NORWALK - Work will begin Wednesday to add a shared turning lane on Route 1 (Westport Avenue) between the intersections of Strawberry Hill Avenue and County Street.
The project costing $4,461,102, will be done by Water Construction Co., of Bridgeport. It’s scheduled to be finished on June 29, 2020.
The state Department of Transportation said 22,900 vehicles a day travel this part of Route 1. The work area is between Garavel Chrysler Jeep Dodge and the Marshall’s store.
DOT said the project will be performed in six phases:
Phase 1 is the Westport Avenue north side improvements,
Phase 2 is the construction of the south side of Westport Avenue and Strawberry Hill Avenue,
Phase 3 is the final paving along Westport Avenue,
Phase 4 is the construction on north of side of Strawberry Hill Avenue,
Phase 5 is the final paving along Strawberry Hill Avenue and Phase 6 is the installation of new traffic signals and signs. Motorists can expect lane closures on Westport Avenue, Strawberry Hill Avenue. and County Street during evenings only. Lanes will be operational during the day time.
The work hours for this project are Sunday through Friday between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., Friday through Saturday between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., and Saturday through Sunday between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m.October job fair to focus on manufacturing, trades
BRISTOL - The Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce’s Manufacturing and Trades Job Fair is set for Oct. 4 at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, 42 Century Drive.
The event, held in conjunction with TD Bank, will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is free to attend and open to the public as well as all students interested in careers in manufacturing and the trades.
Visitors can meet with representatives from companies with current job openings in fields including construction, carpentry, electrical and HVAC.
Cindy Bombard, president and CEO of the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce, said that the chamber’s last job fair eight to 10 years ago sold out.
This time, it will focus on manufacturing and the trades. October, she noted, is Manufacturing Month.
“The Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce work closely with the manufacturing and trades industry and with more than 10,000 manufacturing job openings statewide, this job fair will be a great way to help meet their workforce needs,” said Bombard.
Bombard said that she is hoping to have 40 businesses at this year’s event.
Some that have already signed up include the Arthur G. Russell Co., Barnes Aerospace, Kelly Services, P/A Industries, Raym-Co, Inc., Trumpf and Tunxis Community College. The state Department of Labor also will have a presence at the fair.
“We have been dropping off fliers to non-chamber members and we have also reached out to some of the larger companies, like Electric Boat,” said Bombard. “We have also been coordinating with Justin Malley and the city of Bristol’s marketing department. We have also seen a lot of interest from the Hartford Business Journal.”
Bombard said she will be inviting students from Bristol Eastern and Bristol Central high schools.
“We’re hoping that our high school students can use this to get a flavor for what types of career openings there are,’ she said.
Bombard said vendor space is available for businesses with job openings. Space costs $100 for chamber members and $150 for non-members. Each space will include a 6-foot table and two chairs.
Immediately after the job fair, vendors can participate in a vendors-only cocktail hour from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. with representatives from TD Bank.
“TD is pleased to partner with the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce to help connect residents to career opportunities,” said Michael LaBella, TD’s market president for Connecticut. “This job fair is one of many ways in which TD seeks to increase financial security for our customers and communities through our newly launched Ready Commitment, td.com/thereadycommitment.”
Housing project plan in Newington faces opposition
NEWINGTON - Traffic, safety and contamination were among concerns cited at a recent public hearing for a proposed low-income housing development on Cedar Street.
Visitors can meet with representatives from companies with current job openings in fields including construction, carpentry, electrical and HVAC.
Cindy Bombard, president and CEO of the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce, said that the chamber’s last job fair eight to 10 years ago sold out.
This time, it will focus on manufacturing and the trades. October, she noted, is Manufacturing Month.
“The Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce work closely with the manufacturing and trades industry and with more than 10,000 manufacturing job openings statewide, this job fair will be a great way to help meet their workforce needs,” said Bombard.
Bombard said that she is hoping to have 40 businesses at this year’s event.
Some that have already signed up include the Arthur G. Russell Co., Barnes Aerospace, Kelly Services, P/A Industries, Raym-Co, Inc., Trumpf and Tunxis Community College. The state Department of Labor also will have a presence at the fair.
“We have been dropping off fliers to non-chamber members and we have also reached out to some of the larger companies, like Electric Boat,” said Bombard. “We have also been coordinating with Justin Malley and the city of Bristol’s marketing department. We have also seen a lot of interest from the Hartford Business Journal.”
Bombard said she will be inviting students from Bristol Eastern and Bristol Central high schools.
“We’re hoping that our high school students can use this to get a flavor for what types of career openings there are,’ she said.
Bombard said vendor space is available for businesses with job openings. Space costs $100 for chamber members and $150 for non-members. Each space will include a 6-foot table and two chairs.
Immediately after the job fair, vendors can participate in a vendors-only cocktail hour from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. with representatives from TD Bank.
“TD is pleased to partner with the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce to help connect residents to career opportunities,” said Michael LaBella, TD’s market president for Connecticut. “This job fair is one of many ways in which TD seeks to increase financial security for our customers and communities through our newly launched Ready Commitment, td.com/thereadycommitment.”
Housing project plan in Newington faces opposition
NEWINGTON - Traffic, safety and contamination were among concerns cited at a recent public hearing for a proposed low-income housing development on Cedar Street.
The Town Plan and Zoning Commission heard from over a dozen people Aug. 8 about an application from Massachusetts-based affordable housing developer Dakota Partners for a 108-unit apartment complex at 550 Cedar St.
The proposal calls for amendments to the town’s zoning regulations to accommodate the project by creating a Workforce Assisted Housing District, which would be limited to this particular site.
“I’m not in favor of this project for the lovely town of Newington where I’ve lived most of my life,” said Sandra Charland, one of the speakers. “Unfortunately I don’t see any enhancement for the town if this goes forward.”
Her husband, Henry Charland, also spoke and blamed the project’s materialization on CTfastrak, the Hartford to New Haven bus rapid transit system that has two stations in town.
The proposal calls for three buildings with one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
Seventy-five percent of the units would be rented to low- to-moderate-income families and the remaining quarter, at market rate.
The property would feature a clubhouse, playground, parking area and handicapped-accessible units on the first floor of each building.
The 7.7-acre parcel is the former site of Crest Motors, located behind Dunkin’ Donuts and east of the Amtrak railway. It is currently owned by Stop & Shop.
Although contamination on the property has been dealt with in the past, more still needs to be addressed before construction can begin.
“My client is interested in finishing the cleanup, redeveloping the property and putting it back on the tax rolls as multi-family housing,” Dakota’s Attorney Tim Hollister told commissioners.
The state’s Affordable Housing Appeals Act makes it very difficult for the commission to reject the application.
Also known as Section 8-30g of the general statutes, the act was designed to increase the amount of affordable housing in Connecticut.
To deny the project, the commission must prove that it would endanger residents in some way.
“The application cannot be denied by the zoning commission unless there is evidence on record that the proposed construction will result in a specific type of harm that constitutes a substantial public health safety concern that clearly outweighs Newington’s need for lower cost housing,” Hollister told commissioners, reading directly from the statute.
The lengthy application asserts the need for affordable housing in Newington, where renters – about 20 percent of residents - are currently paying an average of $1,600 per month.
Speakers at the meeting questioned this figure and the claim that Newington does not meet the law’s 10 percent threshold for affordable housing, coming in short by roughly 240 units at 8.14 percent.
Recently-built complexes at the Newington Veterans Hospital constitute affordable housing but are not included in this number because they are federally-funded.
“This is not a federal section eight housing project,” Hollister told the commission. “It just happens to be Connecticut’s law that governs this type of development is in title 8-30g of the general statutes.”
He disputed common perceptions about low-income housing developments as catalysts for crime and school overcrowding.
“There are often misunderstandings about so-called affordable housing. Those perceptions have simply proven to be not true in reality. Time and time again there’s concern, then it ends up being a wonderful new addition to the housing stock of the municipality.”
Clarke Castelle addressed comments on social media from project opponents, which he called “mean-spirited, inflammatory and factually incorrect.”
“I could find almost no sympathy among group members for the problem of affordable housing at the national, state or local levels, no recognition that solving it is a priority of both federal and state governments and no notion that the majority of residents share these concerns and wish to be part of the solution,” Castelle said, thanking the developer for considering Newington for the project.
The company used studies from Rutgers University to estimate that 32 school-aged children will live on the premises, with half relocating from other parts of town.
Dakota Partners Principal Roberto Arista told commissioners the apartments would likely be filled by nursing aides, school teachers and service workers.
“We believe affordable housing is a very important component of any economy,” Arista said. “It provides housing for working families who otherwise couldn’t afford to live in the community in which they work.”
Town Councilor Gail Budrejko questioned how renters will come and go from the complex if it is located near one of the town’s most dangerous intersections and almost no sidewalks.
“Residents without transportation will be at risk walking on one of the busiest roads in Newington,” she said.
Commissioners asked the design team to revisit its traffic study, as predictions failed to account for future users of a proposed railway station nearby.
They also questioned if roadway specifications could accommodate fire trucks and the location of a single dumpster on site.
Sandy Austin Goldstein recited detailed environmental contamination findings, urging commissioners to scrutinize all reports before making a decision.
“We must exercise due diligence because the potential impact to the people who live at this property in our town is too great not to,” she said.
Kathy Flaherty reminded commissioners of their obligation to follow state statutes.
“I am a legal aid lawyer and I know very clearly the need for affordable housing in Connecticut,” she said, adding, “What I would like to see is this Town Plan and Zoning commission follow the law.”
Roundabout Project Could Be Finished By October
The repaving and roundabout project along Hebron Avenue is ahead of schedule and should be complete by the end of October, officials said.
Worker have removed the old pavement and subsurface material and are installing a new road surface and sidewalks along the westbound lanes of Hebron Avenue, from House Street to the roundabout at the New London Turnpike intersection.
According to Daniel A. Pennington, town engineer/director of physical services, the project was scheduled to be complete by November but has been “progressing well.”
Hebron Avenue will remain open to westbound traffic only from House Street to the roundabout for the duration of the project. Once the northern portion of Hebron Avenue is complete, work will begin on the southern portion of the road from House Street to the roundabout, with westbound traffic moving to the newly completed northern portion of the road. “That traffic flow is most critical to the success of the project,” Pennington said of the traffic coming off Route 2 and traveling west into the town center. “None of that traffic will be detoured throughout the project.”
The roundabout at House Street is complete, but traffic will only be allowed to go north on House Street from Hebron Avenue until the paving project is complete.
“There are still things to do like landscaping and the removal of utilities and a pole right in the middle of the roundabout, but we’ve been pleased by the quality of work by the contractors,” Pennington said.Eastbound traffic on Hebron Avenue between New London Turnpike and the roundabout and Linden Street is prohibited. Motorists leaving the town center can take New London Turnpike to Sycamore Street.
Pennington said businesses along Hebron Avenue have remained open and accessible during the construction and the town and project manager have worked closely with them to alleviate any concerns. The town has held several meetings and invited businesses and property owners this summer, but only one person has shown up.
“I think it shows we are managing the project and traffic very well,” Pennington said.
Yale Peabody Museum gets $160 million gift for renovations
NEW HAVEN — The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will undergo a major two-year renovation as the result of a $160 million donation by Edward P. Bass, a billionaire and philanthropist who graduated from Yale University in 1967.
The “gut renovation” will close the 152-year-old museum for two years. When it reopens, its prize brontosaurus fossil will have been remounted in a more natural pose, according to Peabody Director David Skelly.
“It’s going to enable us to expand the visitors’ galleries by 50 percent,” Skelly said Tuesday. There will also be major additions to make it easier for the 25,000 to 30,000 schoolchildren who tour the museum each year to visit, Skelly said. “When we reopen, we’ll have a dedicated K-12 education cener with space for people to get oriented before they go into the galleries,” he said
The proposal calls for amendments to the town’s zoning regulations to accommodate the project by creating a Workforce Assisted Housing District, which would be limited to this particular site.
“I’m not in favor of this project for the lovely town of Newington where I’ve lived most of my life,” said Sandra Charland, one of the speakers. “Unfortunately I don’t see any enhancement for the town if this goes forward.”
Her husband, Henry Charland, also spoke and blamed the project’s materialization on CTfastrak, the Hartford to New Haven bus rapid transit system that has two stations in town.
The proposal calls for three buildings with one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
Seventy-five percent of the units would be rented to low- to-moderate-income families and the remaining quarter, at market rate.
The property would feature a clubhouse, playground, parking area and handicapped-accessible units on the first floor of each building.
The 7.7-acre parcel is the former site of Crest Motors, located behind Dunkin’ Donuts and east of the Amtrak railway. It is currently owned by Stop & Shop.
Although contamination on the property has been dealt with in the past, more still needs to be addressed before construction can begin.
“My client is interested in finishing the cleanup, redeveloping the property and putting it back on the tax rolls as multi-family housing,” Dakota’s Attorney Tim Hollister told commissioners.
The state’s Affordable Housing Appeals Act makes it very difficult for the commission to reject the application.
Also known as Section 8-30g of the general statutes, the act was designed to increase the amount of affordable housing in Connecticut.
To deny the project, the commission must prove that it would endanger residents in some way.
“The application cannot be denied by the zoning commission unless there is evidence on record that the proposed construction will result in a specific type of harm that constitutes a substantial public health safety concern that clearly outweighs Newington’s need for lower cost housing,” Hollister told commissioners, reading directly from the statute.
The lengthy application asserts the need for affordable housing in Newington, where renters – about 20 percent of residents - are currently paying an average of $1,600 per month.
Speakers at the meeting questioned this figure and the claim that Newington does not meet the law’s 10 percent threshold for affordable housing, coming in short by roughly 240 units at 8.14 percent.
Recently-built complexes at the Newington Veterans Hospital constitute affordable housing but are not included in this number because they are federally-funded.
“This is not a federal section eight housing project,” Hollister told the commission. “It just happens to be Connecticut’s law that governs this type of development is in title 8-30g of the general statutes.”
He disputed common perceptions about low-income housing developments as catalysts for crime and school overcrowding.
“There are often misunderstandings about so-called affordable housing. Those perceptions have simply proven to be not true in reality. Time and time again there’s concern, then it ends up being a wonderful new addition to the housing stock of the municipality.”
Clarke Castelle addressed comments on social media from project opponents, which he called “mean-spirited, inflammatory and factually incorrect.”
“I could find almost no sympathy among group members for the problem of affordable housing at the national, state or local levels, no recognition that solving it is a priority of both federal and state governments and no notion that the majority of residents share these concerns and wish to be part of the solution,” Castelle said, thanking the developer for considering Newington for the project.
The company used studies from Rutgers University to estimate that 32 school-aged children will live on the premises, with half relocating from other parts of town.
Dakota Partners Principal Roberto Arista told commissioners the apartments would likely be filled by nursing aides, school teachers and service workers.
“We believe affordable housing is a very important component of any economy,” Arista said. “It provides housing for working families who otherwise couldn’t afford to live in the community in which they work.”
Town Councilor Gail Budrejko questioned how renters will come and go from the complex if it is located near one of the town’s most dangerous intersections and almost no sidewalks.
“Residents without transportation will be at risk walking on one of the busiest roads in Newington,” she said.
Commissioners asked the design team to revisit its traffic study, as predictions failed to account for future users of a proposed railway station nearby.
They also questioned if roadway specifications could accommodate fire trucks and the location of a single dumpster on site.
Sandy Austin Goldstein recited detailed environmental contamination findings, urging commissioners to scrutinize all reports before making a decision.
“We must exercise due diligence because the potential impact to the people who live at this property in our town is too great not to,” she said.
Kathy Flaherty reminded commissioners of their obligation to follow state statutes.
“I am a legal aid lawyer and I know very clearly the need for affordable housing in Connecticut,” she said, adding, “What I would like to see is this Town Plan and Zoning commission follow the law.”
Roundabout Project Could Be Finished By October
The repaving and roundabout project along Hebron Avenue is ahead of schedule and should be complete by the end of October, officials said.
Worker have removed the old pavement and subsurface material and are installing a new road surface and sidewalks along the westbound lanes of Hebron Avenue, from House Street to the roundabout at the New London Turnpike intersection.
According to Daniel A. Pennington, town engineer/director of physical services, the project was scheduled to be complete by November but has been “progressing well.”
Hebron Avenue will remain open to westbound traffic only from House Street to the roundabout for the duration of the project. Once the northern portion of Hebron Avenue is complete, work will begin on the southern portion of the road from House Street to the roundabout, with westbound traffic moving to the newly completed northern portion of the road. “That traffic flow is most critical to the success of the project,” Pennington said of the traffic coming off Route 2 and traveling west into the town center. “None of that traffic will be detoured throughout the project.”
The roundabout at House Street is complete, but traffic will only be allowed to go north on House Street from Hebron Avenue until the paving project is complete.
“There are still things to do like landscaping and the removal of utilities and a pole right in the middle of the roundabout, but we’ve been pleased by the quality of work by the contractors,” Pennington said.Eastbound traffic on Hebron Avenue between New London Turnpike and the roundabout and Linden Street is prohibited. Motorists leaving the town center can take New London Turnpike to Sycamore Street.
Pennington said businesses along Hebron Avenue have remained open and accessible during the construction and the town and project manager have worked closely with them to alleviate any concerns. The town has held several meetings and invited businesses and property owners this summer, but only one person has shown up.
“I think it shows we are managing the project and traffic very well,” Pennington said.
Yale Peabody Museum gets $160 million gift for renovations
NEW HAVEN — The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will undergo a major two-year renovation as the result of a $160 million donation by Edward P. Bass, a billionaire and philanthropist who graduated from Yale University in 1967.
The “gut renovation” will close the 152-year-old museum for two years. When it reopens, its prize brontosaurus fossil will have been remounted in a more natural pose, according to Peabody Director David Skelly.
“It’s going to enable us to expand the visitors’ galleries by 50 percent,” Skelly said Tuesday. There will also be major additions to make it easier for the 25,000 to 30,000 schoolchildren who tour the museum each year to visit, Skelly said. “When we reopen, we’ll have a dedicated K-12 education cener with space for people to get oriented before they go into the galleries,” he said
The renovation will include new student classrooms, “bringing Yale’s broader teaching mission into the museum,” Skelly said. “Yale’s reputation for leadership in the sciences is grounded historically in the Peabody Museum, founded 152 years ago,” Bass said in a press release “This renovation and expansion will enhance every aspect of the Peabody, bringing it up to date and preparing it for the future. We will have 50 percent more gallery space, cutting-edge exhibits, and the ability to put the extraordinarily rich collection not only on view for the public, but also in the hands of researchers and students alike.”
One feature that will remain, Skelly said is the 110-by-16-foot mural, “The Age of Reptiles” by Rudolph F. Zallinger, which is mounted on the wall of the Great Hall, where the Peabody’s prize dinosaurs are on display. The largest fossil, the brontosaurus, “is going to be completely taken apart and shipped to a firm that completely remounts dinosaurs,” Skelly said. “There aren’t too many of those.” The remounting will incorporate discoveries about the appearance and lives of dinosaurs made since the museum opened in 1925 with fossils brought back to Yale by paleontologist O.C. Marsh.
“When the brontosaurus was mounted in the late 1920s, it was one of the first dinosaur mounts anywhere, and to be fair to those folks they were learning as they were going,” Skelly said. The dinosaur’s tail will be longer and “be held up off the ground,” Skelly said.Bass’ donation is the largest known gift ever made to a natural history museum in the United States, according to a press release.
Bass, 72, is one of four brothers to have gone to Yale (as did their father) and has made major donations to the Peabody and other areas of the university, particularly involving the sciences.
He has a net worth of $2.1 billion, according to Forbes, which said he and his brothers sold their oil company to ExxonMobil in 2017 for $5.6 billion. Bass has invested in the Biosphere 2 closed environment project in Arizona. His donations founded the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and he has supported the Class of 1954 Environmental Science Center and the Yale Science Building. This year, Bass donated $10 million to create the 500-seat O.C. Marsh Lecture Hall.
In the release, Yale President Peter Salovey said, “I am deeply grateful to Ed Bass for a gift that will transform the Peabody. Imagine an expanded natural history museum where the exhibits reflect the most current science; where faculty members and students can more efficiently use the collections; and where our investigators have spectacular research facilities. This is a magnificent gift.”
One feature that will remain, Skelly said is the 110-by-16-foot mural, “The Age of Reptiles” by Rudolph F. Zallinger, which is mounted on the wall of the Great Hall, where the Peabody’s prize dinosaurs are on display. The largest fossil, the brontosaurus, “is going to be completely taken apart and shipped to a firm that completely remounts dinosaurs,” Skelly said. “There aren’t too many of those.” The remounting will incorporate discoveries about the appearance and lives of dinosaurs made since the museum opened in 1925 with fossils brought back to Yale by paleontologist O.C. Marsh.
“When the brontosaurus was mounted in the late 1920s, it was one of the first dinosaur mounts anywhere, and to be fair to those folks they were learning as they were going,” Skelly said. The dinosaur’s tail will be longer and “be held up off the ground,” Skelly said.Bass’ donation is the largest known gift ever made to a natural history museum in the United States, according to a press release.
Bass, 72, is one of four brothers to have gone to Yale (as did their father) and has made major donations to the Peabody and other areas of the university, particularly involving the sciences.
He has a net worth of $2.1 billion, according to Forbes, which said he and his brothers sold their oil company to ExxonMobil in 2017 for $5.6 billion. Bass has invested in the Biosphere 2 closed environment project in Arizona. His donations founded the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and he has supported the Class of 1954 Environmental Science Center and the Yale Science Building. This year, Bass donated $10 million to create the 500-seat O.C. Marsh Lecture Hall.
In the release, Yale President Peter Salovey said, “I am deeply grateful to Ed Bass for a gift that will transform the Peabody. Imagine an expanded natural history museum where the exhibits reflect the most current science; where faculty members and students can more efficiently use the collections; and where our investigators have spectacular research facilities. This is a magnificent gift.”