NEW MILFORD — The developer of a long-planned $20 million apartment complex on Lake Lillinonah complete with its own marina said he hopes to break ground on the project later this year.
Hal Fischel, president and founder of Fairfield-based Fischel Properties, said Thursday he is looking for a general contractor for the project and is planning to start construction on the West Street apartment complex, dubbed The Docks at the Bleachery, later this year. The project, which calls for 100 apartments that include balconies and views of the river, received initial approvals from the town’s land-use departments about three years ago.
“It’s been a long process to get everything in place, but it’s a unique project that will never be duplicated in the area,” Fischel said.
He said besides the lake views, the three-story complex will also include a 100-slip marina, a courtyard with recreational opportunities and below-level parking.
“It’s really a wonderful area with access to the pristine Lake Lillinonah and the fishing, kayaking and other recreational opportunities it offers,” said Fischel, who also owns the Bleachery, a commercial building that was once a factory and sits adjacent to the property.
Kevin Bielmeier, New Milford’s economic development director, said the town has had ongoing conversations with Fischel about the project. The developer, he said, is putting the final financing together so he can move forward with the project. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Extensive work remains on Dunkin’ Donuts Park
A report released by the Hartford Yard Goats shows much work needs to be done to get Dunkin' Donuts Park opened.
No opening date has been set for the minor league stadium, which was recently slated to open April 7. The new opening date of May 31 came and went this week. On May 27, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin officially called the $47.1 million performance bond on DoNo baseball stadium builder Centerplan Construction Co., asserting that the Middletown-based developer has defaulted on its contract commitments to the city.
The 85-page report, based on a May 25 inspection, shows more than 300 items that have not been finished. They range from a non-working scoreboard to uninspected elevators to cleaning and hot water pipes that don't function appropriately, among many other issues.
"We support the mayor and Stadium Authority's efforts to hold the developer accountable in delivering the ballpark that was promised to Hartford. While we've come a long way, there is still a great deal of work to be done and it needs to be done right," said Yard Goats owner Josh Solomon in a statement accompanying the release of the report. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
UConn's Innovation Partnership Building hits milestone
The $132 million Innovation Partnership Building (IPB) at UConn hit a construction milestone with the symbolic completion of its structural phase.
The goal of the building is to allow for greater public-private research collaboration. The 115,000-square-foot facility is intended to bring together academic researchers, entrepreneurs, and private industry scientists to develop technologies in flexible electronics, materials science, additive manufacturing, cybersecurity, energy, and other fields.
According to UConn Today, some of Connecticut's leading corporations and industries are serving as anchor partners for the IPB, including the United Technologies Corp., Comcast, Pratt & Whitney, Eversource and Fraunhofer Inc.
The building will house one of the most advanced microscopy centers in the country as part of a partnership with the FEI Co., a worldwide scientific instrument maker. It also will provide industries and corporations access to more than $40 million in high-end research equipment. The building is expected to open in 2017, and will serve as the anchor for a future 300-acre UConn Technology Park.
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Construction Worker Critically Injured In Hartford Scaffold Collapse
HARTFORD — A construction worker was in critical condition Thursday after falling than 60 feet from a scaffold at a Hartford Hospital work site.
The accident happened sometime before 10:45 a.m. on Seymour Street, off Retreat Avenue. Hartford Hospital, OSHA and the construction contractor are investigating, hospital spokeswoman Rebecca Stewart said.
The 47-year-old, who works for Total Wall Systems Inc. of Bloomfield, was on a "rolling scaffold" when it fell off the building, said Terry McEvily, assistant area director for federal OSHA.
A compliance officer told him that the worker fell three stories, or 61 feet, he said. He was told that the scaffold either fell off the roof or off an opening inside the building.Construction worker Bruce Frosolone said the falling scaffold made a loud noise that sounded like construction debris being thrown into a Dumpster.
"I just heard a loud crash," said Frosolone, whose back was turned when the accident happened. He realized someone was injured when he heard sirens, he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Southington Food Waste Energy Plan Gets State Loan
SOUTHINGTON — A $2 million state loan is going to a Southington company building the first facility in Connecticut to process food waste into energy.
The loan from Connecticut Green Bank went to Quantum Biopower Holdings Inc, which plans a $12 million plant on DePaolo Drive that will use up to 40,000 tons of food waste a year to produce electricity and soil-enriching compost.
Bryan Garcia, president and CEO of Connecticut Green Bank, said the Southington project expands the bank's portfolio of green energy projects.
"The Southington project has the potential to set an example for other communities interested in sustainable energy while helping to recycle food waste that otherwise would be incinerated or taken to landfills," he said Thursday in an emailed statement.Quantum is building its food-to-energy plant on land owned by Quantum's corporate owner, Supreme Group of Harwinton. Supreme already has a forest product recycling business on part of the property.
Quantum vice president and spokesman Brian Paganini could not be reached for comment.
Southington Town Planner Robert Phillips said Thursday that Quantum has gotten all necessary municipal approval for the project and is now waiting for state environmental permits required before the facility can be completed.
"They went through our town engineering and planning and have all the permits they need from the town," Phillips said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
PZC to mull application for 87 apartments at former Hamden Middle School
HAMDEN >> Plans to renovate the former Hamden Middle School into a mixed-income housing complex are now before the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Mutual Housing Association of South Central Connecticut is applying to convert the long-empty building into 87 units of housing, including the construction of six new buildings that will house a total of 30 units and the renovation of the existing former school building into 57 units.
The town will lease back 11 acres of the site, which will be used for athletic fields with 50 parking spaces, according to the plans. Mutual Housing will pay for the installation of the parking spaces and maintain them. The gym in the school also will be used as a town community center.
Residents living around the Newhall Street building aren’t sure the plans are a good fit for the neighborhood. It’s an awful lot of apartments to cram in to the site, said Mill Rock Road resident Velma George.
“I know that we need affordable, decent housing,” she told the Planning and Zoning Commission, and she acknowledges that Mutual Housing has tried to address concerns that she and other neighbors have brought up in the past about the application. As it is, they already have had to endure the remediation of contaminated material dumped decades ago on the land that is now their neighborhood, she said. They want the building reused, she said, but not at such a high density level. If the number of units were decreased, she could support the application, she said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE