New Bethel police station still over budget, but moves forward
BETHEL - Although the cost estimate for a new police station is still more than $700,000 over budget, architects will move forward with design development as they continue to look for expense cuts.
The project was originally estimated at $14.9 million, about $1.5 million over budget, so the Public Site and Building Committee changed several aspects of the design to reduce costs by more than $700,000.
Among the cuts are eliminating parking spaces, removing a cupola, changing the siding to thin brick and clapboard, raising the building by one foot, and reducing the square footage by 1,000 feet. The building will be approximately 25,000 square feet, which is still within the size the town voted for in a referendum late last year.
Architect Brian Humes will work with engineers in the next design phase to find other ways to save money and report back to the committee for approval. If money allows, the committee will be able to bring back some features it wanted, such as the carport that would keep emergency vehicles dry in the rain and snow.
Voters approved $13.5 million for the police station in December after rejecting a $14.1 million proposal in 2014.
Selectman Paul Szatkowski, who spoke during public comment at the site committee’s Tuesday meeting, said he supports the station, but the $1.5 million overrun is making him and the public nervous. He said he received too many calls over the last couple weeks with questions about the police station that he could not answer.
“People are saying to me, ‘Paul we’re not getting what we voted for,’” he said. “And personally, I think I have to agree with them.”
Selectman Richard Straiton will sit in on the committee’s meetings for the next few months as an ex-officio member.
But committee members emphasized the town will get the project it approved within budget and that there are no plans to ask voters for more money.
“It’s going to be a long process,” Humes said. “But I think you’ll see how the process will play out, and ultimately the Bethel Police Department will get a facility that will be the facility for the next 50-plus years. So we’re confident that we can continue down this path.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Amtrak’s high-speed upgrades could affect Connecticut, 7 other states
Proposals by the Federal Railroad Administration to upgrade the high-speed rail corridor through the Northeast have raised concerns , and some enthusiasm, from residents in the eight states containing the route of Amtrak’s Acela Express from Boston to Washington. After reviewing three major alternatives and a fourth option of doing nothing, the agency plans to release its recommendations later this year. The proposals attracting the most attention.
CONNECTICUT The most vehement opposition has come from southeastern Connecticut, where residents in Old Lyme and neighboring shoreline towns fear construction of a 50-mile bypass to avoid the current curvy route that hugs the coast would ruin their communities. Less attention has gone to a proposal for a “second spine” that would create a new inland route stopping at Hartford and possibly the University of Connecticut. One proposal would route that spine beneath Long Island Sound through a nearly 25-mile tunnel connecting the New Haven station to New York’s Long Island.
DELAWARE Some residents are concerned about a new high-speed route option that could bypass Wilmington, a banking hub and the state’s largest city.MARYLAND The biggest proposed change would replace the Baltimore and Potomac tunnels underneath Baltimore. The greatest concern voiced by residents and environmental groups has been over a proposed parallel track that could cut into the edge of the Patuxent Research Refuge, a national wildlife refuge. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
‘Residual radioactive contamination’ found at former New Haven Clock Company site
NEW HAVEN >> Those radium painted dials on millions of wristwatches produced in the city at the New Haven Clock Company are once again a “hot” item. An environmental review of the long-closed factory, which at one point employed as many as 1,500 people, found radium-226 in parts of what is left of the sprawling campus on Hamilton, St. John and Wallace streets in the Wooster Square neighborhood. Helen Rosenberg, an economic development officer, said the report by the environmental engineering firm Fuss and O’Neill found “residual radioactive contamination present throughout portions of the building.”
Rosenberg said the cost of removing the radium is an estimated $1 million. Developers have always shown interest in finding reuses for the city’s diminishing examples of its 19th century manufacturing past.
Rosenberg said the buildings at 133 Hamilton St. will have to be cleaned up before they can be brought back to life. She said the next move is the look for funding to reclaim what essentially is a brownfield site. She said the radium is not present in all the buildings and she does not believe it is dangerous. The NRC said most of the windows have been covered, but there do not appear to be any signs or restrictions on use. That portion of the factory connected by a bridge across Hamilton has been taken down, but multiple other buildings remain. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission earlier in the month wrote to the current owners of the site, Rosanne Yagovane and Paula Yagovane of Milford, who are principals in T.S.J. Inc. The family, which bought the buildings in 1987, has been working with Bill Kraus, who specializes in preservation and redevelopment of historic buildings. He could not be reached for comment.The NRC wanted to get onto the site to determine whether there was any radium contamination and to start planning a scoping survey. The agency is responsible for making sure these sites are not a public health problem. It was unaware of the study being undertaken with the state grant, but Rosenberg said David Misenhimer, project manager at the NRC, contacted her Tuesday and wants a copy of Fuss and O’Neill’s report. When a previous study was done on the factory in 1998, there were three occupants at that time: Club International, Goodies Small Engine Repair and St. John’s Restaurant. Most of the total building space then and now remains unoccupied. The only business still there is Primo Gentleman’s Club, formerly the Key Club Cabaret — which was the site of a shooting in October 2013 in which a young woman was killed and five others wounded. No radiological contamination was found in the club or the restaurant, but a small area in Goodies had a positive reading. Converting the factory to loft spaces where renters could work and live would fit into the city’s Mill River District plan. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Eversource installing natural gas pipeline in Charles Street area of Torrington
TORRINGTON >> Eversource announced plans Tuesday to install roughly 2.5 miles of pipeline in the area of Charles Street, allowing residents the chance to choose natural gas as a heating fuel. “The Torrington expansion project involves installing nearly 2.5 miles, approximately 14,000 feet, of underground pipeline in the area of Charles, Putnam, Lindberg and Revere Streets, as well as Knollwood, Meadowview and Ticonderoga Drives,” wrote Eversource officials in a release posted to the company website. “Eversource will regularly update community leaders and customers where work is being done to minimize the impact to traffic and coordinate with other roadwork happening in the area. Drivers may experience delays due to alternating, one-way traffic.”
The project is expected to cost approximately $1.6 million, and is planned to be completed in September, officials said. Crews are expected to be working on the project from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., as long as weather permits.“This is exciting news for this area of Torrington as we continue to make natural gas available to more communities across Connecticut,” said William Akley, President of Gas Operations for Eversource, in a written statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to provide more people access to this efficient and environmentally-friendly fuel to heat their homes or businesses.” Eversource choose to undertake the project after determining there was customer interest in such a move, according to Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource. Input, he said, was received by phone calls and taking stock of word-of-mouth communication.
Construction has already begun, Gross said Wednesday. Those interested in switching to natural gas, he said, are asked to call 855-645-2427 while the work is ongoing, he said, since this is the easiest time to enact such a change.Incentives are available for those interested, Gross said. Eversource announced plans in March to spend $50 million on its natural gas distribution network statewide over the course of the year, according to past reporting. At the time, Eversource had completed an initial phase of work “near the area of Pearl, Barber and Prospect streets” in Torrington, replacing 1,200 feet of pipeline.