Work nears completion on missing Stratford exit ramps
Ethan Fry STRATFORD — Work to complete a $29 million reconstruction of the Interstate 95 Exit 33 interchange near the Milford border is ramping up — literally and figuratively.
When done, there will be a new on-ramp northbound off Ferry Boulevard and a new southbound off-ramp near Veterans Boulevard to create a full interchange at the exit.
The new ramps will correct a quirk in the state’s highway history dating back to the days when toll plazas dotted I-95 and the Merritt Parkway.
One such toll plaza stood athwart I-95 near Exit 33.
So to keep drivers from bypassing the toll by quickly getting on and off the highway, the northbound on-ramp and southbound off-ramp were never built.
But the state later eliminated highway tolls two years after seven people were killed in a fiery crash when a tractor trailer driver failed to slow down at the Stratford plaza and plowed into a line of waiting vehicles.
Removing the toll plazas was quick work. Getting the exits built has not been.
Former Mayor John Harkins said Thursday he’s been looking forward to seeing the project completed for decades. “We started this in 1999,” Harkins, who was a state legislator at the time, said of the effort to get the interchange built.
“It’s been a long time waiting,” he said. “Every time I drive by it I smile. I’m looking forward to it being open.”
Laura Hoydick, Harkins’s successor — both as a lawmaker and in the mayor’s chair — agreed. “Seeing this Exit 33 interchange project through to completion has been one of my primary goals, first as state representative, and now as mayor,” Hoydick said Friday.
The work will have a variety of benefits, she said.
“With the completion of this project, we will provide faster access to one of our largest commercial areas, have more direct access for Metro-North commuters using the Stratford platforms and additional evacuation if needed in the event of an emergency,” Hoydick said.The exits are near several major shopping plazas in Stratford, including one with a Walmart, Home Depot and Shop Rite. The Dock shopping center, home to several restaurants, a BJs Wholesale Club and more, is also nearby.
The mayor credited Harkins, late former state Reps. Larry Miller and Terry Backer, as well as current state Sen. Kevin Kelly and Reps. Joe Gresko and Ben McGorty with supporting the project.
“I remain especially appreciative of the effective collaboration we have had with the state Department of Transportation under Governor (Ned) Lamont in getting us to the final stretch of this project,” Hoydick said.
Harkins said a lack of an easy on-off for drivers stymied the growth of the town’s businesses on Route 1, drawing a comparison to Post Road commercial mega-development in neighboring towns.
“That was critical to the growth of our community,” Harkins said. “The town was always at a disadvantage because of that. We should have had this interchange years ago. Unfortunately, we didn’t.”
Though the area is no stranger to commercial development — a new Chipotle and a self-storage facility recently opened at The Dock shopping center — navigating the area is anything but easy, especially with all the construction work.
Michael Downes, Hoydick’s chief of staff, said the work is currently estimated to be done in June 2022, a month ahead of schedule.
The ramps themselves will be opened between this fall and next spring, he said.
“Right now, the contractor is working through the winter” on retaining walls, noise barrier walls, a new overpass and electrical work, Downes said.
About 300 cubic yards of waste associated with the former Raymark factory nearby has been removed and disposed of, with about 40 more cubic yards due to be taken out next week, Downes said.
Harkins said the effort took years but will pay off for the town.
“When communities are competing for economic development right now, this is going to be great for Stratford,” he said.
“You don’t see new ramps on 95 much,” the former mayor said. “We’re finally getting ours in Stratford. I think the long-term effects will be very positive. Access is huge to any business.”
Sessions Building one step closer to being cleaned up, redeveloped
Susan Corica BRISTOL – The City Council has approved an agreement with New Colony Development Corp. that will bring the Sessions Building one step closer to being cleaned up and redeveloped into apartments.
New Colony will act as a brownfield land bank to clean up the industrial property at 273 Riverside Ave. and eventually transfer it to a public-private partnership between Vesta Corp. and the Bristol Housing Authority.
Bristol began working with New Colony last July on the recommendation of Justin Malley, the city’s Economic and Community Development executive director, as a way to avoid having to foreclose on the property and assume legal liability for the pollution there.
The agreement calls for New Colony to buy the building for $1 from J.H. Sessions & Son, settle tax liens of almost $1 million with the city, and arrange for relocation of the current occupants, while the city reimburses the costs of the cleanup.
Once the pollution is cleaned up, the property would be transferred to the new owner, Vesta/BHA Joint Venture, to begin construction on market rate apartments.
The city has been working for over a year to get the project moving. Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu has often described Riverside Avenue as a gateway to downtown.
Vesta Corp. is a Weatogue-based owner, manager, and developer of apartment housing, including more than 20,000 housing units in 13 states and the District of Columbia. The project will differ from other BHA projects, as it will be not be subsidized for lower-income earners.
Their construction partner will be D’Amato Construction and the architect will be Quisenberry, Arcari and Malik of Farmington.
Arthur Greenblatt, Vesta CEO/president, has described the arrangement as a 50-50 partnership with BHA and said he has known Mitzy Rowe, BHA chief executive officer, for more than 20 years.
The 80,000 square foot industrial building sits on 3.54 acres and is eligible for state and federal Historic Register listing. Built in 1907, it was the site of a trunk hardware manufacturing business which used heavy metal compounds in the painting and plating operations.
Since the Sessions Co. ceased operations in 1984, other industrial users have leased space in the building, including Armaloy and Plymouth Spring. The building is still owned and operated by members of the Sessions family.
In the past 15 years, the city, with support from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Connecticut, has done several environmental site assessments at the site. The most recent, in 2017, concluded that remediation would cost up $1.4 million.
Vesta/BHA plans to convert the property into an apartment complex, while preserving historically significant elements of the building. The existing building would house 40 one-bedroom and 19 two-bedroom apartments. A new 45,000 square foot structure would be added immediately to the east, featuring six one-bedroom and 26 two-bedroom units, for a total of 91 units.
The plans include duplicating the original building’s exposed brick, high wood plank ceilings, wide wood flooring, and large, ornate windows in the new planned building. Community gathering space is expected to include a library/computer room, a community room with kitchen facilities, and a fitness facility.
Certain areas of the building are expected to be demolished to streamline environmental cleanup and free up areas for parking and outdoor gathering space, such as barbeque grilling, fire pits, electric vehicle charging stations, and more.
In addition, the project will include the half-acre property at 296 Riverside Ave., known as the Hostess Building, across the street. Most of this area will be used for parking to support the apartment community but will include green space to complement the adjacent Pequabuck River and Veterans Memorial Boulevard Park.
New London council to vote on $30 million community recreation center at Fort Trumbull
Greg Smith New London — Mayor Michael Passero said the establishment of a community recreational center in the city could be transformational, on the scale of the creation of Ocean Beach Park in 1939.
With new information in hand that depicts a project that is not only feasible but financially sustainable, the City Council on Monday is poised for a vote on the $30 million cost to build the center with 265 parking spaces at Fort Trumbull.
The 62,000-square foot facility would span two long-vacant parcels at Fort Trumbull and house a two-court gymnasium, six-lane indoor pool, lounge and game room, six multi-purpose rooms and administrative offices and space to house the city’s Recreation and Youth Affairs departments.
A new report from the firm hired by the city to create a plan for the center, Brailsford & Dunlavey, also has reiterated its conclusion that Fort Trumbull is the preferred location of the center. Other sites explored included places like Bates Woods, the former Edgerton School property off Colman Street and some downtown locations, some of which residents have said offer better accessibility.
The analysis by Brailsford & Dunlavey, however, shows Fort Trumbull, which is owned by the city, is not only the cheapest option but the easiest to develop because of existing infrastructure and the minimal site work needed.
If all approvals fall into place as projected, the project could be completed by the end of 2023 or in early 2024.
“When we went into this we didn’t know if it would be feasible,” Passero, a longtime advocate of a community center, said of the study. “So it’s great news to find out that ‘yes’ we can do it. We have the proof that we can build a sustainable facility.”
One of the major challenges for the city was building a project that can be maintained.
“We cannot let it start deteriorating on day one,” said Felix Reyes, director of the city’s Office of Development and Planning. “Creating a sustainable model that is self-sufficient, that’s regionally attractive, that can generate revenue and be a central hub for our community — we’ve answered that.”
One of the city’s main priorities in pitching the project was the ability to keep membership costs within reach of city residents. The outcome of that request was a regional facility with estimated average membership fees of $6 per day, $30 per month and $300 per year, below the market rates of $8 per day, $43 a month and $430 per year at similar facilities across the region, said Brailsford & Dunlavey representative Andrew Lieber.
Those rates are subject to refinement but lower-income residents will be able to pay a reduced rate on a sliding scale based on income level. Projections show less than half of New London residents would pay full rates.
Reyes called the recreation center a “keystone” project, one that he expects will complement nearby housing developments that are planned or under construction. He expects it also will reinvigorate interest in development at Fort Trumbull, a site that was cleared for development and at the center of the U.S. Supreme Court case Kelo v. New London, an unsuccessful fight against eminent domain and the taking of private land for economic development purposes.
“The impact of this project is going to be vast,” Reyes said.
Lieber, during an interview on Thursday, said the projections show the center will capture enough revenue through membership and rental fees to cover the $2.2 million in projected yearly operational costs by the fourth year in operation.
Projections show that the city will gain projected yearly revenue of $200,000 after the fourth year, money the city has earmarked for use in a capital expense fund for upkeep of the facility.
Other future revenues could come from corporate sponsors and fundraising efforts and help defray the debt incurred by the city to fund the project and help subsidize programs for low- and moderate-income residents.
Finance Director David McBride said the city will pay an average of $2.1 million per year over the course of 20 years to pay for the project. The impact on taxpayers, he said, will be minimal when taking into consideration the expected continued growth of the city’s grand list and conservative estimates on new taxes being generated by development projects in the pipeline.
In a breakdown to be presented to councilors on Monday, McBride will share the projected mill rate change.
“It’s really important to stabilize taxes, which we’ve done for five years,” Passero said. “In fact, we’ve walked the mill rate back. We wouldn’t be recommending this if we thought that was jeopardized in any way.”
“The way I see it, all of the work we’ve put in building our economic base, the grand list, the work we have in the pipeline ... we’re taking a portion of all of that growth to invest in ourselves to achieve some of these goals to benefit the quality of life in the city, to address health disparities, to just connect people.”
Recreation Director Tommie Major said the recreation center is something that will not only benefit his department and all of the programs it provides to the community but is something that is missing from the city.
The closest thing the city has had to a community center in recent memory was the Richard R. Martin Center on Broad Street, the former headquarters of the Recreation Department. With conditions there deteriorating and costs of repairs out of the city’s reach, the City Council approved the sale of the building last year. It’s expected to be developed into a 75-unit residential complex for individuals over the age of 55.
“It’s time to get the job done,” Major said. “Here we are, a city two-thirds surrounded by water and we do not have an indoor pool.”
The City Council will discuss the project finances at the 5:30 p.m. Finance Committee meeting Monday and take up the $30 million bond request at its regular 7 p.m. meeting. The council also is taking up votes on bonding $1.1 million to replace the air handling units at Jennings School and a $2.3 million bonding request for the city’s yearly infrastructure projects.
Brookfield to vote on $3.6 million fourth phase of Four Corners streetscape project
Currie Engel BROOKFIELD— The town plans to present the design for the $3.6 million fourth phase of its downtown revitalization project for approval at an upcoming special town meeting.
Brookfield has completed two of five phases of the Four Corners streetscape project, and will start construction on its third phase this summer.
The revitalization effort includes constructing new sidewalks, housing and shopping developments, lampposts, greenery, and a multi-use trail to reinvigorate the four-way intersection at Federal Road.
Now, at 7 p.m Tuesday in the Brookfield High School auditorium, residents will be able to mask up, head to the high school and cast their vote.
Of the five phases, this one is expected to be the longest and most costly, with plans to construct over 1,900 feet of sidewalk that would connect the northern end of phase one to the Newbury Village condominiums on Federal Road, said Greg Dembowski, community development specialist. This would provide direct pedestrian access to the downtown area.
“It is by far the largest and most complicated of all the phases,” Dembowski said.
Not only will the longest stretch of sidewalk be installed in this phase, but the sidewalks will need to be constructed through considerable ledges and gulleys, he said.
Of the $3.6 million, the town would cover up to $450,000, or about 15 percent. First Selectman Steve Dunn said this cost will likely be covered using 20-year bonds, and that roughly 80 percent of phase four’s cost will be covered by a state grant.
The total cost of the five phases hits around $11 million, with $3 million estimated to be covered by the town. However, half of that $3 million was already covered in the first phase of the project.
Since the proposal includes expenditures over $1 million, the town is required to put it to a vote.
Unlike most meetings these days, this one will not be held virtually because of the difficulties of verifying voter identities and residencies, Dunn said.
Instead, officials have moved the meeting to the high school auditorium to safely meet social distancing guidelines and provide enough space for anyone who wants to attend. Normally, about 20 to 40 people come to these meetings and vote, Dunn said. He expects similar numbers for this vote, as well.
“In the prior phases we’ve done, the town has overwhelmingly approved these projects for the streetscape,” Dunn said.
In the years since construction began, Brookfield residents like State Rep. Stephen Harding have noticed the difference the streetscape makes.
“Prior to COVID, when you’d go by the walkway on a nice spring day it would be just packed, which was great to see,” Harding said. “It’s a beautiful place to walk and run.”
Harding said it will be especially attractive for people visiting from out of town and young professionals who like to get active outside. With COVID drawing city-dwellers to suburbs, the new developments and streetscapes could be an added bonus for Brookfield.
“it’s something that is very attractive to individuals that are new to the community,” he said.
A private development in the town center, Brookfield Village, is also moving forward.
Now on the second phase of its three-phase plan, the developers ultimately aim to construct six new buildings in the downtown area for commercial and residential use. Construction for two buildings is expected to wrap up in August, developer Alan Rothman said.
Two businesses— an upscale café and an upscale Asian restaurant— have already pre-leased spaces,Two businesses— an upscale café and an upscale Asian restaurant— have already pre-leased spaces, said George Walker, a marketing representative for Advantage Commercial Realty. On Thursday, an Italian restaurant, LaPiazza, opened its doors.
“This is all tying in with the positive things that are happening in the Town Center District, and the streetscape just adds to that positive attitude,” Walker said.
Dembowski hopes to begin the streetscape’s fourth phase in the summer of 2022, but due to COVID delays in approval procedures, it’s more likely to start in the spring of 2023.
“We’re going to do everything we can to get this project in as soon as possible,” he said.