Southington — Republican candidates for governor drove away from a transportation forum Friday without saying how they would stabilize Connecticut’s depleted transportation fund, disappointing an audience of union members and contractors whose livelihoods rely on the state’s ability to maintain and improve its aging infrastructure.
It was an opportunity for a field of candidates with no frontrunner to address a major issue highlighted last week by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who warned that without significant new revenue the transportation fund would need to curtail rail services, boost fares and suspend capital projects to remain solvent.
Only Joe Visconti, a former one-term West Hartford councilman who has raised no significant funds since opening an unconventional campaign for governor in April, talked about finding new funding, proposing electronic tolls and expressing a willingness to consider limited tax increases.
“Hearing the general comments about transportation today and where it stands in the overall scheme of things, I think, is a good start,” said Don Shubert, the president of the association. “I’d like to see the candidates delve a little deeper into the actual problems with the special transportation fund and how they plan to address those.”
The association is holding a similar forum for Democratic candidates for governor next month.
Others in attendance at the Aqua Turf Club were more critical of the GOP candidates, saying they saw little understanding of a long-percolating crisis or a willingness to confront it with a discussion about raising revenue, either by enacting tolls, raising the gasoline tax or both.
“It was supposed to be about transportation,” said Nate Brown, a business representative of Local 478 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, whose 3,100 members operate heavy construction machinery.
“It’s all about money,” said Lyle Wray, the executive director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments. “This is not a new story. This is a U.S. infrastructure story. Since 1975, we’re spending half the rate of other developed countries. It’s biting us on the tail. This is not new.” Six of the candidates present have raised significant funds for their campaigns, trying to establish credibility among potential nominating convention delegates. They are: Mike Handler, the chief financial officer of Stamford; Tim Herbst, the former first selectman of Trumbull; Mark Lauretti, the mayor of Shelton; Rep. Prasad Srinivasan of Glastonbury; Steve Obsitnik, a technology entrepreneur; and Dave Walker, the former U.S. comptroller general. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
$3.8-million project could close Merritt Parkway lanes in Greenwich
GREENWICH — The launch of a $3.8-million project from the Connecticut Department of Transportation could lead to lane closures along the Merritt Parkway in Greenwich over the next year.
The DOT announced the start of construction activities on the Merritt Parkway northbound between Exits 29 (Lake Avenue) and 31 (North Avenue) this week. The project will see a new drainage pipe installed under the Merritt Parkway to increase the flow capacity of the Horseneck Brook into the Putnam Lake reservoir.
“Construction access to the project jacking pits is only available from the Merritt Parkway therefore motorists should be aware of new concrete barrier installation and construction vehicles entering and exiting the project access roads at any time,” said the DOT in a press release. DOT officials said that the majority of the project work will be completed behind a barrier on a temporary access road on Route 15 northbound and southbound, however the road work may result in occasional lane changes.
On weekdays, commuters can expect closures on northbound side of the Merritt at any point between 9 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on weekdays. The southbound lanes may also be closed between 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Lane closure hours will be extended on weekends, according to officials The project is expected to be completed by Nov. 27, 2018.
GOP gubernatorial candidates mark their turf
SOUTHINGTON-Several Republican candidates vying to be the next Connecticut governor debated at a Transportation Forum at the Aqua Turf Club Friday morning.
“When (transportation) works, it’s invisible…but when it doesn’t work, it’s troublesome,” Don Shubert, president of the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, said.
Hosted by the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, more than 300 people from union workers to business leaders from various Chambers of Commerce listened as each candidate made comments about transportation and other accompanying issues that affect the state’s economy and quality of life.
Only candidates who filed candidate committees were invited to speak, which Michael Handler, Chief Financial Officer for Stamford; Timothy Herbst, Trumbull First Selectman; Mark Lauretti, Mayor of Shelton; Eric Mastroianni, U.S. Navy Veteran; Scott Merrell, Rowayton resident; Steve Obsitnick, businessman; Prasad Srinivasan, State Representative for Glastonbury and physician; Joseph Visconti, former West Hartford Councilman; Peter Thalheim, attorney and real estate agent; and David Walker, former United States Comptroller General.
“Connecticut is not just 203 or 860. It is one state with a bunch of assets who’ve done a poor job collaborating over the years,” Obsitnick said.
As a high-technology business entrepreneur who’s worked in Silicon Valley, Obsitnick hopes to break up the routine of politicians with similar career backgrounds sitting in office.
“The air, dirt, sand and water are all the same here as it is in Massachusetts and New York. So why are people leaving?” Obsitnick asked.
He said the key to growth is through industry lead urban ecosystems, which will attract industries, lead institutions to better train for jobs, bring in millennials and then restaurants and other economic development will flourish.
Similarly, Handler said the focus needs to be on prioritizing spending.
“We all want to do good things, but we need fiscal order to get there,” Handler said.
When he began working in Stamford five years ago, he said the city was facing a financial crisis despite looking strong and thriving. Since then Stamford has stabilized by investing and improving the “not sexy” things first, rather than building new attractions to bring in people.
Herbst mimicked similar statements.
As First Selectman of Trumbull, he also entered into his role during a time of trouble eight years ago, but he has since cut taxes and increased money into the pension fund.
If elected he wants to focus on the next generation and invest in infrastructure, something he said has been long ignored, but is just as critical as other issues.
“(Pulling back on funding infrastructure and transportation) will not help economic growth. Businesses will not want to come here,” Herbst said.
Aside from transportation, Mastroianni said if he gets elected he would give a portion of his salary to support scholarships, specifically to support trades and trade schools.
Self proclaimed “Rowayton Cowboy” - although sporting a baseball cap and pony tail - Merrell said he’s “not a normal candidate.”
Much of his speech jumped around from ranting about Connecticut having the most crooked court systems he’s ever seen, to the state destroying itself with increased taxes year after year.
Although the other candidates didn’t directly call out Gov. Dannel Malloy, Merrell did.
“You’ve got to give him credit for one thing, he’s consistent. He’s wrong about everything,” he said, which led out a few chuckles from the audience.
First generation immigrant from India, Srinivasan, said when he first came to America he had many hopes and dreams, but now his vision for the future isn’t as viable for his grandchildren.
“The future generation is at stake,” Srinivasan said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
UConn’s top designer Cruickshank cleared big projects from her ‘17 to-do list
Laura Cruickshank, UConn's chief architect-master planner, got to check off this year several major buildings on her project to-do list.
In August alone, Cruickshank and her team of design, engineering and construction overseers pulled off the wraps on a 320-bed residence hall in Stamford — UConn's first student housing not built on its flagship campus in Mansfield's Storrs section.
But the highlight was the Aug. 23 grand opening of the university's relocated West Hartford campus to downtown Hartford, the centerpiece of which was the $140 million redo of the former Hartford Times building at 10 South Prospect St.
"Universities don't get to open new campuses very often,'' Cruickshank said.
The building houses 160,000 square feet of classroom, lecture and faculty space, along with 19,000 square feet of retail space. Well before UConn's Hartford campus opened, downtown apartment landlords and developers and retailers scrambled to revamp existing or build new space to accommodate the more than 1,000 extra feet the campus has since brought to downtown.
"The campus opening in Hartford, in terms of what we're trying to achieve … all of that has been achieved,'' Cruickshank said. " … People just come up to me and say how excited they are to have UConn in downtown Hartford.''
But the Hartford and Stamford projects were among other juicy morsels of her full development-construction plate in 2017, some of which will be completed in 2018 and beyond.
In all, more than $385 million worth of new construction and renovation projects for another science-focused building, athletic and student-life facilities, among others, were in various planning and design stages in 2017, according to UConn's April 2017 planning documents.
"Lots of stuff going on,'' Cruickshank said.
At the main campus, a $10 million replacement of the 2,093 aged ceiling tiles that comprise Gampel Pavilion's geodesic dome was completed well ahead of the start of the 2017 women's and men's basketball season.
Also completed was the $95 million, 115,000-square-foot Engineering and Science Building and the $162 million, 114,000-square-foot Innovation Partnership Building, a linchpin of UConn's Technology Park.
Cruickshank said she is most proud that all the completed projects came in either under budget or on time, or both.
Meantime, renovations are about to begin on the south wing of the Gant Building, home to several departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Gant west wing will be renovated next, and prior to beginning the final phase in the north wing, a new science research building will be constructed to house the current north wing occupants.
Next spring, work will begin on the second phase of improvements to UConn's fine-arts facilities, including a budgeted $24 million, 31,000-square-foot addition and upgrades to Nate Katter Theater and related drama-music facilities.
In between managing their extensive construction-renovation checklist, Cruickshank said her team implemented new project-management software that, among other things, will allow UConn "to improve our ability to issue change-orders in a timely way.'' CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Plymouth firehouse project on track
PLYMOUTH – Mayor David V. Merchant says the Main Street Firehouse renovation and expansion is both ahead of schedule and under budget.
The project is a part of the 2016 $6.9 million bond package; the firehouse project began construction this past summer, with a projected completion date of the summer of 2018.
As drivers pass by the Terryville Volunteer Fire Department at 80 Main St., bulldozers and trucks surround the newly built 7,000-square-foot extension behind the existing 3,000-square-foot firehouse.
“The roof is now on the new garage building and they’re pouring the floor today. Once that’s done the building is ready to have the garage doors installed,” Merchant said.
He said once those next steps are complete within the next couple of weeks, the trucks will be able to be moved into the new bay areas so inside renovations on the original firehouse, built in 1965, can begin.
“Now we’re able to go in and start renovating. We had some positive change orders which caused a reduction of what it will cost. As of right now we’re under budget and ahead of schedule,” Merchant said. The firehouse project is budgeted to cost $3,750,000.
Merchant said although the original completion date was set for July 4, he said he believes the project will be completed earlier than that.
“This is exciting for a lot of us. This has been seven years since conceiving this idea and drawing it up on the back of a napkin,” said Merchant, who previously served on the fire commission. “This is one project I’m truly proud of and that the town will be proud of when it’s completed.”
Burlington Construction of Torrington is the contractor. The renovated firehouse, which will now become a 10,000-square-foot structure, will soon have a training center and full kitchen that can be used as an emergency shelter, offices, sleeping areas and a workout room and will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Hosted by the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, more than 300 people from union workers to business leaders from various Chambers of Commerce listened as each candidate made comments about transportation and other accompanying issues that affect the state’s economy and quality of life.
Only candidates who filed candidate committees were invited to speak, which Michael Handler, Chief Financial Officer for Stamford; Timothy Herbst, Trumbull First Selectman; Mark Lauretti, Mayor of Shelton; Eric Mastroianni, U.S. Navy Veteran; Scott Merrell, Rowayton resident; Steve Obsitnick, businessman; Prasad Srinivasan, State Representative for Glastonbury and physician; Joseph Visconti, former West Hartford Councilman; Peter Thalheim, attorney and real estate agent; and David Walker, former United States Comptroller General.
“Connecticut is not just 203 or 860. It is one state with a bunch of assets who’ve done a poor job collaborating over the years,” Obsitnick said.
As a high-technology business entrepreneur who’s worked in Silicon Valley, Obsitnick hopes to break up the routine of politicians with similar career backgrounds sitting in office.
“The air, dirt, sand and water are all the same here as it is in Massachusetts and New York. So why are people leaving?” Obsitnick asked.
He said the key to growth is through industry lead urban ecosystems, which will attract industries, lead institutions to better train for jobs, bring in millennials and then restaurants and other economic development will flourish.
Similarly, Handler said the focus needs to be on prioritizing spending.
“We all want to do good things, but we need fiscal order to get there,” Handler said.
When he began working in Stamford five years ago, he said the city was facing a financial crisis despite looking strong and thriving. Since then Stamford has stabilized by investing and improving the “not sexy” things first, rather than building new attractions to bring in people.
Herbst mimicked similar statements.
As First Selectman of Trumbull, he also entered into his role during a time of trouble eight years ago, but he has since cut taxes and increased money into the pension fund.
If elected he wants to focus on the next generation and invest in infrastructure, something he said has been long ignored, but is just as critical as other issues.
“(Pulling back on funding infrastructure and transportation) will not help economic growth. Businesses will not want to come here,” Herbst said.
Aside from transportation, Mastroianni said if he gets elected he would give a portion of his salary to support scholarships, specifically to support trades and trade schools.
Self proclaimed “Rowayton Cowboy” - although sporting a baseball cap and pony tail - Merrell said he’s “not a normal candidate.”
Much of his speech jumped around from ranting about Connecticut having the most crooked court systems he’s ever seen, to the state destroying itself with increased taxes year after year.
Although the other candidates didn’t directly call out Gov. Dannel Malloy, Merrell did.
“You’ve got to give him credit for one thing, he’s consistent. He’s wrong about everything,” he said, which led out a few chuckles from the audience.
First generation immigrant from India, Srinivasan, said when he first came to America he had many hopes and dreams, but now his vision for the future isn’t as viable for his grandchildren.
“The future generation is at stake,” Srinivasan said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
UConn’s top designer Cruickshank cleared big projects from her ‘17 to-do list
Laura Cruickshank, UConn's chief architect-master planner, got to check off this year several major buildings on her project to-do list.
In August alone, Cruickshank and her team of design, engineering and construction overseers pulled off the wraps on a 320-bed residence hall in Stamford — UConn's first student housing not built on its flagship campus in Mansfield's Storrs section.
But the highlight was the Aug. 23 grand opening of the university's relocated West Hartford campus to downtown Hartford, the centerpiece of which was the $140 million redo of the former Hartford Times building at 10 South Prospect St.
"Universities don't get to open new campuses very often,'' Cruickshank said.
The building houses 160,000 square feet of classroom, lecture and faculty space, along with 19,000 square feet of retail space. Well before UConn's Hartford campus opened, downtown apartment landlords and developers and retailers scrambled to revamp existing or build new space to accommodate the more than 1,000 extra feet the campus has since brought to downtown.
"The campus opening in Hartford, in terms of what we're trying to achieve … all of that has been achieved,'' Cruickshank said. " … People just come up to me and say how excited they are to have UConn in downtown Hartford.''
But the Hartford and Stamford projects were among other juicy morsels of her full development-construction plate in 2017, some of which will be completed in 2018 and beyond.
In all, more than $385 million worth of new construction and renovation projects for another science-focused building, athletic and student-life facilities, among others, were in various planning and design stages in 2017, according to UConn's April 2017 planning documents.
"Lots of stuff going on,'' Cruickshank said.
At the main campus, a $10 million replacement of the 2,093 aged ceiling tiles that comprise Gampel Pavilion's geodesic dome was completed well ahead of the start of the 2017 women's and men's basketball season.
Also completed was the $95 million, 115,000-square-foot Engineering and Science Building and the $162 million, 114,000-square-foot Innovation Partnership Building, a linchpin of UConn's Technology Park.
Cruickshank said she is most proud that all the completed projects came in either under budget or on time, or both.
Meantime, renovations are about to begin on the south wing of the Gant Building, home to several departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Gant west wing will be renovated next, and prior to beginning the final phase in the north wing, a new science research building will be constructed to house the current north wing occupants.
Next spring, work will begin on the second phase of improvements to UConn's fine-arts facilities, including a budgeted $24 million, 31,000-square-foot addition and upgrades to Nate Katter Theater and related drama-music facilities.
In between managing their extensive construction-renovation checklist, Cruickshank said her team implemented new project-management software that, among other things, will allow UConn "to improve our ability to issue change-orders in a timely way.'' CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Plymouth firehouse project on track
PLYMOUTH – Mayor David V. Merchant says the Main Street Firehouse renovation and expansion is both ahead of schedule and under budget.
The project is a part of the 2016 $6.9 million bond package; the firehouse project began construction this past summer, with a projected completion date of the summer of 2018.
As drivers pass by the Terryville Volunteer Fire Department at 80 Main St., bulldozers and trucks surround the newly built 7,000-square-foot extension behind the existing 3,000-square-foot firehouse.
“The roof is now on the new garage building and they’re pouring the floor today. Once that’s done the building is ready to have the garage doors installed,” Merchant said.
He said once those next steps are complete within the next couple of weeks, the trucks will be able to be moved into the new bay areas so inside renovations on the original firehouse, built in 1965, can begin.
“Now we’re able to go in and start renovating. We had some positive change orders which caused a reduction of what it will cost. As of right now we’re under budget and ahead of schedule,” Merchant said. The firehouse project is budgeted to cost $3,750,000.
Merchant said although the original completion date was set for July 4, he said he believes the project will be completed earlier than that.
“This is exciting for a lot of us. This has been seven years since conceiving this idea and drawing it up on the back of a napkin,” said Merchant, who previously served on the fire commission. “This is one project I’m truly proud of and that the town will be proud of when it’s completed.”
Burlington Construction of Torrington is the contractor. The renovated firehouse, which will now become a 10,000-square-foot structure, will soon have a training center and full kitchen that can be used as an emergency shelter, offices, sleeping areas and a workout room and will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE