BRIAN M. JOHNSON
PLAINVILLE – During a remote meeting of the Plainville Town Council, town leaders received an update on the environmental study of the White Oak Construction site which led to a reduced estimated cost for remediation.
Sarah Burkhalter-Sweeney, Senior Project Geologist at Loureiro Engineering Associates, Inc., made a presentation to the Town Council on the study of the site at 1 and 63 West Main St., which began in Sept. 2019.
“The initial investigation identified 18 areas of concern and the following phases of investigation saw us return to collect additional data on the nature and extent of the contamination,” said Burkhalter-Sweeney.
Burkhalter-Sweeney said that by better confining the areas of contamination, she has new estimates on remediation costs. Previously it was a low-end of $300,000 and a high-end of $1.3 million. Now, the low-end remains the same but the high-end estimate is only $1 million.
Burkhalter-Sweeney also reviewed three conceptual plans proposed re-use of the site. The council, she said, had elected to go with Plan B which calls for mixed residential and commercial use. The current buildings would be refurbished and an urban plaza would be developed with additional parking. There would be retail outlets on the first floor and residential living spaces above them.
Plan A would have called for the storage and maintenance areas of the buildings being converted into open space and used for recreation. Plan C would have seen three new buildings constructed as solely residential units.
The next step in this process is to receive a determination from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and for the town’s legal counsel to collaborate with officials on developing the best program for site remediation. From there, the town can look into purchasing and redeveloping the property.
Town Manager Robert E. Lee said that acquiring the property will open up the town to grants for remediating it. He said that if the town then sells the property, that person could do the cleanup work based on how they develop it.
“If they put down a hard, solid surface over contaminated areas then they won’t have to remove the contamination,” he said.
Lee said that an environmental attorney will likely make a follow-up presentation to the Town Council at their first meeting in May. He said he estimated that the project will move forward in the next month or two.
“It has been a long process, but we’re coming to the end of it,” said Lee.
The selling of the White Oak property had been identified by Lee as one of his goals for 2020 for the town.
The town has been working on this property for a year and a half, Lee said in January.
“Thirty or 40 years ago, White Oak was one of the largest construction companies in Connecticut; they were known for building bridges,” Lee said. “If we’re able to get this piece of land back on the tax market it could be a big opportunity for us. There are some limitations since the land falls within the 100-year flood plain, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build anything there. It is in a key spot and we have already had some people inquiring.”
People can view Plainville meetings on the town website, plainvillect.com, posted under the “spotlight” section of the homepage. People can also call 888-788-0098 or 877-853-5242 to dial in to listen to the meeting audio. The webinar ID for the meetings will be 475600751.
Reps vote to delay Stamford road work, eminent domain claims
Angela Carella
Coronavirus concerns delay start of Mystic Seaport hotel project
Joe Wojtas
Mystic — Mystic Seaport Museum announced Wednesday that construction of a 26-room boutique hotel on the site of the Latitude 41 restaurant will be delayed until early 2022 because of the “economic and market uncertainty caused by COVID-19.”
Construction of the $12 million project by Greenwich Hospitality Group had been slated to begin in early 2021 and ready for a spring 2022 opening.
Also on Wednesday, the museum announced that it has extended its event catering and food service contract with Coastal Gourmet Group of Mystic for one year. That contract had been set to expire at the end of this year because the restaurant will need to be demolished to make way for the hotel. The new contract will run through Dec. 31, 2021.
Coastal Gourmet operates Latitude 41 and provides retail dining and catering services for weddings, events and meetings in other museum venues.
“We are very pleased to be able to continue our relationship with Coastal Gourmet Group as they have been outstanding partners with the Museum for many years,” museum President Steve White said.
Greenwich Hospitality Group could not be reached to comment.
Last month, the Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans for the three-story hotel, which also will house a 160-seat restaurant with banquet space that would accommodate 250 seats, as well as a guest cottage. Plans also call for a pool and outdoor patio with seating overlooking the Mystic River and an existing dock.
The heads of the Eastern Connecticut and Greater Mystic chambers of commerce both said Wednesday that they were not surprised by the decision.
“It seems like a sensible decision to make,” said Tony Sheridan, president and CEO of the Eastern Connecticut chamber.
“It makes perfect sense because the immediate future is so uncertain,” added Peggy Roberts, president of the Greater Mystic chamber.
The American Hospitality and Hotel Association has been publishing studies on its website in recent days that show an expected dramatic decline in hotel business in the coming months.
Will the region’s economy come back?
Both Sheridan and Roberts were optimistic the region’s economy will bounce back once the pandemic ends but said it may take some time. “It’s not going to be like throwing the light switch on,” Sheridan said. “There will be a slow start-up to the economy, but it will happen.”
He stressed that the basic fundamentals of the region’s economy, such as Electric Boat building submarines and the start of an offshore wind industry based in New London, are strong.
“It’s very painful for people now. I’ve furloughed five of my staff. But I feel very confident in the area,” Sheridan said.
“We’ll come out of this and we’ll be stronger,” he added.
Both Sheridan and Roberts said the virus has fundamentally changed the way people do businesses, citing the expanded use of video conferencing service Zoom and other digital meeting platforms, something they say will continue going forward. Sheridan likened it to the improvements in security technology and hiring that came out of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“The whole world has been turned upside down. We’re all learning how to do business differently,” Sheridan said, adding his chamber has hosted about a half-dozen recent webinars that have gone well.
Both chambers also are busy distributing information to members about getting through the pandemic and assisting them with applying for small businesses loans.
Roberts said businesses are worried and scared.
“But they’ve kept a good attitude because everyone is in the same boat,” she said, adding the chamber recently gained four new members who are looking to open small businesses.
Roberts said people have cabin fever and will be looking to getting out once it is safe to do so. And with people expected to be wary about boarding planes, she said, many may be looking to take days trips or so-called “staycations,” both of which her chamber will be pushing because that would benefit the attractions and businesses in Mystic.
Scannell Properties eyes sprawling $250M distribution facility in Windsor
Joe Cooper
Indiana developer Scannell Properties is hoping to build another massive distribution center in Greater Hartford -- this time on former tobacco farmland in Windsor.
Scannell, which is currently building a $50-million distribution hub for Home Depot in South Windsor, last month filed an application with the town of Windsor seeking approval to construct an 819,800-square-foot “packaging and distribution” facility at 1201 Kennedy Road and 1 Joseph Lane.
The Indianapolis-based company is seeking a special use permit and site plan approval from the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which is scheduled to hold a virtual public hearing on the proposal Wednesday, April 14. (The town is one of many municipalities in Connecticut that’s streaming public meetings online during the COVID-19 outbreak).
After receiving an inlands wetlands permit in recent weeks, the developer would also need to obtain certain approvals from the state Department of Transportation and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection prior to breaking ground, according to economic development director Jim Burke.
Development officials at Scannell could not be reached for comment.
According to plans, the proposed 95-foot tall distribution center would include 63 loading docks, 1,800 car parking spaces, 16 motorcycle spaces and 206 trailer parking stalls. By comparison, Scannell says the building’s footprint would be smaller than the existing Dollar Tree logistics center on International Drive and the Amazon fulfillment center on Old Iron Ore Road.
The distribution facility would be located on 124.4 acres owned by the Thrall family farm (O.J. Thrall Inc.), land records show.
The longtime family owned business stopped farming shade tobacco at the property in 2015 amid changing consumer habits and increased competition in South America. It’s currently harvesting the land for wheat, barley, hay and other grains that can be found in numerous beers across the state, according to a report by Connecticut Magazine.
If approved, Scannell’s proposed Windsor facility would continue its ambitious development spree across Greater Hartford.
In South Windsor, Scannell is building a 421,000-square-foot distribution facility on vacant land that will be leased long term by Home Depot upon completion. The combined 46-acre property is officially listed at 360 Ellington Road, 245 Chapel Road and R008 John Fitch Boulevard.
The Home Depot operation will sit across the street from another Scannell project -- a $42.4 million Coca-Cola office and distribution facility at 329-359 Ellington Road.
Home Depot’s new facility is also different from the 182,000-square-foot distribution that Scannell is planning to build at 240 Ellington Road in South Windsor. Scannell has yet to name the incoming tenant there.
Keith M. Phaneuf“The initial investigation identified 18 areas of concern and the following phases of investigation saw us return to collect additional data on the nature and extent of the contamination,” said Burkhalter-Sweeney.
Burkhalter-Sweeney said that by better confining the areas of contamination, she has new estimates on remediation costs. Previously it was a low-end of $300,000 and a high-end of $1.3 million. Now, the low-end remains the same but the high-end estimate is only $1 million.
Burkhalter-Sweeney also reviewed three conceptual plans proposed re-use of the site. The council, she said, had elected to go with Plan B which calls for mixed residential and commercial use. The current buildings would be refurbished and an urban plaza would be developed with additional parking. There would be retail outlets on the first floor and residential living spaces above them.
Plan A would have called for the storage and maintenance areas of the buildings being converted into open space and used for recreation. Plan C would have seen three new buildings constructed as solely residential units.
The next step in this process is to receive a determination from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and for the town’s legal counsel to collaborate with officials on developing the best program for site remediation. From there, the town can look into purchasing and redeveloping the property.
Town Manager Robert E. Lee said that acquiring the property will open up the town to grants for remediating it. He said that if the town then sells the property, that person could do the cleanup work based on how they develop it.
“If they put down a hard, solid surface over contaminated areas then they won’t have to remove the contamination,” he said.
Lee said that an environmental attorney will likely make a follow-up presentation to the Town Council at their first meeting in May. He said he estimated that the project will move forward in the next month or two.
“It has been a long process, but we’re coming to the end of it,” said Lee.
The selling of the White Oak property had been identified by Lee as one of his goals for 2020 for the town.
The town has been working on this property for a year and a half, Lee said in January.
“Thirty or 40 years ago, White Oak was one of the largest construction companies in Connecticut; they were known for building bridges,” Lee said. “If we’re able to get this piece of land back on the tax market it could be a big opportunity for us. There are some limitations since the land falls within the 100-year flood plain, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build anything there. It is in a key spot and we have already had some people inquiring.”
People can view Plainville meetings on the town website, plainvillect.com, posted under the “spotlight” section of the homepage. People can also call 888-788-0098 or 877-853-5242 to dial in to listen to the meeting audio. The webinar ID for the meetings will be 475600751.
Reps vote to delay Stamford road work, eminent domain claims
Angela Carella
STAMFORD — An often-held project to clear a traffic chokepoint on Washington Boulevard has been held again.
Blame it this time on the coronavirus pandemic.
In a close vote, members of the Board of Representatives this week defeated a resolution to schedule a public hearing that would advance a project to widen Washington Boulevard just south of the train station.
Representatives have hesitated to approve the project because it would involve claims of eminent domain, a government right to take private property for public use. The city must compensate property owners, but the amount is often a point of contention.
The 40-member Board of Representatives is struggling with electronic meetings - this week’s was delayed nearly an hour while they worked to link everyone on a webinar.
“This is a difficult meeting to be part of. We owe residents an ability to take part in a real public hearing,” said Rep. Nina Sherwood, D-8.
Besides a health crisis, the coronavirus outbreak has spawned an economic disaster that also must be considered, Sherwood said.
“This project will cost the city $2.4 million, but the reality is that we have no idea how much revenue we will be able to collect this year for our budget,” she said. “Why are we moving forward with a road-widening project when that money can be used to help the city through this state of emergency?”
It’s an important project in a series designed to improve traffic flow to Waterside and the South End, and around the train station, Stamford’s critical transportation hub, Mayor David Martin said. Much of the cost will be covered by state and federal funding and by private developers working nearby.
It’s disappointing that representatives keep holding the project, Martin said Wednesday.
“Most people on the board say they support it. Then they look for excuses to hold it,” he said. ‘It’s a true public project for widening the roads; it does not have an economic development purpose. The city doesn’t use eminent domain often. We take it very seriously. But we know we will not be able to do this project without eminent domain.”
The two owners whose property would be partially taken, Holy Name of Jesus Church and the Bridgewater Condominium Association, agree to the city’s latest offer, according to letters they submitted to the board.
Martin said that, of the two owners whose property would be taken in full, one has agreed verbally to an offer and the other has not responded.
Transportation Bureau Chief Jim Travers said he and his staff worked out a plan for divvying up the parcels if the city acquires them. It would allow the church to move forward with a development project that would create much-needed revenue, and it would allow the condo association to add much-needed parking, he said.
Because the plan resolves many of the concerns of property owners, he thought representatives would support it, Travers said.
“Not one person who voted ‘no’ ... has ever called to talk to me about this project, and I always make myself available,” Travers said. “That’s what’s infuriating.”
As the city has grown, the decade-old proposal to widen Washington Boulevard at Pulaski Street has become urgent, some representatives said.
It’s time to move forward, said Rep. David Watkins, R-1.
“At some point the greater good of the city is more important than the individual concerns of a property owner,” Watkins said. “There is a process in eminent domain to protect that owner. Let’s let that process take place. We need to decide on this point now.”
Time is a factor, Travers said, because the project to widen Washington Boulevard at Pulaski Street, slated to start in September, is linked to several others. They must be choreographed to allow traffic to flow during construction, he said.
Work to create a traffic circle at Davenport Street and Greenwich Avenue is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks. Work on a roundabout at Pulaski Street and Greenwich Avenue is set to begin in September.
In April 2021, the state Department of Transportation is to begin widening the nearby South State Street bridge over Mill River and is slated to start building a new train station garage on South State Street three months later.
Rep. Bradley Michelson, R-1, said it’s irresponsible for the board to delay the public hearing on the road-widening project.
“We will experience extreme traffic delays in April 2021 when the state closes South State Street,” Michelson said. “People can’t commute to their jobs as it is, and this has been going on for 20 years.”
Martin and Travers said they will resubmit the request for a public hearing for the board’s May meeting.
Coronavirus concerns delay start of Mystic Seaport hotel project
Joe Wojtas
Mystic — Mystic Seaport Museum announced Wednesday that construction of a 26-room boutique hotel on the site of the Latitude 41 restaurant will be delayed until early 2022 because of the “economic and market uncertainty caused by COVID-19.”
Construction of the $12 million project by Greenwich Hospitality Group had been slated to begin in early 2021 and ready for a spring 2022 opening.
Also on Wednesday, the museum announced that it has extended its event catering and food service contract with Coastal Gourmet Group of Mystic for one year. That contract had been set to expire at the end of this year because the restaurant will need to be demolished to make way for the hotel. The new contract will run through Dec. 31, 2021.
Coastal Gourmet operates Latitude 41 and provides retail dining and catering services for weddings, events and meetings in other museum venues.
“We are very pleased to be able to continue our relationship with Coastal Gourmet Group as they have been outstanding partners with the Museum for many years,” museum President Steve White said.
Greenwich Hospitality Group could not be reached to comment.
Last month, the Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans for the three-story hotel, which also will house a 160-seat restaurant with banquet space that would accommodate 250 seats, as well as a guest cottage. Plans also call for a pool and outdoor patio with seating overlooking the Mystic River and an existing dock.
The heads of the Eastern Connecticut and Greater Mystic chambers of commerce both said Wednesday that they were not surprised by the decision.
“It seems like a sensible decision to make,” said Tony Sheridan, president and CEO of the Eastern Connecticut chamber.
“It makes perfect sense because the immediate future is so uncertain,” added Peggy Roberts, president of the Greater Mystic chamber.
The American Hospitality and Hotel Association has been publishing studies on its website in recent days that show an expected dramatic decline in hotel business in the coming months.
Will the region’s economy come back?
Both Sheridan and Roberts were optimistic the region’s economy will bounce back once the pandemic ends but said it may take some time. “It’s not going to be like throwing the light switch on,” Sheridan said. “There will be a slow start-up to the economy, but it will happen.”
He stressed that the basic fundamentals of the region’s economy, such as Electric Boat building submarines and the start of an offshore wind industry based in New London, are strong.
“It’s very painful for people now. I’ve furloughed five of my staff. But I feel very confident in the area,” Sheridan said.
“We’ll come out of this and we’ll be stronger,” he added.
Both Sheridan and Roberts said the virus has fundamentally changed the way people do businesses, citing the expanded use of video conferencing service Zoom and other digital meeting platforms, something they say will continue going forward. Sheridan likened it to the improvements in security technology and hiring that came out of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“The whole world has been turned upside down. We’re all learning how to do business differently,” Sheridan said, adding his chamber has hosted about a half-dozen recent webinars that have gone well.
Both chambers also are busy distributing information to members about getting through the pandemic and assisting them with applying for small businesses loans.
Roberts said businesses are worried and scared.
“But they’ve kept a good attitude because everyone is in the same boat,” she said, adding the chamber recently gained four new members who are looking to open small businesses.
Roberts said people have cabin fever and will be looking to getting out once it is safe to do so. And with people expected to be wary about boarding planes, she said, many may be looking to take days trips or so-called “staycations,” both of which her chamber will be pushing because that would benefit the attractions and businesses in Mystic.
Scannell Properties eyes sprawling $250M distribution facility in Windsor
Joe Cooper
Indiana developer Scannell Properties is hoping to build another massive distribution center in Greater Hartford -- this time on former tobacco farmland in Windsor.
Scannell, which is currently building a $50-million distribution hub for Home Depot in South Windsor, last month filed an application with the town of Windsor seeking approval to construct an 819,800-square-foot “packaging and distribution” facility at 1201 Kennedy Road and 1 Joseph Lane.
The Indianapolis-based company is seeking a special use permit and site plan approval from the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which is scheduled to hold a virtual public hearing on the proposal Wednesday, April 14. (The town is one of many municipalities in Connecticut that’s streaming public meetings online during the COVID-19 outbreak).
After receiving an inlands wetlands permit in recent weeks, the developer would also need to obtain certain approvals from the state Department of Transportation and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection prior to breaking ground, according to economic development director Jim Burke.
According to plans, the proposed 95-foot tall distribution center would include 63 loading docks, 1,800 car parking spaces, 16 motorcycle spaces and 206 trailer parking stalls. By comparison, Scannell says the building’s footprint would be smaller than the existing Dollar Tree logistics center on International Drive and the Amazon fulfillment center on Old Iron Ore Road.
The distribution facility would be located on 124.4 acres owned by the Thrall family farm (O.J. Thrall Inc.), land records show.
The longtime family owned business stopped farming shade tobacco at the property in 2015 amid changing consumer habits and increased competition in South America. It’s currently harvesting the land for wheat, barley, hay and other grains that can be found in numerous beers across the state, according to a report by Connecticut Magazine.
In South Windsor, Scannell is building a 421,000-square-foot distribution facility on vacant land that will be leased long term by Home Depot upon completion. The combined 46-acre property is officially listed at 360 Ellington Road, 245 Chapel Road and R008 John Fitch Boulevard.
The Home Depot operation will sit across the street from another Scannell project -- a $42.4 million Coca-Cola office and distribution facility at 329-359 Ellington Road.
Home Depot’s new facility is also different from the 182,000-square-foot distribution that Scannell is planning to build at 240 Ellington Road in South Windsor. Scannell has yet to name the incoming tenant there.
Gov. Ned Lamont learned Wednesday how difficult governing remotely can be.
After two attempts — separated by a 43-minute delay due to technical difficulties — the State Bond Commission deferred action on $1 billion in proposed financing for transportation, COVID-19 relief, economic development initiatives and long-overdue town aid.
“Hey guys, I’ve got to tell you, I don’t think this is working,” Lamont, who chairs the commission, said moments before he recessed the first teleconference gathering, which began at 1 p.m.
The 10-member panel struggled painfully for about 25 minutes with audio delays of several minutes.
Further confusing matters, the gathering was broadcast on The Connecticut Network [CT-N], the state’s public affairs cable channel. But that broadcast also ran behind real time, and members who tried to follow on TV rather than on their phones found themselves several minutes behind what was happening.
“Should I be listening to the jazz music on CT-N?” Rep. Chris Davis, R-Ellington, asked as other members tried to vote.
“Are you guys still on mute?” Lamont asked as members repeatedly failed to respond during three checks on attendance and two roll call votes on proposed bonding.
The governor pulled the plug on the meeting at 1:25 p.m., apologizing and saying, “We’re going to get to this very soon.”
Shortly before 2:05 p.m. right as the technical difficulties had been resolved, a legal issue came into play.Because Lamont and the commission had voted to “adjourn” — to formally close the meeting — at 1:25 p.m. rather than to recess or temporarily suspend it, the gathering could not resume until a new legal meeting notice had been posted, said Lamont’s budget director, Melissa McCaw.
The administration rescheduled the meeting for Thursday, April 16.
This was the bond commission’s first attempt at a meeting since the coronavirus pandemic struck Connecticut in March.
Lamont, McCaw and Josh Geballe, the administration’s chief operating officer, gathered in the Capitol’s Old Appropriations room at socially distant intervals.
Attorney General William Tong attended by phone from his state office in Hartford.
The other members called in from their homes — or nearby.
Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-Canton, thought it would be nice to attend the meeting while walking up Mount Horr near his home.Rep. Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, who has three daughters, said he could find the quiet he needed — and a little fresh air — by working from the garage attached to his home.
“I’m conducting all of my meetings here,” Rojas said. “It’s working out for me, except when the kids play basketball in the driveway. That can cause some problems.”
Pa. House Republicans move to allow more businesses to open amid coronavirus outbreak
Ed Mahon
Republican lawmakers in Harrisburg are moving forward with plans to allow more businesses in Pennsylvania to open their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The House State Government Committee on Monday approved a bill that would allow all residential and commercial construction projects to resume if workers take precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vote was 15-10.
House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) is the prime sponsor of the legislation, House Bill 2400. In a co-sponsorship memo, he said, “these stop work orders are devastating the households of thousands of Pennsylvania families when they could be earning a paycheck.”
The move comes less than three weeks after Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s March 19 shutdown order forced more than 100 types of businesses to close their physical locations across the state, including most construction projects.
Guidelines from the Wolf administration say construction can continue for emergency repairs and healthcare facilities.
But the governor opposes the proposed expansion that Turzai and many other Republicans want.
“Now is not the time to ease up on strong mitigation tactics that can help flatten the curve and ease the burden likely to be placed on our healthcare system,” press secretary Lyndsay Kensinger said in an email.
Kensinger said New York, California’s Bay Area and Boston recently placed similar restrictions on non-essential construction.
“Pennsylvania is leading the way on its approach,” she said.
Still, many parts of the country are allowing construction projects to continue, The Hill reported last week.
And the governor of California, Democrat Gavin Newsom, on Thursday said that even though Bay Area leaders halted most construction he did not plan to do so statewide. Newsom said he was working “very closely with the building construction trades,” and he said they deserve praise for the efforts they’ve taken to ensure workers and community members are protected.
In the Senate, several Republican lawmakers say they are working on a similar proposal to allow more construction.