STAMFORD — The city’s housing stock continues to grow, as a number of major apartment blocks open or near completion.
Among the new projects, a 392-unit building opened earlier this month at 100 Commons Park North, in the South End. Less than a couple of miles away in the downtown, the 325-unit Atlantic Station, at the corner of Atlantic Street and Tresser Boulevard, and the 209-unit Park Vela on the Park, at the junction of West Park Place and Washington Boulevard, are both scheduled to debut in the new year.
“I’m very excited about the project,” said Bruce Berg, CEO of the Cappelli Organization’s Fuller Development Co. arm. “We like the location, given the proximity to the train station, mall and bars and restaurants in the downtown, and visibility from the highway.”
The approximately 280-foot Atlantic Station building also includes some 17,000 square feet on its ground level allocated for retail.
“We are negotiating a lease with one party and are talking to several prospective tenants,” Berg said.
Adjacent to the new building, Cappelli is renovating an Atlantic Street structure that formerly housed a post office. The use of that structure has not been finalized, but it could include dining establishments. few blocks to the north, construction at Vela on the Park has also reached the final stages. The new building stands at the west end of the restaurant row around Columbus Park.
In the South End, the 100 Commons Park North building comprises the latest installment of Building and Land Technology’s mixed-use Harbor Point project.
Since building work began in 2009, BLT has constructed some 2,700 apartments at Harbor Point. When it is completed, the project will accommodate more than 4,000 units.
Down the street from 100 Commons Park North, the latest building in Jonathan Rose Co. and Malkin Holdings’ mixed-income Metro Green campus opened in July at 695 Atlantic St. The Metro Green Terrace property consists of 131 market-rate and below-market-rate units. CLCIK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Carabetta Companies offering to buy Mills Memorial Apartments in Meriden
MERIDEN – The Carabetta Companies are offering to purchase the Mills Memorial Apartments from the city to build senior and market-rate housing, despite the city rebuffing an initial bid just two months ago.
City officials rejected the September offer because the complex is slated for demolition to make way for mixed-income housing developments and the extension of Harbor Brook and the Meriden Green. The company sent a letter Monday urging Mayor Kevin Scarpati to reconsider, arguing the buildings are structurally sound.
The offer also comes as the company has a $375-million lawsuit against the city, claiming the city acted as a monopoly in denying Carabetta the ability to develop property on Cathole Mountain.
Company CEO Joseph F. Carabetta said in a Sept. 19 letter to Scarpati that his company, which owns the Parkside apartments across the street, could rehabilitate and convert the Mills into elderly and market-rate apartments. He said that demolishing the buildings “would be a complete waste of the taxpayer funds,” and that selling the buildings would produce revenue for the city and Housing Authority.
The city is under contract with Pennrose Properties to develop the land adjacent to the Mills into mixed-income housing and commercial complexes. The projects, known as Meriden Commons I and II, are contingent on the demolition of the Mills Memorial Apartments. Plans also call for the extension of the Meriden Green and Harbor Brook through the Mills property. Demolition was initially slated for this fall, but delays in the Meriden Housing Authority’s relocation of Mills tenants resulted in the demolition being pushed back until early 2018. City Manager Guy Scaife, acting on behalf of Scarpati, rejected the offer two days later. Scaife wrote in a letter to the company that, despite the offer’s appeal, the Mills must be demolished in order to comply with the city’s flood control plan as the buildings are in a designated flood plain.
“I greatly appreciate your interest and desire to propose a creative reuse of the existing structures in such a way that the City, our taxpayers, and you as a developer might benefit,” Scaife wrote. “Under most circumstances, your proposal would generate significant interest on our part. However, our situation is unique … Allowing those buildings to stay and not converting the land to additional flood migration area would be a clear violation of the approved plan and associated funding.”
In renewing the offer Monday, Carabetta reiterated his contention that demolishing the Mills would be a “huge injustice,” but also offered an alternative flood control plan that would include work at Pratt’s Pond.
Carabetta then made reference the company’s pending lawsuit against the city, former city planner Dominick Caruso and Tilcon Inc., calling it “the biggest lawsuit.” The 2016 lawsuit stems from Carabetta's failed bid to create a housing development atop Cathole Mountain.
The lawsuit alleges the city engaged in a scheme with Tilcon to prevent the Carabetta’s development in order to monopolize the trap rock market. CLICK TITLE TO CONTNUE
Killingly council to decide whether to accept power plant deal
KILLINGLY — In one of its last acts in its current incarnation, the Killingly Town Council this week will decide whether to accept a pair of amended benefit agreements that, if approved, would result in the $95 million in cash and tax revenue being funneled into the town’s coffers if a proposed power plant in eventually built in Dayville.
After months of discussion, the council on Thursday will vote on a Community Environmental Benefit, or CEBA, and a tax stabilization contract that were put on hold in May after the Connecticut Siting Council denied permit applications from the NTE energy company to construct a 550-megawatt power plant in town.
Because the applications were rejected without prejudice, the company is expected to re-file for the permits early next year. In anticipation of that re-filing, Town Manager Sean Hendricks has been working with NTE representatives on new versions of proposed agreements, ones that take into account some council members’ push for more money and increased protection for the town.
The council last month met in executive session to request some more minor changes to the agreements, largely revolving around contract language and decommissioning issues regarding the proposed plant.
Council member Gail Oakley Pratt, who will give up her seat in December, said she sees no reason to end the contract negotiations this month.
“We’ve changed so much in these contracts since they were introduced — they are leaps and bounds more benefits to the town in the amended versions — that I don’t see the harm in letting a new council with fresh eyes continue going over them,” she said. ”(NTE) has not yet re-filed its applications, so there’s no deadline we’re working against right now. Why foreclose these discussions now?”
NTE has already agreed to increase its initial $2 million CEBA proposal to $5 million. That “unrestricted” money could be used for a variety of environmentally-oriented projects, including a scholarship fund, for water testing at Alexander’s Lake and to plant trees throughout town.
The council also requested Hendricks revise a tax stabilization agreement with NTE. The draft version of the plan called for the company to pay the town $90 million in taxes over a 20-year period, but that figure rose to $91 million after further negotiations. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Connecticut Water Celebrates Completion of $30M Rockville Water Treatment Facility
Connecticut Water Company (Connecticut Water), along with state and local leaders, celebrated the recent completion of the company's new Rockville Water Treatment Facility on Nov. 8. The new facility was constructed at a cost of more than $30 million and is part of a public drinking water system that serves 85,000 people in 10 north central Connecticut communities.
“This new Rockville Facility will provide a reliable supply of safe drinking water for families, communities and for public fire protection for decades to come. We are proud of our employees and our construction partners that were able to construct this facility on time and on budget, and we value the great cooperation we had from the Connecticut Department of Public Health Drinking Water Supplies Section in reviewing and approving plans,” said David C. Benoit, Connecticut Water president and CEO. “The construction of this facility is consistent with our strategy of delivering value and growth through investments in our systems.”
“This type of infrastructure investment needs to be recognized and celebrated, as water safety and quality are essential to the people of this state,” said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. “A private utility company willingly making an investment of more than $30 million to improve the water for 85,000 customers and the environment aligns with our draft comprehensive state water plan by preserving and ensuring the safety and quality of our natural resources. These investments result in both short-term and long-term dividends, and Connecticut Water Company should be applauded for doing what is right.”
The newly upgraded facility replaces a treatment facility that first went into service in 1970. The new facility enhances treatment, increases capacity, provides greater energy and operating efficiencies, improves reliability, and drives significant environmental benefits compared with the former plant.In addition to providing customer and environmental benefits, construction of the new facility boosted the state's economy. About a dozen Connecticut manufacturers and service providers supplied materials or services for the construction of the new facility.
Milford Officials Make 11th Hour Plea To Stop Improvements At Silver Sands
MILFORD, CT — A day before the state Bond Commission is expected to vote on whether to approve $9.1 million for renovations at Silver Sands State Park, a bevy of Milford officials and lawmakers held a press conference to say they don’t want the money or the project.
The funding will be used to construct a bath house building, lifeguard and staff office, concession building, and a maintenance facility.
“No one wants this project and the state of Connecticut cannot afford it,” Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford, said.
“Milford residents have been unified and vocal in their opposition to the buildout of Silver Sands,” Slossberg added. “They have raised numerous concerns about the project, but those concerns have not been resolved, and in many cases never acknowledged.”
She suggested the money would be better spent on education or social services or a different infrastructure project.
The Malloy administration, which controls the Bond Commission agenda, disagreed with Slossberg’s assessment.
“We appreciate the perspective and feedback from elected officials in Milford, but we respectfully disagree,” Kelly Donnelly, a spokeswoman for Malloy, said. “This project ensures important improvements are made to Silver Sands that will improve access to the park and build out basic amenities for visitors.
“It’s important to remember that this is a state park that serves tens of thousands of visitors from across Connecticut and beyond, and therefore it must be operated, maintained, and improved with all state residents in mind,” Donnelly added.
The last time an item was pulled from the state Bond Commission agenda was in June 2012. At that time Malloy pulled $300,000 to improve the People’s Center in New Haven from the agenda after veterans’ groups complained that some of the members of the organization that runs the community center were communists.
Slossberg was joined at the press conference by Milford Mayor Ben Blake, Milford area state Reps. Kim Rose, Pam Staneski, and Charlie Ferraro, and local Milford residents in opposition to the project.
“The priorities up in Hartford are not the same priorities that we have locally,” Blake said.
The Milford mayor said it is his city’s responsibility to provide police and fire personnel to monitor the beach. “We have put a lot of our resources and will continue to do it because it is a special part of our city,” Blake said CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE