Groton — The company approved last week as the preferred developer to build a large-scale condominium project in New London also plans to build a 147-unit housing complex off Route 12 in Groton.
Pennsylvania-based A.R. Building Company received special permit and site plan approval this summer to build on the 12.4 acre site at the intersection of Route 12, Gungywamp Road and Pleasant Valley Road North. A previous multi-family residential project was approved for the site but never built.
The company would build three identical multi-story buildings with 49 units in each and a mixture of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. The development would target “single, upwardly mobile people who want to live in Groton,” planning documents said. The development would include a clubhouse but no retail space. Construction would begin in 2017.
The development would be the largest apartment complex built in Groton in at least ten years, said Deborah Jones, assistant director of planning. More construction may follow, she said.
“It’s not just this new apartment complex,” she said. “We’ve seen an interest in converting smaller buildings along Route 1 into apartments, and it seems to be driven by the hiring at Electric Boat.”
Gabrieles Karate Kickbox, which had added a second floor initially for storage, converted the space into apartments within the last year, she said. Long Meadow Landings, an apartment complex with six buildings on South Road, just broke ground on a new building to add 22 units.
“Certainly the expansion at (Electric Boat) and the number of workers at EB is a major factor in A.R.’s decision to invest in this area. We think there’s a demand because of that growth,” said land-use attorney William Sweeney, representing A.R. Building.
A.R. Building also is constructing a $14 million, 104-unit apartment complex on Mansfield Road in New London, and was chosen Sept. 19 as the preferred developer to create a $12.5 million mixed-use development on a long-vacant property at the corner of Bank and Howard streets.
On the Groton project, A.R. Building still needs approval from the Office of the State Traffic Administration, but expects to hear about this shortly, Sweeney said. The plans calls for 239 parking spaces and would create access to the proposed complex from Pleasant Valley Road North. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Final Piece Falling Into Place For Front Street Development
The city's Front Street development — under construction for years — could see its final piece start falling into place, as soon as next spring.
That's a big turnaround for a project that sat idling for so long — sometimes years at a time — that many began to wonder if it would ever come to pass. Now, with an entertainment district — anchored by Infinity Music Hall & Bistro — apartments and the University of Connecticut's downtown campus on the way next year, a neighborhood has emerged.
Front Street – part of the larger Adriaen's Landing dating to late 1990s – was intended to both provide entertainment options for conventioneers but also create a neighborhood that would link the riverfront to the rest of downtown. The city's Front Street development — under construction for years — could see its final piece start falling into place, as soon as next spring.That's a big turnaround for a project that sat idling for so long — sometimes years at a time — that many began to wonder if it would ever come to pass. Now, with an entertainment district — anchored by Infinity Music Hall & Bistro — apartments and the University of Connecticut's downtown campus on the way next year, a neighborhood has emerged.
Front Street – part of the larger Adriaen's Landing dating to late 1990s – was intended to both provide entertainment options for conventioneers but also create a neighborhood that would link the riverfront to the rest of downtown. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
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.
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.
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. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Bond Commission Approves Money For Rail Improvements
The state Bond Commission Friday approved tax obligation bond requests for $282.6 million in transportation projects, including $60 million for the double tracking of the Hartford rail line and $200 million to buy 60 rail cars for the New Haven line.
The money for the New Haven line will go towards purchasing nine new cafe cars and rehabilitation of the one existing cafe car.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said it was significant the money for the rail projects was approved the day after the “devastating accident’’ in New Jersey, where a train at the Hoboken station rammed into a passenger concourse during rush hour, killing a woman on the platform and injuring more than 100 others.
“I want to assure Connecticut residents that we are closely monitoring what happened in New Jersey,’’ Malloy said at a press conference following the Bond Commission vote.
“We need to remain competitive when it comes to rail,’’ continued Malloy. “For too many decades we under invested in this area.’’
Department of Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker said Connecticut will “closely monitor’’ the New Jersey train accident investigation. “We will implement changes if we learn something (from the accident).’’
Redeker said part of the Connecticut train system upgrade is to have the state’s train lines have “positive train control’’ systems in place by 2018, starting with the New Haven line, the most heavily traveled train line in the nation.
Redeker said New Jersey doesn’t have the positive train control system, an advanced system designed to automatically stop a train before accidents occur.
In addition to the train improvements, the state Bond Commission approved about $185.2 million in general obligation bonds Friday in total.
All the projects were approved with only one dissenting vote – that being cast by Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford.
Candelora said while he didn’t have specific objections to any of the projects approved for funding on Friday, “I am going to vote no on each one. We have to get allocations in line with our overall budget.”
By voting no, Candelora added, he was hoping to “send a message’’ to his fellow legislators that there is a need for a “stronger dialogue’’ in the upcoming legislative session in January about fiscal restraint.
Malloy told Candelora, “You can’t have it both ways,’’ stating he was making statements about not being opposed to project but voting against them at the same time.
Candelora is not a regular member of the Bond Commission. On Friday he was sitting in for Rep. Christopher Davis, R-East Windsor. Candelora served on the Bond Commission during former Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s administration and voted against most of the projects on her agenda too.CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Bond Commission Approves Money For Rail Improvements
The state Bond Commission Friday approved tax obligation bond requests for $282.6 million in transportation projects, including $60 million for the double tracking of the Hartford rail line and $200 million to buy 60 rail cars for the New Haven line.
The money for the New Haven line will go towards purchasing nine new cafe cars and rehabilitation of the one existing cafe car.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said it was significant the money for the rail projects was approved the day after the “devastating accident’’ in New Jersey, where a train at the Hoboken station rammed into a passenger concourse during rush hour, killing a woman on the platform and injuring more than 100 others.
“I want to assure Connecticut residents that we are closely monitoring what happened in New Jersey,’’ Malloy said at a press conference following the Bond Commission vote.
“We need to remain competitive when it comes to rail,’’ continued Malloy. “For too many decades we under invested in this area.’’
Department of Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker said Connecticut will “closely monitor’’ the New Jersey train accident investigation. “We will implement changes if we learn something (from the accident).’’
Redeker said part of the Connecticut train system upgrade is to have the state’s train lines have “positive train control’’ systems in place by 2018, starting with the New Haven line, the most heavily traveled train line in the nation.
Redeker said New Jersey doesn’t have the positive train control system, an advanced system designed to automatically stop a train before accidents occur.
In addition to the train improvements, the state Bond Commission approved about $185.2 million in general obligation bonds Friday in total.
All the projects were approved with only one dissenting vote – that being cast by Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford.
Candelora said while he didn’t have specific objections to any of the projects approved for funding on Friday, “I am going to vote no on each one. We have to get allocations in line with our overall budget.”
By voting no, Candelora added, he was hoping to “send a message’’ to his fellow legislators that there is a need for a “stronger dialogue’’ in the upcoming legislative session in January about fiscal restraint.
Malloy told Candelora, “You can’t have it both ways,’’ stating he was making statements about not being opposed to project but voting against them at the same time.
Candelora is not a regular member of the Bond Commission. On Friday he was sitting in for Rep. Christopher Davis, R-East Windsor. Candelora served on the Bond Commission during former Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s administration and voted against most of the projects on her agenda too.CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE