CT Construction Digest Tuesday July 31, 2018

Op-ed: Tolls’ time has come (again) in state

Recently the State Bond Commission approved a tolling study for the State of Connecticut initiated by Dannel P. Malloy. I support this study being done now since many worthwhile projects such as the Merritt Parkway Interchange (Project 7/15) that was moving forward was subsequently put on hold because of the shortfall in the Special Transportation Fund. This project has been on the drawing board since the 1990s. Construction started in 2005, only to be stopped by a lawsuit by the Merritt Parkway Conservancy. In 2008, after 12 months of stakeholders’ meetings, of which I was a participant, a new concept plan was developed in 2009. But, this, too, was shelved for eight years because of a lack of money going into the state’s coffers during the Great Recession.Finally, in December 2017, a new stakeholder advisory board was put together once more to work on this project, of which I was a member, and now this project is being held up once again! It is was very disheartening to members of the advisory group (the stakeholders in the area and the state’s project engineers) who were working on this project to face another delay for a second time due to a lack of funds in the state’s transportation fund.The state has to pay for its infrastructure needs, and those needs run into billions of dollars. The longer we wait and put these projects on hold — the more money they will cost to be built in the future.In 2018 I attended two meetings where Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker gave in-depth talks about finances concerning the DOT’s operating budget and infrastructure problems, namely the lack of funding in the state’s transportation fund, and how we can solve this crisis situation i.e. tolling on Connecticut’s major highways — the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Highways, I-84, I-91, and I-95.Once this tolling study is completed, it will be presented to the next legislature so they will have a complete picture of how much money tolling will bring into the state’s coffers, where electronic toll gantries will be placed, the environmental impact of electronic tolling systems, so that they can make an informed decision on bringing back tolls to the state.Right now, we are the only state on the eastern seaboard that doesn’t have tolls.When the Merritt Parkway was being built in the 1930s the legislature passed the “Parkway Toll Bill” on June 21, 1939 making the Merritt a toll highway. The intent of the 10-cent toll was to pay for the construction of the Wilbur Cross Parkway, so even back then tolls were collected to further expand our infrastructure.  Jo-Anne Horvath is a Norwalk resident.

NPU to hold public forum Wednesday to present sewer plan

Claire Bessette Norwich – Norwich Public Utilities will hold an informational meeting Wednesday on a draft plan to address the 14 remaining areas of Combined Sewer Overflow, where storm water overflows into the sewer system and causes raw sewage to dump into rivers during heavy rainfall.NPU is under a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection consent order to correct the sewage overflow problem, and officials will give an overview of the problem and the proposed plan during a public meeting at 6 p.m. at NPU headquarters, 16 S. Golden St. The draft plan is posted on the NPU website, www.norwichpublicutilities.com, and hard copies are available for viewing at NPU.NPU and the city have worked on reducing the number of CSO locations and the number of incidents when raw sewage flows into the Thames and Shetucket rivers over the past several decades. Prior to the efforts, the city had more than 70 such locations. The number was listed at 43 in 1972 and by 2005 was reduced to 14 sites.Larry Sullivan, NPU wastewater integrity manager, said Norwich has about 60 incidents per year when raw sewage flows into the rivers. Once all the work is done to separate the storm and sewer systems, Sullivan said that number will be cut to about four incidents per year. Water quality improvements also will be monitored. The amount and severity of sewage overflows depend on weather conditions. More storm water ends up in the sewer system during heavy downpours, when the ground is frozen or saturated. Sometimes, incidents of a half to 1 inch of rain can cause sewage overflows into the rivers, Sullivan said. “Hard hitting quick rain” causes more overflow, he said.Sullivan said the draft plan, although nearly 150 pages, is the shortened version of the more than 500-page document that will be submitted to the DEEP for approval. The plan, which is the result of engineering studies and flow calculations, took 18 months to compile and cost about $1 million. The plan was funded with a loan through the Connecticut Clean Water Fund.Sullivan said no cost estimates will be available for the work to eliminate CSOs until the plan is approved by the DEEP.At Wednesday’s meeting, engineers will give a 30-minute overview of the problem – including a definition and explanation of Combined Sewer Overflows – and will outline the plan. Members of the public will have a chance to offer comments and ask questions about the work.Pending DEEP approval, NPU officials hope to start construction on the project in fall of 2019, starting with the CSO in the area of the Eighth Street Bridge. All construction work would be done in the roadways, with no disruption to sewer service to homes and no construction on private property, NPU spokesman Chris Riley said.

Concrete samples from bridge turned over to state legislator

The Department of Transportation handed over concrete samples from the Potter School Road Bridge to a state legislator on Thursday following criticism that it wasn’t going to test at least two area structures for the mineral causing foundations to crumble.Rep. Thomas Delnicki, R-South Windsor, said he is taking the samples from the Willington bridge that goes over Interstate 84 to Lyle Wray, executive director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments, in order for CRCOG to test for pyrrhotite.Wray and Delnicki requested the state test concrete from bridges that are being replaced in Willington and Coventry, but DOT officials declined to test the material, saying they are confident it does not contain pyrrhotite.In a June 15 letter to Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker, Delnicki questioned why the state wasn’t doing more, choosing to rely on its belief that the material is safe.Redeker responded to Delnicki in a July 5 letter, explaining that the department sought input from its various experts, who are confident concrete used on state projects is high quality.“Please be assured the Department of Transportation takes the pyrrhotite issue very seriously and did not intend to downplay the possibility of pyrrhotite related damage to our structures,” Redeker wrote. “I also want to assure you that the department has the safety of the public as a top priority in all engineering and business decisions, and, to be clear, it is the department’s determination that there is no public safety issue with the state’s transportation infrastructure due to pyrrhotite.”Redeker told Delnicki that the DOT performed a field inspection of the Potter School Road Bridge and was able to visually determine that the aggregate used in the concrete was “trap rock,” which is typically sourced from quarries in central Connecticut.“Trap rock is a high quality aggregate and is used extensively in concrete construction,” Redeker said. “We have not experienced any pyrrhotite in our Connecticut quarried trap rock formations.”He added that the Willington quarry linked to crumbling foundations does not produce trap rock.To ease Delnicki’s concerns, the DOT provided samples from various parts of the Potter School Road Bridge to be tested.“I’m glad the Department of Transportation responded to my request for core samples on the bridge in question,” Delnicki said. “I think it’s paramount that any time we’re doing any work like that, we actually take stock of whether we can conceivably have contaminated concrete, especially in the northeastern part of the state.”Delnicki said he expects results from CRCOG soon, but is not sure when they will be available.

CT Construction Digest Monday July 30, 2018

Stamford developer’s DoNo vision taking shape

Gregory Seay
Stamford real estate developer Randy Salvatore, who is negotiating with the city of Hartford on a $200 million proposal to redevelop its Downtown North quadrant, says it will take six years to create the phased development he envisions.
"It's very rare that you have the opportunity this large on the edge of a municipality,'' said Salvatore, CEO and president of RMS Cos. in Stamford.
Although there is no formal name yet for what will eventually cover about 13 acres in four city-owned parcels in the shadow of Dunkin' Donuts Park, Salvatore says it will contain many of the housing, retail and other resident amenities — perhaps even a grocery store — proposed by the previous DoNo developer, Centerplan Cos. of Middletown.
Under the RMS plan, which was publicly shared at a city hall meeting July 24, the developer would erect 800 apartments — 150 of which would be built in a first phase behind the Red Lion Hotel on Trumbull Street — and 60,000 square feet of retail space, including space for a modest downtown grocery.
In addition, RMS proposes to create 2,000 parking spaces, including perhaps a 1,000-slot parking garage on Market Street. The plan does not include a hotel or office space.
Negotiations between RMS and the city continue over Salvatore's request for a 99-year lease on the four parcels.
"We envision a planned development with primarily about 800 units of apartment housing, and some retail and coworking space,'' Salvatore said.
That RMS already owns a downtown Hartford hotel had nothing to do with not putting one in DoNo, he said. Centerplan proposed to develop a Hard Rock Hotel in the area.
"I don't think there's demand for a hotel,'' he said.
Salvatore says his DoNo development, which has received positive feedback from lenders, does not envision any owner-occupied dwellings initially. However, if consumer demand and market conditions warrant, there is the possibility that some condominiums/townhomes could be added.
He declined to specify financing details for the Hartford projects, citing ongoing negotiations with the city for the long-term ground lease. Salvatore said he not only will have equity in the development, but also envisions having a long-term hand in his DoNo project, similar to past ventures.
He said his company has reached out to the Capital Region Development Authority, which has staked at least a dozen office-to-apartment conversions in downtown, about potential financial assistance for DoNo.
Salvatore said exact timing for the start of DoNo construction hinges on completing contract talks with the city as well as canvassing Hartford community groups and other stakeholders about what they want it to be.
Once the first phase of building starts and is completed, then the cycle will repeat until it is finally finished over a six-year period, he said.
He said RMS had a good experience with its current New Haven development, one similar in scope and pricetag to DoNo. There, the Hill To Downtown venture sits on land bisected and partly isolated by a freeway, similar to DoNo, he said.
Salvatore responded to an assertion from Larry Gottesdiener, a Massachusetts developer who built the Hartford 21 high-rise apartments and who previously owned office buildings downtown, that a replacement for the aging XL Center arena be relocated to DoNo.
"I don't agree with that,'' Salvatore said. "I really believe DoNo is meant to create life downtown. … The only way to do that is with residential.''

Griebel pitches pilot toll plan as anti-toll petition drive stalls

Keith M. Phaneuf
As one proposal to stymie electronic tolling sputtered to a halt Friday, Connecticut’s independent gubernatorial candidate pitched a limited, pilot tolling program that could be in place on commuter lanes by mid-2019.
Former MetroHartford Alliance President Oz Griebel, who is trying to petition his way onto the gubernatorial ballot, announced he would seek federal approval for tolls on the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on Interstates 84 and 91.
“Before you jumped in with both feet and really committed yourself (to tolls) we would have a chance to kick the tires on this,” Griebel said during a briefing at the Capitol.
Chairman of the former state Transportation Strategy Board, Griebel has said on several occasions he believes Connecticut cannot finance a major rebuild of its aging, overcrowded highway, bridge and rail systems without the revenue tolls would provide.
State Department of Transportation officials have estimated it would take about four years to fully implement a electronic tolls on all major highways, after which the system could yield as much as $800 million to $1 billion per year — minus whatever discounts  Connecticut would award to in-state drivers.
Griebel sketched an outline of the pilot tolling proposal he would develop, if elected, in cooperation with the 2019 General Assembly.
Under his plan, HOV lanes on I-84 and I-91 — which currently are open only to cars with two passengers or more — would be open to all cars regardless of occupancy, and a toll charge would be set, for a period of 18 months to two years.
Because the pilot system would be limited to a few points around the Greater Hartford area, Griebel said he believes federal approval could be secured in expedited fashion, possibly in time to launch the program in July 2019.
Connecticut opened its first HOV lanes east of Hartford along I-84 and Interstate 384 in the westbound artery. In 1993, the state opened more lanes north of Hartford on I-91 south.
Griebel, who did not propose a specific fee, said the purpose of the pilot program is centered on information, not revenue.
“It would give us real data. … You could play with congestion pricing, you could play with different rates,” Griebel said.
The state also would have an opportunity to study commuter patterns and traffic and enforcement issues,  Griebel said. Equally important, he added, motorists’ apprehension about tolls might be eased by an effective, efficient pilot program.
“Could people see there were tolls and the world didn’t come to an end? Yes,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senate Republican Caucus indicated Friday it is not seeking to force a special session this summer to block Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s plan to spend $10 million for a detailed analysis on how tolls could be implemented on state highways.
House and Senate Democratic leadership indicated Thursday they also were not interested in a special session. Unless that changes, the House Republican bid to convene a session will come up short.
“We are looking at the issue, but the process has not been initiated in the Senate,” Nicole Rall, spokeswoman for the Senate GOP Caucus,” said Friday.
“I’m not surprised,” Deputy House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora, R-North Branford said, adding that Senate Republican leader Len Fasano of North Haven did not show interest in the special session when Candelora spoke with him recently.
House Republican leaders delivered 66 signatures from their caucus members to Secretary of the State Denise Merrill’s office Thursday afternoon. It would take signatures from a majority of both chambers to call the legislature into special session, which means 76 from the House and 24 from the Senate.
Candelora said his caucus wants to enact a bill prohibiting the administration from commissioning a study on tolling. The State Bond Commission, which Malloy chairs, voted Wednesday to approve $10 million in financing for a study.
The top Democrats in the legislature, House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz of Berlin and Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney of New Haven, both indicated Wednesday they weren’t interested in a special session.
Aresimowicz, who has said he believes Connecticut cannot finance a major rebuilding of its transportation infrastructure without tolls, called the House GOP petition effort “political grandstanding.”
The speaker also said that if House Republicans want to have “an honest debate on how we can fix our failing roads and bridges without putting itsolely on Connecticut taxpayers, I’ll work to call us in tomorrow.”

Demolition company wants lawsuit reinstated against Waterbury after losing job

MICHAEL PUFFER
WATERBURY – A contractor is seeking to restart a lawsuit against the city, claiming Waterbury didn’t pay an agreed settlement and unfairly barred it from a nearly $1 million contract.
Standard Demolition Services was the lowest bidder on a job to demolish the former Risdon Manufacturing site and cart away debris, contaminated and otherwise. But the Waterbury Development Corp. board, on Monday, voted to give the contract to the second lowest bidder – New Britain-based Manafort Brothers Inc.
The city has $992,500 to spend on the project. Any winning company would have been offered a contract of “not to exceed $992,500.”
Standard offered significantly lower rates. If it’s offer is to be believed, then it might have done the job cheaper, or gotten more accomplished.
City officials originally sought $2 million clean the 3.4-acre site. But the Department of Economic and Community Development awarded half of the request. The current budget is what’s left after legal fees.
The city claimed the property for unpaid taxes in 2015. Then, on Dec. 31, 2016, a massive fire broke out and burned most of the shuttered 80,000-square-foot industrial building to the ground.

The current plan is to knock down the charred remains, sort debris into different types of material and cart off as much as the budget will allow. Officials say this will lead to a cleaner site, easier to market. And they can seek further grants to finish the job later.
“Our goal is to demolish all the above-ground structures, remove all that debris and then to go subsurface as much as the money would allow,” interim WDC CEO James Nardozzi said.
Standard and the city have feuded over the company’s past work at the rehab of the former Chase Brass & Copper site along Thomaston Avenue, another industrial property that had been claimed by the city.
Standard, in a court filing, attributes its ban to that disagreement.
Attempts to reach city Corporation Counsel Linda T. Wihbey were not immediately successful Friday. Nor was an attempt to reach Standard’s attorney.
Standard was one of six bidders to apply for the Risdon job by the city’s May 30 deadline. Standard offered to knock down the charred remains and sort the wreckage for $190,050. That’s less than half the $395,999 offer from Manafort Brothers Inc., the next lowest bidder.
Companies also had to submit rates for providing clean fill and hauling away different classifications of material, including non-friable asbestos, friable asbestos, petroleum products and others.
WDC compared the anticipated costs, given the rates and the anticipated tonnage of each material. Those calculations were not available Friday, but WDC staff did provide the rates offered by the companies. In all but one category, Standard’s were lower. In some cases, significantly so.
On Monday, the Waterbury Development Corp. Board of Directors voted to give the contract to Manafort. By Friday, some language was still being negotiated and the contract had not been signed.
WDC Project Manager Santiago Bolanos, who is overseeing the Risdon project, attributed Standard’s disqualification to advice from the Corporation Counsel’s office.
Standard was hired to a $5.3 million contract in 2013 to participate in the city’s renovation of the former Chase Brass and Copper Co. complex along Thomaston Avenue.
Standard’s piece of the project took six months longer than expected. The city blamed Standard for costs associated with the delay and held back about $162,000 of its promised payment.
Standard blamed the city and its requests for changes. The company filed suit in 2016, contending it was owed more than $200,000, including the withheld payment and costs for added work.
In May, the city agreed to settle the case and pay Standard $81,000. Standard filed to withdraw the case from court.
Then in June, Standard’s lawyer’s petitioned to get the case going again, claiming the city hadn’t delivered the settlement payment as agreed. Standard also complained it had been unfairly disqualified from the Risdon project based on “past performance,” which it took to mean the Chase Brass project. Standard’s lawyers argue this is a “clear breach” of the settlement.
“The City of Waterbury released all claims relating to the Chase Brass project,” reads Standard’s latest court filing. “The City of Waterbury does not get to resurrect claims it released under the guise of a finding Standard is ‘disqualified’ to be awarded a project on which it is the low bidder.”

CT Construction Digest Friday July 27, 2018

House GOP petitions to keep tolls debate going strong

Keith M. Phaneuf
Minority Republicans in the House of Representatives are trying to petition the legislature into special session to block a planned study of electronic tolling — a move that may have greater implications for the fall election season than for the tolls analysis.
Reps. Vincent J. Candelora of North Branford, Jason Perillo of Shelton and Noreen Kokoruda of Madison delivered 66 House Republican signatures to Secretary of the State Denise Merrill’s office Thursday afternoon.
It would take signatures from a majority of both chambers to call the legislature into special session, which means 76 from the House and 24 from the Senate.
And even if that threshold is achieved, that wouldn’t mean the legislature would necessarily vote on blocking the tolls study. Two Democrats, House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz of Berlin and Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney of New Haven, share exclusive, joint control over the ability to place emergency certified bills on the legislature’s agenda.
Aresimowicz, who has said he believes Connecticut cannot finance a major rebuilding of its aging, overcrowded transportation infrastructure without tolls, didn’t seem inclined to cooperate with the House GOP effort.
“This is the type of political grandstanding that has gotten our state in trouble over the years,” the speaker said Thursday. “If the minority leader would like to have an honest debate on how we can fix our failing roads and bridges without putting it solely on Connecticut taxpayers, I’ll work to call us in tomorrow.”
Looney also appeared disinterested in a special session. The governor has said it will take transportation officials about nine months to solicit and select a consultant to perform the study, meaning the work most likely won’t begin until the after Malloy’s successor takes office in January. This would give the next governor and legislature ample time to cancel the project if they wish.
“The lead time and build-up to this this study will be substantial and will provide ample time for the 2019 General Assembly — in consultation with the new governor — to pursue the merits of the new study,” Looney said. “We cannot deny the reality that substantial new investment in transportation infrastructure must be dealt with forthrightly and not with unrealistic plans that, in effect, would make it impossible for the state to provide critical funds for schools, municipalities, nonprofits and other valid essential services.”
Still, House Republicans said they felt it was crucial to begin putting pressure on the legislature to counter steps taken Wednesday by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the State Bond Commission.
The commission approved Malloy’s request for $10 million in financing for an analysis of establishing electronic tolling on most Connecticut highways.
The governor is not seeking re-election this fall. And with a little more than five months left in his term, critics say the tolls issue should be resolved by Malloy’s successor and by the 2019 General Assembly.
“This year the legislature clearly did not expend any money for the purposes of a toll study,” Candelora said. “What the governor is attempting to do now is just circumvent the budget process.”
Malloy spokesman Chris McClure said “These repeated attempts to prevent the state from studying the future of transportation funding make it clear Connecticut Republicans simply do not care our state’s economic future — but only care about political stunts to help them in November. Our state must move forward to be competitive and there is no reasonable or rational person who believes we will be successful relying on gasoline taxes alone. Nevertheless, there is a biting hypocrisy in Republicans protesting a perceived waste of taxpayer dollars on a study by insisting on holding a costly symbolic special session that will accomplish nothing.”
Republicans control 71 out of 151 seats in the House. Candelora said the five GOP representatives who have not signed the petition yet are on vacation, but already have indicated their willingness to do so upon their return.
Once some petition signatures have been submitted, legislators seeking to force a special session have 30 days to secure all the signatures necessary — or else they must begin the process all over.
Democrats in the House and Senate as well as Senate Republicans have not announced any petition efforts to date.
Spokespeople for the Senate caucuses did not comment immediately after the House GOP petition drive announcement.
Candelora said House Republicans are hopeful other caucuses will participate in the petition effort.
I would hope there would be some Democrats willing to come forward to have this conversation,” he said.
Candelora acknowledged that legislators who don’t sign the petition to force a special session could face repercussions on the campaign trail.

Stamford’s Silicon Harbor still awaits tenants

Paul Schott
Three years after its sale, the sprawling Silicon Harbor office complex in the city’s South End is still working to live up to its name.
The approximately 470,000-square-foot property stands empty, other than its landlord’s offices. In a still-recovering office market, the former home of technology firm Pitney Bowes has yet to morph into the technology hub envisioned by owner Building and Land Technology. But BLT officials said they remain optimistic about Silicon Harbor, citing their ongoing improvements to the waterfront edifice and track record at other office hubs in the city.
“BLT has had exceptional success creating office environments that appeal to tenants and make it easy for them to decide to relocate to Stamford or remain here and expand,” BLT Chief Operating Officer Ted Ferrarone said in a statement. “Many Stamford office properties require significant renovation, reconfiguration and amenitization in order to offer today’s corporations the modern office environment that they require.”
BLT did not make Ferrarone or any other executives available for an interview for this article.
Property overhaul
BLT acquired the building at 1 Elmcroft Road in July 2015 for $38.5 million, after Pitney Bowes had downsized and moved its headquarters within the city, to 3001 Summer St. Pitney had been based at 1 Elmcroft from 1986 to 2014.As the developer of the neighboring mixed-use Harbor Point project, BLT knew the area well.
Since 2009, BLT has constructed about 3,000 apartments at Harbor Point — with several hundred additional units under construction — and developed a surrounding network of restaurants and stores.
The firm also owns three other office buildings in the South End that are filled with tenants: 333 Ludlow St., 2200 Atlantic St. and 100 Washington Blvd.
Following the purchase of the I.M. Pei & Partners-designed structure, BLT renamed it Silicon Harbor, a nod to Silicon Valley that highlighted its goal of attracting technology businesses.
Digital firms are already building up their presence in Stamford. Job-search giant Indeed embarked last year on a state-backed project to increase the headcount at its downtown offices from about 700 to around 1,200 in the coming years.
Meanwhile, a full renovation, which includes a new facade, is underway at Silicon Harbor and set to be completed by the end of the year. BLT did not disclose the refurbishment’s cost.
“Our updates will bring it into the modern era, creating an environment that will appeal to the technology, media and creative workforce,” Ferrarone said in the statement.
But the upgrades and technology sector’s local growth have not yet reaped tenants for Silicon Harbor. Only BLT’s own offices are now based there.
“Silicon Harbor has a great location, and it’s in one of the corridors where there are a lot of small but growing companies,” said Jackie Lightfield, executive director of the nonprofit Stamford Partnership, which focuses on developing the city’s business community. “It’s just a question of who’s going to grow more rapidly than the others and be able to eventually help fill that space at Silicon Harbor.”
A message left for Thomas Madden, the city’s economic development director, was not returned.
Leasing prospects
Like other landlords, BLT grapples with a leasing market that still has not returned to prerecession performance levels. City vacancy rates are running at more than 25 percent, according to a number of commercial real estate firms’ calculations.
But leasing activity is gaining momentum.
Last week, professional-services firm KPMG announced that it would move its Stamford offices next spring from 3001 Summer St., to the downtown office complex at 677 Washington Blvd. Without a tenant since investment-banking powerhouse UBS relocated its downsized local offices across the street in 2016, the approximately 700,000-square-foot 677 Washington stands as the largest office vacancy in Stamford.
The progress in recent years of another BLT property, the downtown office complex at 200 Elm St.-695 Elm St., offers another reference point for Silicon Harbor. BLT acquired that site in 2012, when it was entirely vacant, following the relocation years earlier of reinsurer Gen Re’s main offices to 120 Long Ridge Road.
Professional-services firm Deloitte took about 120,000 square feet in 2014. Last year brought another two arrivals: Consumer-goods firm Henkel set up its new North American headquarters in about 155,000 square feet, while professional-services firm RSM took about 29,000 square feet. This year has seen IT firm CA Technologies, hedge fund Tudor Investment and Webster Bank sign leases for a total of approximately 75,000 square feet.
Tenants now take up nearly two-thirds of the 200 Elm-695 E. Main property“Much like Silicon Harbor, 695 East Main-200 Elm was a former corporate headquarters that we successfully transformed,” Ferrarone said in the statement. “We aim to repeat that success with Silicon Harbor. … Leasing interest in Silicon Harbor has been strong, and we look forward to announcing our first tenant.”

State approves funding for housing, redevelopment, museums

Bill Cummings and Barry Lytton
Stamford got a big boost from the State Bond Commission on Wednesday, with $8.4 million approved for projects in the City That Works.
Professional services giant KPMG was granted a $3 million loan to assist with a Stamford expansion that will retain 546 jobs and create up to 110 new positions within four years, while $2 million was awarded for the completion of improvements to Veterans Park, and $1.2 million was earmarked for a roof replacement at the Rich Forum and new seating-and-aisle lighting at the Palace Theatre.
“Stamford is a hub of economic and civic activity. I’m happy the Bond Commission recognizes that and eases the burden on local taxpayers by underwriting the cost of these local improvements,” said state Sen. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford, in a news release. “I’m especially happy the state will pay to finish the redesign of Veterans Park, which is a project that I and others have been working on for several years.... it will serve as a reminder every day of the contributions of America’s vets.”
The commission also provided funding to expand the Port of New Haven, make improvements to Discovery and Barnum museums in Bridgeport and Stern Village in Trumbull, and build housing and spur redevelopment in Norwalk.
Smaller city projects to move ahead with bond funding include $850,000 to the Stamford Charter School for Excellence and $823,000 to Optimus Health, both for renovations. The Boys and Girls Club at the Yerwood Center was granted $255,000 to install an elevator, and Rippowam Middle School and Westhill High were awarded $243,000 “to address building and site deficiencies,” the release said.
The Norwalk funding includes $250,000 feasibility study for a new train station and $1.5 million to help Connecticut Public Broadcasting develop an Innovation and Tech Education Center on Wall Street.
Norwalk received $6 million to finance 85 new housing units at Washington Village on the south side of Raymond Street.“The Innovation and Technology Center is an exciting project that will serve as a creative hub where community organizations and businesses can share ideas and resources to grow their fledgling businesses,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk.
Connecticut Public Broadcasting President and CEO Jerry Franklin added “We are striving to create another innovative learning center with the Norwalk Public Schools, which will train high school students and veterans in the field of journalism, digital media, project management and life skills.”
The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport received a $6.9 million grant to help with construction and infrastructure repairs and improvements, building stabilization and site improvements.
The Discovery Museum in Bridgeport received a $1.9 million grant to upgrade the planetarium, improve exhibits and classroom and theater spaces, undertake energy conservation improvements, elevator upgrades and replace the roof on the Wonder Workshop building.“This grant is a testament to our delegation’s efforts, and the unyielding work they’ve done in support of the Barnum Museum,” said Kathy Maher, the museum’s executive director.
Trumbull received $5.3 million grant for improvements to the Stern Village elderly rental complex.
“I am proud to secure funding for these excellent projects in my district and across the state,” said State Sen. Marilyn Moore,” D-Bridgeport.
“Thanks to this funding, our local museums, schools, and senior housing facilities can now move forward with making much-needed improvements so that residents of Bridgeport and Trumbull may continue to enjoy their services for many more years,” Moore said.
Other funding approved by the commission includes:$3.4 million to build rental housing in Greenwich.$1.5 million to improve the Connecticut Children’s Museum in New Haven.
$8 million to finance flood control and shoreline rehabilitation at East Shore Park and Long Wharf in New Haven.
$751,000 to purchase four parcels of Department of Transportation surplus property adjacent to the Port of New Haven for maritime use.

State approves $7.75 million for CPTV center, other Norwalk projects

 Robert Koch
NORWALK — Connecticut Public Television’s plan to create an innovation and tech center on Wall Street got a $1.5 million boost from the State Bond Commission on Wednesday.
“We are delighted that the State of Connecticut continues to support our statewide educational initiatives and are truly grateful to (state) Senator Bob Duff for championing our efforts in Norwalk, an area of growth for Connecticut Public Television and Radio,” Connecticut Public Broadcasting President and CEO Jerry Franklin said in a statement.
“We are striving to create another innovative learning center with the Norwalk Public Schools, which will train high school students and veterans in the field of journalism, digital media, project management and life skills. When we first approached Senator Duff two years ago, he immediately embraced this idea and has become our chief advocate,” Franklin continued.
The facility would be Connecticut’s first digital-themed business incubation center for startups and digital entrepreneurs and serve six to 10 businesses a year. Duff described the proposed center as an exciting project that will serve as a creative hub where “community organizations and businesses can share ideas and resources to grow their fledgling businesses.”At the same time, the location of the tech center remains up on the air.
“One of the things we’ll be doing is looking to identify a site to determine a location that best matches what they (CPTV) want to do with available space, but it will not be the Fairfield County Bank,” said Duff, D-Norwalk.
In fall 2016, the PBS affiliate’s parent submitted to Norwalk Building officials plans for a 15,000-square-foot “Connecticut Public Broadcasting Norwalk Innovation and Tech Center” at 67-90 Wall St. The property, home to Fairfield County Savings Bank, was recently purchased by local real estate broker Jason Milligan.
Train station study
In other business, the State Bond Commission also approved Wednesday $250,000 to study the feasibility of bringing a train station back to the Wall Street area.
“Doing a feasibility study is important first step in the long-term development of the Wall Street area,” state Rep. Chris Perone, D-Norwalk, said in the press statement. “Increasing transportation options will encourage residential and retail growth in the area.”During the first part of the 20th century, a train station serving the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad operated from 47 Wall St. The push to open a new station comes amid ongoing apartment construction in the Wall Street and West Avenue neighborhoods.
For South Norwalk, the State Bond Commission approved Wednesday $6 million for phase two of the Washington Village Transformation Plan. The money will help finance a new 85-unit building on the south side of Raymond Street, between Day and Water streets.
$6M for Washington Village
The Norwalk Housing Authority and Boston-based developer Trinity Financial are rebuilding Washington Village under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods Program. The goal of the program is to build high-quality, mixed-income housing, provide children and families with educational and other services, and to spur public and private investment.
“It’s an important component to the overall funding and we’re glad that they’ve done it quickly,” Housing Authority Executive Director Adam Bovilsky said of the $6 million approved by the Bond Commission.Four-percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits will support construction of 42 units with 10 market rate units and 32 units for households earning up to 60 percent of the area median income. Nine-percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits will help build 43 units, with 10 market-rate units and 33 units for households earning up to 60 percent of area median income, Duff’s office said.
“The redevelopment of Washington Village is great news for the neighborhood and the city,” Duff said. “Quality affordable housing and the renovation of nearby Ryan Park are important efforts to benefit neighborhood residents.”
Money for Darien, Stamford
Norwalk wasn’t the only city that received funding through the State Bond Commission on Wednesday.
 Old Town Hall Houses, an affordable housing community for seniors in Darien, received $6 million to assist with the demolition and new construction of 55 affordable elderly rental units. The new, modern units will include handicap-accessible upgrades and elevators.
Stamford got a big boost from the State Bond Commission on Wednesday, with $8.4 million approved for projects in the City That Works.
Professional services giant KPMG was granted a $3 million loan to assist with a Stamford expansion that will retain 546 jobs and create up to 110 new positions within four years, while $2 million was awarded for the completion of improvements to Veterans Park, and $1.2 million was earmarked for a roof replacement at the Rich Forum and new seating-and-aisle lighting at the Palace Theatre.
“Stamford is a hub of economic and civic activity. I’m happy the Bond Commission recognizes that and eases the burden on local taxpayers by underwriting the cost of these local improvements,” said state Sen. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford, in a news release. “I’m especially happy the state will pay to finish the redesign of Veterans Park, which is a project that I and others have been working on for several years ... it will serve as a reminder every day of the contributions of America’s vets.”
The commission also provided funding to expand the Port of New Haven, make improvements to Discovery and Barnum museums in Bridgeport and Stern Village in Trumbull. Smaller city projects to move ahead with bond funding include $850,000 to the Stamford Charter School for Excellence and $823,000 to Optimus Health, both for renovations. The Boys and Girls Club at the Yerwood Center was granted $255,000 to install an elevator, and Rippowam Middle School and Westhill High were awarded $243,000 “to address building and site deficiencies,” the release said.

More downtown Hartford apartments set

 Gregory Seay
Yet another proposed offices-to-apartments conversion has emerged for downtown Hartford -- a $5.6 million redevelopment of the five-story Lewtan Building at 28 High St., next door to the Teachers Corner housing conversion underway on Asylum Street.
Vernon investor-developer Constantinos "Dino" Constantinou, doing business as CCAM LLC, confirmed Wednesday his plans to convert, partly with Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) funding, his vacant, 35,000-square-foot office building into 28 affordable and market-rate studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Units will range in size from about 600 square feet for studios; around 750 square feet for one bedrooms; and about 890 to 920 square feet for two-bed units, he said. As many as seven of the units will rent for $850 to $1,000 a month and set aside as "affordable'' for qualified tenants; the rest will bear market-rate rents ranging from $1,250 to $1,450 a month.
Constantinou, who says he emigrated to Connecticut from Greece two decades ago, bought 28 High St. in 2016 for $1 million. Built in the 1850s and largely vacant at the time he purchased it, the building is structurally sound, he said, and will require minimal exterior work.
"I love the building,'' he said. "It's been in disarray for three or four years.''
Constantinou said he senses the momentum downtown Hartford is building with the addition of more apartments, the opening of the minor-league ballpark, and the city's efforts to rekindle redevelopment of the "Downtown North,'' or DoNo quadrant, abutting the ballpark.
"There's so much happening there right now,'' he said.
Most of the renovations will be done inside, with work remediating metal-plating debris and residue likely to start this fall once CRDA and Constantinou's other financial partners sign off on a financing package for the development. Hartford's Crosskey Architects is the designer.
According to CRDA Executive Director Michael Freimuth, the quasi-public agency charged with funding certain economic and redevelopment projects in Hartford has pledged to help fund Constantinou's vision.
Of the $5.6 million development pricetag, $1.08 million is bank financing; $1.2 million comes through the sale to investors of historic tax credits; $1.37 million in equity from Constantinou; and a $1.9 million "gap loan'' from CRDA, Freimuth said.
If work on 28 High proceeds, it will be the final building in that block to be restored to productive use, Freimuth said.
CRDA has funded, or pledged to fund, more than 150 apartments and condominiums within a two-block downtown radius of Constantinou's development.
Next door, work continues toward completion of the conversion of the former Capitol Center office building at 370 Asylum St., overlooking Bushnell Park. Hartford developer Jose Ramirez is underway with his $1.4 million creation of eight condominiums above the former Mayor Mike's Restaurant space at 289 Asylum St.
At 410 Asylum, nonprofit Common Ground operates The Hollander, housing 70 units that it converted into affordable and market-rate apartments.
The Lewtan Building is named for Lewtan Industries, founded by Connecticut brothers Marvin and Robert Lewtan to engage in manufacturing and other businesses, including production and marketing of the Mighty Grip Jar Opener. Marvin Lewtan died in 1988.

Developer wants to build 92 single-family homes in Bristol

Sean Teehan
Connecticut's pace of new home construction has slowed in recent years but that's not stopping a development company from plotting a major housing project in Bristol.
Trademark Acquisitions LLC is looking for the city's permission to erect 92 single-family homes on Bristol's west end.
The developer bought the nearly 56-acre vacant lot along Barlow Street and Farrell Avenue about two years ago, said Mark Ziogas, an attorney representing Trademark, which is currently seeking the Planning Commission's project approval.
"We feel … the price range … for new homes is going to be affordable and they're going to be good for young families that don't want to buy a fixer-upper," Ziogas said in an interview.
Dubbed the Laurentide Glen subdivision, the plan already received a zoning easement from the city, allowing for a more densely built development as long as 25 percent of the land remains open space, said Chris Schaut, Bristol's assistant city planner.
Under current plans, Laurentide Glen would include 14 acres of open space, about 10 of which will abut Barlow Street, Schaut said.
The proposed development dwarfs what is typically seen for similar subdivision projects in Bristol, Schaut said. Single-family home developments in the city usually comprise of five to 15 lots, he said.
"This is much larger in scale than what we've seen in recent years," Schaut said.
Trademark will next appear before Bristol's Planning Commission at a special meeting scheduled for Aug. 29, Schaut said.
Ziogas declined to detail cost projections. He said Trademark doesn't currently have a timeline for the project, but that under the proposal, it would be rolled out in six phases.
Trademark Acquisitions LLC registered with the Secretary of the State's office in 2016, records show. Its members include Bristol residents Todd Plourde and Matthew Luba and Middletown resident Gino Troiano Jr., state records show.
"It's a big project, so there's a lot of moving parts," Ziogas said. "We just have to get them all in a row."

What To Know About About Malloy's $10 Million Toll Study

The State Bond Commission this week approved a contentious, $10 million study on the feasibility of electronic tolling.
The study, backed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, was approved over objections from two Republicans and the Democratic state comptroller, Kevin Lembo. Several gubernatorial candidates have vowed to quash the study, which won’t be conducted until after Malloy’s successor takes office. Tolls are always polarizing in Connecticut and, given the study’s price tag, don’t expect outrage over the multimillion-dollar diagnostic to fade soon. Here’s what you need to know about the study
What will it examine?
Two things: an environmental assessment, and how much to charge motorists. Connecticut residents could be charged less than out-of-state drivers, and rates could be scaled to peak travel times, with higher tolls during rush hour and lower tolls at less busy times.

Has the state done this before?

Yes. The Department of Transportation completed a study in 2016 that proposed “congestion pricing,” or charging drivers more during peak travel times and reducing tolls during less busy hours. If tolls were installed on the interstates, along with Routes 2, 8, 9 and the Merritt Parkway, the model could bring in $750 million a year, James Redeker, the DOT commissioner, told state lawmakers last year.
But “we would be the only state in the nation that tolled that much,” Redeker warned.
Who supported the study?
Malloy was joined by Ben Barnes, the Office of Policy and Management secretary; George Jepsen, the attorney general; and three other board members in approving the $10 million study.
Comptroller Kevin Lembo and two Republicans, Sen. L. Scott Frantz of Greenwich and Rep. Christopher Davis of Ellington, voted against it. State Treasurer Denise Nappier, an outgoing Democrat, abstained.
Does the legislature have a say?
Republican lawmakers are trying to call a special session in hopes of defunding the study. GOP leaders argue Malloy should not be allowed to approve a study that won’t begin until after he’s left office. Malloy said Wednesday it would likely take nine months to approve a vendor to conduct it. He leaves office in six.
How much revenue could tolling generate?
Between $750 million and $1 billion a year. The DOT study from 2016 estimated annual revenues from the congestion pricing model at $750 million; Redeker said Wednesday tolling could raise as much as $1 billion a year.
How much of that revenue would come from Connecticut pockets?
About 60 percent, according to estimates from Malloy and Redeker. The rest would be paid by out-of-state drivers.
Where would the tolls be?
Interstates 95, 91 and 84, and the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways. Under the 2016 DOT model, Routes 2, 8 and 9 would also be tolled.

What happens once the study is finished?

Tolls can only be implemented with a vote by the legislature. Lawmakers nearly put tolling to a vote this session before tabling it at the last minute. A January poll from AAA found 47 percent of Connecticut motorists favored tolling on interstates, and most strongly favored funneling toll revenues into a so-called lock box, to be spent only on transportation projects.
How has tolling been done in neighboring states?
Massachusetts did away with toll booths and rolled out electronic tolling gantries in October 2016. Rhode Island began electronic tolling in June — but only for tractor-trailers. In their first month, gantries on Interstate 95 reportedly raised $625,000.
But the American Trucking Association has sued the state, calling it an unlawful blockade of constitutional rights to commerce that showed “tremendous arrogance and reckless disregard for Rhode Island taxpayers and the business community, who will ultimately get the bill for this ill-conceived tolling scheme.”
Where do the candidates for governor stand on the study?
Ned Lamont, a Greenwich Democrat, called it a waste of money. But Lamont, who won his party’s endorsement earlier this summer, says he supports tolling for out-of-state truckers.
Oz Griebel, an independent candidate from Hartford, has championed tolls but said the study is redundant. Republicans David Stemerman of Greenwich and Bob Stefanowski of Madison said the study is a waste.
Joe Ganim, Bridgeport’s Democratic mayor, backed both the study and tolls, saying their absence is “a drag on our cities and the economy.”

GOP Seeks Special Session To Stop $10 Million Tolls Study

House Republicans said Thursday that they have collected 66 of the 76 signatures needed to force a special legislative session to block Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s $10 million study of electronic tolls on Connecticut highways.
They are trying to prohibit the spending of the money, but they also need 19 signatures in the evenly split Senate to force the special session. Republicans have been strongly opposed to Malloy’s study, which was approved Wednesday by the State Bond Commission on a largely party-line vote.
“We do have control over the budget and policy, and this year the legislature very clearly did not expend any money for the purposes of a toll study,’’ said deputy House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford. “We also flatly rejected the implementation of tolls. What the governor now attempted to do is circumvent the budget process. … What the legislature could come back and say is, ‘This is a policy we do not want to revisit in the next five months.’‘’
But House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz of Berlin, a strong supporter of tolls, dismissed the idea.
“This is the type of political grandstanding that has gotten our state in trouble over the years,’’ Aresimowicz said. “If the minority leader would like to have an honest debate on how we can fix our failing roads and bridges without putting it solely on Connecticut taxpayers, I’ll work to call us in tomorrow.”The petitions submitted by Republicans state that the special session is needed “for the purpose of prohibiting the expenditure of taxpayer funds to study and evaluate the establishment of tolls in Connecticut.’’
Since Malloy is not seeking re-election, he will be leaving office in January. Republicans said the Democratic-dominated bond commission should not have approved any money for the toll study because it could take nine months to hire a consultant — long after a new governor is elected.
Because opposition to tolls is bipartisan, Republicans believe they can obtain some Democratic signatures to force a special session.
Besides Malloy, the five other Democrats on the bond commission who voted in favor of the study Wednesday were Sen. John Fonfara of Hartford, Rep. Jason Rojas of East Hartford, state budget director Ben Barnes, state Attorney General George Jepsen and Department of Administrative Services Deputy Commissioner Toni M. Fatone.
Republicans conceded that the toll study could become a campaign issue over the coming months.

“If the will of the Democrat majority is not to call us back in to stop the expenditure of $10 million, so be it,’’ Candelora said. “Will it be an election issue? It could be for some candidates, depending on where you’re located. But this isn’t so much of an election issue as it really is a policy issue that many of us feel is a slap in the face to the state of Connecticut when we had agreed to not go forward with tolls.’’

He added, “The presumption is a new administration will have to deal with this transportation issue.’’
Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, a New Haven Democrat, said there will be no conclusions to the study until long after a new governor is chosen. State officials say that it could take nine months to choose a consulting firm and then another year to complete the study.
"The lead time and build-up to this study will be substantial and will provide ample time for the 2019 General Assembly — in consultation with the new governor — to pursue the merits of the new study,’’ Looney said. “We cannot deny the reality that substantial new investment in transportation infrastructure must be dealt with forthrightly and not with unrealistic plans that, in effect, would make it impossible for the state to provide critical funds for schools, municipalities, nonprofits and other valid essential services."

CT Construction Digest Thursday July 25, 2018

Norwich portion of Norwich Hospital property still in legal limbo

Norwich — The ownership of the nearly 50-acre former Norwich Hospital property in Norwich changed hands on June 20 with the completion of a mortgage foreclosure action. But legal tie-ups to future development there might not be over, as the former developer has included the property in his Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in federal court.Mark Fields, who headed Thames River Landing LLC, which purchased the property from the state in 2015, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in U.S. District Court in Hartford on June 18, the day before the foreclosure action by Castanho Development LLC was finalized in New London Superior Court.On June 20, the certificate of foreclosure was filed in the Norwich land records, and the LLC was listed as the new owner of the four properties, two with addresses of 626 and 705 Laurel Hill Road and two with no numerical addresses.But Fields listed the properties as assets in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, with total real estate value of $1.24 million.Castanho Development LLC filed a motion June 27 asking the court to remove the properties from the case “for the purpose of enforcing its possessory interest in the property.” The motion stated that Fields “is in possession of the property, although his right to possession has expired.”Fields has been living in the house he renovated at 626 Laurel Hill Road, which is part of the former Norwich Hospital property.Fields and Mark Castanho of Castanho Development could not be reached for comment Tuesday.Bonnie C. Mangan, the Chapter 7 trustee in the case, objected to Castanho’s motion, calling Thames River Landing “the owner of record” in the property, and Fields as a member of Thames River Landing. “On June 18, 2018, the debtor’s interest in Thames River Landing LLC became property of his bankruptcy estate,” Mangan wrote in her objection, citing a chapter of the bankruptcy code on property.Mangan also wrote that she received copies of two offers by outside parties to buy the properties for prices that “far exceed the value that was placed on the property in the foreclosure action,” and Mangan wrote that the trustee believed the offers to be valid.The bankruptcy court has scheduled a hearing for 10 a.m. Aug. 9 on Castanho’s motion and the objection.Castanho last week met with Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom and Norwich Community Development Corp. President Robert Mills to discuss possible future development of the property, which abuts the 393-acre former Norwich Hospital in Preston slated to be turned over to Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment for a major development.Nystrom described the two-hour meeting as “a very nice meeting.” He said Castanho asked city officials what type of development the city would like to see there, Nystrom said. Nystrom explained the current zoning for the property, the goals in the Plan of Conservation and Development, and that housing would not be permitted under current zoning.Nystrom said the land where a former subdivision of single-family homes for Norwich Hospital staff on the east side of Route 12 might be suitable for “very limited” housing.“We made it very clear that mixed use would be the best use for the area,” Nystrom said. “Commercial retail is my hope for mixed use.”

S. Windsor approves 111-unit assisted-living facility in Evergreen Walk

The town of South Windsor on Tuesday approved plans for a 111-unit assisted-living facility on Buckland Road at Evergreen Walk.The town's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the 111,976-square-foot HarborChase of Evergreen Walk facility at 151 Buckland Road. The development will bring new recreation areas, walking trails, 83 new parking spots and landscaping to the shopping area, according to plans.The developers did not indicate dates for a groundbreaking or completion, said Michele R. Lipe, South Windsor's planning director.Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA) LLC, of Vero Beach, Fla., will build and operate the new facility at the 4.8-acre lot, which abuts Old Navy and LA Fitness. The South Windsor project is HRA's first in Connecticut.Under the pans, the facility will create 90 full- and part-time jobs when it's fully operational.Evergreen Walk, a residential, commercial and retail community spanning more than 230 acres, is a densely populated area with an aging population, the application says. That will pair well with HarborChase's targeted population of 65 years and older, which is expected to increase by 15 percent by 2022, they said.Founded in 2002, HRA manages 30 communities in seven states and is involved in the construction of another eight communities in an additional seven states. The company manages more than $150 million in revenue and about $1 billion in assets.HRA's complex now becomes yet another rental property at Evergreen Walk for the local aging population.In Dec. 2017, South Windsor approved plans for a Nebraska builder-developer to erect a $30 million luxury retirement community at Evergreen Walk.The zoning commission awarded its first-ever special exception to Resort Lifestyle Communities and Cameron General Contractors of Lincoln, Neb., for the independent living project known as "Evergreen Crossing Retirement Community."The 180,000-square-foot complex, accessible along Hemlock Avenue, is being built on eight acres and will feature 128 rentable apartments of either one, two or three bedrooms. The community will be completed in 2019.

Bond commission approves $10M for electronic tolls study

The State Bond Commission approved $10 million in financing Wednesday for an analysis of establishing electronic tolling on most Connecticut highways.After a nearly hour-long debate, the 10-member commission voted 6-3, with one abstention, to approve the funding proposed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.“I worry that some in modern-day Connecticut are subscribing to their own know-nothing philosophy,” said the governor, who said his successor and the 2019 legislature will need all available data about tolls to avert a looming transportation crisis. “They’re choosing to reject new information, to decide proactively to know less, to limit the scope of their options before even fully understanding what those options truly are.Without a major infusion of revenue, the transportation program will lack the resources to launch major highway projects planned for the coming years, Malloy said, including: repairs to the elevated section of Interstate 84 in Hartford, reconstruction of the “Mixmaster” junction of I-84 and Route 8 in Waterbury, and widening of major highways.the Democratic governor, who is not seeking a third term this fall, charged his Republican critics with trying to stifle a crucial debate in a state election year.He noted that in recent years the state has approved $11 million to fix a bridge in Derby, the home community of House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, and $2.5 million to improvements to an East Haven trolley museum in the district of Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano“That’s a museum celebrating our transportation past. You’re telling me we can’t spend a little more to study our transportation future?” Malloy said. “Of course we can.”Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker estimated tolls could raise as much as $1 billion per year, with up to 40 percent coming from out-of-state motorists. Depending on the level of discounts provided to in-state residents, though, the state’s annual take could be closer to $600 million to $800 million. DOT officials also have estimated it would take four to five years to fully implement tolls if they were authorized.Wednesday’s vote does not do that. It also provides funding for a study. Authorizing tolls would require an act of the legislature.Besides the governor, others voting to fund the tolls study included: state budget director Ben Barnes, Deputy Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Toni M. Fatone, Attorney General George Jepsen, Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, and Rep. Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford.The two Republicans on the bond commission, Sen. L. Scott Frantz of Greenwich and Rep. Chris Davis of Ellington, joined state Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo in voting in opposition.Davis and Frantz both noted the General Assembly opted not to authorize a tolls study this year. A bill to do so died on the House of Representatives’ calendar when the session ended on May 9.“It failed pretty miserably, not to anybody’s great surprise,” Frantz said. “There will be a new governor to deal with this situation (next year.) Let’s wait. We don’t need it right now.”“That’s what we have heard time and time again from the people of Connecticut: They don’t see a need or a desire to have a $10 million study,” Davis said.Republican legislators have been unanimous in their opposition to tolls. The GOP has countered that Connecticut must better prioritize its transportation program and borrowing in general to free up more dollars for infrastructure improvements.“People in Connecticut don’t want tolls,” Fasano said after the meeting. “They just don’t want to be pick-pocketed any more. We don’t need to do a toll study.”Redeker told the bond commission that a Republican plan to finance transportation work without tolls also would leave Connecticut unable to do little more than highway and rail maintenance work. Fasano also said transportation officials did not offer that view when Republican legislators first briefed them on their plan in 2017.Lembo was the lone Democrat to vote against financing for the tolls study.“The State Bond Commission should not act as a replacement for legislative action,” the comptroller said afterward. “While the subject of electronic tolling — and infrastructure funding as a whole — is important to debate and discuss, I do not support financing this study through bonding without legislative directive. These decisions should be left to the next governor and legislature, and so I must vote against it.”

Tolls and election-year politics clash

Lembo was the only constitutional officer on the bond commission seeking re-election. And while the comptroller did not raise the campaign as an issue, other Democrats questioned privately whether Malloy had hurt his own party by putting an unpopular issue before the public in an election year.Democratic gubernatorial contender Ned Lamont issued a statement before the bond commission meeting even had ended, calling the study “a wasteful way to reinvent the wheel.” Lamont noted the state had commissioned a study in 2009, though Redeker said that analysis was more limited in scope than the latest one would be.“Given our financial challenges, we need to instead be investing in solutions, not studies,” Lamont said. “We already know our roads are congested, our infrastructure improvements are underfunded, and Connecticut residents have paid the bill for far too long.”Lamont said he would “utilize existing data to determine how much revenue Connecticut can generate from tolling the out-of-state trucks that are damaging our roads at taxpayer expense.”“Information is a good thing, and that is the goal of this study,” said Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim, who is challenging Lamont to be the Democratic gubernatorial candidate. “Tolls are controversial, but the electronic tolls of today are vastly different from traffic jam-causing toll gates of many years ago. Connecticut is the only state on the eastern seaboard not to have some kind of tolls, and we see that our special transportation fund is nearly insolvent, and our roads and bridges are falling apart and are not at the capacity we need. This is unacceptable and a drag on our cities and our economy.”“Tolls are just another tax, and I have signed a no-tax pledge.”  said GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski. “Governor Malloy has blatantly ignored the will of the people. A study that will take months and months to complete is a gross misuse of taxpayer funds.”Former hedge fund manager David Stemerman of Greenwich, one of five Republicans running for governor, said the tolls debate “highlights the failed leadership of Dan Malloy and the Democrats who have run the transportation trust fund and our state’s infrastructure into the ground.  It’s outrageous that their only answer to failed government leadership is to raise taxes on Connecticut commuters who are already over-burdened and fleeing the state in droves.”Move CT Forward, a coalition of Connecticut construction industries and trades involved in transportation projects, has been a frequent ally of Malloy in recent years as the governor has sought more funding for transportation projects.And while the coalition sent about 100 people to the Legislative Office Building on Wednesday, organizer Don Shubert, president of the Connecticut Construction Industry Association, said the group was rallying for more transportation projects — but had no position on the $10 million tolls study.

“They don’t know who the next governor is,” Malloy said about the coalition’s neutral position. “I’m sure he (Shubert) is reluctant to stick his neck out — beyond the fact that he clearly wants more money spent on transportation.”

Most of $10 million might never be spent

But while the questions of tolls sparked a fierce political debate, administration officials also said most of the $10 million might never be spent on a study.Both the governor and Redeker estimated it would take roughly nine months to solicit proposals for a transportation consultant, and to make a contract award. That would happen, tentatively, in April 2019, roughly three months after Malloy had left office.That means the governor’s successor easily could block the study simply by directing the DOT not to enter into a contract.In that event, Malloy said, only a small portion of the $10 million would have been spent to advertise and invite interested consultants to bid on the project.State Treasurer Denise L. Nappier, who serves on the bond commission, abstained from Wednesday’s vote , saying she would have supported funding for a broader study.“I do … question whether tolls ought to be considered in isolation when there are a myriad of other financing options” to pay for transportation improvements, she said. These include fuel tax increases as well as public-private partnerships.

CT Construction Digest Wednesday July 25, 2019

Strong transportation support is very important at the Bond Commission meeting today. The agenda is packed with transportation funding.  Additionally, there will be opposition to the $10 million for the study to provide accurate information on tolling.

Bond Commission Meeting

Legislative Office Building
300 Capitol Ave., Hartford
(there is plenty of parking this time of year)
Room 1E
10am
Wednesday, July 25, 2018

When it comes to the tolling:

• A study and accurate information on tolling in Connecticut is important
• Several legislators complained that there was a lack of information during the last legislative session
• All funding options should be on the table until Connecticut’s transportation funding shortfall is addressed
• Connecticut needs a long-term user-based funding stream to support its transportation needs
• Connecticut should be planning now for the future

Please bring as many members, employees, supervisors, leaders, apprentices, and other transportation supporters as possible.

Bond Commission Agenda CLICK HERE


Ribbon cutting held for Meriden Commons I, construction begins on second phase

Mary Ellen Godin
MERIDEN — The boarded up 50-year-old Mills housing project stood in stark contrast Tuesday to the adjacent four-story newly-built Meriden Commons I.
State and local leaders and developers celebrated the completion of the $25 million mixed income Meriden Commons I project and the start of construction on Meriden Commons II. About 100 people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the amphitheater on the Meriden Green.
“This is the next step in the process to overall the transformation of downtown Meriden,” said Charlie Adams, regional vice president of Pennrose Properties. “That vision and that excitement of creating two truly mixed-income developments where people of all incomes will have an opportunity to reside. With 7,000 square feet of retail, it’s a great opportunity for some shopping and economic development.”
Pennrose Properties partnered with the Meriden Housing Authority and Stanford Cloud to secure the funding and develop Meriden Commons I and II. About 30 units have been leased to date, and management has signed a lease with a convenience store owner to occupy part of the retail space on the first floor. Pennrose is also in talks with a deli owner and another possible tenant.
Tenants vacated the Mills apartments last year and the three low-rise and two high-rise buildings will be demolished by the end of the year. Adams and others have said the demolition won’t interfere with Meriden Commons II construction.
About 60 Meriden Commons phase one units are income-restricted, meaning potential tenants can earn no more than 60 percent of the area median income. The remaining 15 apartments are market-rate units. The units range from one- to three-bedroom apartments. 
Phase II will have 76 units with a similar income ratio. 
Speakers at the ceremony included representatives from the city, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, the Meriden Housing Authority, and the General Assembly. Many praised Gov. Dannel Malloy for his investment in affordable housing, the CTrail Hartford Line and transit-oriented developments around train stations.
“This is just another step in that long road to recovery,” Malloy said. “This has been a problem in Connecticut for a long time. We tended to punish our small urban areas, expect them to cut it on their own and did not allow for appropriate asset sharing to make sure those communities had the resources they needed to succeed.”
State Rep. Hilda Santiago, D-Meriden, said she initially had concern for tenants in the Mills, and she wanted a “respectful and dignified relocation where they were part of the process.” Santiago, whose district includes downtown Meriden and who once lived in the Mills, said Connecticut and HUD were both “a great partner.”
The city’s transformation began more than 10 years ago with other lawmakers and city administrations planting the seeds to request funding for the Mills demolition and rebuilding the former HUB site, now the Meriden Green.
HUD began its involvement in the project with a TOD feasibility study grant, a Choice Neighborhood planning grant of $500,000 and a 30-year commitment of $29 million to keep the units affordable, said Field Office Director Suzanne Piacentini.
The Connecticut Housing and Finance Authority provided another $3.2 million in low-income housing tax credits that generated $32 million in equity.
Guests were invited to a tour of model units and the Community Room at Meriden Commons I, located at State and Mill Streets.  The building also has a fitness room, and a retail area and offices for resident coordinators and supportive services. These services will be provided through the combined presence of an onsite resident services coordinator, employed by the management agent, and Columbus House, a state-based supportive services provider.
Each unit has granite countertops, a washer and dryer, and central air conditioning.
“We’re not done yet,” said Timothy Henkel, senior vice president of Pennrose LLC. “We will continue to do our part because now we’re neighbors.”

Developer pitches 108-unit Newington apartment project near busway

Joe Cooper
A Massachusetts-based developer that has been active building new apartments in Greater Hartford is eyeing a $32 million transit-oriented development on a long-vacant lot near a CTfastrak station in Newington.
Dakota Partners Inc., of Waltham, Mass., is asking Newington's Planning and Zoning Commission to create a "workforce assisted housing district (WAHD)" zone at 550 Cedar St. that would include a 108-unit affordable apartment complex.
The proposed three-story rental complex would be named Cedar Pointe.
Newington Town Planner Craig Minor said the proposal will be discussed at the planning board's Aug. 8 meeting and could meet town approval at subsequent meetings.
Under the proposal, the developer is plotting the complex on a 7.7-acre lot owned by Stop & Shop Supermarket, which is no longer interested in developing the land, said Dakota Partners Principal Marc Daigle. The property was formerly housed by automobile dealership Crest Motors.
If approved, Daigle says he expects construction crews of about 220 to break ground in spring 2019 with construction lasting 12 to 14 months.
The redevelopment will be funded mainly through state Department of Housing programs and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, according to the application. The state funding programs will dictate the number of units earmarked as lower-cost or workforce units, it said.
Applicants for affordable housing units at Cedar Pointe must meet certain low-income thresholds and prove employment, among other requirements. Daigle says Dakota has identified a need for affordable housing in the Newington area.
The proposal calls for 81 two-bedroom units and 27 one-bedroom units spanning 942 square feet and 708 square feet, respectively, and 152 parking spots.
Maximum monthly rent for one bedrooms will be $410 to $1,046 and two bedrooms will be $486 to $1,249.
Dakota Partners has acquired and developed multi-family rental properties across New England, New York and mid-Atlantic states. The developer has built housing in Hartford, New Milford and Brookfield and has ongoing projects in Suffield, New Britain and Uncainsvile.
Dakota Partners was part of the group that redeveloped a historic six-story building at 179 Allyn St. into 63 apartments and repurposed a former mill at 390 Capitol Ave. into 112-mixed income apartments. They are also currently involved with the $58 million mixed-use "Columbus Commons" development in New Britain that will include 160 residential units.

Downtown North Developer Lays Out Vision, Fields Questions From Hartford Leaders

Jenna Carlesso
City council members got their first peek Tuesday at a six-year, multiphase plan to transform four vacant parcels near Dunkin’ Donuts Park into extensive retail and housing that would knit together Hartford’s downtown and North End.
Randy Salvatore, owner of RMS Companies, the group chosen by the city to build 800 apartments and 60,000 square feet of retail space in the long-barren neighborhood, outlined a proposal that would begin with 200 housing units behind the Red Lion Hotel on Trumbull Street. It would continue with 150 apartments near the corner of Trumbull and Market streets, and another 300 at the intersection of Main and Trumbull — directly across from the minor league ballpark.
The second and third phase of the project could be reversed depending on environmental hazards, Salvatore said. City leaders have warned that the parcel near Trumbull and Market, which contains a bunker-like former data-processing center, may have asbestos and PCBs.
A subsequent phase of the development would feature 150 housing units near the three-way intersection of Main Street, Ann Uccello Street and High Street. Apartment buildings in that area would be two-to-three stories high — as opposed to the six- or seven-story structures planned for Trumbull and Market streets — because they are closer to the northern neighborhoods, Salvatore said.

His plan also calls for about 2,000 parking spaces. A large garage with about 1,000 spaces may be located on the property near Market Street to accommodate ballpark spectators. The city is in closed-door negotiations with Salvatore as both sides try to hash out a contract. Salvatore said Tuesday that he has asked for a 99-year lease on all of the parcels. Hartford officials have not released details of the proposed agreement, including whether any tax abatement is involved. RMS Companies was the sole bidder on the project. Kiley Gosselin, Hartford’s interim development director, said the city had a choice of whether to proceed with RMS or select no one, and that Salvatore’s plan fit the criteria.
The New Canaan developer envisions market-rate apartments flanked by substantial retail space, including a 30,000-square-foot grocery store, restaurants, coffee shops and art galleries. The retail would be concentrated on the ground level along Main Street.

The more than $200 million project would be financed primarily with private funds. RMS will also pursue a loan from the Capital Region Development Authority similar to what the group has given others with robust developments, Salvatore said. He did not disclose a dollar amount. Council members expressed cautious optimism about the proposal, but pressed Salvatore and city leaders about the lack of “affordable housing” — units priced for lower- and middle-income households. Jimmy Sanchez, the panel’s majority leader, and John Gale, the assistant majority leader, called for a split of 80 percent market rate and 20 percent affordable apartments.
“All of these projects should have economic diversity in terms of the people who are living there,” Gale said after the presentation at city hall. “That is what makes a city healthy.”
Council members also called for an agreement that requires a percentage of the construction workers to be Hartford residents, and asked that they be paid a “living wage” — salaries that exceed minimum wage.

Wildaliz Bermudez, the panel’s minority leader, suggested setting aside an area for community use.

Salvatore said he would aim for a deal that mandates Hartford residents be hired, and that he would weigh affordable housing as part of his plan.
The council still must approve the project. Gosselin said she hopes to submit a term sheet to the panel this fall with details of a lease agreement.
At least one public hearing is expected to be held before then, though no date has been settled on. A series of community forums will also take place after the proposal is sent to the council.

State Treasurer Will Abstain From $10 Million Toll Study Vote As Opposition Mounts

Christopher Keating
The State Bond Commission is traditionally a noncontroversial body with plenty of agreement on a variety of construction projects and capital improvements.
But Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s $10 million study of electronic highway tolls has changed all that. The latest opposition came from State Treasurer Denise Nappier, who said Tuesday that she will abstain from voting at Wednesday’s meeting because she has concerns about the study.
Nappier’s announcement follows objections from Democratic Comptroller Kevin Lembo and two Republican legislators on the 10-member commission who also plan to vote “no.” Malloy chairs the commission, and the measure will pass if he and five fellow Democrats vote in favor.
State Attorney General George Jepsen announced in a radio interview that he would vote in favor of the controversial study after stating that the $10 million is “just a drop in the bucket’’ if it improves the efficiency of tolling as a revenue generator for years to come. 
“It’s a drop in the bucket, to be honest with you,’’ Jepsen told the host, Chaz, on the popular “Chaz and AJ” morning radio show. “It will much more than pay for itself over time.’’
“You’re flushing $10 million down the toilet,’’ responded Chaz, who avoids using his last name on the show. “Why don’t we do the study when we have the next governor?’’
Nappier has issues with Malloy’s proposal, which is rare because she has consistently voted in favor of hundreds of items pushed by Malloy at the bond commission over the past eight years.
“My biggest concern with this proposed study is that it is too narrowly focused,’’ Nappier said. “The state ought to consider a more comprehensive menu of alternative financing sources, including public/private partnerships and other ways we can attract institutional investors, such as pension funds, both domestic and international. I also question the nature and timing of the toll study … that would justify the state’s $10 million expenditure as reasonable.’’

Nappier added, “I would support a reasonable allocation of bonds for a broader study of funding sources, including — but not limited to — tolls. Then, the next governor and legislature could continue this important policy discussion armed with information that they will need to chart the appropriate course forward.’’

Senate Republican leader Len Fasano of North Haven sent a letter Tuesday to Nappier, asking her to consider switching from abstaining to a “no’’ vote.
“I know you are aware that abstaining from this vote translates to a silent ‘yes’ in support of this study, despite your clear opposition to the proposed spending,’’ Fasano wrote. “If you oppose this study, you are duty-bound as treasurer of the state of Connecticut to state your no vote on the record.’’
When asked about Nappier’s planned abstention, the governor’s office replied that the study is necessary.
“This study will give the legislature the necessary information they need to address the state’s future transportation funding,’’ said Chris McClure, Malloy’s budget spokesman. “Connecticut faces significant costs associated with maintaining our existing infrastructure, let alone building a more dynamic system that will decrease traffic, increase safety and help employers to grow more jobs. A complete picture of our options in addressing these needs is a logical and necessary next step toward fixing transportation in Connecticut.”
In a related matter, the head of the state trucking association said Tuesday that politicians have been incorrect in repeatedly stating that out-of-state trucks get a free ride through Connecticut because there are no highway tolls.
Out-of-state truckers actually pay about $26 million to $30 million annually to the state in taxes, said Joe Sculley, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut.
“Through the International Fuel Tax Agreement, out-of-state truckers pay diesel fuel use taxes for the fuel that they use while traveling in Connecticut,’’ Sculley said. “They pay regardless of where the fuel was purchased, which can often be outside of Connecticut.’’
Sculley said out-of-state trucks also pay fees for vehicle registrations to Connecticut that are based on the miles they drive in the state. These facts, he said, are little-known to the general public.
“The industry understands that these programs are complex,’’ Sculley said. “We want the public to know about them because we believe it shapes public perception, which often helps shape policy.’’