Corner of Washington Boulevard and Atlantic Street: Developer Building and Land Technology has started construction on two interconnected, 16-story towers with a total of 391 apartments in Harbor Point. According to Ted Ferrarone, chief operating officer for BLT, it could take between 18 months and two years to complete the project.
House OKs revised Tilcon legislation
NEW BRITAIN — The state House of Representatives late Monday narrowly passed a revised version of the bill that would allow for the development of a public clean-water reservoir on land being mined by the Tilcon construction company.
The substitute bill, which unanimously passed the Senate 36-0 in the early hours of April 29, passed the House 73-70 shortly before 10 p.m. Monday.
Several local and national organizations that had decried the proposal as harmful to the environment got on board with the revised bill.
Alterations now call for the establishment of a third-party study to examine the potential impact of the original proposal, which would allow for more than 131 acres of New Britain Water Company land in Plainville to be leased to Tilcon to develop a quarry site where excavation would eventually create a new city drinking water reserve.
The bill calls for study milestones that culminate with the commissioner of public health on or before the start of 2017 submitting the results of the environmental review and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly.
“I’m excited to begin the environmental study and I look forward to the final product,” New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart said on Tuesday, noting that the city has 180 days from the date of the bill’s passage to conduct the review.
Stewart in February brought the proposal back to the table nearly a decade after a similar bill passed the legislature and was subsequently repealed as a result of what she called “misinformation and interference of politics.”
As initially proposed, the 40-year lease agreement with Tilcon would ultimately produce a reservoir on 239 acres of watershed property and 327 acres of open space spread out between New Britain and the abutting towns of Plainville and Southington. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Southington dirt mound near highway a DOT stockpile
SOUTHINGTON — A large pile of dirt near exit 30 off Interstate 84 is leftover soil from a major transportation project in Waterbury and is being saved for future use.
State Department of Transportation officials say the small hill will be graded in the next few weeks and seeded with wildflowers both to prevent erosion and beautify the stockpile. Piles of Waterbury dirt are showing up elsewhere, including near the interchange of interstates 84 and 691 in Cheshire.
Kevin Nursick, a DOT spokesman, described them as “temporary stockpiles for material” that can be used in other state projects.
“It’s good soil for us,” he said. DOT crews are working on making the pile in Cheshire more symmetrical and tidy. Christopher Zukowski, project manager for the I-84 improvement in Waterbury, said wildflowers and matting will help prevent erosion. Large boulders will be buried within the pile and once complete, construction fencing will be removed.
Zukowski said once crews finish tidying up the Cheshire pile in a few weeks, they will move to the pile in Southington, which he called an eyesore. It won’t stay that way for long, he said
Saving the dirt avoids the cost of disposing it as well as the cost of buying soil for future work.
“Why pay to get rid of something and pay to buy something again?” Zukowski said. “It’s an asset to the department.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
The evolving plan would transform a portion of the downtown area with construction of a multistory building or buildings on Meridian and State streets with space for classrooms and a 250-seat studio theater.
The three-story Mercer building and single-story Meridian building, both owned by the Garde, would be razed as part of the plan.
Steve Sigel, the Garde’s executive director, said the new theater would connect to the Garde’s main stage with space for backstage support.
The proposed educational facility and classrooms, occupying space where the Mercer building now stands, would be separate but provide a link to the Garde.
Since the Garde now has offices there, Sigel said they would have to be moved to the upper floors of the main building.
He suspects the Garde would need to spend $2 million for renovations on that portion of the plan.
“We believe this is a great opportunity for a partnership — to provide a performing arts center and expand the Garde’s capacity to accommodate its own professional programs and ongoing educational opportunities. Everyone still loves this project,” Sigel said.
Sigel and school Superintendent Manuel Rivera said they met with state officials, including the state commissioner of education, last week to present initial proposals.
The school system will need a host of additional approvals before any of the estimated $31 million in funds is released for the project. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Manchester's 2016 Construction Projects
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Avon Town Center Developer Seeks Permits For Work
AVON — A developer who got a master plan approved for what is billed as a new town center has started seeking the next round of permits needed to start work.
The Carpionato Group of Rhode Island plans to build more than a million square feet of offices, stores, restaurants and apartments on a 97 acre parcel off Climax Road and Route 44. Plans for the project include a new town green, a small park and other public spaces. Town officials and others are hoping the project can transform the area and give Avon the town center it now lacks.
In November, the planning and zoning commission gave conceptual approval for Carpionato's plans and up next is action on more detailed construction plans. Those will include site plans showing in detail where buildings would go on the property and their appearance.
Earlier this spring Carpionato also applied for an earth excavation permit. The commission held a hearing on the application on April 26 but made no decision in order to get more information about the construction that would follow. Town Planner Hiram Peck said the earth excavation permit will be needed but ordinarily is something a developer would seek after getting a detailed site plan approved. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUEHartford Officials Skeptical But Developer Says It Can Deliver Baseball Stadium As Promised
HARTFORD — City officials on Tuesday expressed doubt that developers can meet a May 17 deadline for "substantial completion" of the $63 million minor league baseball stadium for the Hartford Yard Goats.
Meanwhile, the league president said he was unwilling to commit to a home opening date of May 31.
At the final Hartford Stadium Authority meeting before the developer is scheduled to deliver the stadium to the team, city development director Sean Fitzpatrick said he was "skeptical" the stadium developer would meet the May 17 deadline.
"We have grave concerns at this point," he said. An agreement reached in January requires the developer to have the stadium substantially completed by that date or face penalties and possible loss of the contract. At Tuesday's meeting, Mayor Luke Bronin asked an official for the company overseeing the project for Hartford if he believed the developer needed two weeks beyond May 17 to get to "substantial completion."
The official, Kevin Greene, executive vice president of International Facilities Group, replied "yes."
The contract says "substantial completion" means that the project plans have been completed to the point that the stadium can be turned over in "'turn-key' condition," with certain exceptions, and that the stadium has received at least a temporary certificate of occupancy. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Bill Addressing Crumbling Foundations Clears Senate Unanimously
On a unanimous vote, the Senate OKed a bill that provides property tax relief to homeowners with crumbling foundations.
The measure directs municipalities to reassess the homes, if requested by the homeowner, to reflect a loss of the property's value due to the deteriorating concrete.
The bill, which now heads to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's desk, also puts in place new documentation requirements when a concrete foundation is installed.
The measure comes in response to concerns raised by hundreds of homeowners in north central Connecticut after the foundations of the houses, built in the 1980s and '90s, began crumbling, cracking and shifting. A task force put together by Malloy to address the issue it's preliminary findings in coming weeks. Sen. Tim Larson of East Hartford called the bill a "very critical piece of legislation." "Your homes is your castle,'' Larson said. "This is a horrible situation." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUEDangerous Tappan Zee Project Boasts 'Amazing' Safety Record
New York News Affliate WABC is reporting that with the massive 'Left Coast Lifter; in full operation, giant girders are being put into place on the new New York Bridge, being built to replace the Tappan Zee.
"Anything that our workers may not be aware of when they come in - we offer that training to make sure everybody is as safe as possible," said one manager.
The twin three-mile spans stretching across the widest portion of the Hudson River creates one of the most challenging construction projects, and as contractors are boasting, one of the safest in terms of on-the-job accidents.
"From day one, from 2013 to present - 21 incidents," said Project Safety Manager Daryl Lloyd.
The incidents are with more than six million man hours put in by 1,200 workers, two shifts, seven days a week, and with most of the work dangerously over the water.
"To have one incident, basically one incident every three months is amazing, considering the type of work we do out there and the challenges we are facing," adds Lloyd.
Design and construction is by 'Tappan Zee Constructors', a consortium of firms working in conjunction with the New York State Thruway Authority.
"We never ever disagree on safety, that is one thing we both hold as the highest priority," says Project Director Jamey Barbas.
Tappan Zee Constructors has a unique approach.
"On this job, if they are asked to do anything unsafe, if they see anything unsafe, they are allowed to stop the work, and get it fixed," says Tappan Zee Constructors President Terry Towle.
As part of Safety Week 2016, the construction industry as a whole is pushing for greater safety measures. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE