mapped out a path through Keeney Cove, across farm fields along a dusty road and up to the bridge's walkway. He presented it to the Glastonbury town council and conservation commission, and had plans to speak with the Wethersfield town council.

Turns out he was misinformed about the status of state funding. On Tuesday, state Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Nursick said planners are working through the $1 million design phase. Construction is expected to begin in 2019 and may be complete that same year or in early 2020.

"I can definitely dispel the rumors out there," he said. "We are focused on the final product."
The state completed a 6-foot-wide walkway over the southern side of the bridge last summer as part of a $35 million rehabilitation project. Walkways from Naubuc Avenue in Glastonbury and Great Meadow Road in Wethersfield will connect to the William H. Putnam Memorial Bridge.
Schade called his plan a "low-cost Putnam Bridge walkway connection." Schade walked from Point Road, a popular fishing spot off Naubuc Avenue, along a farm road through town-owned open space, Great Meadows Conservation Trust properties and privately owned farmland to the base of Putnam Bridge and the beginning of the walkway.
"We were blown away with how easy it was," he said of the walk along the flat farmland and floodplain. "The biggest task would be to get landowner permission to use the existing farm road. ... It's just gorgeous." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE