STAMFORD — Mayor David Martin flung the first shovel-full of dirt over a fence Tuesday at the city’s infamous hole in the ground.
“It has been a long journey,” the mayor said.
The groundbreaking ceremony with city officials and developers F.D. Rich and Ironstate Development Co. marked the start of the long-awaited construction at the vast hole in the middle of Stamford’s downtown.
“I take the infamous credit of having named this the infamous hole in the ground,” Martin said to the large crowd of elected officials, city employees and local business owners at the groundbreaking ceremony for the 648-unit housing development at Tresser Boulevard and Greyrock Place.
He credited the city’s Downtown Special Services District for revitalizing the area over the past 25 years, picking up where Urban Renewal left off.
The plot, also known as Parcel 38 that has been vacant for nearly 50 years, is a casualty of the tear-down efforts of the Urban Renewal movement in Stamford in the 1960s and 70s. With construction officially underway, Stamford Urby will be completed in two phases. The first phase, which began with Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony, will yield the first 464 apartments spread across nine buildings. The next phase will construct two more buildings, which will include 184 apartments.
A majority of the apartments will be one-bedrooms and studios, a hallmark of Ironstate’s other Urby developments in Staten Island, N.Y., and Jersey City and Harrison, N.J.
On the corner, a cafe and common area will be open to the public during regular business hours, Ironstate President David Barry said.
“Part of the philosophy is that we don’t want to come into a neighborhood and gate it and wall it,” he said. “We want to be porous and have neighbors come in and get to know us.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Bristol officials break ground on access road for Centre Square
BRISTOL - Centre Square officially has shovels in the pavement after city leaders broke ground on the new access road Tuesday.
On the corner, a cafe and common area will be open to the public during regular business hours, Ironstate President David Barry said.
“Part of the philosophy is that we don’t want to come into a neighborhood and gate it and wall it,” he said. “We want to be porous and have neighbors come in and get to know us.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Bristol officials break ground on access road for Centre Square
BRISTOL - Centre Square officially has shovels in the pavement after city leaders broke ground on the new access road Tuesday.
City officials, employees and community members attended a ceremony for what will be known as “Centre Square Access Road.”
“The city doesn’t do this every day,” said Justin Malley, executive director of the Bristol Development Authority. “Especially a road that’s so important to the city and sort of unique, and really kick-starts the downtown development.”
The road will begin at the intersection of North Main and Laurel streets, and cut across Centre Square to Riverside Avenue. The work includes streetscape components that match the aesthetics of downtown, full underground utilities and updated traffic signals.
The roughly 1,000-foot road will cost $2.7 million and provide access to the soon-to-be constructed Bristol Hospital Ambulatory Care Center, and future development and commercial properties on Centre Square.
Mayor Ken Cockayne said, “Today is an exciting day.” He thanked Kurt Barwis, president and CEO of Bristol Hospital “for stepping up and doing what Bristol needed” and providing a “vibrant downtown” with the hospital project.
“It’s because of your project that I am negotiating with another developer who is looking to build on the other corner, and he is going to have multi-story buildings that are commercial on the bottom and apartment and/or office space on the top,” Cockayne said. “After the land sitting vacant for 12 years, we have shovels going in the ground and construction starting. This is just the beginning of a vibrant downtown.”
Barwis said, “The ambulatory project wouldn’t be possible without the infrastructure, and this roadway marks the start of that project. Honestly, I don’t know that we could have afforded it without the city stepping forward.”
“Hopefully soon, you will see the making of a building going on this ground. We are progressing very, very well,” he added. “We have had an extensive recruitment cycle with a lot of new physicians - a lot of new physicians that need a place to work.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Meriden ZBA tables application for Meriden Commons Phase II
Commission OKs $20M condo project at former Mystic Color lab
Mystic — The Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved scaled-back plans to develop the vacant Mystic Color Lab property into 42 townhouse condominiums in seven buildings.
The site plan approval was the second and final approval that the Greylock Property Group needed to develop the $20 million project known as Mystic Harbor Landing on the 5.5-acre site off Harry Austin Drive.
In February, the commission approved a master plan for the site. The current plan has 13 fewer units and 26 percent less square footage than a previous plan for the site that called for a large single structure.
Project attorney Bill Sweeney told the commission that the site plan is almost identical to the approved master plan except the project is now fully engineered with more detail. Compared to previous projects for the site, he said the current plan “has been downscaled in almost every aspect to the minimum needed to make it economically viable.”
He said the site plan approval is the final hurdle needed “to bring this site back into active reuse” and it would build on the investment being made next door at the Ocean Community YMCA, which has begun an extensive expansion and renovation project.
The project will be constructed in three phases, with buildings having a Nantucket-style design with gray shingles. Units will range in price from the high $400,000s to low $500,000s, depending on size of the unit and water views.
There will be 137 parking spots and an interior courtyard with a monument that will pay homage to the industrial history of the site. Bricks from the remaining wall of the former mill building will be used for the monument, signage and other aspects of the project. The wall and tower will be taken down.
Greylock has had a contractual agreement with the property owner, Edgewood Capital of Southport, to explore potential development possibilities for the property. Sweeney said the two sides are now ready to close on the property, complete an environmental cleanup and begin construction next year. CLCIK TITLE TO CONTINUE
East Hartford Council OKs Tax Break For Outlet Shops At Rentschler Field
The town council unanimously approved a tax break of up to $16.86 million for the developers of The Outlet Shoppes at Rentschler Field on Tuesday night, and construction on the project could begin as early as Wednesday.
“This is a great shot in the arm for the town of East Hartford,” Mayor Marcia Leclerc said after the vote. “I’m very excited to bring this to fruition.”
The tax break for Horizon Group Properties would extend over 10 years, with 100 percent of taxes forgiven during the first two years and a decreasing percentage over the next eight years. The breaks would come from deferring the increase in the real estate assessment on the property, or the difference between the value of the vacant land and the value of the development.
The tax break could be less than the agreed upon $16,858,093 but is capped at that level, said Michael Walsh, the town’s finance director. The agreement also requires Horizon to occupy the space for 10 years following the opening of the outlet shops, or the tax abatement would end, Walsh said.With the approved abatement in place, the town still expects to see about $9 million in real estate taxes over the 10 years paid by Horizon and an additional $2 million over the same period through personal property tax revenue from each of the 70 retailers. Walsh estimated that the personal CLCIK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Is the East Windsor casino dead?
If the proposal by the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot Indians to build a casino in East Windsor is not dead, it is at least down for the count, with long odds of making it back up.
The legislation authorizing the casino, meant to compete with one MGM is building across the state line, in Springfield, Mass., passed the General Assembly this year with one large "but" written into the bill.
That contingency is that the U.S. Department of the Interior approves an amendment to the tribes' compact with the state, saying that the new commercial casino in East Windsor would not change the compact terms that grant the tribes a gambling duopoly in exchange for payment to the state of 25 percent of their slot revenues.
The contingency was an important compromise in the debate over East Windsor, after some lawmakers raised alarms that the new commercial casino would stop the existing slot payments from the casinos on tribal lands.
The tribes presented preliminary opinions from Interior suggesting they would approve the amendment.
But then in September came the bombshell: a letter from Michael Black, acting assistant secretary of Indian affairs in the Interior Department, saying, well, no one is quite sure what the rambling letter says.
One thing for sure is that it does not specifically say the amendment is approved.
Opponents of the East Windsor casino, MGM chief among them, say flatly that the letter does not meet the legal requirement for approval of the new casino.
In their more nuanced opinion of the letter, the tribes say that the lack of approval for the amendment can be interpreted, according to regulations, as approval.
They seem to be right about that, and no action in such matters can be interpreted as approval.
The problem is that the approval of the compact amendment, to meet the requirements of the Connecticut law allowing an East Windsor casino, must be published in the Federal Register within 90 days of the time the compact amendment was proposed.
The clock is ticking on that one, and something needs to be published in the Federal Register by early next month to rescue the East Windsor plans.
The federal department is ducking questions from the media about the confusing letter from Black and whether anything will be published in the register. But the text of the letter would suggest there are no plans to take any action that would be published in the register. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
“The city doesn’t do this every day,” said Justin Malley, executive director of the Bristol Development Authority. “Especially a road that’s so important to the city and sort of unique, and really kick-starts the downtown development.”
The road will begin at the intersection of North Main and Laurel streets, and cut across Centre Square to Riverside Avenue. The work includes streetscape components that match the aesthetics of downtown, full underground utilities and updated traffic signals.
The roughly 1,000-foot road will cost $2.7 million and provide access to the soon-to-be constructed Bristol Hospital Ambulatory Care Center, and future development and commercial properties on Centre Square.
Mayor Ken Cockayne said, “Today is an exciting day.” He thanked Kurt Barwis, president and CEO of Bristol Hospital “for stepping up and doing what Bristol needed” and providing a “vibrant downtown” with the hospital project.
“It’s because of your project that I am negotiating with another developer who is looking to build on the other corner, and he is going to have multi-story buildings that are commercial on the bottom and apartment and/or office space on the top,” Cockayne said. “After the land sitting vacant for 12 years, we have shovels going in the ground and construction starting. This is just the beginning of a vibrant downtown.”
Barwis said, “The ambulatory project wouldn’t be possible without the infrastructure, and this roadway marks the start of that project. Honestly, I don’t know that we could have afforded it without the city stepping forward.”
“Hopefully soon, you will see the making of a building going on this ground. We are progressing very, very well,” he added. “We have had an extensive recruitment cycle with a lot of new physicians - a lot of new physicians that need a place to work.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Meriden ZBA tables application for Meriden Commons Phase II
MERIDEN – The city’s Zoning Board of Appeals tabled a variance application from Pennrose Properties regarding site plans for Meriden Commons Phase II after a representative from the company was late to the meeting.
Meriden Commons Phase II is a mixed-income housing development planned for 62 Cedar St., alongside Meriden Commons Phase I, which is currently under construction. The city has entered into a Master Development Agreement with Pennrose for the project, which will add 75 apartments spread across three buildings.
A variance is being sought to allow for one less entrance into one of the apartment buildings where normally an entrance is required every 75-feet. A public hearing on the matter was scheduled for 6:30 p.m., but a representative from Pennrose was not present. The Zoning Board of Appeals opted to table the matter, rather than deny without prejudice which would require a 6-month wait before Pennrose could apply for another variance. After adjourning the meeting at 7:10 p.m., the Pennrose representative walked in and stated his train had been late, however because the meeting had already been closed it could not legally reopen. Commission OKs $20M condo project at former Mystic Color lab
Mystic — The Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved scaled-back plans to develop the vacant Mystic Color Lab property into 42 townhouse condominiums in seven buildings.
The site plan approval was the second and final approval that the Greylock Property Group needed to develop the $20 million project known as Mystic Harbor Landing on the 5.5-acre site off Harry Austin Drive.
In February, the commission approved a master plan for the site. The current plan has 13 fewer units and 26 percent less square footage than a previous plan for the site that called for a large single structure.
Project attorney Bill Sweeney told the commission that the site plan is almost identical to the approved master plan except the project is now fully engineered with more detail. Compared to previous projects for the site, he said the current plan “has been downscaled in almost every aspect to the minimum needed to make it economically viable.”
He said the site plan approval is the final hurdle needed “to bring this site back into active reuse” and it would build on the investment being made next door at the Ocean Community YMCA, which has begun an extensive expansion and renovation project.
The project will be constructed in three phases, with buildings having a Nantucket-style design with gray shingles. Units will range in price from the high $400,000s to low $500,000s, depending on size of the unit and water views.
Greylock has had a contractual agreement with the property owner, Edgewood Capital of Southport, to explore potential development possibilities for the property. Sweeney said the two sides are now ready to close on the property, complete an environmental cleanup and begin construction next year. CLCIK TITLE TO CONTINUE
East Hartford Council OKs Tax Break For Outlet Shops At Rentschler Field
The town council unanimously approved a tax break of up to $16.86 million for the developers of The Outlet Shoppes at Rentschler Field on Tuesday night, and construction on the project could begin as early as Wednesday.
“This is a great shot in the arm for the town of East Hartford,” Mayor Marcia Leclerc said after the vote. “I’m very excited to bring this to fruition.”
The tax break for Horizon Group Properties would extend over 10 years, with 100 percent of taxes forgiven during the first two years and a decreasing percentage over the next eight years. The breaks would come from deferring the increase in the real estate assessment on the property, or the difference between the value of the vacant land and the value of the development.
The tax break could be less than the agreed upon $16,858,093 but is capped at that level, said Michael Walsh, the town’s finance director. The agreement also requires Horizon to occupy the space for 10 years following the opening of the outlet shops, or the tax abatement would end, Walsh said.With the approved abatement in place, the town still expects to see about $9 million in real estate taxes over the 10 years paid by Horizon and an additional $2 million over the same period through personal property tax revenue from each of the 70 retailers. Walsh estimated that the personal CLCIK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Is the East Windsor casino dead?
If the proposal by the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot Indians to build a casino in East Windsor is not dead, it is at least down for the count, with long odds of making it back up.
The legislation authorizing the casino, meant to compete with one MGM is building across the state line, in Springfield, Mass., passed the General Assembly this year with one large "but" written into the bill.
That contingency is that the U.S. Department of the Interior approves an amendment to the tribes' compact with the state, saying that the new commercial casino in East Windsor would not change the compact terms that grant the tribes a gambling duopoly in exchange for payment to the state of 25 percent of their slot revenues.
The contingency was an important compromise in the debate over East Windsor, after some lawmakers raised alarms that the new commercial casino would stop the existing slot payments from the casinos on tribal lands.
The tribes presented preliminary opinions from Interior suggesting they would approve the amendment.
But then in September came the bombshell: a letter from Michael Black, acting assistant secretary of Indian affairs in the Interior Department, saying, well, no one is quite sure what the rambling letter says.
One thing for sure is that it does not specifically say the amendment is approved.
Opponents of the East Windsor casino, MGM chief among them, say flatly that the letter does not meet the legal requirement for approval of the new casino.
In their more nuanced opinion of the letter, the tribes say that the lack of approval for the amendment can be interpreted, according to regulations, as approval.
They seem to be right about that, and no action in such matters can be interpreted as approval.
The problem is that the approval of the compact amendment, to meet the requirements of the Connecticut law allowing an East Windsor casino, must be published in the Federal Register within 90 days of the time the compact amendment was proposed.
The clock is ticking on that one, and something needs to be published in the Federal Register by early next month to rescue the East Windsor plans.
The federal department is ducking questions from the media about the confusing letter from Black and whether anything will be published in the register. But the text of the letter would suggest there are no plans to take any action that would be published in the register. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE