MERIDEN — Construction of Meriden Commons I is underway at the corner of State and Mill streets to make way for 76 units of mixed income housing and 5,000 square feet of commercial space.
The city transferred the land to the Meriden Housing Authority in April and environmental cleanup on the property is complete. Construction crews have installed the piers and footings that will hold up the four-story building. Concrete slabs are expected to go up within the next few weeks, said Robert Cappelletti, executive director of the Meriden Housing Authority.
“We have a very aggressive 12-month construction schedule,” Cappelletti said. The property is owned by the MHA, which has a leaseback agreement with developer Pennrose Properties to construct the 76 units and commercial space. The partnership is called Meriden Commons I. Construction is estimated at $14.5 million, Of the 76 units, 23 units will replace those lost when the Mills Memorial Apartments are demolished this fall. There will also be 38 affordable units and 15 market rate units. The apartments will have one, two and three bedrooms.
Financing came from a mix of private investment, low income housing tax credits, and $5.7 million from the state Department of Housing. A groundbreaking ceremony is set for June 12.
“They are moving pretty quickly there,” said Charlie Adams, a vice president for Pennrose Properties.
The partnership has also received low income housing tax credits and an additional $5.7 million from DOH for Meriden Commons II, which will have 75 units in one four-story building and two townhouse style buildings. Meriden Commons II will offer more three and four bedroom units and is estimated to cost $15 million. Twenty percent of the total units for both Meriden Commons I and Meriden Commons II will be market rate.
Cappelletti and Adams hope to close on Meriden Commons II by the beginning of 2018.
The construction will progress through the demolition of the Mills Memorial Apartments. The remaining families in the Mills high rise units recently received protected vouchers that can be used for housing anywhere in the U.S. or its territories. But many have chosen to stay in the city and have the right of first refusal to live at Meriden Commons when it opens.
City officials are pleased with the changes downtown. In exchange for 177 State St., the MHA gave the city the needed land to continue its Meriden Green flood control and beautification project to Cedar Street at the site of the former high rise.
At the opposite end of the Meriden Green near East Main Street, the former Record-Journal building at 11 Crown St. is being readied for demolition to make way for 81 units of mixed income housing.
“Pennrose is well underway with construction of Meriden Commons” phase 1, said Economic Development Director Juliet Burdelski. Manafort Bros. “is on schedule with the demolition of the former Record-Journal building, the new Meriden Transit Center is nearing completion, and the Meriden Green is open and being enjoyed by many. Every day the face of Meriden’s downtown is changing for the better, and I hope that Meriden residents and business owners can appreciate the positive changes that are happening.”
In separate meetings over the past two weeks, the board and its consultants have presented plans for a three-story, 185,000-square-foot middle school, located in a wooded area of the park that would have an entrance off Country Club Road. The price tag for the proposed new school, which district officials say would open in 2021, would be $106.4 million.If the town moves ahead with the project, the average Cheshire homeowner would see their annual tax bills increase by $222.90 in 2020, the first year of a 10-year period during which the project would be paid off, Town Finance Director Jim Jaskot said.As is the case with a home mortgage, most of the payments made in the first few years of the payout would go toward paying off interest on the cost of project. Over the payoff period, more of the payments from the town would go toward the principal of the loan, Jaskot said.
The estimated cost of the project is based upon bonding the project at an interest rate of 4 percent, he said.
The average Cheshire homeowner has a house with an assessed value of $213,550, according to Jaskot. That average homeowner, with the tax on two cars included, will have a tax bill of $7,424 in fiscal year 2017-18, which starts on July 1.The school board and district officials say a new middle school is needed to allow for a reconfiguration of the current middle school structure. Currently, Dodd Middle School, which is located near the center of town, is used by seventh- and eighth-graders. Superintendent Jeff Solan said this week that taking sixth-graders out of their individual elementary school and joining them with those students in seventh and eighth grades will be more educationally beneficial. “Three years at Dodd will allow for a better understanding of the needs of the pupil,” Solon said during special meeting with the Town Council Thursday. A new middle school configuration would also allow sixth-graders to take advantage of some new extra-curricular activities that aren’t currently available at the elementary school level, he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE Milford Silver Sands State Park build-out project may be halted
MILFORD >> The controversial build-out of Silver Sands State Park is one step closer to being halted — at least temporarily — after the state Senate recently unanimously passed a bill spearheaded by state Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford. If it were passed by the House and signed by the governor, the bill would ensure the state could not pursue the controversial construction project at Silver Sands for at least two years without the approval of city leaders. “The people of Milford don’t want this build-out of their beach, and the state of Connecticut simply cannot afford it,” said Slossberg, who has lobbied to halt the project, estimated to cost $10 million at a time when the state faces a huge budget deficit. “This project was ill-conceived from the start, and I’m glad we were able to put a stop to it. ... People deserve to have a say in what happens to their community, particularly when it comes to major, transformative construction projects like what had been proposed at Silver Sands.”
The bill still must pass in the House and be signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Milford’s House delegation, Kim Rose, a Democrat, and Republicans Pam Staneski and Charlie Ferraro, will work for its final passage, according to a press release from Slossberg’s office. The bill passed the Environment Committee in March. Hundreds of residents had their say more than a year ago at a public information session and made it clear they oppose the work, which would include adding amenities such as a snack bar, bathhouse, storage building for maintenance equipment and booth for collecting a parking fee. There is no parking fee at the 297-acre property overlooking Long Island Sound. The park is uniquely situated next to three residential neighborhoods. One of the major fears of neighbors is that park visitors looking to dodge a new, substantial parking fee would park on residential streets.
Milford residents also railed against the concept of a parking fee, saying it would prohibit some families from using the park.State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection officials said months ago they may consider revisions to the plan based on input, but the overall project, including a parking charge, is likely to go forward.If the park were revamped, fees would likely be the same as at the other state coastal parks, DEEP officials have said. Those seasonal fees roughly between Memorial Day and Labor Day are $9 plus tax on weekdays for state residents, and $13 plus tax on weekends; and for non-state residents, $15 plus tax during the week and $22 plus tax on weekends.
Construction Group Launches New Highway Work Zone Safety Effort
Fourty-four percent of highway contractors reported that motor vehicles had crashed into their construction work zones during the past year, according to the results of a new highway work zone study conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America. As a result, association officials launched a new national advertising and outreach campaign to urge motorists to stay alert and slow down while driving through highway work zones.
"There is no meeting, email or text that is more important than the safety of workers or motorists," Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer for the association. "It is absolutely essential for every driver to slow down, pay attention and put the phone down while driving through highway work zones."
Sandherr said that 49 percent of contractors who reported work zone crashes on their projects said that motor vehicle operators or passengers were injured, and 13 percent of those crashes involved a driver or passenger fatality. Highway work zone crashes also pose a significant risk for construction workers, Sandherr noted. He said 25 percent of work zone crashes injure construction workers and 11 percent of those crashes kill them.
Work zone crashes also have a pronounced impact on construction schedules and costs, Sandherr said. He noted that 27 percent of contractors reported that work zone crashes during the past year have forced them to temporarily shut down construction activity. Those delays were often lengthy, as 52 percent of those project shutdowns lasted two or more days.
Association officials said that a majority of contractors (82 percent) report that motor vehicle crashes pose a greater risk today than they did just ten years ago. That is why the association is launching a new national advertising campaign that is designed to help improve the safety of the nation's highway work zones.Sandherr noted that the campaign will feature new radio ads that will air in dozens of cities around the country that caution drivers to be careful in highway work zones. The ads warn drivers that speeding, texting and losing focus while in work zones aren't worth the "nightmare" of killing workers, drivers or passengers.
"With the summer travel season starting this weekend, our message to every motorist is this: when you see construction signs and orange barrels, take your foot off the gas, get off the phone and keep your eyes on the road," the highway contractor added. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
CTDOT Initiates Planning for State's Rail System Future
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced the selection of a consultant team to assist the department with planning for the future of the New Haven Line and the entire statewide rail system. Developing the investment program to significantly improve the performance of the rail system is a key element of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's Let's Go CT! 30-year, $100 billion transportation vision.
The team will be composed of experts from three nationally respected firms — AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and STV — and will initially be tasked with developing a strategy to improve capacity, frequency, and speed of rail service on the New Haven Line. This plan, informally known as the “2+2” Plan, calls for running local trains on two outer tracks and express trains on the two inner tracks. The study will develop service and infrastructure investment strategies to achieve key performance targets for the rail system and evaluate the optimal strategy for creating direct service to New York Penn Station as well as to Grand Central Terminal.
This work effort, funded by an initial allocation of $3 million by the State Bond Commission from “Let's Go CT”, will inform future capital investment decisions such as the configuration of new rail stations, rail yard improvements, interlockings — allowing a train to switch from one track to another — and procurement of addition rail cars and locomotives.
“This critically important initiative marks the beginning of a new era in the state's rail system, moving us from the traditional commuter business model to a dynamic, interconnected transit network. Customers and business leaders are demanding these new services, which will unleash the true economic potential of Connecticut's communities,” said CTDOT Commissioner James Redeker.“With the opening of the Hartford Line next year, we have an opportunity to take a fresh look at rail service across the state, to rethink schedules, fares, branding and other operational details. It will soon be possible to travel with ease between Hartford and the state's major cities along the coast,” said Richard Andreski, CTDOT bureau chief of public transportation.
“The initial phase of the study will look at various concepts and alternatives for future train service and potential investment needs. The first phase including recommendations on the future rail car and locomotive purchases will be completed next year. It will then be up to CTDOT, the General Assembly and the Governor to act on any recommendations,” he said.
Housing project on track in Waterbury
WATERBURY – A push to redevelop a former Cherry Avenue clock factory, now used as a plumbing warehouse, into apartments seems to be picking up steam. Even a recent finding of slight radium contamination in part of the building seems no impediment.
In 2016, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority granted $769,302 in low-income tax credits to Cherry Avenue Partners to build 40 apartments inside 145 Cherry Ave., which recently served as headquarters to Bender Plumbing and is still used for warehousing.
Earlier this month, the Connecticut Bond Commission granted a $3.2 million low-interest loan, over 35 years, to Cherry Avenue Partners.
A recent finding of radium contamination by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission seems no impediment. Developer Harold Foley III, a Georgia-based principal of Cherry Avenue Partners, said the project’s $13.9 million budget accounts for cleanup costs.
We are aware of it and we have a remediation plan that will end up costing us $108,000,” Foley said. “Initially we were very concerned about it, but not after going through with our due diligence and scoping.”
The federal agency says it found elevated radiation levels in a corner of the seventh floor at 145 Cherry Ave.
Radium is a radioactive substance that was used up until the 1970s to make clock hands and other instruments glow. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, exposure has been linked to anemia, cataracts, fractured teeth, cancer and death. It’s uncertain how much exposure is needed to affect health, according to the federal agency.
Given the limited use of the seventh floor of the Bender Building, the federal agency found no immediate risk to health.
Foley said radium has been found on the floorboards, which will be removed and disposed of properly. It’s his understanding this area was used for the painting of clock dials.
Foley said he expects to complete a purchase of the building in June and begin work in 30 days. He said 80 percent of the loft-style apartments in the building would be rented at “affordable” rates, with the others being rented at market rates. He envisions granite countertops and hardwood floors.
“We just think overall it will be a beautiful building, comparable, if not better, than the Carroll Apartments,” Foley said.
Foley was involved in the redevelopment of the Carroll Building on lower Willow Street. The 110-year-old building was essentially a five-story, hollow husk with boarded-up windows when Foley’s partnership bought it for $511,000 in December 2015. The building has since been renovated into 35 apartments. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE