CT Construction Digest Wednesday December 14, 2016

NY state: New Tappan Zee Bridge hits construction milestone

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Work on the new $4 billion Tappan Zee Bridge on the Hudson River north of New York City has hit a major milestone.

State officials say construction crews have topped off the eight main bridge towers and will pour the final concrete this week.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo celebrated the accomplishment with a visit Tuesday to the bridge's Westchester side. He said the new span is expected to open on schedule in 2018.

In addition to the eight bridge towers, 90 percent of the bridge's support structures have been completed. More than 220 million pounds of steel and 300,000 cubic yards of concrete will go into the bridge.

State officials say that's enough concrete to build a sidewalk from the project site to Key West, Florida.

The existing bridge serves an average of 140,000 vehicles each day. This story has been corrected to indicate the bridge is expected to be completed in 2018, not 2017.

 

More money for sought for environmental study

 

NEW BRITAIN — The engineering firm hired by the city to conduct a study on how Tilcon’s proposal to mine 131 acres of watershed lands in Plainville in exchange for a reservoir would impact the environment is seeking another $17,500 from the Common Council to complete the work.

Council members are slated to vote tonight on the additional money during their regularly scheduled meeting.

The Glastonbury-based Lenard Engineering originally agreed to do a 15-week environmental study on the watersheds which are owned by the New Britain Water Department but located in Plainville.
But two state agencies that deal with water planning and water quality nixed Lenard’s plans for the 15-week study this summer and instead expanded the scope to include a review of the environment during all four seasons.
Lenard and the city originally agreed on a $337,000 price tag for the 15 weeks of work and two weeks of review before state agencies and residents. Lenard Vice President James Erickson said in early November that $25,000 of the $337,000 was considered contingency funds so his firm would likely not need any more money to expand the scope of the study. The mayor’s Chief of Staff Jodi Latina also said previously that Lenard would be able to complete the work without any additional funding.
“It is related to the change in the scope of the environmental study, which was mandated from the state through Sen. (Terry) Gerratana and the Public Health Committee,” Latina said. “This request doesn’t need to go before the Common Council, as it is coming from the Water Fund, but we are doing so to be transparent. It’s important that every move the city makes with regard to the study be open—it is the people of New Britain who we answer to.”
“I look forward to the discussion,” Republican council member James Sanders Jr. said of tonight’s council meeting. “I have several questions, especially since there wasn’t supposed to be an increase.”
Erickson told members of the Water Planning Council, one of the agencies that demanded an expanded scope of study, that his firm’s work was about 40 percent complete. Based on what they have done so far, Erickson said it looks like the reservoir could hold 2 to 4 billion gallons of water, which would be “very nice to have in these days of drought.” CLICK TITLLE TO CONTINUE

Meriden company holds drone demonstration

MERIDEN — Boston-based Micro­CAD Training and Consulting, which has an office in Meriden, held a live drone demonstration for area companies on Tuesday morning.

“We’re trying to help them understand the value of this technology,” said Wayne Nummelin, MicroCAD senior account executive. “We’re trying to help them understand how to use it in their business, to drive efficiencies ... reduce costs and make them more competitive in the marketplace.”

MicroCAD consultants Peter Bruckner and Mike Caruso spoke with representatives from 10 companies who attended the demonstration.

“We already utilize similar equipment and software to survey large sites and it provides much more detailed imagery,” said George Pendelton, of Rocky Hill-based surveying firm Martinez Couch & Associates LLC. “We’re finding our clients like it as an additional tool to supplement the conventional survey.”

Bruckner led a demonstration in a parking lot across the street from the MicroCAD offices at 290 Pratt St. He showed how to program the drone and sent it on a short data collecting mission.

“It’s easier in some ways than conventional data collection and it just provides much more information,” said Pendelton, a Wallingford resident. “It can be useful in areas that are a little less accessible or need to be surveyed on a regular basis.”

Using drones is becoming an easier, better and faster way to collect survey data.

“We can collect a lot of data,” Pendelton said. “I did a 128 acre-site last week and we collected all the data in a few hours.”

The new 3DR drone has the ability to take 500 photos per 20-minute flight while flying over a 60-acre site 400 feet in the air. The drone uses a Sony R10 camera.

“This is new; it has only been out for about six months,” Nummelin said. “I look at it as a leading-edge type of technology solution and these companies are really interested in it because of the difficulties they have in acquiring data.” CLICK TITLLE TO CONTINUE

 

Progress Report On Dunkin' Donuts Park Delayed A Week

 

After seven months, what's one more week?

The Hartford Stadium Authority on Tuesday abruptly postponed its first regular meeting since May less than three hours before it was scheduled to take place at city hall.

Sean Fitzpatrick, executive director of the stadium authority and director of development services for the city, said in an email Tuesday that the postponement was caused by a scheduling conflict involving an Arch Insurance executive.

Patrick Nails, a senior vice president with Arch, was expected to brief the authority on the completion schedule of Dunkin' Donuts Park.
The meeting has been rescheduled to Dec. 20, at 3 p.m.
In the email, Fitzpatrick also addressed some confusion caused by the release of the completion schedule summary. In the summary, put together by Whiting-Turner Contracting, some items, including the temporary certificate of occupancy, are shown as being completed April 19, 2017, while the ballpark is scheduled to host a home opener April 13, 2017.
Fitzpatrick told the authority that it is anticipated that the ballpark will open in stages with partial temporary certificates of occupancy that will allow the team to get into the park to prepare for the home opener.
Not expected to be completed in time for that game is the barbecue pit area in left field and an adjacent ramp.
Fitzpatrick said the worst-case scenario would see an opening day April 13 with that one amenity unavailable to the public until April 19.
The last time the Hartford Stadium Authority held a regular monthly meeting, city officials expressed doubt that the developers of Dunkin' Donuts Park could achieve the May 17 deadline to hand over the baseball stadium to the Hartford Yard Goats for a May 31 home opener.
Their skepticism turned out to be well-founded, as the deadline was blown, and the team never played a "home" game closer than Norwich. The developers, Centerplan Construction Co. and DoNo Hartford, were fired, and work was also shut down for more than four months, resuming in mid-October with a new contractor at the helm. CLICK TITLLE TO CONTINUE

City seeks better understanding of brownfields, market, with new study

TORRINGTON >> The city is working to turn brownfield sites, which are common in the city and can decrease surrounding property values, into economic boons, using a new brownfield-area revitalization study.
Valarie Ferro of Good Earth Advisors and Geoffery Fitzgerald, manager of civil engineering with BL Companies, came before Economic Development Commission and other city officials Tuesday to give an overview of the study, which is being largely funded by a $200,000 grant received from the state in January.Aspects of the planned study include a market analysis, with the aim of bringing the people and demographics of Litchfield County into Torrington — the city’s status as the center of a micropolitan area was noted during the discussion — consideration of past environmental studies, and design of potential infrastructure projects, including the Naugatuck River Greenway and a pedestrian plaza on Franklin Street, if that five-way intersection is permanently closed.The aim is to leave the city with a strategy for the future of the brownfields that dot the city, Ferro said. There is more than one million square feet of “underused and blighted” property space in Torrington, officials said in a request for proposals regarding the study in June. “We don’t want to leave you with just some ideas and just data,” said Ferro. “You need to understand how to move forward.” The former Nidec factory and Stone Container properties were listed as areas of focus, because they have the most potential for redevelopment, according to Mayor Elinor Carbone, and the state has already become involved in their respective futures. Redevelopment assessments are to be compiled for both as part of the study process.
 Economic Development Director Erin Wilson noted that issues for these properties were common to others in the city, and that working with property owners on redevelopment strategies — such as was done at 18 Mason Street — can lead to fruitful results. CLICK TITLLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest Tuesday December 13, 2016

Ribbon cutting draws crowd at Meriden’s Maloney High School

MERIDEN — Hundreds of alumni, students, school staff and city and state officials crowded into the lofty main hallway of the newly renovated Maloney High School for a ceremony Monday night celebrating the school’s dramatic transformation. Officials boasted that the $107.5 million project, years in the making, finished on schedule and under budget.

“You didn’t just pull it off, you pulled it off with perfection,” said School Superintendent Mark Benigni. “(The students) deserve the best and Meriden, you have given them the best. The new Francis T. Maloney High School is a great community asset and something Meriden should be proud of.”

Principal Jennifer Straub reflected on the challenge of continuing to hold classes amid construction.                     

“It got crazy sometimes,” Straub said. “But a beautiful outcome.”

Mayor Kevin Scarpati called the event “truly a historic day in Meriden,” noting he had been involved in the project since his time serving on the Board of Education in 2010.

“It’s truly been an astonishing thing to see it from the beginning stages to what it is today ... I know we said goodbye to the famed tree out front, but today we say hello to a new beginning,” Scarpati said, referring to the large tree on the school’s front lawn that was taken down last year. 

State elected officials — Sen. Dante Bartolomeo, Rep. Emil “Buddy” Altobello Jr., Rep. Catherine Abercrombie and Rep. Hilda Santiago — attended the event and praised the city officials and school staff for their work on the project. Several speakers also thanked former House Speaker Chris Donovan for his support of the project during his political career.

The Maloney Class of 2017 co-presidents, Jake DeFrancesco and Ciara Herget, never could have imagined that four years after entering the double doors as freshman, they would witness the completion of construction. Let alone that they’d wield the oversized scissors at the school’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

$13.5M loan for Mansfield apts.’ next phase

 

Mansfield's Meadowbrook Garden Apartments has received $13.5 million in financing from a Rhode Island lender to begin its second phase of construction for 36 more apartments.
Washington Trust, of Westerly, R.I., said the loan was to developer Uniglobe Investment LLC, whose principal is Fairfield investor Zhifeng "Jack" Yang.
The complex, located at 73 and 91 Meadowbrook Lane, is separated into two parcels.
The first phase of the project consisted of 50 new townhouse-style apartments, each with three bedrooms, an attached garage and approximately 1,500 square feet of space finished with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and other amenities. Each of the 50 units are currently leased to UConn students.
Last February, Meadowbrook began leasing the first 50 of the planned 150 units to house students at UConn and nearby Eastern Connecticut State University in Windham's Willimantic section. They are fully leased, officials said.
The second phase will consist of 36 flat-style apartments, including 12 one-bedroom units and 24 two-bedroom units. The property will also include a center green, gazebo and walking trail.
The pricetag for a fully completed Meadowbrook Gardens is pegged at $29.5 million, about 40 percent of which will be funded under the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's EB-5 initiative, officials said.
Meadowbrook is one of Connecticut's first commercial realty projects financed under the 26-year-old federal program that allows foreign nationals to earn a U.S. visa by making sizable American investments. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest Monday December 12, 2016

Stamford Harbor Point apartment buildings sell for almost $400 million

STAMFORD — Five apartment buildings in the Harbor Point development in the city’s South End have sold to a Manhattan firm for a total of approximately $395 million, in one of Stamford’s largest-ever real estate deals.
GAIA Acquisitions has acquired from Harbor Point owner Building and Land Technology The Key at Yale & Towne, the Vault Apartments, The Lofts at Yale & Towne, 111 Harbor Point and the Postmark Apartments. Together, those properties house approximately 1,200 apartments at Harbor Point.
Officials from BLT and GAIA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Since its construction began in 2009, Harbor Point has transformed a once-industrial section of the city’s waterfront into a 100-acre development. The mixed-use complex now houses some 2,360 apartments, with another 2,400 planned. Some 30 retailers and 15 restaurants operate at Harbor Point.  The sale netted the city $1.976 million in conveyance taxes.

Major traffic changes in downtown Meriden

MERIDEN — The city plans to radically alter downtown traffic, converting key streets to two-way traffic and reversing the direction of other one-way streets. City officials believe the changes will enhance travel downtown, reduce speeds and increase driver safety.

“We think it’s exciting to make these huge changes,” said Public Works Director Bob Bass.

1. East Main Street at Pratt Street

East Main Street will shift from one-way westerly traffic to two lanes of traffic in each direction starting at the intersection of Pratt Street. That intersection will be changed, eliminating the left turn channel from Perkins Street. For pedestrians crossing the street, there will no longer be an island dividing traffic and turn lanes on Perkins Street.

“The island is going to be removed and the entire intersection reconfigured,” said Associate City Engineer Howard Weissberg.

The sidewalks along East Main Street will be expanded four feet to accommodate additional road width and signal lights will be replaced.

2. State Street State Street will have two-way traffic passing in front of the new train station. Westbound drivers on East Main Street will have a turn lane to get onto State Street, allowing traffic to flow more freely through the intersection. The one-way section of State Street street that cuts between Perkins Street and East Main Street will switch to the opposite direction, with traffic flowing from Perkins Street to East Main Street.

At the rail crossing, additional gates will be installed on the western side of the tracks to halt traffic for passing trains, Weissberg said.

3. West Main Street at Colony Street

This intersection will be the hub of some of the most radical changes, The series of one-ways cutting between West Main Street and Perkins Street will be eliminated in favor of an expanded green area. A single southbound one-way will remain between West Main Street and Hanover Street. The two lanes of traffic on East Main Street will dwindle down to one lane in each direction when the road shifts to West Main Street at the Colony Street intersection.

“This intersection is going to undergo a massive reconstruction in the future plan,” said Weissberg.

4. Hanover Street

Plans call for Hanover Street to have one-way traffic in the opposite direction of the current traffic flow. Cars will now travel south from West Main Street or west on Perkins Street to Hanover Street.

5. Perkins Street

The one-way street will shift to a combination of one-way and two-way traffic.

“You will be able to travel from East Main Street in a southerly direction all the way into south Meriden,” Bass said. “You will also have the opportunity for people to turn left onto South Colony, so we’ll reduce the number of cars going over the rail road tracks because that’s an issue we have had.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Estimate for Waterford High renovation may go higher

 

Waterford - Superintendent Randall Collins said Monday that the cost to renovate the high school could be more than the anticipated $60 million.

The School Building Committee and JCJ Architecture of Hartford, however, are still working on the details, including the size of the project and the costs. ”Until we get down to a more detailed plan, we can't be specific on the costs,” said Board of Education Chairman Donald Blevins. “But because of the state of the economy, we can hope for some lower bids.” Gregory J. Smolley, a principal at JCJ Architecture said at this time the renovation would keep the size of the building the same, at 260,000 square feet. The town would be eligible for state reimbursement up to 199,000 square feet. View the site plans for the high school projectCollins said one of the factors for the potential cost increase is the addition of an emergency access road to Miner Lane. On Monday, the school board agreed to present the proposed renovation plans to the public. Residents can tune into channel 22 every day this week at 7 p.m. until Sunday to watch the meeting. At the start of next year, tours of the school will be offered for residents to provide input

 

The project needs approval from the Board of Finance and from members of the Representative Town Meeting by June 30, the state-imposed deadline for submission. The school would get a three-story addition for the east side of the building. The lower-level will include a new main entrance and lobby, administration offices, cafeteria and outdoor dining area, a media center, mechanical space and technology education classrooms. The second- and third-level floors will have classrooms and a lecture hall. The second floor will also include another entrance from the parking area. The bus drop-off would be located at the upper-level parking area and parents dropping off students will use the lower level. The football field would be relocated to a north-south orientation, which school officials said is more favorable. Part of the existing building will be retained, including the auditorium, gymnasium, field house and the pool. The renovation project will also use existing parking spaces.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Developer buys former Church Street bank in New Haven

NEW HAVEN >> The owners of one of the city’s most iconic bank buildings has just bought another. David Kuperberg of Cooper Square Realty in New York has purchased 45 Church St., the former Connecticut Savings Bank, from Jason Carter for $1.55 million.
Kuperberg, through Cooper Church LLC, bought and developed the 1927 former Union Trust Bank building at 205 Church St., across from the New Haven Green, three years ago and converted it into 136 apartments.This summer, an enthusiastic Kuperberg, gave a tour of The Union, and predicted he would be back for another investment in the city. “New Haven is beyond my instincts and thoughts as to how good of a city this place is,” Kuperberg told the city officials, bankers, developers and business crowd that came to the tour. He also offered to talk up the city to other developers.
Cooper Square Realty, as of 2013, managed a client portfolio of over 500 condominiums, cooperatives and rental properties comprising more than 70,000 apartments, according to its website. “They love New Haven, obviously,” said attorney James Segaloff, who represented Kuperberg in the sale. As to what the new owner wants to do with the building, “there are no specific plans at the moment,” Segaloff said. “They have a good feel for development in New Haven,” he said.Carter bought the 45 Church St. property in April of 2015 for $1.65 million in the hopes that city would develop it into a cultural center celebrating its history, but New Haven was not able to secure a grant or investor to carry out those plans. Carter then offered to give the property to Gateway Community College, which is located across the street, but the state couldn’t commit to the deal and Yale University also wasn’t interested in taking over the building. Matthew Nemerson, the city’s economic development administrator said it would cost more than $10 million to stabilize the 1906 former bank.Nemerson thanked Carter for buying the building. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest Friday December 9, 2016

Construction on West Main to continue into 2017

NEW BRITAIN — Those affected by traffic at the intersection of Burritt and West Main streets can expect delays to continue into 2017. The bridge project, which began in 2015, will continue until March 2017 if everything remains on schedule.
The contractor working on the job, New England Infrastructure, has implemented a one-way traffic pattern on West Main Street at the bridge, blocking off the Burritt Street intersection.
This alternative traffic pattern has brought frustration to at least one business owner in the area.
Bob Story, owner of Story Bros. Inc., said the construction has negatively affected business, especially when it comes to selling gasoline.
“The gas business is almost nil now,” Story said.
Story Bros. Inc. is located at 84 Burritt St., north of the construction area on West Main Street. Story added that his company’s used cars sales are also suffering. With the West Main and Burritt streets intersection blocked off, traffic only flows past Story’s business in one direction.
“They’re trying to put me out of business, but I won’t let them,” Story said.
According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the project aims to fix the problems that carries West Main Street over the Pan Am Southern railroad line. is doing the work to extend the life of the bridge, which is over 85 years old
“Rehabilitation is one step short of a complete replacement,” according to Kevin Nursick, director of communications of the DOT, who said the repair of the bridge can be compared to that of a car.
“When you buy a new car, you’ll eventually have to get an oil change, a 30,000 mile checkup, small things like that. But eventually, when the car gets older, you’ll need to do some bigger repairs on the vehicle. That’s pretty much where we’re at. The bridge needs bigger repairs rather than just small maintenance fixes,” Nursick said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Project reset looms for 101-111 Pearl sites

A pair of vacant downtown office buildings appear a step closer to being redeveloped into apartments.
New York developer Jeff Ravetz confirmed Thursday that his group is eyeing buildings at 101 and 111 Pearl St. into 255 living units. Most, he said, will likely be smaller sized units, to cater to young professionals or older, "empty-nesters'' eager to downsize to cozier quarters.
Ravetz declined comment on published reports on the project's scope and pricetag citing concerns about derailing it and referred questions to the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA).
CRDA Executive Director Michael Freimuth said Thursday the agency's housing committee has already reviewed and approved the group's $49.9 million project proposal, which includes a petition for CRDA financial assistance. The full CRDA board was scheduled to deliberate the petition later at its Thursday meeting.
For 11-story 101 Pearl, the applicants propose to create 154 apartments -- 143 studio and 11 one-bedroom units -- for $28.4 million, financed using a combination of $15.6 million in private financing and equity, plus a $9.2 million CRDA loan; and another $3.6 million in brownfield remediation funding.
At seven-story 111 Pearl, the applicants envisions creating 101 units (74 studio, 21 one-bedroom, six two-bed units) at a cost of $21.5 million: $10.1 million in bank financing and equity; a $6 million CRDA loan; $2.8 million in historic tax credits; and $2.5 million in brownfield-remediation grants.
Ravetz and partners and CRDA previously teamed in redevelopment of the former Sonesta/Clarion Hotel, at 5 Constitution Plaza downtown, into The Spectra Boutique Apartments. The 190-unit Spectra is fully leased, and is preparing to open a café in some of its retail space, Ravetz said.

Hartford developer Martin Kenny is part of an investment group that currently has title to both Pearl Street properties. Kenny said Thursday that both buildings are under contract for sale, but no closing is imminent. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 

Development Authority Votes To Pursue XL Renovation; Malloy Considers Funding

 

While the governor weighs bringing a major makeover of the XL Center to the legislature for funding, the Capital Region Development Authority Thursday night voted to pursue a $250 million renovation and expansion of the aging arena."We just felt it was our responsibility to put forth plans, be proactive, as opposed to reactive about what happens there," said Andy F. Bessette, a Travelers executive and the authority's vice chairman. "Unless we get the funding, we can't do anything."

Earlier Thursday, a source familiar with the deliberations over what should be included in the state's proposed capital budget said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is "definitely considering" bringing the project to the legislature.

Last month, Malloy said he supported renovations to the 41-year-old arena, but stopped short of saying he would bring the project to the legislature in the coming legislative session.

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, an authority board member, said adopting the plan was vital to keeping the venue competitive in the years to come.

"The XL Center is a vital sports and entertainment venue for Connecticut and for the capital region and it's hugely important to the health of the city's downtown," Bronin said after Thursday's vote.
Physical changes could make the XL Center more competitive with newer arenas and with promoters of concerts and other events, potentially increasing profits for both the promoters and the XL Center. Competitive pressures are intensifying not only from the state's two casinos but the prospect of the casino and entertainment complex under construction in nearby Springfield.
Michael W. Freimuth, the authority's executive director, told board members that an analysis in the past week shows a transformed arena is projected to turn a $2.1 million annual profit. The arena has traditionally been a money-loser, with the state having to make up the difference, typically about $3 million a year.
The project's costs would be spread out over several fiscal years. Even so, if the renovation and expansion — including the addition of a second concourse — is proposed by Malloy, it is sure to face a battle in the coming legislative session.
There is a growing resistance to using bonds — essentially the state's credit card — for big-ticket projects when funding is being cut to social service programs, road improvements and school construction. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Part Of Park Avenue In Bloomfield To Close For Emergency Road Repairs

Part of Route 178, known locally as Park Avenue, will be closed for emergency road repairs beginning Monday.
The road, including a railroad crossing, will be closed at Prospect Street and Crestview Drive.

According to the state Department of Transportation, the closure is necessary for the emergency replacement of the culverts that carry Filley Brook under the road.

If there are no construction delays, the road is expected to reopen by Dec. 17, according to DOT officials.

Non-local traffic will be rerouted to Bloomfield Avenue, Cottage Grove Road and Tyler Street.

Locally, westbound traffic will be directed on to Crestview Drive, and eastbound traffic will be directed onto Prospect Street, according to town officials.
Because the rapidly deteriorating condition of the existing culvert pipes, trucks and other commercial vehicles have already been detoured from the affected area of Park Avenue.
Only passenger vehicles are being allowed to use affected road through the weekend, town officials said.
Off-road construction activities to the affected roadway are expected to continue through December and motorists may experience delays, DOT officials said.

Wolcott to use state grant for road project

WOLCOTT – One of the town’s main arteries will be rebuilt over the summer.
The town plans to use a $3 million state grant to reconstruct Todd Road, which connects Meriden Road and Woodtick Road.
The town is going out to bid to hire a contractor for the project. Although the grant comes from the Department of Transportation, the town will oversee the work.
The project involves grinding, regrading and paving about 2 miles of roadway. Also, sections of the road with poor visibility will be widened, drainage basins will be installed and the bridge near Frisbie Circle will be rebuilt.
In some places, we’re widening it a little bit so there’s a better sight line when you come out of streets or driveways,” Mayor Thomas G. Dunn said.
The town has already selected a contractor, Stadiums Engineering, to design the new bridge for $48,000.
The town may use the same contractor for the road and bridge projects, or it might hire two separate contractors, Dunn said.
It’s likely that Todd Road will be closed for at least part of the project, Dunn said. Also, while the bridge is being replaced, vehicles might not be able to use Todd Road at the Woodtick Road intersection.
While Todd Road is closed, motorists will use Route 322 as a detour to travel between Meriden Road and Woodtick Road.
The town hopes to begin the project in June, after school gets out, to avoid issues with busing students to and from Tyrell Middle School and Frisbie Elementary School.
Dunn said he’s not going to guess when the project will be finished.

CT Construction Digest Thursday December 8, 2016

New Milford residents hear solar pitch for Candlewood Mountain

NEW MILFORD — At a public forum Wednesday on a proposed solar power plant, many people asked why construction was planned on what are now 60 acres of tree-filled land on Candlewood Mountain.
One by one, residents from among the 25 who attended proposed different sites for the Ameresco Solar panel project.
Why not the Century Brass site, which had been in contention for a natural gas power plant earlier this year?
Maybe an old landfill, or open fields, they said.
“Well, why’d you pick this site?” asked Jim Munch, a longtime logger in Sherman. “That’s a beautiful piece of land. It’s a darn shame.”
The project, which aims to create enough electricity to power 2,400 homes, would need about 60 acres of forest land grown over the past century to be cleared.
But that spot is the best fit for solar in New Milford, Ameresco Engineer Michael Zimmer said.
Hidden in the woods
Ameresco representatives — whose company would lease the land and run the panels for the next 20 years — told the audience that the south side of Candlewood Mountain is perfect for solar. It’s only a mile from the Rocky River power station, where power would enter the grid, and trees would largely buffer the 78,000 solar panels from sight.
“It would be hard to find a site to hide solar better than this,” said Joel Lindsay, another Ameresco engineer.
The proposal is for Commercial Services Realty to buy a 307-acre parcel, clear 60 acres of foliage and lease 80 total acres of land to the solar company. Ameresco would put up the panels and maintain them for the next two decades, and electricity produced would channel into Rocky River and enter the grid. After 20 years, according to contracts signed now, the panels would be packed up and hauled away.
Residents who live near the proposed panels, including Town Council Member Katy Francis, have said they worry about the environmental impacts of deforestation on the mountain slope. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

DOT must weigh impact of Walk Bridge project

Bruce Kimmel, Phaedrel Bowman, Michael Corsello, John Igneri and Thomas Livingston made this statement on behalf of the Norwalk Common Council.
The following statement was delivered to the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
We, the members of the Norwalk Common Council, are deeply disturbed by the absence of context in the Environmental Assessment/Environmental Impact Evaluation documents. These documents examine various impacts of the Walk Bridge project in isolation; these documents pay little attention to the other large-scale projects that are already being implemented, or are set to soon begin, in the vicinity of the Walk Bridge.
We, therefore, strongly urge the state DOT to not conclude that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate. Instead, we believe the state must further examine the economic and human impacts of the Walk Bridge project in a broad and comprehensive context that includes the projects described below. The cumulative and interactive effects of all of these projects, including the Walk Bridge, will have a severe and possibly long term impact on the very heart of the city. To focus exclusively on the impacts of the Walk Bridge would be a disservice to the residents of Norwalk.
Liberty Square, which is set to become a major staging area for the Walk Bridge project, is across the street from Veterans Park, which is about to experience a major disruption as the city begins to implement a master plan for the park that includes the construction of new docks and boat ramps. The city is currently experiencing a variety of parking and traffic problems in that area due to the recent opening of the SoNo Ice Rink — which is directly across the street from Liberty Square.
Construction of the $300 million SoNo Collection mall is set to begin this spring. This massive undertaking, not far from the Walk Bridge, will undoubtedly cause a variety of traffic and other quality of life problems. It behooves the DOT to carefully consider the impacts on traffic these projects, together, will have on South Norwalk and the rest of the city.
The reconstruction of Washington Village and the construction of Maritime Village, with a combined cost of roughly $140 million, are in their early stages of development. These projects, which will require extensive infrastructure work, and are within walking distance of the Walk Bridge, will soon have a serious impact on the flow of traffic in South Norwalk. Again: We urge the DOT to examine these impacts together in order to minimize the hardships experienced by residents and business owners.
The city is also in the early stages of implementing the Webster Street Master Plan several blocks from the Walk Bridge. This, too, will prove disruptive, alter traffic patterns, and impact businesses in the heart of South Norwalk, as a new parking facility and possibly an office building replace a large street-level parking lot.
SoNo, especially Washington Street and sections of Main, currently has a variety of excellent restaurants, storefronts, housing — even a new hotel is in the works. The city has worked especially hard in recent years to enhance the attractiveness of this area, which is sandwiched between several major construction projects, including the Walk Bridge. The city projects mentioned above were designed to make this rather small area of town a destination not only for Norwalk residents, but a destination for residents throughout Fairfield County.
With the Walk Bridge project added to the SoNo mix, we urge the state DOT to tread carefully, to ensure that all the progress made in SoNo is not destroyed. Five years of gridlock, caused by the cumulative impact of a variety of projects, but most of all by the huge, costly, and complex Walk Bridge project, would lead to vacant storefronts and empty apartments in SoNo. Furthermore, we believe the state should reimburse all business owners, and possibly residents, who suffer financially because of the long-period of construction that the Walk Bridge project will require. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

ISO-New England confident of energy capacity this winter

Officials with New England’s regional electric grid operator say power supplies should be adequate this winter, but they are also hedging their bets.
Holyoke, Massachusetts-based ISO-New England once again is offering incentives to operators of gas- and oil-fired power plants to procure sufficient fuel before winter begins. The grid operator used the program last winter as a precaution if extended periods of cold weather result in shortages of natural gas available to power plants that run on the fuel.“Reliable power system operations depends on sufficient resources, adequate fuel supplies, and available infrastructure for both fuel and electricity delivery,” Vamsi Chadalavada, executive vice president and chief operating officer of ISO New England, said this week in a statement. “The region should have adequate supplies of electricity to meet demand, barring any unforeseen resource outages or fuel delivery constraints.”About 44 percent of the total generating capacity in New England uses natural gas as its primary fuel, according to ISO-NE officials. That’s down from 49 percent in 2015. The network of transmission pipelines that brings natural gas into New England from other regions of the country is having an increasingly difficult time handling demand from both the residential sector and power plant operators. When periods of peak demand occur, capacity in those pipelines is at near-capacity, according to ISO-NE officials. Natural gas utilities serving residential customers purchase secure firm contracts with providers of the fuel, which means that their supply can’t be cut off during periods of peak demand.
Power plant operators who use natural gas to produce electricity, on the other hand, have interruptible service, which means if there isn’t enough capacity in pipelines during peak demand periods, their source gets cut off. A dearth in the development of natural gas transmission lines in New England has only made matters worse. Since 2007, pipeline expansions in the region added about 2.5 billion cubic feet of capacity were added, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But for the five year period from 2011 and 2015, there were no pipeline expansion projects done.That will change this year as the Algonquin Incremental Market Project is completed.  The $972 million project, which is being done by Spectra Energy, is largest pipeline project since 2007 to transport natural gas into New England from outside the region, according to the Energy Information Administration. The pipeline will provide an additional 342 million cubic feet per day of pipeline capacity to the New England market.Spectra is also nearing completion of another project that will serve northeastern Massachusetts when it goes into service next June. The $63 million Salem Lateral Project will provide capacity for the Salem Harbor Power Plant, which was converted from coal-burning to operating on natural gas. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Ledyard Board of Education approves school plans 

Ledyard — Plans to renovate two of the town's schools were approved by the town education board Wednesday night in preparation for the construction bidding process.The $65 million project will renovate and expand Gallup Hill School to accommodate students from Ledyard Center School, which will be demolished under the project. Ledyard Middle School will accept the town's sixth-graders.
Permanent Municipal Building Committee Chairman Steven Juskiewitz presented the plans developed by Silver + Petrucelli and Associates and a cost estimate generated by O&G Industries. He noted that the committee chose to include a few school features as "alternates" in the bid package to ensure it came under budget and on schdedule.
Board of Education member Rebecca Graeber offered Juskiewitz "big kudos ... for navigating all of the turns and twists that this project has taken," which included a last-minute delay of state funding during the last legislative session.
The final cost estimate was over budget by about $1.3 million, although the project still was carrying more than $3 million in contingency funding, as well as additional contingency funding.
The vote on both projects by the education board was unanimous. Going forward, local agencies such as Ledge Light Health District and the fire deparment will sign off on the plans, which will be presented to the state for a pre-construction review on Dec. 20.
n.lynch@theday.com

State to ask AG for injunction to halt Reid & Hughes demolition

HARTFORD - The State Historic Preservation Council on Wednesday voted to ask the attorney general for an injunction to halt demolition of the Reid & Hughes building, saying in essence that it believes there's a viable alternative to razing the crumbling downtown Norwich landmark.
Norwich city officials including City Manager John Salomone said the structure's condition is too deteriorated to save.

Preservation advocates, including city historian and Norwich Heritage Trust President Dale Plummer, say a $5.5 million plan by the Women's Institute in Hartford to renovate the building into housing will work, especially with a new proposal by New London resident Bill Morse to invest $200,000 to shore up the building until work could begin.

The city has owned the 1880 building since 1993, and seven prior proposals by developers have failed to materialize.

Redeveloping Brainard Airport too costly

A legislative committee has recommended that Hartford-Brainard Airport remain open in its current use.
Though Hartford officials have said the 200-acre airport, which fronts the Connecticut River and has 111 employees on site, could be redeveloped to generate more property taxes for the city, the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee (PRI) said Wednesday that there's no clear path forward for closing the airport anytime soon.
PRI said in its final report that closure "would be extremely difficult and likely costly," and would require an unlikely federal approval or waiting until 2035, when federal grant obligations expire.
Closure and subsequent remediation and construction -- perhaps of a warehousing facility -- would also require "significant public funds," according to the report, and could take as long as several decades.
While it doesn't support closure, PRI called for higher payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) allotments for the state's general aviation airports. Hartford received a $479,000 PILOT payment from the state for Brainard in fiscal year 2015. That was $734,000 less than the city would have received if the land alone were on the tax rolls, PRI said.
The committee noted that the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) and Brainard's operator have invested in the airport and plan to continue to do so. Brainard, which houses a flight school, has secured a new charter service, is building a restaurant, has proposed building more indoor aircraft storage space, and has plans to extend its runway to accommodate larger aircraft. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Developers Planning Apartments in Long Dormant Downtown Hartford Buildings

HARTFORD — The New York firms that converted a decaying hotel on Constitution Plaza into apartments now plan a $50 million rental project for an eyesore in the heart of downtown, a renewed sign that developers remain optimistic and willing to invest in the city.
The partnership of Girona Ventures and Wonder Works Construction and Development Corp. plan to convert two long-vacant buildings 95-101 and 111 Pearl Street, at the corner with Trumbull Street into a total of 255 rentals with parking in a garage around the corner on Lewis Street.

The developers, who collaborated on the recent conversion of the former Sonesta hotel into the 190-unit Spectra apartments, said they remain bullish on Hartford -- even more so than when they purchased the old hotel in 2011.

"Spectra has been a very good experience for us," Jeffrey D. Ravetz, president of Girona Ventures, said Wednesday. "It's been successful in that we are fully leased, it looks beautiful and its been well received as a historic restoration."

Ravetz said he forecasts demand will continue, noting that 75 percent of Spectra's tenants come from out of state, 40 percent of those from outside the country. He doesn't see the downtown rental vacancy rate of 5 percent changing much even as more apartments are added.

Since 2013, rental projects in the downtown area have added more than 600 units, the majority subsidized with loans or equity investments from the Capital Region Development Authority. The conversions have ranged from six units in a historic building on Lewis Street to 286 apartments in a former office tower on Main Street.
By next summer, the number will approach more than 1,000 with the conversion of the top floors of the Radisson hotel near the city's new minor league ballpark.
The new apartments are aimed at attracting more people to live downtown and boost vibrancy beyond the traditional work day and on weekends.
The administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has set aside $120 million for boosting housing initiatives in downtown Hartford administered by the authority, with a goal of adding 2,000 new units by the end of 2018. A majority of the authority-backed projects are mixed income, but favor market-rate rents. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Plan to Remake Hartford's Union Station Don't Include Trains

Plans to transform the historic Union Station as part of replacing the I-84 viaduct are sparking criticism, particularly about a new parking garage that could be built next door.
The Greater Hartford Transit District envisions a new train depot farther west on Asylum Avenue. A bigger bus depot would be built on the parking lot across Spruce Street as part of a three-level parking garage with at least 500 spaces. A skywalk from the garage would connect to the new train station on Asylum Avenue.

But the massive scale of the parking garage and the potential of a skywalk removing people from the street — shown in recently released renderings — has caught some off guard.

"I was surprised and disappointed at the lack of thoughtful design for an urban setting," Frank H. Hagaman, executive director of the Hartford Preservation Alliance, said. "You have a big, blank cube that I see as completely uninviting to the pedestrian."

Hagaman said the renderings ignore key elements that Hartford is working to incorporate to make downtown more walkable. The parking garage fails to include shops, restaurants or even residential components at street-level facing Spruce Street or Asylum Avenue — key to making walks interesting and creating a perception of safety, Hagaman said.

Sara C. Bronin, chairman of the city's planning and zoing commission, said she is concerned how the parking garage dominates the design when the city is trying the emphasize the use of other modes of public transportation.
"These initial concepts need more refinement to ensure that the project better relates to the existing historic fabric, Bushnell Park, Spruce Street and Asylum Avenue," Bronin, wife of Mayor Luke Bronin, said.
The transit district sees its plan unfolding in three phases over the next decade or so.
The first phase is aimed at further boosting the vitality of Union Station, built in 1889 out of rough-hewn brownstone from a Portland quarry and once the grandest train station in the state. Shops and restaurants would be added in the now cavernous great hall, looking forward to a time when the space could be used for banquet or meeting space. As part of this, Bear's Smokehouse is expected to open a cafe, including a menu with wine and beer, early next year. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest Wednesday December 3, 2016

Prospect of moving City Hall a real possibility

BRISTOL — City officials and public leaders discussed, debated and talked with residents Tuesday about the option of renovating the current City Hall or moving the offices to the Memorial Boulevard School.
“I’ve heard both sides from taxpayers, people on the street, in the diner … we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said City Councilor Dave Preleski. “This project is a big deal and really interesting. The numbers were a lot closer than I thought. We have to be diligent and smart about it. I think all of us have to get our arms around the numbers and details.”
The proposals were presented by Public Works Director Walt Veselka at a special joint board meeting Monday night that included the Memorial Boulevard School Committee.
Veselka gave out binders of hundreds of pages of documents that distilled to two main figures. It would cost $24 million for City Hall to move to the school, built in 1921. If city offices were to stay in its current location at the building, built in 1963, it would cost $20 million for updates and renovations. This is based on construction beginning in 2018, with about a year for the school site and three years for the City Hall building.
“There’s always a day one when information is disseminated. The impression is I now have lots more questions,” said Board of Finance Chairwoman Cheryl Thibeault. “Once we ferret out different pieces of information, collectively as a joint board, with public works and the community, we’ll decide what the best allocation of our resources is.”
Thibeault added that it is not a process that should be rushed.
“I’m not a risk taker. I’m not sure you’d want a risk taker in my role,” she said. “This just scratches the surface. Each meeting will get deeper. People need to realize it’s a process.”
Councilor Jodi Zils Gagne, who is also on the school task force committee, said the idea of moving City Hall to the school has been bandied about for many years.
“To renovate the icon of city, I’m leaning toward that. I want to see something nice happening with Memorial school,” she said. “It’s a beautiful old building and we’ve torn down enough old buildings. It would be a beautiful City Hall.”
Gagne is also a proponent of renovating the theater at the school. That cost, at last estimate, is $10 to $12 million. It may be less if the renovation of the rest of the building is done concurrently.
If city offices do move to the school, what would become of the current building becomes a question.
The Police Department next door has expanded its operations, while the city has consolidated many of theirs, city officials said.
 “We’re always growing, always looking to grow but there’s no talk of moving,” said Police Chief Brian Gould. “It would be way too early in the game to comment or make any sort of guess on that. We’re not even involved in any of the process.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Ledyard education board to vote on school renovation plan Wednesday

Ledyard — The building committee approved plans for the town's $65 million school renovation project Monday night, passing them to the Board of Education for their possible approval Wednesday.
The project will renovate-as-new Ledyard Middle School and the Gallup Hill School elementary school, and demolish Ledyard Center School.
Gallup Hill School will absorb additional elementary students in an expansion that will bring the 40,000-square-foot facility to around 86,500 square feet, while Ledyard Middle School will be expanded from 75,000 square feet to around 93,000 square feet to accomodate sixth-grade students.
The two boards will hold a joint meeting Wednesday night to discuss the latest set of construction documents produced by Silver + Petrucelli and Associates. The documents still need to go through the complete local review process, which includes compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and inspection by the building official, fire marshal and health district.
Building committee members hope to send the project out to bid in January.
During the Monday meeting of the Permanent Municipal Building Committee, senior project managers of the project's construction manager O&G Industries, Dan Hetules and Mike Brennen, presented their final recommendations to the board.
Using numbers from recent bids on a school construction project in Colchester as a guide, Hetules and Brennen said that bids on several parts of the project were lower than expected, leading them to reduce their estimate on parts of Ledyard's project by about 5 percent.
The Permanent Municipal Building Committee has kept a careful eye on costs during the construction planning phase since estimates for Ledyard Middle School trended higher than its budget.
In constructing its budget and bid package, the building committee doubled its contingency funding from 2 percent to 4 percent, rather than cover the total estimated deficit for professional services, which O&G put at $1.3 million. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Food-To-Energy Plant In Southington Expected To Go Online As Soon As Next Spring

Imagine last month's meatloaf powering somebody's television.
That, or something close to it, will begin happening next year when a new $14 million facility opens on DePaolo Drive to turn food waste into gases that will be burned to power machines that create 1.2 megawatts of electricity a year.

Quantum Biopower's high-tech recycling plant will process 40,000 tons of food waste yearly from central Connecticut restaurants, stores, food wholesalers, catering halls and other businesses that discard waste food.

Quantum Vice President Brain Paganini said Tuesday the plant could be producing power in the spring.

The construction is done except for last-minute details," he said during a brief tour of the complex. "Once that's done, we'll start equipment, bring everything up to temperature, and seed the equipment with the bacteria."

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says it's the first such facility in Connecticut. More are expected, a result of a state mandate that 60 percent of all food waste be recycled by 2024 instead of being buried in landfills. A Pennsylvania company, Turning Earth LLC, has proposed a food waste facility on Spring Street. That project has yet to be built.
"The Quantum facility is a tremendous asset to the town," Southington's economic development director, Louis A. Perillo III, said Tuesday. "Green technology is a great thing to have. We're pleased Turning Earth wants to come here. It's good for the town."
Quantum Biopower, a subsidiary of Supreme Industries of Harwinton, is finishing the food waste processing plant on Supreme's Forest Products site here.
The system is a complicated network of food-grinding machines, heated water, and pipes to move the food slurry into sealed processing tanks to decompose. Anaerobic bacteria consume the slurry, producing flammable gas that will be burned to power electricity-generating machines. Heat from the bacterial breakdown of food will be used to warm the plant. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 Brainard Airport Fights Back As Redevelopment Plan Returns

HARTFORD — The sun is barely above the dike that hides the Connecticut River when the first airplane takes off from Hartford-Brainard Airport, launching another day at the historic airfield.
Lindsey Rutka, head of the partnership that runs Brainard's main operations, arrives and opens the gate along Lindbergh Drive for a business owner who parks his Corvette just a few feet from his twin-engine Cessna Conquest.

It's a scene that has unfolded since 1921, when Brainard Field, named for a former mayor, became the first municipal airport in New England. These days, Rutka is fighting to rebuild Brainard as an economic hub — announcing a new charter service Tuesday with a newly acquired, seven-seat jet and other aircraft.

But at the same time, the airport is threatened by redevelopment in a revival of a long-shelved plan, championed by the latest Hartford mayor, Luke Bronin, and by state Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford.
On Wednesday, a committee of the General Assembly will receive and consider a report with staff recommendations on how best to use Brainard's 200 acres. There's no specific plan on the table but a July update from the committee included a 2006 proposal calling for nearly 7 million square feet of commercial and manufacturing space, stores, apartments, a marina, a rebuilt trash-to-energy plant and a river park.
The reason for the latest push: Hartford, which is insolvent with no clear path to stability, badly needs new property tax revenues. Brainard kicks in barely more than $400,000 to city coffers, not enough to make a dent in an annual shortfall of about $50 million.
Why so small a figure? Aircraft owners don't pay local property taxes under state law. And the airport is run by the nontaxable Connecticut Airport Authority, which also runs Bradley International Airport and strongly opposes redevelopment at Brainard.
Bronin, Fonfara and other elected officials say the airport represents a rare chance to change the city's dismal financial picture.
"Long term, it's about our ability to grow our way out of this," said Fonfara, co-chairman of the committee studying the issue.
Rutka's local partnership, Hartford Jet Center, landed as the "fixed-base operator" — the master lease-holder for most airport activity — after a less ambitious national company let the action fade over 15 years.
Supporters say the 95-year-old facility brings more to the region's economy than can be measured in tax payments to the city. Rutka makes the argument that many airplane owners control companies that bring business to the city and the state.  CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Can the U.S. Become an Energy Superpower in 2017?

Refurbished pipelines and terminals will come online next year to help unleash the U.S. shale gas boom into the world. But risks still loom. It remains costly to ship U.S. gas to major consumers in Europe and Asia, and President-elect Donald Trump's trade priorities could make U.S. LNG more expensive than supplies from other producers around the world.
Caught off guard by the shale boom
Just a decade ago, gas supplies from conventional wells were drying up. Major energy companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp., BP Plc and Chevron Corp. were planning to spend billions on gas import terminals to offset the decline. The technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, changed everything for gas drillers, allowing them to pull the fuel out of layers of shale rock and touching off the U.S. shale revolution.
Creating a modern pipeline system
America's frackers are pulling 18 billion cubic feet of gas per day from the Marcellus shale formation in the eastern U.S., more than any other domestic shale deposit. But the U.S. pipeline system was designed only to move gas from the Gulf Coast to cities in the Northeast—not the reverse.
In order to get the gas to the Gulf Coast, where export terminals are being built to send the fuel overseas, pipelines are being re-engineered to flow south. Thousands of miles of bidirectional pipelines are slated to be online in 2017.
Opening the spigot
Among other sources, Cheniere Energy Inc. has contracts with several bidirectional pipelines to receive fracked gas from Marcellus. Cheniere won approval from U.S. regulators to export LNG in 2010, years ahead of competitors. Cheniere's Sabine Pass terminal is currently the only operational export terminal in the lower 48 states. That's about to change, though, as four more terminals are forecast to become operational by 2018 and at least a dozen more have been approved or are pending certification.
Boosting U.S. shale gas exports
About 40 shipments of LNG have been exported from Cheniere's Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana, which began operations in February. Most of the cargoes have been delivered to South America and Mexico. Once all five terminals are fully operational, U.S. energy producers would have the capacity to export 10 billion cubic feet of LNG daily, up from about 1 billion in 2016.
U.S. exporters have ample supply, customers may be harder to find
It's less clear who will purchase all this U.S. gas. And energy companies are asking for permission to send even more abroad. The Department of Energy is reviewing more than two dozen applications from companies seeking to export up to 36 billion cubic feet a day, or nearly half of U.S. production, to countries that don't have trade agreements with the U.S. While markets in South America are poised to absorb some of this supply, increased competition abroad could make it tough for U.S. gas to compete farther from home. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

New at Nonnewaug

WOODBURY – The Nonnewaug High School Building Committee hopes a new website will keep the public informed on the renovation progress as members navigate the $63 million project that’s three years behind schedule and short $6 million from costs associated with the lawsuit that delayed it.
For months, committee members have been hearing presentations from architects, designers, construction firms and project managers, reviewing blue prints, evaluating cost estimates and contemplating design options. The schematic design phase is complete, and O&G Industries – the project’s construction manager – has started mapping out plans to renovate certain parts of the school while the building is still in use. The project is entering the construction phase where it will begin to come to life, and committee members and project managers hope a website would allow Woodbury and Bethlehem residents to watch along.
Committee members at a meeting Tuesday heard from Consulting Engineering Services about two options for air conditioning: one option with more expensive but more efficient cooling equipment, and another option with less expensive but less efficient coolers.
Committee members discussed pros and cons of each option, but also spoke of their priority to save money however and wherever possible.
Woodbury resident Jim Uberti spoke during the public comment session that the $160,000 in legal fees from the lawsuit compounded by about 4 percent escalation over the years is a roughly $6 million loss.
Building Committee Chairman John Chapman said the project is limited by the three-year delay not only because it’s short by $6 million, but what you can get for the money is less since materials and labor are now more expensive.
“A three-year delay has been a significant hurdle,” Chapman said. “We’re trying to squeeze as much as we possibly can to get the best on this project.”
Some residents during the public speaking portion of the meeting expressed unhappiness with scaled-down alternate plans for the school’s fields and sports facilities like turf, bleachers and field lighting, and questioned whether the committee needed to look into hiring a paid consultant to juggle all the technical and design elements of the project.
Chapman said the committee is working with the best in the state, referring to the expertise of representatives from Colliers, O&G and the project architect SLAM Collaborative. Chapman said between the three, they’ve built tens of millions of dollars worth of schools in the area.
Chapman said alternate athletic field plans are included and whether those or the original plans are viable depends on the budget after the bidding phase. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CTConstruction Digest Tuesday December 6, 2016

Walk Bridge proposals hit big screen

NORWALK — The Walk Bridge replacement project moved to the big screen Monday evening, as the Connecticut Department of Transportation whittled down its design alternatives in a public information meeting at The Maritime Aquarium’s IMAX Theater.
Chris Brown, senior project manager with HNTB, the consultant firm engaged by the DOT, was well aware that many local residents and business owners would prefer to see the existing 120-year-old structure repaired or replaced with a fixed bridge.
“I know that there’s some question about why don’t we just lock down the bridge and not make it movable anymore,” Brown said. “Well, doing that doesn’t address everything on the bridge that needs to be done.”
If the state were to repair the bridge’s worn elements, Brown said, it still would be left running a modern railroad on an old bridge, “and the two don’t always mesh.”
More than 100 people, including DOT Commissioner James P. Redeker, attended the meeting, which was held by the state to explain how it arrived at a 240-foot, vertical-lift-span bridge as its preferred replacement after considering 70 design concepts.
On the IMAX Theater screen, Brown showed the alternatives, ranging from rehabilitating the existing bridge to replacing it with a movable, or a low-, mid- or high-level fixed bridge.
Brown said a low-level fixed bridge would work if the DOT were starting with a clean slate. With the existing bridge in place, however, that would require construction of a temporary “run-around bridge” to allow train traffic to continue, he said.
Under such a scenario, he said, “You’ve got a bridge there now and you’ve got to keep those trains going, and you’re working in close proximity to the operating railroad.”
Brown said a high-level fixed bridge would be most costly and carry “dire impacts” for the city. With railroad bed grade increases limited to 1 percent, such a structure would require altering the approaches from the East Norwalk to South Norwalk Train stations, and replacing the latter station, he said.
The DOT’s preferred design, which is also known as Option 11C, would provide the most advantages and fewest disadvantages, according to a fact sheet produced by the DOT. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Contractors like Trump's infrastructure push

HARTFORD — Construction employment declined or was stagnant in one-third of metropolitan areas between October 2015 and October 2016 amid diminishing public-sector investments in infrastructure and other civil works, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released last week by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Association officials said a new infrastructure proposal being crafted by the incoming Trump administration could, if structured properly, help add construction jobs in many areas.
“Too many construction firms that build vital infrastructure projects are finding less work to bid on today than just a few years ago,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, adding that spending nationally on public construction dropped by 2.2 percent during the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015. “There is little doubt that many more construction workers would be earning high wages in metro areas around the country if the public sector were investing more in aging infrastructure.”
The construction employment decrease in Connecticut was negligible in comparison to other regions, according to the report. In the year leading to October 2016, a reported 800 jobs were lost, 700 of them in the greater Hartford region.
Construction employment decreased in 73 out of 358 metro areas and was stagnant in 62 areas during the past year, the construction economist noted. The largest job losses were in the Houston area, 9,700 jobs. The Baltimore area followed with a loss of 2,400 jobs. The Los Angeles region lost 2,100 construction positions.
Meanwhile, construction employment increased in 223 metropolitan areas between October 2015 and October 2016. The largest job gains occurred around Denver, where a reported 10,800 jobs were added.
Association officials said a new infrastructure investment program under consideration by Trump that could invest up to $1 trillion has the potential to boost construction employment in many parts of the country. It also could create tens of thousands of manufacturing, mining and service-sector jobs as equipment makers, aggregate firms and construction suppliers book higher orders. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Facts, not emotion, will determine fate of power plant plan

 Bulletin Editorial Board
Opponents of a planned natural gas power plant in Killingly make a strong emotional argument against building another generating facility in the area. But as the developer continues going through the state approval process, facts, not emotions, will rule.

That is not to say that NTE Energy, which wants to build a 550-megawatt plant not far from the existing Lake Road Generating facility, shouldn’t heed residents’ concerns. It should. But if state regulatory bodies such as the Connecticut Siting Council does wind up approving the proposal, opponents will be better served by seeking out the best possible deal they can get for their community.

Those potential benefits were discussed in town last week, not long after our editorial board met with representatives of Not Another Power Plant and Concerned Citizens for a Safe Northeastern Connecticut. Officials are discussing an upfront tax payment and long-term tax deal, and previously a real estate protection clause — a compensation for lost property values due to a plant’s construction — was floated. Officials and advocates should aggressively seek such financial benefits, for the plant’s effect on property values is the best argument opponents have made.
Others, such as an inconclusive link between Windham County’s asthma rate and a “cluster” of generating plants within a 31-mile radius of the proposed NTE site, are less convincing. Other factors — such as the county’s highest-in-Connecticut smoking rate — may have contributed to its high asthma rate, for example.
Advocates contend that the burden of proof in this regard is on the state — that it must prove existing plants are not materially responsible for local public health issues. They say the state exists to protect the public, not to serve business interests such as NTE’s

Blueprints Approved For Proposed Development Of Former Campus Of The Hartford In Simsbury

Town officials approved a blueprint for the proposed development at the site of The Hartford's former Simsbury office complex.
The zoning commission on Monday authorized New Jersey development firm The Silverman Group to move forward with crafting a more detailed site plan, after unanimously approving a master site plan for the development at 200 Hopmeadow St.

Director of Planning and Community Development James Rabbitt explained that the approved master plan lays out the groundwork for the proposed project.

"The evaluation of any proposed site plan will be predicated with compliance on the master plan," Rabbitt said.

The development, The Ridge at Talcott Mountain, was designed using The Hartford-Simsbury Form-Based Code. The document was adopted by the town in collaboration with The Hartford in August 2014. Form-based code provides a developer with the town's expectations in the scope of use. The code's purpose, according to the 63-page document, is to "implement a long-term, sustainable redevelopment strategy for the Hartford site."
A group of residents from abutting condominium complex Riverwalk Drive addressed the commission and cited concerns of preserving the views of the ridge and Heublein Tower, unsustainable traffic and property setbacks.
Commission members explained that those concerns would have had to been addressed during the creation of the code, and the commission could only decide whether the proposal complied with the code as written.
T.J. Donohue, the attorney representing The Silverman Group, said the developer "intends to give Riverwalk every consideration and courtesy" to address concerns.
The Silverman Group plans to build 280 residential units, to include several townhouse units with various layouts and facades, as well as four luxury apartment buildings with elevators, a clubhouse, and a 120-bed assisted living facility.
The proposal also details a combined 11,600 square feet of retail and a walking and bike trail that would connect to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail.
The developers say the project "replaces an obsolete suburban corporate office asset that no longer is viable with a master-planned, mixed-use community."
About 46 percent of the 40-acre property will remain open space, according to the plan.
The anticipated timeline for the project details groundbreaking in June and completion in January 2018. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

 CT Unemployment Rate in Construction Industry Improving, But Remains Among Highest in US

Connecticut’s unemployment rate in the construction industry remained among the highest in the U.S., ranked 39^th among the 50 states in October, although the year-over-year change was the 12^th best in the country.  Connecticut’s October unemployment rate in the industry was 6.7 percent, higher than the U.S. average of 5.7 percent, according to data released by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). 
The state’s construction industry unemployment rate nudged downward from 7.1 percent in September, but was 6.4 percent in July 2016.  In recent years, the rate ballooned to 18.1 percent in October 2010, at the height of the recession, from a low of 5.8 percent in October of 2008.
Overall, the U.S. construction industry added 19,000 net new jobs in November and has now added jobs for three consecutive months, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data compiled by Associated Builders and Contractors.
Industry employment is up by 2.4 percent on a year-over-year basis, considerably faster than the overall economy’s 1.6 percent job growth rate. Construction industry employment growth would likely be much sharper if more suitably skilled or trainable workers were available to fill available job openings, according to the ABC.
The data indicate that skilled labor shortage nationally appears to be impacting nonresidential activity more than residential. The nonresidential sector added 1,100 net new jobs in November, while the residential sector added 19,600 positions. Heavy and civil engineering lost 2,100 jobs for the month.
“The demand for construction talent was strong before the election, and the outcome has improved the near-term outlook for private and public construction activity,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.  “The implication is that demand for construction workers is positioned to remain high, which will translate into gradual reduction in industry unemployment and significant wage pressures. In the state-by-state numbers, calculated for October, the states with the lowest estimated not-seasonally-adjusted construction unemployment rates were North Dakota, Massachusetts, Colorado, Utah, New Hampshire and South Dakota. October not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates were down in 33 states, including Connecticut, on a year-over-year basis.  Connecticut’s October 2015 unemployment rate in the construction industry was 8.0 percent. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

CT Construction Digest Mondday December 5, 2016

Strong Bipartisan Support for Water Infrastructure Bill

The findings were part of a national poll commissioned by AEM to gauge voter perceptions and attitudes about United States water infrastructure broadly and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 specifically, a major water infrastructure resource authorization bill currently awaiting final passage in the lame-duck Congress.
“Improving and modernizing U.S. infrastructure overall, and in this case, water infrastructure, continues to be a bipartisan priority among voters,” said Dennis Slater, AEM President. “Congressional leaders in both the U.S. Senate and House are to be commended for taking action on their respective versions of a 2016 WRDA bill, but should reach consensus on a final version before the 114th Congress adjourns.”

The national poll identified a number of key findings, including:

• A majority (54 percent) of registered voters say that U.S. water infrastructure is in fair or poor condition.
• Nearly seven out of 10 (67 percent) of the surveyed population believe that the federal government should spend somewhat more or much more on water pipelines and waterways.
• More than seven out of every 10 (74 percent) registered voters either support or strongly support Congress passing WRDA.
• A clear majority (73 percent) of registered voters are either somewhat or much more likely to support WRDA when they learn that it might prevent drinking water crises such as the one in Flint, MI. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Stonington PZC to continue hearing Tuesday on West Vine Street School plan

Stonington _ The Planning and Zoning Commission will continue its public hearing on the special use permit needed by the town to expand and renovate West Vine Street School on Tuesday at 7:30 at Mystic Middle School.
When the hearing began last month, commission members criticized the school’s parking plan of 180 spots as excessive. They continued the hearing until Tuesday so the K-12 School Building Committee, along with the architects and engineers for the $67 million elementary school project, could review the location and number of parking spots.
Also on Tuesday night, the commission will hod a public hearing on an application by Stone Acres Farm to create an Agricultural Heritage District, a floating zone that would allow an expanded list of agricultural-related uses in an effort to preserve historic working farms. Stone Acres is located on North Main Street just north of Route 1. By Joe Wojtas      

Connecticut labor agency finds $7.1 million in unpaid wages

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The state Department of Labor has recovered approximately $1 million more in unpaid wages owed to Connecticut workers compared to the previous fiscal year.

Agency officials say wage enforcement staff got back more than $7.1 million that was owed to workers during the fiscal year which ended June 30. Of the $7.1 million, approximately $1.79 million stemmed from complaints from workers about unpaid wages.

Approximately $1.14 million was provided to employees who did not receive required minimum wage or overtime, while more than $2.57 million was recovered for workers who were paid incorrect amounts while working at public contract construction sites. Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced the latest figures last week, saying it’s “important to the financial strength of this state” that working men and women are paid properly.

Penfield Pavilion nearing completion

FAIRFIELD — Four years after it was shuttered due to damage sustained in Superstorm Sandy in 2012, a rebuilt Penfield Pavilion is close to reopening to the public.
Building Committee Chairman James Bradley said the $7.4 million project is on schedule to reopen in February, on time and, at this point, under budget. “It’s coming along really well,” he said.
The construction began in March with the demolition of the east wing of lockers.
Bradley said the committee will have a more definitive figure when it meets next week, but said the project is a “low, six figure number” under budget.
The town’s share of the project cost will be offset by a 75 percent reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as a $1.75 million insurance settlement.
“A lot of the landscaping is in place,” Bradley said, but there is still some exterior and interior painting in the locker wing. “They’re working on finishing the east wing locker bathrooms.”
Crews are cleaning the facility and doing repairs to some of the sheetrock. “About mid-month, they will start at the west wing and go through the entire facility to clean it,” Bradley said. “It looks good, considering we had to do a lot more in the way of repairs.”
An inspection for a certificate of occupancy is scheduled for Dec. 27. “The town agencies have really been helpful, as far as the inspections,” according to Bradley. Plans also call for the installation of acoustic panels in the facility’s function room.
The parking lot has been paved and striped. Originally, the committee had hoped to reuse the porous pavers that were in the lot, but about 60 percent were damaged. Instead, he said, they decided to use typical asphalt but install rain gardens for drainage.
The finished pavilion, Bradley said, should show the town that volunteer building committees “can do it right. That is a strong committee, and I think we handled ourselves well.” By Genevieve Reilly