REMINDER
Strong Industry
Attendance is Needed at an Infrastructure Press Conference
Today, October 30, 2018
10am (Please arrive early)MDC Parking Lot – 231 BRAINARD Road, Hartford (THE SAME LOCATION AS THE FEBRUARY PRESS CONFERENCE)
The American Society of
Civil Engineers (ASCE) will be releasing their Connecticut Infrastructure
Report Card on:
Roads,
Bridges, Rail, Clean Water, and
Waste Water.
This is our last
opportunity to show support for infrastructure investments before election
day.
Please join us as we
make a strong showing that infrastructure investments mean jobs and a better
Connecticut!Bridge over still waters
KURT MOFFETT
WINSTED – The bridge over the Still River near the intersection of Holabird Avenue and North Main Street is now open.
State and local officials led a 20-minute ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning to celebrate the opening. The $2.9 million deck replacement project began in September 2016, but the bridge was closed by former Town Manager Dale L. Martin nearly three years before that.
The project was completed on time, officials said.
State Rep. Jay M. Case, R-Winsted, who was instrumental in getting the funding for the project and moving it forward after being on the shelf for roughly 10 years, thanked former lawmaker David Scribner for supporting the project.
Scribner, of Brookfield, said he was a leader on the legislative transportation and transportation bonding committees in 2014, when Case contacted him about procuring the funding. He is now the commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection.
Scribner told the more than 50 people who circled around the speakers that the completion of the project is a “significant accomplishment in your community.” He said 80 percent of the project was covered by federal funds and 20 percent by the state, so the grants are “extremely competitive,” but Case was “smart enough” to seek his help in pushing the project.
David Ferreira, Northwestern Connecticut Community College’s dean of academic and student affairs, said the staff and students are “super excited” because the campus will be “much more navigable. This really does bring together all of our buildings to connect the community to the college” and enable students to walk the campus.
Mayor A. Candy Perez thanked the businesses in town for their patience during construction, as well as Geiger, who she said kept a close eye on the progress.
The general contractor was the Schultz Corp. of Plymouth. The state Department of Transportation gave Schultz 571 days to complete the project.
Inadequate funding delayed the project for years.
The project called for widening and replacing the bridge deck, which the DOT rated in poor condition. The structures beneath it were rated in fair condition.
The bridge was built in 1955. Nearly 3,000 vehicles travel on it per day.
Old questions for Stamford’s new train station parking plan
Angela Carella
STAMFORD - Esther Marie Giordano thinks the façade proposed for the new train station garage looks like braces used to straighten teeth.
She wonders whether the planned 350-foot pedestrian bridge over Washington Boulevard, which would connect the garage to the train station, could have a moving walkway like the ones in airports.
Giordano has another question for state Department of Transportation officials in charge of designing the $100 million garage, to be built on South State Street, a block from the train station
Jeff Maron, a Stamford commuter and vice chairman of the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council, said it’s not surprising because word of the meetings was not widespread and, given how the last plan was handled, people might not trust that their comments will have weight.
“Last time the same question was raised, the overwhelming response … was for the new garage to be across from the station, on the same site as the old garage. The DOT has disregarded that overwhelming request from taxpayers and commuters,” Maron said. “Why would they come? Just to be ignored again?”
It’s good that the DOT is inviting comment, which didn’t happen when the agency was negotiating with private developers to build a $500 million office, residential, retail and hotel complex on the site of the old garage and move parking farther away, Maron said. That deal died two years ago.
“I think having open meetings rather than closed meetings is a huge step forward, and I applaud DOT for taking that step,” he said. “However, if the end result remains ignoring the wishes of those who use the station, then we will be no better off. The net result is disregarding the wishes of those who use the station.”
Space for future
Last week’s meeting at City Hall was attended by members of Mayor David Martin’s staff, half a dozen city representatives and a few candidates running for state House of Representatives.
The DOT’s plan is to build an eight-story garage connected to the train station on level four by an enclosed pedestrian bridge and on level two by a ramp leading to New York-bound Track 5.
Walk time from the new garage will depend on where riders park and which track they need to reach. Some trips will be shorter than walking from the old garage, some the same and others longer, DOT officials said.
Work on the new garage is set to begin next year and be completed in 2021.
The original 727-space garage, built in 1987, has been crumbling for many years. Only 200 spaces are now in use. The 1,200-space addition, built in 2004, needs maintenance but will remain.
City Rep. David Watkins, R-1, wanted to know more about traffic flow, since DOT data shows that two-thirds of the vehicles that will use the new garage will come down Washington Boulevard, and the rest from South State Street. Watkins said he’s concerned about bottlenecks.
DOT Commissioner Jim Redeker said traffic will move better around the station because the new garage will be designed for good flow, and it will divert traffic from congested Station Place. Retiming the traffic signals will improve flow more, Redeker said.
The current demand for parking calls for 825 spaces in the new garage, Redeker said. It is to have 960 spaces, according to plans.
“Are we planning for the future with that number?” asked Stamford resident Shelley Michelson, onetime member of the Board of Finance. “Don’t you want to make sure you are leaving room for future demand?”
Jeff Parker of CHA Consulting, the DOT’s design firm, said the South State Street site can’t accommodate a bigger garage.
“We are providing the maximum we can build,” Parker said.
River barrier
Giordano asked why the garage has two entries but only one exit, on South State Street.
“Why not put a second exit on the other side?” Giordano said. “It’s better than waiting 15 minutes to get out, like the old garage.”
A second exit would have to go to Greenwich Avenue, but that’s across Mill River, Redeker replied.
“Put a bridge over the river,” Giordano said.
There is no funding for that, Redeker said, but “nothing we are doing precludes something like that in the future.”
City Rep. Eric Morson, D-13, asked why the new garage can’t be built directly across from the train station, like the old one.
“If you park on the eighth level of the northwest corner of the new garage, it’s a long trek,” Morson said.
Redeker said a garage is not “the highest and best use” of the old site, and developers are interested in it. The DOT needs revenue from its sites to maintain rail stations and garages, he said.
“The old site might be more parking, or something else,” Redeker said. “We are not precluding some parking for the old site.”
Representatives of Malkin Properties and Building & Land Technology attended this month’s meetings. Maron said the developers “want to understand the impact on their buildings in the area, and I think they are hunting to do a deal with DOT to purchase the space occupied by the old garage.”
Democrats eye push for infrastructure plan if they retake House
Mark Niquette and Alan Levin, Bloomberg
Democrats are planning to pursue a major U.S. transportation and infrastructure measure if they retake control of the U.S. House in the Nov. 6 midterm elections, but the same question that helped stall Donald Trump's trillion-dollar initiative remains: How would it be funded?
Rep. Peter DeFazio, who's in line to become chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has said Democrats would seek a spending measure for roads, bridges and other public works if they take power. Nancy Pelosi, who could become speaker again, said it may be something Democrats can do with the Republican president.
"One of my themes is build, build, build," Pelosi said at an Oct. 22 event hosted by CNN. "Build the infrastructure of America from sea to shining sea. Not only surface transportation but broadband and water systems."
Trump said in an Oct. 17 interview on Fox Business News that "infrastructure is going to be starting after the midterms and we think that's going to be an easy one.''
House Democrats could start hearings in late January if they take power, with the aim of crafting a bill that could pass by May, said Ed Rendell, the former Democratic governor of Pennsylvania who co-founded Building America's Future, a bipartisan coalition of officials that promotes infrastructure spending.
Rendell said he and other transportation advocates met Oct. 23 in Philadelphia to discuss a potential Democratic bill with Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat and member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
A spokesman for Blumenauer declined to discuss the meeting, but said the representative is exploring the idea of creating a subcommittee on infrastructure with his colleagues and stakeholders around the country.
DeFazio also didn't provide specific details but said in a statement that "it's well past time for Congress and the Trump Administration to get serious about our infrastructure needs."
A Democratic majority "will prioritize investment to rebuild our transportation networks, boost affordable housing, and expand broadband access in towns and communities," said Rep. David Price, a Democrat from North Carolina who serves on the the House Appropriations Committee and is the top Democrat on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee.
"I am hopeful that the Trump administration will show a willingness to engage Congress on meaningful infrastructure investment that finally matches their public rhetoric," Price said in a statement.
There were a few committee hearings on the plan, but it stalled amid a backlash about a lack of federal investment and because it failed to specify a funding source, said Bud Wright, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Senate Democrats released a $1 trillion plan in March funded by rolling back tax cuts for the wealthy. But Republicans won't accept that, raising federal taxes has not proven feasible politically and more borrowing is unlikely with the ballooning federal deficit, Wright said.
"It's going to come down to the same question: Where is the money actually going to come from?" Wright said in an interview.
Trump surprised a group of lawmakers Feb. 14 by saying he would support a 25-cent-per-gallon increase in federal gasoline and diesel taxes -- an idea also backed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Trucking Associations. But the president never endorsed the plan publicly, and prominent Republicans flatly rejected any tax increase.
The gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon and diesel levy of 24.4 cents were last raised in 1993, even as many states -- including those led by Republicans -- have increased fuel levies. As a result of inflation, the federal tax provides just over half of its original value, according to government estimates.
Republican Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, the retiring chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released his own proposal July 23 to spur discussion about fixing infrastructure and shore up the Highway Trust Fund, which is projected to become insolvent by 2020.
His plan includes raising the federal gas tax by 15 cents a gallon over three years and the diesel tax by 20 cents, with a goal of replacing the fuel levies by 2028 with a per-mile-traveled fee or other sources of revenue.
If Republicans maintain control of the House, Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri and Rep. Jeff Denham of California are vying to take Shuster's place as committee chairmen. Both have endorsed the need for infrastructure projects in previous statements.
There's a question about whether Republicans will be willing to pass a major spending bill if they maintain control of the Senate as expected, but if Democrats take back the House, voters will be asking what results they produced beyond investigating Trump, said Rendell of Building America's Future.Trump and Republicans also will have to answer in 2020 if they don't produce an infrastructure measure, he said.
"If we sent him an infrastructure bill that was a significant bill, I think he would sign it because he has talked about infrastructure ad nauseam but he hasn't done anything about it for two years," Rendell said.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, which represents companies including Caterpillar Inc., Volvo Construction Equipment Corp. and Link-Belt Cranes, has already launched a "Mission Not Accomplished" campaign reminding voters that Trump hasn't kept his promise so far.
Improving infrastructure historically has had bipartisan support, and that's needed today with the American Society of Civil Engineers estimating an additional $2 trillion is required by 2025, said Shailen Bhatt, president and chief executive officer of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America and a former state transportation director.
"It can't be a Republican wins and a Democrat loses or a Democrat wins and a Republican loses, because then Americans lose," Bhatt said in an interview. "On infrastructure, that just can't happen.''
By the numbers: UConn's new hockey arena is expected to cost $45 million and other new details about the facility
Kelli Stacy
A plan set to go before the UConn Board of Trustees Wednesday would see the construction of a new ice hockey facility at a cost of $45 million on campus.
The board previously approved moving forward with the project, but members will have the chance to sign off on the financial details at the upcoming meeting. A board committee agreed to the financial proposal during a meeting on Monday.
The facility would serve as a home venue for the Huskies sometimes, although UConn would still primarily use the XL Center in Hartford. But the Hockey East conference requires an on-campus arena and the Freitas Ice Forum, where the Huskies currently play, is not large enough.
Here’s a look at the plan for a new arena by the numbers:UConn officials suggested multiple ways to fund the project, but in the end are recommending a plan that would use both public and private funds.
The university will pull $12.5 million from its reserves. Those funds will be repaid through philanthropy and fundraising, with the difference if necessary made up through funding from the athletics department.
Another $10 million will be used from the profits from recent property sales — the former UConn West Hartford campus, which was sold to the town of West Hartford and the sale of the Nathan Hale Inn to a developer.
The remainder — $22.5 million — is where it gets a little more complicated. UConn plans to hire a developer for the project. The developer will create a special purpose entity, essentially a subsidiary, that will design, construct, own and operate the new arena. That company will finance the rest of the project through tax-exempt bonds.In return, UConn and the entity will enter into a 30-year lease and the university will pay an annual fee to pay down the overall project cost. The annual cost over the lease is expected to be about $1.6 million, but operating revenues could drive that down to about $1.2 million.
The university will be in charge of maintaining the arena, while the developer would operate and manage it.
At least 2,500 seats
Hockey East requires facilities with at least 4,000 seats, but UConn has obtained permission to build a smaller facility with 2,500 seats. That said, expansion is still a possibility. The proposal states that the new arena could eventually reach 3,500 seats.
The new arena would add 750 parking spaces to campus that would be directly next to the arena. That might not be enough for every single person should the arena sell out, but planners said many of those in attendance would be students who walk or take a shuttle to the facility.2021
If all goes according to plan, the new arena would open in fall 2021.
Construction on the project is expected to last 18 months with design, permitting and bidding to take place over the next year and a half, or so. Construction would start in 2020.
According to the proposal, the arena will be “efficient, functional and durable in size, appearance, and finishes.”
Plans For Hartford's Westbrook Village Move Foward; Demolition Expected By Early Next Year
The red brick buildings that line Albany Avenue and stretch 40 acres into Hartford’s North End will soon be dismantled, a first, significant step in a yearslong process to redevelop hundreds of housing units for families of mixed incomes.
The 360 derelict units that make up Westbrook Village are slated for demolition by the start of next year. Developers are planning 400 new dwellings, the majority of them rentals. Some will be billed as “affordable housing” and others will be market rate.
But the project, which aims to enliven an area that has fallen into disrepair, will go beyond apartments and include a major grocery store, a pharmacy, a “destination” restaurant and other retail, organizers said.
“Our vision is to build a gateway project that will end up being a wonderful new community of mixed income and mixed use,” said Sanford Cloud Jr., whose firm, The Cloud Company, is part of the development team. Pennrose LLC, Quisenberry Arcari Architects, Freeman Cos., JDA Development, JCJ Architecture and WRT Design are also involved.
The enterprise is expected to unfold in six or seven stages and feature 382 rentals and 18 units for sale. Crews will break ground on the first phase — along Plainfield Street across from Annie Fisher Montessori Magnet School — early next spring. That phase includes 60 “affordable” apartments and 15 market-rate units. Construction is estimated to be complete within 14 months, and leasing would begin in summer 2020.
Developers have not yet disclosed what income brackets would qualify for the affordable housing.
The initial stage, costing $28 million, is backed by a combination of state funds, a federal home loan grant, tax credit equity and first mortgage financing. The state has also contributed $9 million for demolition and resident moving expenses.
The old Westbrook Village, built in the late 1940s and early 1950s, catered to low- and middle-income families. Part of the Hartford Housing Authority’s original portfolio, the complex stopped taking new tenants in 2012. Most have since relocated.
“We knew we were moving toward a redevelopment effort, and the buildings were beyond their reasonable use,” said Annette Sanderson, head of the housing authority. “So over the years you’ve seen the occupancy dwindle. Everyone we’ve located out either through the use of a Section 8 subsidy or another replacement housing payment.”
About 20 households remain in the complex. Management is working to have the families moved. The housing authority has been the target of complaints by tenants in recent years for water damage, holes in the floor and leaky faucets in the units, among other maintenance problems.
Sanderson acknowledged that the apartments needed “more care and attention” as conditions deteriorated, but said her staff was doing the best it could. Workers have dealt with other nuisances, such as the theft of copper piping from buildings, she said.
The townhouse-style apartments feature brick facades, wood siding and porches. Each unit has its own entrance.
Tenants from the old Westbrook Village who were in good standing can apply to live in the new rentals, Sanderson said.
Gregory Woodward, president of the University of Hartford, said he is in talks with the developers about the possibility of a partnership. The university may use space at Westbrook for teaching or programs.
The new apartments would give students another rental option, he said, and the retail would be enticing to visiting families.
“We don’t have our own little college town area,” Woodward said. “Our students use downtown Hartford and West Hartford and a little bit of Bloomfield, but this would be close by.”
Sixty rental units are planned for the second phase of development. The project’s organizers said they do not yet have a timetable for construction, and don’t know the final price tag. They are pursuing funding.
The retail phase could run concurrently with the housing. Charlie Adams, a regional vice president for Pennrose, said the development group has been in discussions with grocery store operators and restaurateurs, but he declined to name them.
Westbrook was formerly part of a 130-acre property with another complex, Bowles Park. Units at the old Bowles Park have been demolished and are being rebuilt in stages.
Cloud, who grew up in one of the original Westbrook apartments, has high hopes for the new housing.
“This is a project the community has been waiting for for over a decade,” he said. “This area touches the West End, it touch parts of West Hartford, it touches parts of Bloomfield, along with Blue Hills Avenue and Upper Albany. These are several different communities that we’re hoping to bring together.”