PORTLAND >> The Board of Selectmen moved closer Wednesday to choosing an option for improvements to local sidewalks. The selectmen weighed which of two options to commit to but then stopped just short of actually making a decision. That, in turn, could push back the start date for work on the much-delayed sidewalk repair initiative until next year The selectmen have $1 million that can be used for sidewalk repair. “I know it’s only $1 million, and it’s not ‘sexy’ like Parks and Rec. But it’s still important,” Selectman Michael Pelton said.
The $1 million was part in a $10 million bond issue that was approved by residents at a referendum last year. Director of Public Works Richard D. Kelsey has pushed for action on sidewalk repairs for a decade. “I can’t do much more,” he told the selectmen. “I’ve given you all the information I can.” “Now you need to provide me with more direction,” Kelsey said.
He proposed two options.The first would extend sidewalks along the west side of Main Street from Middlesex Avenue north to Indian Hill Road. The second option would involve installing — or extending — sidewalks on six streets clustered in and around Town Hall. The first option would involve taking over responsibility for sidewalks that are “within the state’s right of way,” Kelsey said. That could set a precedent for similar sidewalks on other roads and streets in town. However, Main Street also “has the most pedestrian traffic, it has the most slip and falls and it has the most visibility,” Kelsey said.
In a March 9 email to First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield, Kelsey said because of its visibility, doing the Main Street project “would probably be a good one to set the tone for future replacements.” The second option calls for constructing and/or repairing sidewalks on East Main Street, Fairview Street and Freestone, Highland, Homestead and Waverly avenues. “These are the oldest in worse shape and are all somewhat interconnected and are all located in the downtown area and see much pedestrian traffic,” Kelsey said in his email to Bransfield. Installing and/or repairing sidewalks in the area would serve students who walk to the Valley View Elementary School, the Brownstone Intermediate School and the middle school/high school complex. Doing the Main Street project would involve constructing and/or repairing 13,000 linear feet (2.5 miles) of sidewalks. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
City, Bristol Hospital sign purchase and sale agreement for part of Centre Square
BRISTOL - Bristol Hospital and the City of Bristol signed a purchase and sale agreement that detailed the city’s sale of a portion of Centre Square to the hospital for the development of an ambulatory care center.
President and CEO of Bristol Hospital Kurt Barwis and Mayor Ken Cockayne signed the contract Friday afternoon in the City Council Chambers.
The hospital is working with the architects to design the interior and exterior of the building by looking at patient schedules and studying how they flow to ensure the function of the facility makes sense. The plan can take a couple weeks, but once completed will be discussed with doctors and hospital staff to avoid any change orders, explained Barwis.
“Our goal is to literally sign off on the drawing, have them build it. Then when you walk in the front door, that’s what it is,” said Barwis. “When you do it this way, you minimize the cost of the product. We are trying to be very careful in terms of how the financing and the leasing work. When you look at the rules and the way we have to do it, having a change order is not a good thing in terms of classifying the lease.”
The agreement detailed the construction of a 60,000 square foot medical facility that will be a taxable entity. The building will feature a dynamic ambulatory care center and employ hundreds of medical professionals while servicing thousands of patients in downtown Bristol, while creating jobs.
Bristol Hospital is the second largest employer in the city and the new facility is expected to house 50-60 providers, and roughly 180 staff members between doctors, assistants and support staff. Last week, an urologist was hired, and an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon will be added to the staff in August, according to Barwis.
There will be two sections coming out on each side of the building, with a concave front that faces the corner of Riverside Avenue and Main Street and a rounded area with an atrium and waiting room. From this angle it will look like a three-story building, unlike the other angles where it will appear two-story because of the slope of the lot, explained Barwis.
“So when people enter the city if will feel like they arrived at something,” said Barwis.
After roughly ten years of wanting to develop downtown and Renaissance leaving Bristol, Cockayne reached out to Barwis to do so because they have always been a great community partner, explained Cockayne.
“I really want to thank Bristol Hospital for stepping up and being the spur of downtown. It’s because of what you’re doing that we are now talking to other developers,” said Cockayne. “You can really feel the momentum building downtown, the city will be putting infrastructure in sometime this summer and beginning the design phase.”
The hospital is being conscious in the design of the building, and aiming to compliment downtown’s look while increasing foot traffic, explained Barwis. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Concrete company sold
J.J. Mottes, the Stafford company linked to crumbling foundations, no longer operates at its Meadow Lane location, and its owners received at least hundreds of thousands of dollars through the sale of the property, according to the assessor's office.
The four abutting parcels were sold in January to 10 Meadow Lane LLC for $455,000, Assessor Tami Rossi said.
The address for which the purchasing company is named is the location of the former J.J. Mottes concrete company.
The principal of 10 Meadow Lane LLC is Paul Schmieder, who registered with the secretary of the state in December, according to the secretary of the state's website.
Schmieder also is listed as the principal of Connecticut Ready Mix, the company to which J.J. Mottes leased its facilities and equipment in April 2016.
Connecticut Ready Mix is on the secretary of the state's website as operating a location at 10 Meadow Lane in Stafford.
Schmieder said he believes J.J. Mottes has not been operating for some time, adding that the company was no longer in operation when he viewed the property prior to the purchase.
In May 2016, the company entered into an assurance of voluntary compliance with the attorney general and the Department of Consumer Protection to not sell aggregate from its quarry for use in residential foundations until July 2017.
Schmieder said his company leased the facilities and equipment while they were conducting the lengthy sale transaction.
"We bought the land and we bought the equipment," he said. "We own everything."
Schmieder said the $455,000 price tag was for the land only, and would not comment on how much he paid for J.J. Mottes' equipment, which includes a fleet of trucks.
Following a joint investigation by the attorney general and DCP, the state determined there was insufficient evidence to pursue a claim under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Hundreds of property owners have told the state they have crumbling foundations, all the result of inferior concrete.
When asked in September why the state didn't prosecute the concrete suppliers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said they had "no substantial assets" and would not be able to provide significant financial relief.
The state's investigation found that the quarry from which J.J. Mottes used aggregate lies on a vein of rock "that contains significant amounts of pyrrhotite."
The quarry linked to crumbling foundations is at 180 Tolland Turnpike in Willington and is still owned by the Joseph J. Mottes company, according to the secretary of the state's website.
Schmieder said his companies have not used aggregate from the quarry in the past and have no intention of using it in the future.
"We never have, never will" use aggregate from that quarry, he said.
Patrick Gallahue, spokesman for the secretary of the state, could not confirm that the concrete company is completely out of business or attempting to dissolve, but added that there is a lengthy process when dissolving a business. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Needed Convention Center Repairs Could Total $5 Million
The Connecticut Convention Center is little more than a decade old and already the building may need major repairs that could cost as much $5 million.
The repairs involve the elevated plazas on the north side of the convention center where water has been seeping into the plaza and leaking into the spaces below. The spaces include a part of the parking garage and corridors that include event staging areas, a carpentry shop and other "back of house" areas.
The cause of the trouble — first observed a couple of years ago but which has gotten steadily worse in the past year or so — has not been fully determined but may be related to the building's massive expansion joints and possibly waterproofing under the plaza brick pavers.
Although the scope of the repairs is still uncertain, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has included $5 million in his capital budget proposal for the repairs. The work would be paid for by taxpayer-backed bonds, if it wins approval.
The Capital Region Development Authority, which oversees the operation of the state-owned venue, said the building, opened in 2005, may only be a little over a decade old but that is not necessarily new by building standards.
Michael W. Freimuth, the authority's executive director, said, in any case, the troubles with the leaking are only likely to get worse.
"The biggest mistake at the XL Center was allowing small, life cycle systems to go well beyond their years," Freimuth said. "We can't follow the same path with the convention center."
The authority is seeking $250 million from the legislature — $125 million over the next two fiscal years —for a multi-year makeover of the XL Center. The request faces an uncertain future this session. Some of the building's mechanical systems are original to the 42-year-old sports and entertainment arena in the heart of downtown Hartford.
The hospital is working with the architects to design the interior and exterior of the building by looking at patient schedules and studying how they flow to ensure the function of the facility makes sense. The plan can take a couple weeks, but once completed will be discussed with doctors and hospital staff to avoid any change orders, explained Barwis.
“Our goal is to literally sign off on the drawing, have them build it. Then when you walk in the front door, that’s what it is,” said Barwis. “When you do it this way, you minimize the cost of the product. We are trying to be very careful in terms of how the financing and the leasing work. When you look at the rules and the way we have to do it, having a change order is not a good thing in terms of classifying the lease.”
The agreement detailed the construction of a 60,000 square foot medical facility that will be a taxable entity. The building will feature a dynamic ambulatory care center and employ hundreds of medical professionals while servicing thousands of patients in downtown Bristol, while creating jobs.
Bristol Hospital is the second largest employer in the city and the new facility is expected to house 50-60 providers, and roughly 180 staff members between doctors, assistants and support staff. Last week, an urologist was hired, and an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon will be added to the staff in August, according to Barwis.
There will be two sections coming out on each side of the building, with a concave front that faces the corner of Riverside Avenue and Main Street and a rounded area with an atrium and waiting room. From this angle it will look like a three-story building, unlike the other angles where it will appear two-story because of the slope of the lot, explained Barwis.
“So when people enter the city if will feel like they arrived at something,” said Barwis.
After roughly ten years of wanting to develop downtown and Renaissance leaving Bristol, Cockayne reached out to Barwis to do so because they have always been a great community partner, explained Cockayne.
“I really want to thank Bristol Hospital for stepping up and being the spur of downtown. It’s because of what you’re doing that we are now talking to other developers,” said Cockayne. “You can really feel the momentum building downtown, the city will be putting infrastructure in sometime this summer and beginning the design phase.”
The hospital is being conscious in the design of the building, and aiming to compliment downtown’s look while increasing foot traffic, explained Barwis. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Concrete company sold
J.J. Mottes, the Stafford company linked to crumbling foundations, no longer operates at its Meadow Lane location, and its owners received at least hundreds of thousands of dollars through the sale of the property, according to the assessor's office.
The four abutting parcels were sold in January to 10 Meadow Lane LLC for $455,000, Assessor Tami Rossi said.
The address for which the purchasing company is named is the location of the former J.J. Mottes concrete company.
The principal of 10 Meadow Lane LLC is Paul Schmieder, who registered with the secretary of the state in December, according to the secretary of the state's website.
Schmieder also is listed as the principal of Connecticut Ready Mix, the company to which J.J. Mottes leased its facilities and equipment in April 2016.
Connecticut Ready Mix is on the secretary of the state's website as operating a location at 10 Meadow Lane in Stafford.
Schmieder said he believes J.J. Mottes has not been operating for some time, adding that the company was no longer in operation when he viewed the property prior to the purchase.
In May 2016, the company entered into an assurance of voluntary compliance with the attorney general and the Department of Consumer Protection to not sell aggregate from its quarry for use in residential foundations until July 2017.
Schmieder said his company leased the facilities and equipment while they were conducting the lengthy sale transaction.
"We bought the land and we bought the equipment," he said. "We own everything."
Schmieder said the $455,000 price tag was for the land only, and would not comment on how much he paid for J.J. Mottes' equipment, which includes a fleet of trucks.
Following a joint investigation by the attorney general and DCP, the state determined there was insufficient evidence to pursue a claim under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Hundreds of property owners have told the state they have crumbling foundations, all the result of inferior concrete.
When asked in September why the state didn't prosecute the concrete suppliers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said they had "no substantial assets" and would not be able to provide significant financial relief.
The state's investigation found that the quarry from which J.J. Mottes used aggregate lies on a vein of rock "that contains significant amounts of pyrrhotite."
The quarry linked to crumbling foundations is at 180 Tolland Turnpike in Willington and is still owned by the Joseph J. Mottes company, according to the secretary of the state's website.
Schmieder said his companies have not used aggregate from the quarry in the past and have no intention of using it in the future.
"We never have, never will" use aggregate from that quarry, he said.
Patrick Gallahue, spokesman for the secretary of the state, could not confirm that the concrete company is completely out of business or attempting to dissolve, but added that there is a lengthy process when dissolving a business. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Needed Convention Center Repairs Could Total $5 Million
The Connecticut Convention Center is little more than a decade old and already the building may need major repairs that could cost as much $5 million.
The repairs involve the elevated plazas on the north side of the convention center where water has been seeping into the plaza and leaking into the spaces below. The spaces include a part of the parking garage and corridors that include event staging areas, a carpentry shop and other "back of house" areas.
The cause of the trouble — first observed a couple of years ago but which has gotten steadily worse in the past year or so — has not been fully determined but may be related to the building's massive expansion joints and possibly waterproofing under the plaza brick pavers.
Although the scope of the repairs is still uncertain, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has included $5 million in his capital budget proposal for the repairs. The work would be paid for by taxpayer-backed bonds, if it wins approval.
The Capital Region Development Authority, which oversees the operation of the state-owned venue, said the building, opened in 2005, may only be a little over a decade old but that is not necessarily new by building standards.
Michael W. Freimuth, the authority's executive director, said, in any case, the troubles with the leaking are only likely to get worse.
"The biggest mistake at the XL Center was allowing small, life cycle systems to go well beyond their years," Freimuth said. "We can't follow the same path with the convention center."
The authority is seeking $250 million from the legislature — $125 million over the next two fiscal years —for a multi-year makeover of the XL Center. The request faces an uncertain future this session. Some of the building's mechanical systems are original to the 42-year-old sports and entertainment arena in the heart of downtown Hartford.
The convention center opened on June 2, 2005 at a cost of $375 million. The convention center hosted 153 events last year and attracted 322,000 visitors. According to the authority, the 1.6 million square foot complex — including the 540,000 square foot convention center — basically breaks even on an annual budget of $8 million, half funded by fees. The elevated plazas connect the convention center to the Marriott hotel and provide an alternative way to get in and out of the buildings other than their main entrances.
Repairing the water leaks is expensive because it means ripping up nearly an acre of pavers and a complex system underneath them that includes a snow-melting system embedded in concrete. All this must be removed to reach the waterproofing, if it is determined to be part of the problem.
Further complicating the repairs are dealing with the expansion joints tied into the plazas that allow for the building's daily and seasonal expansion and contraction, said Robert Saint, director of construction services at the Capital Region Development Authority, which oversees the operations of the convention center.
"It's like that second level deck in your house above the living room outside the master bedroom suite that is now leaking and destroying the ceiling in the living room below," Saint said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Blasting for I-84 reconstruction to resume after winter break
Blasting on the Interstate 84 reconstruction project will resume this week after a winter hiatus.
The blasting will occur between the Hamilton Avenue bridge and a new bridge being constructed over the Mad River.
Blasts may occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. When highway traffic needs to be stopped due to the proximity of blasts, they will only occur between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
The blasting is to make room for a new Exit 25 eastbound off-ramp from Hamilton Avenue.
Also this week, crews will install a sound barrier wall along the new Exit 25 westbound off-ramp. The ramp will be paved at night.
Work continues this week on five bridges: Hamilton Avenue over I-84, the Exit 25 eastbound on-ramp, the I-84 bridge over the Mad River (western crossing), the Harpers Ferry Road bridge and the future I-84 bridge over the Mad River.
Meanwhile, retaining walls are being constructed along I-84 westbound, east of the Exit 23 off-ramp and north of I-84 westbound, west of the Exit 25 off-ramp.
On local roads, workers will install drainage at Reidville Drive and Harpers Ferry Road, place subbase and fine grade for the future Reidville Drive, form and pour cutoff for the culvert east of the rock cut under Reidville Drive, and work on wingwall for a culvert under the future I-84.
Also, drainage is being installed at Harpers Ferry Road and Plank Road. Excavation will continue on Farrell Road, and on Plank Road East, paving will occur at night along with work on two culverts.
Repairing the water leaks is expensive because it means ripping up nearly an acre of pavers and a complex system underneath them that includes a snow-melting system embedded in concrete. All this must be removed to reach the waterproofing, if it is determined to be part of the problem.
Further complicating the repairs are dealing with the expansion joints tied into the plazas that allow for the building's daily and seasonal expansion and contraction, said Robert Saint, director of construction services at the Capital Region Development Authority, which oversees the operations of the convention center.
"It's like that second level deck in your house above the living room outside the master bedroom suite that is now leaking and destroying the ceiling in the living room below," Saint said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Blasting for I-84 reconstruction to resume after winter break
Blasting on the Interstate 84 reconstruction project will resume this week after a winter hiatus.
The blasting will occur between the Hamilton Avenue bridge and a new bridge being constructed over the Mad River.
Blasts may occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. When highway traffic needs to be stopped due to the proximity of blasts, they will only occur between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
The blasting is to make room for a new Exit 25 eastbound off-ramp from Hamilton Avenue.
Also this week, crews will install a sound barrier wall along the new Exit 25 westbound off-ramp. The ramp will be paved at night.
Work continues this week on five bridges: Hamilton Avenue over I-84, the Exit 25 eastbound on-ramp, the I-84 bridge over the Mad River (western crossing), the Harpers Ferry Road bridge and the future I-84 bridge over the Mad River.
Meanwhile, retaining walls are being constructed along I-84 westbound, east of the Exit 23 off-ramp and north of I-84 westbound, west of the Exit 25 off-ramp.
On local roads, workers will install drainage at Reidville Drive and Harpers Ferry Road, place subbase and fine grade for the future Reidville Drive, form and pour cutoff for the culvert east of the rock cut under Reidville Drive, and work on wingwall for a culvert under the future I-84.
Also, drainage is being installed at Harpers Ferry Road and Plank Road. Excavation will continue on Farrell Road, and on Plank Road East, paving will occur at night along with work on two culverts.