Meeting on rehabilitation plan for Memorial Boulevard Bridge set for Thursday
Susan Corica BRISTOL – The Public Works Board will hold a public information meeting on the rehabilitation plan for the Memorial Boulevard Bridge on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m., in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Bridge No. 04105 crosses the Pequabuck River on the boulevard. The meeting will cover the bridge’s existing conditions, preliminary design for rehabilitation and alternatives, the project schedule and cost, and permitting. There will be time for public comments.
The public can also view the meeting online via Webex, or by phone at 1-408-418-9388. Access code: 132 250 0232. Meeting number: 132 250 0232. Password: 123456.
Public Works encourages residents, business owners, commuters, and other interested individuals to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about and discuss the proposed project.
Tomasso Brothers awarded Clean Campaign 'Tidy Town' award
Ciara Hooks NEW BRITAIN – Tomasso Brothers Inc. was awarded the New Britain Downtown District Clean Campaign “Tidy Town” award Tuesday afternoon in recognition for its work on the new patio at One Liberty Square, which has been offered as a community resource for groups to gather and celebrate.
“The Tomassos have been so generous and so supportive in the city of New Britain,” said Justine Moriarty, chairwoman of NBDD. “The way that they have maintained their building and that beautiful patio just goes to show their dedication to the city.”
For three generations, and now into their fourth, Tomasso Brothers Inc. has been deeply rooted and has helped the city grow, improve and excel, continuing to achieve the district’s mission to support the city’s investments by creating a beautiful, safe and thriving downtown through improvements, marketing, advocacy and collaboration,
“We as the Downtown District wanted to recognize them for all that they do,” Moriarty said.
“On behalf of the entire Tomasso Group we appreciate being recognized for our efforts in providing a beautiful place for not only the tenants of our building, but for others to enjoy,” said Bill Tomasso, president of TBI Construction. “Our company will continue to invest in the city of New Britain. We are proud of this award and also proud to have called New Britain home since 1923.”
The Downtown District created its Clean Campaign to bring awareness to self-pride in keeping downtown clean and inviting.
“We also want to applaud Gerry Amodio and the Downtown District for their efforts in highlighting the good work that businesses are doing to make New Britain such a vibrant city, as well as Mayor Erin Stewart for her downtown investment plan, which is truly making a difference,” Tomasso said.
173-unit residential development pitched for Bank Street in New London
Greg Smith New London — The developer of the Shaw’s Landing condominium complex on Bank Street is proposing to finish a project it started more than a decade ago and add 173 apartment units to the downtown.
Cambridge, Mass.-based Oaktree Development first broke ground on Shaw’s Landing in 2004 and had at the time envisioned a three-phase plan for 120 upscale condominium units — the first of its kind in downtown. The project ended in 2006 after construction of one building and 35 condo units.
A revised project, to be taken up by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission next month, calls for two five-story buildings with nearly double the number of units initially proposed. The plan would take advantage of an existing market for new, upscale apartments aimed at empty nesters and college, hospital and Electric Boat professionals, said Brandon Mitchell, a senior development manager with Oaktree Development.
“These are people that want to be closer to the downtown,” Mitchell said. “The plan is consistent with the city’s goal of creating a pedestrian friendly, walkable downtown.”
Together, the two proposed buildings will contain a total of 64 studio/micro units, 89 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom units on property located at 330-400 Bank St. They would be constructed to complement the existing building and share amenities that will include a landscaped courtyard, pool and a pool house with bathrooms and showers. Developers also plan improvements on the waterfront along Shaw’s Cove and are taking into consideration ideas brought forward by members of the Shaw’s Landing condominium association, Mitchell said.
One proposed 74-unit building would be built at the rear of the property facing Sparyard Street. The second building facing Bank Street will have 99 units. Mitchell said improvements to the site are likely to boost values at Shaw's Landing.
Along with surface lots, the developer has proposed 116 parking spaces in ground-level, under-building garages and is asking for approval from the city to use up to 50 spaces in the municipal parking lot off Tilley and Green streets.
The use of city-owned parking spaces is part of ongoing discussion as the city works to finalize a revised development agreement with Oaktree. That agreement would need approval by the City Council. Oaktree was selected as the preferred developer and bought the property from the city in the late 1990s as part of the Shaw’s Cove Urban Renewal Project.
While it is unclear whether the developer is seeking tax abatements for the project, the development is located in an Enterprise Zone that offers a seven-year graduated exemption of tax increases resulting from real property improvements.
The project, if approved and built, would add to a growing residential market in New London where there are multiple residential developments either under construction or in the planning stages. AR Building Co. has a 98-unit building under construction on a former city-owned parcel at the corner of Howard and Bank streets. RJ Development + Advisors is planning a 203-unit residential complex, also on city-owned property, on Howard Street. Both developers cited the growing EB workforce as fuel to the local apartment market.
Felix Reyes, director of the city’s Office of Development and Planning, said when taken together, the three housing developments on Bank and Howard streets will add critical mass to the downtown, providing more foot traffic and acting as a catalyst for new businesses and helping sustain existing ones.
Mitchell said Oaktree has evaluated its options through the years and is making a move now because of the market and willingness of the city to accommodate new development. He praised Mayor Michael Passero, Reyes and the city’s planning staff for their responsiveness, creativity and vision for the future of the city.
Shelton developer proposes 80 apartments, retail on Canal Street
Brian Gioiele SHELTON — Howe Avenue has been the recent focus of downtown’s redevelopment, but developer John Guedes is looking to put the spotlight on Canal Street.
Guedes, Shelton resident and owner of Primrose Companies, has submitted plans for Riverview Park Royal, a five-story structure that would house 80 apartments and 11,000 square feet of retail, with 181 parking spaces, on Canal Street East land — listed as 113 to 123 Canal St.
The Planning and Zoning Commission, at its meeting Wednesday, voted to schedule a public hearing on Guedes’ application for a special exception for the 1.63-acre lot, which sits on the Housatonic River in a River Front District. No hearing date has yet been set.
The city received $400,000 in cleanup grants from the EPA Brownfields Program in 2008 for sites at 113 and 123 Canal St.
The property at 113 Canal St. is the former Axton Cross parcel, which was originally occupied by a bolts manufacturer and later by a chemical manufacturer that mixed powdered metals, cleaners and liquid acids. Contaminants on the site included metals and volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds.
At 123 Canal St. is the former Samarius parcel. From the late 1800s to 1985, the Samarius site was occupied by a variety of industrial enterprises, including brass, silver goods and textile manufacturers.
In addition to Canal Street, more retail development could be coming to a vacant lot on the corner of Todd Road and Platt Road.
Manuel Moutinho has applied for a Planned Development District on the 1.22-acre site at 6 Todd Road, which sits at the intersection of Platt Street just east of Bridgeport Avenue. Plans call for development of a 10,170-square-foot retail development.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to schedule a public hearing on the application at its meeting Wednesday. A specific public hearing date has yet to be determined.
CEO: Electric Boat could double in size in 6 years
Alexander Soule As Groton’s Electric Boat began construction of the first submarine in the U.S. Navy’s new Columbia ballistic-missile class, the CEO of parent company General Dynamics said Wednesday she anticipates the subsidiary doubling in size over the next half decade, a faster expansion than previous projections.
Electric Boat operates Connecticut’s single largest employment site in Groton where about 9,000 people work at the shipyard, with another 3,000 at an engineering center across the Thames River in New London.
Entering October, Electric Boat workers began construction of the first of two initial Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, which the U.S. Navy has ordered to replace Ohio-class subs as they are retired from service. Electric Boat is the prime contractor for the program, with its Virginia rival Newport News Shipbuilding producing several sections of each sub to include bow, stern and sail superstructure assemblies. The Pentagon is paying $9.5 billion for the first two vessels in a fleet of a dozen.
During a Wednesday conference call, General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic addressed the magnitude of the Columbia program, without providing a jobs context for her growth projections.
“The fact that 50 percent of our growth this year has been in Columbia I think is a nice indicator of what this is going to mean to us in the future,” Novakovic said. “Electric Boat’s ... size will double in the next five-to-six years. It’s already quite a large business and it will continue to grow. This is — as we’ve been talking about for some time — an enormous program of critical national importance.”
A General Dynamics spokesperson did not respond immediately Wednesday to a query on projected employment levels and timelines in Connecticut and Electric Boat facilities in Rhode Island, where another 4,000 employees work. As of Wednesday, Electric Boat listed nearly 150 open jobs in Groton excluding internships and another 25 in New London, with 425 openings in Kingstown, R.I. The Groton shipyard is one of three operated by Reston, Va.-based General Dynamics, along with Bath Iron Works in Maine which builds destroyers, including the new Zumwalt class with a closer resemblance to a sub in profile; and NASSCO in San Diego, which focuses on cargo ships and tankers for the Military Sealift Command.
The Marine Systems division the three shipyards comprise has been the top performer for General Dynamics this year. In the third quarter, with revenue up 8 percent in the third quarter to $2.4 billion, amid disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Operating profits gained 7 percent to $223 million, despite Bath Iron Works’ production schedule stalling this summer after some 4,300 workers went on strike for two months.
In response to an analyst’s question Wednesday morning on “whispers” in the industry on Navy interest in a new raft of Virginia-class submarine orders, Novakovic did not dismiss the possibility while remaining vague on the implications for Electric Boat. Only last December, the Department of Defense announced a $22 billion order for nine new Virginia-class subs, with the possibility for a tenth that could tack on nearly $2 billion more. This month, the Navy announced an additional $328 million contract to modernize Virginia-class subs that are the Navy’s workhorse for a wide range of missions.
“We’ve been talking to our Navy customer about the ability ... of the supply chain and the facility to ramp up production,” Novakovic said Wednesday. “As you can imagine we are developing plans to do that. ... At the moment we are not planning for that increase — but if the nation needs it, we’ll accommodate it.”
At $41 billion, the Marine Systems unit’s backlog of orders exceeds that for General Dynamics’ four other major units combined, which focus on information technology and security; mission systems for the military; armored vehicles; and Gulfstream business jets.
During the quarter, General Dynamics reported receiving $155 million from the Navy for studies on advanced nuclear reactors for the submarine fleet; and $115 million to refit the USS Hartford attack submarine.
With construction continuing this year on a new riverside submarine assembly facility and yard in Groton, General Dynamics has placed an order for an adjacent dry dock that will serve as a floating cradle for Columbia subs during construction and later maintenance. Bollinger will build the dry dock in Louisiana for delivery to Groton in 2024, with the structure measuring 618 feet long and 140 feet wide.
Construction on East Liberty Street bridge begins
Michael Puffer WATERBURY — Passersby on East Liberty Street will have seen construction crews beginning work on a $4 million replacement of the bridge carrying the street over the Mad River.
The bridge will close to pedestrians and motorists as work begins in earnest, an event expected to occur in the last week of November or the first week of December, Director of Public Works David Simpson said.
It will remain closed, with traffic diverted through local roadways, until the project is complete, Simpson said. Completion is expected in late spring or early summer.
Dayton Construction Co. has cleared trees and has begun moving utilities that had been supported by the shabby-looking bridge. They’ve also begun clearing trees and brush in preparation for the project.The concrete bridge has cracks in its exterior finish, broken rails on a pedestrian wall along its sidewalk. Its surface and sidewalks are also deeply cracked.
The Board of Aldermen voted in September 2017 to borrow $3.5 million for the project. They voted again in January 2019 to increase the budget to $4 million. The project is now anticipated to cost about $3 million, with a state local bridge replacement program reimbursing the city nearly 33% of costs.
City officials have approved a $2.8 million contract with Dayton, as well as a $323,829 contract with AECOM Technical Services to provide engineering and construction oversight.
That area of the South End has been the focus of a lot of city attention, with multimillion projects underway in recent years.
The city recently completed construction of a “food hub” for nonprofit Brass City Harvest at the corner of Mill and East Liberty streets. It provides a commercial outlet and processing center for regional farmers and growers. This is meant to provide revenue and a home base for the nonprofit, which aims to get produce into the hands of local low-income residents.
The city is also moving ahead on a project to redevelop the long-derelict, 17-acre Anamet industrial complex off nearby South Main Street. The city also has plans and funding to build a Little League baseball park at the former Nova Dye industrial site. It’s located across East Liberty Street from the food hub.
Massachusetts Bridges in Tough Shape, No Quick Fixes in Sight
The number of structurally deficient bridges in Massachusetts may stay at more than 460 without more money, according to state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack.
In a meeting in late October, Pollack called for more funding to help the state repair the hundreds of bridges that are in tough shape.
Those Bay State bridges rated as being in "poor" condition numbers 462. Approximately 13 percent of the National Highway System's (NHS) bridge surface area in Massachusetts also is rated as poor, according to state figures, and about 9 percent of the state's more than 5,200 bridges are considered structurally deficient.
Among all states, Massachusetts had the fourth-highest percentage of poorly rated bridges by road surface area and the 16th highest percentage of overall bridges rated poor, according to an annual report by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).
"While they're not getting worse, we're sort of stuck," Pollack said. "[Funding is] quite flat from 2019 to 2020 because we are waiting on the authorization of additional resources."
The state's most-traveled structurally deficient bridge is in Randolph, according to the ARTBA report. The span carries traffic on Interstate 93 northbound over Massachusetts Route 24 northbound. The report noted almost 200,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day.
Built in 1958, the structure has been targeted for repair by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), with nearly 50 percent of the approximately $5.5 million project finished. The state agency expects the project to be finished in January 2022.
Gov. Charlie Baker proposed a $1.25 billion fund to spur additional bridge maintenance as part of a roughly $18 billion transportation bond bill filed in July 2019, but the legislation did not clear both branches for a year and has not moved since it went to a private conference committee last summer. Other cash to fix bridges has been used up, as the state had an accelerated bridge program that ended in 2016.
John Pourbaix, executive director of Construction Industries of Massachusetts, a transportation and public works construction trade association, said the state isn't doing the work it needs to on bridges.
"We're not keeping up and we're trending in the wrong direction," Pourbaix said. "It's not a good thing. It's a result of differed maintenance and not keeping up with regular maintenance and repair."
Pourbaix said for every bridge that's getting fixed, one or two is entering poor condition status.
"It's a simple factor of age. We have about 5,200 bridges in the state and most of them are more than 50 years old," he explained. "We're just not investing enough money in the bridges."
Because Massachusetts has more than 10 percent of its NHS bridge area in such substandard condition, it's limited in how it can use federal money for repairs. A portion of those funds must first go to those bridges, and Pourbaix said that has a huge impact on secondary and municipal bridges that aren't part of the highway system. Pourbaix said he predicted the state having that limited flexibility for at least five to 10 years.
The surface area of the state's NHS bridges in poor condition is equivalent to roughly 68 football fields, according to MassDOT. To get under that 10 percent threshold, it needs to get the surface area of national highway bridges in poor condition to less than 51 football fields. Currently, the state is fixing about 12 football fields worth of bridge area.