SOUTHINGTON — The State Bond Commission is expected today to approve a $5 million grant to help build the town’s new senior center.
House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz, D–Berlin, Southington, and Rep. David Zoni, D–Southington, announced the expected approval in a press release.
“I have been working with the town and the Southington Senior Citizens Commission on this initiative since 2014, and I am very excited that we are now almost at the construction phase,” said Aresimowicz. “This funding will enable the town to build a senior center that our seniors deserve. The new building will be able to cater to our ever growing elder population and will be utilized and enjoyed by our current and next generation senior citizens of Southington.”
The funds will be used to build a new 22,000 square foot Calendar House Senior Center and demolish the existing building. The project is expected to cost a total of $9 million.
The new building will allow the town to centralize the administrative offices, build rooms to accommodate class sizes and make it ADA compatible, provide additional space for new activities and social services and use the space as the town’s primary emergency shelter.
In January 2014, Southington received a $200,000 state grant to perform a needs and feasibility study on how to best expand the Calendar House Senior Center. The town expects to present the final design plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission in October. Construction is hoped to begin in March 2017.
“This is the definition of property tax relief as it directly reduces the burden on Southington residents,” said Town Manager Garry Brumback. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
CTfastrak expansion construction not likely until 2019
CTfastrak's expansion study, presented publicly this week, shows construction work on projects to extend the current 9.4 mile bus line east likely will not begin until early 2019, depending on funding available for implementation.
The planned proposals to expand the busway service east include adding stops in East Hartford, Manchester, Vernon, Tolland and Storrs, connecting with existing CTfastrak service to create a public transportation corridor that runs from Waterbury in the west to UConn Storrs in the east.
The UConn Storrs-Hartford route has estimated annual operating costs of $1.4 million, while the Burnside Avenue corridor is estimated at $2.8 million. A Buckland Hills shuttle estimate of operating costs comes in at $998,000.
The UConn Storrs-Hartford route could begin operating in August of 2017 for service, but some design and construction work would remain for the park-and-ride lot, said Lisa Rivers, transit manager for Connecticut Department of Transportation.
The timetable for fiscal 2018-19 improvements includes continued vehicle procurement through late 2017; awarding station design and contractor work starting in early 2017; beginning to expand eastern services in late 2017, and beginning station construction in early 2019. The projects are anticipated to extend into 2020.
Former Developer Takes Steps To Keep Work Stopped At Dunkin' Donuts Park
Plans to resume work at Dunkin' Donuts Park may be once again in jeopardy.
On Thursday, the day after a new developer was chosen to finish the park, original stadium contractor Centerplan Construction Co. filed an emergency motion in court to prevent work from resuming.
Arch Insurance, the company guaranteeing completion of the ballpark, said Wednesday that Whiting-Turner had been chosen to finish the stadium and that work was expected to resume next week in preparation for the Yard Goats' opening day next April.
Whiting-Turner is replacing former developers, Centerplan and DoNo Hartford, to finish building the $71 million, publicly financed baseball stadium. The city terminated Centerplan in June after the developers missed a May 17 deadline to hand the ballpark over to the Hartford Yard Goats for a planned May 31 home opener. The team went on to play its entire inaugural season on the road.
Centerplan sued the city claiming wrongful termination and also sued Yard Goats owner Josh Solomon, claiming that he interfered in their business relationship with the city.
On Thursday, Centerplan attorneys filed an emergency motion to preserve evidence in both suits and keep work stopped at the ballpark.
The motion seeks to preserve the ballpark in its present condition because it is critical to its legal actions in both cases and seeks access to the ballpark to document current conditions.
The request says that alterations would hurt Centerplan's cases against the city and Solomon. "We don't want to stop construction," Centerplan attorney Raymond Garcia said. "We just want to take pictures of the existing conditions to preserve evidence. This is a simple matter that should not affect the progress of construction."
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin dismissed Centerplan's court action.
"This latest lawsuit from Centerplan has no legal basis and is a nonissue," he said. "We look forward to working with the new contractor, Whiting-Turner — a responsible company with a great reputation and extensive experience building stadiums." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Old East Haven High School to be turned into senior housing after council approves plans
EAST HAVEN >> After remaining vacant for nearly 20 years, the former site of East Haven High School is set to be renovated into a mixed-use, senior housing complex. During a special meeting Thursday night, the Town Council voted 12-1 to authorize Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. to sign a Development and Property Disposition Agreement between WinnDevelopment Limited Partnership and the town for a proposal to renovate the 240,000-square-foot 200 Tyler St. property.
The council also voted to waive the town’s competitive bidding requirements for the sale of the high school property.District 4 Councilwoman Letizia Lettieri-Morales was the only member who voted against the two motions. Councilmen Henry Butler III and Gary DePalma were absent from Thursday night’s meeting. WinnDevelopment, based out of Boston, is proposing to build 70 housing units – 20 market rate and 50 affordable – for seniors ages 55 and older to independently live in the former high school. While many of the former school’s classrooms and auditorium will be renovated into senior housing, the facility’s pool and gymnasium is set to remain under municipal ownership. Through its proposal, WinnDevelopment will contribute an acquisition price the town can utilize to upgrade the pool and gym facilities. According to Town Council Chairman Frank Parlato, the town has received approximately $32 million in bonding for the project. Direct construction costs are estimated to total $22 million. But even though the property has not been included in the town’s tax rolls for nearly 20 years, the proposal to renovate the former high school building into senior housing was met with concern from members of the public. For David Defelice, if this project is given the green light, neighboring residents want to be assured that their homes will be protected from asbestos. “I would like, when the time comes, to find out what is going to be done so that our houses won’t be contaminated,” Defelice asked. “I know more about that school property than anyone sitting here. There’s a dirt basement that is loaded with asbestos.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Opposition still strong against Qunnipiac University’s plan to rehab athletic field; public hearing continues Oct. 18
HAMDEN >> The opposition to Quinnipiac University’s plans to build athletic fields on Mount Carmel Avenue came out in force this week for the Planning and Zoning Commission’s public hearing on the second field proposed for the site that was once already denied.
Tuesday’s meeting, when the public hearing on the application was opened, had to be continued when it ran past 11 p.m., according to Town Planner Dan Kops. North Haven attorney John Lambert, who is representing some of those residents living around the fields, was about to speak when the commission decided to continue the public hearing until Oct. 18, he said. The commission has a policy of not allowing meetings to go past 11 p.m. “The opposition hadn’t finished talking when it got to be past 11 p.m.,” Kops said, so it was decided that the public hearing would be continued. Quinnipiac officials, including attorney Bernard Pelligrino and several consultants, had presented the plans to the commission before it was opened to the public, he said. While there wasn’t anyone who spoke in favor of the application, there were many wanting to speak against it, he said. The fields have been before Hamden land use boards for more than a year. A previous application to install lighting higher than the regulations allow was denied. The university then filed applications to renovate the two existing fields and add stadiums around them — one with a 1,500-seat capacity and the other accommodating 500 people. The stadiums also will include locker and bathroom facilities, a press box and maintenance and storage areas. That prompted considerable resident opposition, especially from members of the Sleeping Giant Park Association, who urged the commission to “Let the Giant Sleep.” The construction of the stadiums would attract more fans than the fields currently do, they contend, and increased traffic and their cheers will disrupt those hiking Sleeping Giant, which is located across the street from the fields. One resident hired attorney Keith Ainsworth to file for intervenor status, which gives them a legal standing in the proceedings. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
"This latest lawsuit from Centerplan has no legal basis and is a nonissue," he said. "We look forward to working with the new contractor, Whiting-Turner — a responsible company with a great reputation and extensive experience building stadiums." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Old East Haven High School to be turned into senior housing after council approves plans
EAST HAVEN >> After remaining vacant for nearly 20 years, the former site of East Haven High School is set to be renovated into a mixed-use, senior housing complex. During a special meeting Thursday night, the Town Council voted 12-1 to authorize Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. to sign a Development and Property Disposition Agreement between WinnDevelopment Limited Partnership and the town for a proposal to renovate the 240,000-square-foot 200 Tyler St. property.
The council also voted to waive the town’s competitive bidding requirements for the sale of the high school property.District 4 Councilwoman Letizia Lettieri-Morales was the only member who voted against the two motions. Councilmen Henry Butler III and Gary DePalma were absent from Thursday night’s meeting. WinnDevelopment, based out of Boston, is proposing to build 70 housing units – 20 market rate and 50 affordable – for seniors ages 55 and older to independently live in the former high school. While many of the former school’s classrooms and auditorium will be renovated into senior housing, the facility’s pool and gymnasium is set to remain under municipal ownership. Through its proposal, WinnDevelopment will contribute an acquisition price the town can utilize to upgrade the pool and gym facilities. According to Town Council Chairman Frank Parlato, the town has received approximately $32 million in bonding for the project. Direct construction costs are estimated to total $22 million. But even though the property has not been included in the town’s tax rolls for nearly 20 years, the proposal to renovate the former high school building into senior housing was met with concern from members of the public. For David Defelice, if this project is given the green light, neighboring residents want to be assured that their homes will be protected from asbestos. “I would like, when the time comes, to find out what is going to be done so that our houses won’t be contaminated,” Defelice asked. “I know more about that school property than anyone sitting here. There’s a dirt basement that is loaded with asbestos.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Opposition still strong against Qunnipiac University’s plan to rehab athletic field; public hearing continues Oct. 18
HAMDEN >> The opposition to Quinnipiac University’s plans to build athletic fields on Mount Carmel Avenue came out in force this week for the Planning and Zoning Commission’s public hearing on the second field proposed for the site that was once already denied.
Tuesday’s meeting, when the public hearing on the application was opened, had to be continued when it ran past 11 p.m., according to Town Planner Dan Kops. North Haven attorney John Lambert, who is representing some of those residents living around the fields, was about to speak when the commission decided to continue the public hearing until Oct. 18, he said. The commission has a policy of not allowing meetings to go past 11 p.m. “The opposition hadn’t finished talking when it got to be past 11 p.m.,” Kops said, so it was decided that the public hearing would be continued. Quinnipiac officials, including attorney Bernard Pelligrino and several consultants, had presented the plans to the commission before it was opened to the public, he said. While there wasn’t anyone who spoke in favor of the application, there were many wanting to speak against it, he said. The fields have been before Hamden land use boards for more than a year. A previous application to install lighting higher than the regulations allow was denied. The university then filed applications to renovate the two existing fields and add stadiums around them — one with a 1,500-seat capacity and the other accommodating 500 people. The stadiums also will include locker and bathroom facilities, a press box and maintenance and storage areas. That prompted considerable resident opposition, especially from members of the Sleeping Giant Park Association, who urged the commission to “Let the Giant Sleep.” The construction of the stadiums would attract more fans than the fields currently do, they contend, and increased traffic and their cheers will disrupt those hiking Sleeping Giant, which is located across the street from the fields. One resident hired attorney Keith Ainsworth to file for intervenor status, which gives them a legal standing in the proceedings. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE