CT Construction Digest Tuesday November 30, 2021

Barge built to help deliver Columbia-class subs arrives at Electric Boat

Groton — A 400-foot barge built to help deliver Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines arrived Monday at Electric Boat, the prime contractor for the submarines.

The new Ocean Transport Barge Holland, constructed by Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, La., was named after John Holland, the Irish-born immigrant who designed the first submarine purchased by the Navy. The original Holland was built at EB and delivered in 1900.

“We are happy to welcome Holland to her new home in the Groton shipyard,” EB President Kevin Graney said. “Our fellow shipbuilders at Bollinger have delivered a terrific asset, on time and on budget. Holland will play an important role in the construction of the Columbia class of submarines, which will carry nearly 70% of the nation’s nuclear arsenal.”

The Columbia class is being built at EB’s Quonset Point, R.I., manufacturing facility. Skilled tradespeople will construct and outfit Columbia modules at Quonset Point, and the modules will then be transported by the Holland barge to the company’s final test and assembly facility in Groton. The first Columbia module is expected to arrive in Groton in 2023.

The First U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Could Be a Lifeline for Struggling New England Cities

As many of New England’s industrial cities fell into decline in recent decades, the wealthier residents of Martha’s Vineyard, a regional center of affluence and privilege, have gotten richer, building and rebuilding beachfront megamansions. But their good fortune has hardly benefited everyone on the island, where economic inequality has run rampant. For Michael Friedman, a 55-year-old IT engineer, rising prices driven by rich residents’ expanding wealth have made it harder to stay and raise his family on the tree-covered Massachusetts island where he grew up. “What can you say?” he says, driving past the Obama family’s Vineyard property in late October. “We’ll try to make a go of it.”

Now, 15 miles off the island’s coast, a new green-energy project is getting under way that many hope will begin to spread the wealth. In a matter of months, workers will begin erecting 837-ft.-tall wind turbines for Vineyard Wind, the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm. When fully operational, the plant will generate 800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 400,000 homes. More than a dozen other East Coast offshore wind projects are awaiting government approval, and the plans portend an entirely new clean-energy industry—with thousands of new, high-paying jobs to go along with it.

But there’s a catch: hardly any U.S. workers have experience building and operating offshore turbines. Community organizations, unions and colleges are now filling that gap, launching training programs in a broad effort to create a new American offshore wind workforce. For organizations that have plowed considerable time and money into education programs for projects that don’t yet exist, these efforts are something of a leap of faith. The same is true for the workers who are undergoing those courses, hoping that a brand-new, eager-to-hire clean-energy industry will await them on the other side.

Friedman is one of those would-be wind workers. For months he’s been taking online classes for an offshore-wind-tech certification through ACE MV (Adult & Community Education Martha’s Vineyard) and Bristol Community College. He’s taking the course partly for personal interest, though he says he would consider switching careers if the opportunity came up. But with Vineyard Wind more than a year and a half from producing power, he’s far from certain that the work he and his fellow students are doing will result in a job. Offshore wind has been just over the horizon for decades, with endless legal battles grinding a previous Massachusetts venture, Cape Wind, to a halt in 2017. Things are likely to be different with Vineyard Wind—the project is located farther offshore and hasn’t faced the same intensity of local backlash—but many, like Friedman, remain skeptical. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” he says.

Yet others are diving in. On a brisk November morning, a handful of Piledrivers Local 56 workers shivered as they floated in the ice-cold water of Buzzards Bay, Mass., for a training session. During an earlier safety lecture, one of the workers, Nick Fileccia, had made a few wisecracks. Now, after the piledrivers donned bright orange ocean survival suits and slipped off a dock into the blue-gray water, he was dead serious. “Man, that water,” he said after emerging from 30 minutes in the frigid bay, during which he and his classmates had to right an overturned life raft. “I was all jokes until we got in that water.”

That exercise was part of a Global Wind Organisation (GWO) training program designed to prepare millwrights, ironworkers and other tradespeople for the unique challenges involved in doing their jobs at sea. Besides sea–survival modules and classroom components, it includes portions on working at heights, first aid and fire safety. “A lot of it is teaching them skills that we hope that they never have to use,” says Mike Burns, director of the Center for Maritime and Professional Training at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “Practicing an emergency escape from a wind turbine is something you hope you never have to do in real life, but you’re glad that you’ve been trained how to do it.” The academy is currently one of the only places in the U.S. where workers can get this type of training, but it may soon be offered at many more locations up and down the East Coast.

Labor organizations are among the largest supporters of such programs. The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, for instance, is planning to upgrade a training facility in New Jersey with a wind–turbine mock-up, cranes and other equipment. “We’re in it for about $700,000, $800,000 so far,” says William Sproule, the organization’s executive secretary-treasurer. Meanwhile, the New York State Building & Construction Trades Council is planning to increase class sizes in existing training programs to up the number of workers it can prepare for anticipated local offshore wind projects. “We are really at the very beginning, the precipice, of offshore wind on the East Coast,” says union president Gary LaBarbera. And as Vineyard Wind gets under way, the Massachusetts Building Trades Council, another union, plans to set up a kind of offshore worker training pipeline, starting newer workers on the onshore portions of the project, like building electrical substations, and then moving them out to sea. “That’s the way you develop a stable workforce and a skilled workforce for this industry,” says union president Frank Callahan.

Meanwhile, Bristol Community College, where Friedman is currently studying, is sinking $10 million into launching what it’s calling the National Offshore Wind Institute. Scheduled to open in 2022, the facility will focus on training workers (rather than teaching courses for college credit) and will offer programs on other aspects of the offshore wind industry, like finance and insurance. Jennifer Menard, the college’s vice president of economic and business development, says her goal is to help replicate the economic investment that offshore wind spurred in cities like Cuxhaven in Germany and Hull in the U.K. Facilitating such a renewal, Menard says, means stepping up investments in education to fill gaps in the current U.S. workforce. “I saw what offshore wind could bring,” she says. “It was just an opportunity that we wanted to be ready for.”

Europe, where offshore wind is a long-established industry, may also offer an ideal training ground for U.S. workers. Orsted, a Danish offshore-wind giant, is bringing more than a dozen American workers to train at its European sites for months at a time. The idea, says Orsted’s head of North America operations Mikkel Maehlisen, is to create an elite group of workers who can in turn train more Americans as the company’s U.S. projects—like a planned 700–megawatt wind farm off Rhode Island—get under way.

Despite this flurry of training investment, some U.S. labor leaders worry that as the country decarbonizes, an expansion of offshore wind won’t provide as many jobs as its proponents hope, especially compared with the expected loss of labor-intensive fossil-fuel power-plant projects. David Langlais, business manager of Ironworkers Local 37 in Rhode Island, is particularly concerned about the fact that many offshore-wind–related jobs come from manufacturing turbine components—an industry based largely in Europe—rather than erecting and maintaining such equipment offshore. “There’ll be a tremendous amount of hours that the American workforce will lose out on,” he says.

Langlais wants offshore–wind manufacturers like GE, which is supplying turbines to the Vineyard Wind project and makes many of its components in France, to produce turbines and similar gear domestically—a goal offshore-wind developers say they support. Orsted, for instance, has tapped Local 37 iron-workers to help erect a huge steel structure at the port in Providence, R.I., to be used to manufacture bases for the company’s offshore turbines. And despite his reservations about offshore wind, Langlais says his union is committed to the green-energy transition.

“I’m not a scientist, but clearly we’re getting more hurricanes, we’re getting worse storms, it’s getting warmer,” Langlais says. “There’s obviously something to this climate change, and it has to do with carbon emissions. So we have to do the right thing.”

Back on Martha’s Vineyard, Miles Brucculeri, 44, is studying hard despite his doubts about future employment. He’s worked as a surfing instructor for the past two decades but isn’t sure how much longer he’ll be able to swim the five daily miles such work requires, and he’s been frustrated by a lack of local work opportunities with health benefits during the long off-season. “You’re either serving rich people in this kind of fake, rich-people economy, or there’s not much out here,” he says. At the moment, Brucculeri is 11 months into Bristol Community College’s two-year offshore-wind education course. By the time he finishes, Vineyard Wind’s offshore turbines will still be at least six months from producing power. Even after they go online, there’s no guarantee he’ll be hired as a technician. But in order for offshore wind to take off in the U.S. as it has elsewhere in the world, more people like him will have to take the plunge. “The opportunity came up, so I took it,” Brucculeri says. “I don’t know where it’s gonna lead.”

Mattern Construction submits lone proposal to rehab former YMCA in Norwich

Claire Bessette 

Norwich — George and Eric Mattern have been familiar with the YMCA on Main Street for many years, from the days when the father and son were members to their recent visits to see if the decaying building complex could house the new headquarters for their Mattern Construction firm.

Mattern Construction, now based in Baltic, submitted the lone proposal to the city by last week’s deadline to rehabilitate the decaying, mold-infested former YMCA into a new headquarters for the general contracting and management company. The proposal includes a plan to lease space the company does not need to a possible brew pub or some residential housing, company vice president Eric Mattern said.

The city took ownership of the long-vacant building in July and put out a request for proposals from parties interested in trying to save all or part of the complex. If no one responded, city officials planned to demolish the building and market the property.

Eric Mattern said the company started looking at the YMCA as a potential headquarters as soon as the city took ownership. Once the city advertised for redevelopment proposals, the Matterns twice sought access to the building, including looks at the interior before submitting the plan.

“It’s a property that has been hidden in plain sight for the city,” Eric Mattern said. “It’ a gateway entering the city from the east.”

Eric Mattern and Lucas Girard, director of business development for the company, put together the proposal that calls for creating a new headquarters for Mattern Construction.

“In our opinion, the whole Olympic pool building can be saved, and the main building and the racquetball building,” Eric Mattern said, “and the rest should be demolished.”

But only the shells of the building would be retained, Eric Mattern said. The pool would be filled in and that building used as a warehouse and equipment storage for small equipment. The company has an off-site location for larger equipment and construction vehicles, he said.

Mattern said the company does not yet have a project cost for the renovations and relocation, except that it would be “a multimillion project,” Mattern said. The company hopes to qualify for the new economic development revitalization grant and loan programs being administered by the Norwich Community Development Corp.

Mattern also hopes the city can use federal Environmental Protection Agency environmental cleanup grants to assist with the cleanup.

Norwich Purchasing Agent Bob Castronova said Mattern was the only firm that has expressed interest in the property throughout the advertising period and the only entity to attend a pre-submittal examination of the building. Castronova said he forwarded the company’s proposal to the city Planning and Neighborhood Services Department and to the city engineer.

“We’re excited about the possibility of our concept becoming a reality,” Eric Mattern said, “and we’re just waiting to hear from the city. Our whole goal is to create a lot of excitement for the city.”

When will contractors see a boost of infrastructure dollars?

Leslie Shaver

When the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 passed, the public construction firms eagerly anticipated a windfall of funding and new projects. 

But then localities shifted the projects to other priorities. The Recovery Act "really amounted to a pretty anticlimactic impact for the large, publicly traded companies," said Sean Eastman, equity research analyst at Cleveland-based corporate and investment bank KeyBanc Capital Markets.

But Eastman thinks the recently signed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act should be different. 

"This package feels more capital project-oriented and I feel like the state of state and local budgets now versus the 2009 era is quite a lot different," Eastman said. "So maybe there'll be less susceptibility to states allocating funds elsewhere, other than infrastructure."

Adam Thalhimer, director of research at Richmond, Virginia-based investment advisor Thompson Davis & Co., was equally as effusive, calling the infrastructure package "a normal highway bill on steroids."

"This provides states visibility and certainty to be able to tackle bigger projects," Thalhimer said. "A lot of the companies that I cover have been saying that the states have a big backlog of projects."

While the money flowing from the infrastructure package and the areas it will target seems locked in now that it’s been passed by Congress and the White House, analysts still think other details are in flux.

"With the exact timing of how this ultimately percolates into backlogs and earnings for E and C [engineering and construction] companies, there's still some uncertainty there," Eastman said. "But my sense is, going into 2023, there should be some momentum from this funding.

"

Thalhimer thinks the money will hit sooner than some people suppose. "It does cover fiscal '22," he said. "Everybody said, ‘Oh, we won't see anything from this for a year.’ I'm not completely sure that is true."

Competing for talent

But even after the work arrives, there will still be challenges. If things get backed up, Matt Arnold, senior equity analyst for St. Louis-based financial services firm Edward Jones, thinks companies could develop large backlogs in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

"I think there will be limiting factors, even a couple of years out," Arnold said. "If these companies all get that busy, it's going to be tough for them to be as prepared as they want to be in terms of actual capabilities to deliver on certain projects."

Part of the challenge of delivering projects is that finding labor to complete the work, especially for specialized jobs, could be difficult, leading to slower construction timelines. 

"They're definitely going to be competing for talent in order to pursue these projects," Arnold said. "It's hard to put a number on how limiting of a factor it's going to be, but it's going to be something that has to be watched."

This shortage of workers will most likely lead to much higher labor costs just as these infrastructure projects begin to break ground, industry experts told Construction Dive. Joe Natarelli, national leader of Marcum's Construction Services practice, predicts wages will go up "significantly."

Material shortages and price increases could also pose a problem, but Arnold thinks those will subside over time. Nevertheless, while labor and materials issues could provide at least short-term constraints, Arnold thinks the infrastructure package will ultimately prolong a post-COVID-19 upturn that is only in its infancy. 

"It's reasonable that they [recoveries] typically last a good solid few years before they start to really slow down or turn negative, depending on the macroeconomic environment at the time," Arnold said. "But this upturn is young, and it's going to get turbocharged by this infrastructure stimulus."

CT Construction Digest Monday November 29, 2021

Madison voters to decide on $89 million school renewal project, land buy

Christine DeRosa

MADISON — A resolution for a $89.2 million project that would build a new elementary school and update two other schools will be headed to referendum, after it was approved by the Board of Selectmen this week, following debate over how the project should be funded.

The Madison School Renewal Plan would allocate $61,150,000 for the construction of a new pre-kindergarten through fifth grade school on Mungertown Road; $6.5 million for renovations and improvements for the conversion of Brown Intermediate School into a K-5 school; and $21,550,000 for improvements and upgrades to Polson Middle School.

The project also would close three current school buildings — Ryserson Elementary, Jeffrey Elementary and Town Campus Learning Center.

Selectwoman Peggy Lyons read the resolution, which passed after a long discussion, at Monday’s meeting. The resolution recommended the town finance the appropriation by issuing town bonds, notes or temporary notes not to exceed the proposed $89.2 million.

After the resolution was read, Selectman Bruce Wilson spoke about the other portion of the project that was the next agenda item: a special appropriation for $1.3 million to purchase property for the new school building.

Wilson proposed rolling the funds for the property purchase into the project cost, allowing the town to bond $90.5 million for the entire project versus keeping the two funds separate.

“I think with the cost of borrowing money at historically low amounts, it’s a better use of the town’s capital and cash on hand to take and deploy that money,” Wilson said. “We’ve got a long list of projects that we need to do that we haven’t otherwise saved up for.”

Selectman Scott Murphy said not bonding the funds would reduce the burden on taxpayers.

Lyons said that if the referendum to purchase the property passes and the town has to write a check to the property owners, the town will have to go into the undesignated fund balance regardless because it will not be set up to go to market and bond the $1.3 million.

“The fact that we have the capital available and the check’s not going to be written unless it passes on February 15, we’re not going to be purchasing the property and we’re going to have to do it anyway,” Lyons said. “It just saves us a lot of mechanics to do that. So that that was why we decided this was probably the best path going forward. It was some simple and the most least complicated.”

Selectwoman Noreen Kokoruda was concerned about the lack of transparency surrounding the project, citing the two separate funds.

“We have a school project, if this is what it’s gonna cost and all of a sudden we’re starting to pull something out and pay for it another way and I just think it’s a perception,” Kokoruda said. “I think that people also want us to be straightforward with them.”

Lyons said the process has been transparent about the property purchase and the cost of the school project, which is why it is being voted on at a public meeting. Both agenda items are headed to the Board of Finance and will be voted on at a town meeting in December.

Wilson suggested recommending that the Board of Finance take all of the excess fund balance and put it toward the project to further reduce interest.

Lyons said they can decide to do that in the future and for now, they’re just asking the public to vote for an authorization of an amount up to the $89.2 million for bonding but that does not mean the town has to pay for the project with bonding.

“The reality is 18 percent of this is going to get paid back to us, that we’re not going to have to bond for because we’re going to get a reimbursement from the state for 18.2 percent, almost $10 million,” Lyons explained. “This is just authorizing a cap of what we can bond for. We can decide not to bond for any of it.”

Ultimately, the resolution for the $89.2 million school project passed the board unanimously.

Further discussion regarding the $1.3 million for the property purchase echoed echoing many of the previously made points, but Selectman Al Goldberg said he was voting in favor of the special appropriation to show his support for the project — but also because of something his grandmother told him.

“She told me that it always costs less to pay cash and it always is more expensive to borrow money, and I haven’t heard anything here tonight to change my grandmother’s words of wisdom,” Goldberg said.

The special appropriation passes, with Lyons, Goldberg and Murphy voting in favor and Wilson and Kokoruda voting against.

The board also approved a special town meeting, with Wilson abstaining, as he had voted against the appropriation, to discuss and vote on the special appropriation for the Mungertown Road property. The appropriation is subject to the approval of an appropriation and bonding resolution to build the new school by voters at referendum.

The special town meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 20 in the auditorium of Walter C. Polson Middle School, 302 Green Hill Road.

Developer seeks sixth floor, 30 more apartments for Derby project

Eddy Martinez

DERBY — A planned apartment building at the former Lifetouch studio on Main Street may end up larger than expected.

The developer for the Trolley Pointe project in Derby recently submitted a revised project plan for the site of the former school photography business at 90 Main St. The project originally included 70 market rate apartments in a five-story building. But co-developer Joe Salemme said increased construction costs have led to a revised plan that includes more units to offset costs.

The new plans call for a six-story building with 105 apartments, according to the city’s zoning enforcement officer. It will now include 39 one-bedroom units, 62 studios and four 2-bedroom units according to the application sent to the planning and zoning commission on Nov. 11.

Salemme said increasing prices for building materials were a factor in revising the plan.

“Lumber almost went up 500 percent since COVID. Why exactly, I don’t know. But the whole building industry suffered from sharp increases in not only lumber, but other building materials,” Salemme said.

Salemme said he expected the project to cost about $15 million, but that number could increase due to construction costs. More apartments would offset the higher building costs, he said.

The apartments have been in the works for more than a year.

The original 70-unit plan was announced to the board in September 2020. The site had previously been considered for redevelopment as a manufacturing center.

According to Salemme, the complex will have a contemporary design. The apartments would be about 500 feet from the Derby-Shelton Metro-North train station and just a few hundred feet from the Route 8 entrance ramps.

Salemme is also requesting a change from a center development design district (CDD) to a planned development district (PDD), according to Sarah Carey, the zoning enforcement officer.

Currently the entire downtown area is a CDD zone, Carey said. A change to a PDD would give the project more flexibility, she said.

“This makes it easier for the developer and the Planning and Zoning Commission to tailor the needs of the development to the zone itself,” Carey said.

The public will have a chance to comment on the changes at a commission meeting next month. Salemme said construction could begin in the spring if the plans receive approval.

“We’re excited to finally get it off the ground. It’s a long time coming,” he said.

Long-discussed bridge project moves forward

Among the new business discussed at the Nov. 15 Town Council meeting was an old topic in the community – the replacement of the Tomlinson Avenue bridge. Town staff recommended the long-talked-about project be awarded to the low bidder – Dayton Construction – and the council voted 7-0 to authorize the Town Manager to execute a Project Authorization Letter with the Department of Transportation.

Dayton Construction’s proposal was for $1,296,849.50, which is more than $100,000 less than the engineer’s estimate for the project. Also, it was pointed out that the Watertown company completed the replacement of another Plainville bridge – on Stillwell Drive – several years ago.

The Tomlinson Avenue bridge project involves the installation of a twin pre-cast concrete box culvert. 

According to the meeting minutes from Nov. 15, “Over 10 years ago the town secured a federal grant to pay for 80 percent of the cost of the replacement. Due to many factors, including bridge re-design and additional analysis required by the Corps of Engineers, the project was delayed.”

But things began moving this fall. On Oct. 21, nine bid proposals were received for the project.

The minutes from the Nov. 15 council meeting state the remaining cost of the bridge replacement – the town’s share, 20 percent – to be $308,156.

The current balance of the Tomlinson Avenue Bridge Fund is said to be $157,000. As stated in the meeting minutes, the remaining $151,158 needed for the project will be paid from the Town Aid Road account.

In 2016, Town Manager Robert Lee told The Citizen the state had rated the Tomlinson Avenue bridge as in poor condition since 2005. 

The initial bridge replacement design raised concern by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection because it did not permit fish to pass under the structure and into the nearby pond.

According to the DEEP, fish need to have the ability to travel without isolation from one end of a stream to another.

The new design will support aquatic life.

The current bridge, built in 1967, also has a flooding risk. Rehabilitation of the bridge will ensure that it doesn’t flood upstream or downstream.

Joe Courtney reviews ‘shovel ready’ projects at NPU

Sten Spinella  

Norwich — U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney was in Norwich on Tuesday to review Norwich Public Utilities' list of "shovel-ready" projects that could be funded by a recently passed federal infrastructure bill.

The $1 trillion infrastructure deal was signed by President Joe Biden more than a week ago.

NPU spokesman Chris Riley said Courtney discussed available funding for clean water projects, replacing lead pipe service lines for water and upgrades to dams, "all of which align with our priorities," Riley said. NPU gave a tour of its wastewater treatment plant, "which is at the top of our list, and is scheduled to go out to bid in the early part of 2022, with the anticipated construction getting underway by next summer," Riley said.

"We also highlighted for the congressman our commitment to 'human infrastructure' and provided a summary of the support we've provided to our customers who have had difficulty in paying their bills as a result of the pandemic," Riley continued. He outlined more than $750,000 "in support facilitated by the Thames Valley Council for Community Action," more than $150,000 through the state's rental assistance UniteCT program and $110,000 through the Community Development Block Grant program.

In addition, NPU's Special Payment Arrangement Program, "which allows eligible customers to pay a portion of their past due utility bills penalty and interest-free over 20 months," Riley said. "This program has helped more than 1,200 residential and commercial customers with collective balances of more than $1.4 million."

A handout from Tuesday's meeting lists 12 NPU priorities, including the Groton/Norwich Water Interconnect, a joint project with Groton Public Utilities that connects the Groton and Norwich water systems at the Preston/Ledyard border and is expected to cost about $1.5 million, replacing all lead and copper water services, projected to be $6 million, and upgrading the NPU electrical system, which would connect the three NPU substations and cost about $10 million, among other projects.

Feds approve another wind farm off Block Island

Associated Press

The Biden administration approved an offshore wind farm off the coasts of Rhode Island and New York on Wednesday as part of a plan to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced it approved the construction and operations of the South Fork Wind project, the department's second approval of a commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project in the United States. Last week, the department marked the groundbreaking off the coast of Massachusetts for the first commercial-scale offshore wind project.

Seven major offshore wind farms would be developed on the east and west coasts of the U.S. and in the Gulf of Mexico under a plan announced last month by the Biden administration to build infrastructure, create jobs and address global warming. Deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy would generate enough electricity to power more than 10 million homes.

The South Fork Wind project will be located about 19 miles southeast of Block Island, R.I., and 35 miles east of Montauk Point, N.Y. It's expected to provide roughly 130 megawatts, enough power for about 70,000 homes. Its transmission system will connect to the electric grid on Long Island, N.Y., making it the state's first offshore wind farm and jumpstarting the offshore wind industry there.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is “facing the challenges of climate change head-on” with climate and offshore wind goals that demand bold action.

“Moving South Fork Wind forward brings us closer to a cleaner and greener future,” she said in a statement.

The first U.S. offshore wind farm opened off Block Island in 2016. But at five turbines, it's not commercial-scale. Orsted, the Danish energy company, acquired the developer, Rhode Island-based Deepwater Wind, and now operates that wind farm.

Orsted is developing the South Fork Wind project with utility Eversource. The Interior Department approved up to 12 turbines. Leaders at Orsted and Eversource celebrated the announcement, touting the project's potential to reduce air pollution, help combat climate change and boost the economy by creating jobs.

Rhode Island coastal regulators gave the project critical approval this spring over the objections of the fishing industry and some environmentalists. Commercial fishing businesses have said planned offshore wind projects off the East Coast would make it difficult to harvest valuable seafood species such as scallops and lobsters. Some conservation groups fear that big turbines will kill birds.

The project off the coast of Massachusetts, Vineyard Wind 1, is expected to produce about 800 megawatts, enough power for more than 400,000 homes. The first steps of construction will include laying down two transmission cables that will connect the wind farm to the mainland.

The administration expects to review at least 16 construction and operations plans for commercial offshore wind energy facilities by 2025.

"We have no time to waste in cultivating and investing in a clean energy economy that can sustain us for generations,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a statement. "Just one year ago, there were no large-scale offshore wind projects approved in the federal waters of the United States. Today there are two, with several more on the horizon."

Bargain land prices, tax incentives seen as keys to Hartford’s $500M ‘Bushnell South’ development

Michael Puffer

Tax breaks, public financing and bargain land sales can spark $500 million in housing, retail and arts development on 20 acres around the Bushnell Performing Arts Center.

These and other incentives are included in the “Bushnell South” master plan, which aims to transform blocks of underused buildings and surface parking into a vibrant neighborhood of 1,800 residents.

An updated version of the master plan produced by Boston-based architecture firm Goody Clancy, and first released in June, was issued this week.

The target development area is bordered by Capitol Avenue, along with Elm, Trinity and Main streets. The Bushnell Performing Arts Center anchors the northwestern edge and Bushnell Park to the north.

The Capital Region Development Authority, the Bushnell and developer Spinnaker Real Estate Partners sponsored the master plan. Spinnaker is pursuing a $63.3 million redevelopment of a former state office building at 55 Elm St., which sits near the eastern edge of the development zone.

The plan envisions additional private development, with multifamily residential and retail buildings springing up on land currently occupied by parking lots, complemented by about $100 million in public spending to beautify and improve streets, create parklets and bike paths.

Attracting developers will require a mix of public and private financing, according to the Goody-Clancy study. The study outlines incentives available to the city and CRDA, including:
·       Selling surface lots owned by the CRDA at a “modest” price
·       Use of proceeds from CRDA land sales on infrastructure upgrades in the target area
·       Tax-fixing agreements with the city
·       Low-interest loans through the CRDA
·       Offer use of public parking for occupants of the new development
·       Use of city, state and federal programs and funding for upgrading infrastructure, green spaces and parking offerings for the Bushnell South project.

Hartford’s Parkville neighborhood, once a manufacturing powerhouse, is on the cusp of rising again as a 21st Century innovation district

Kenneth Gosselin

HARTFORD — More than a century ago, Hartford’s Parkville neighborhood buzzed with manufacturing turning out bicycles, typewriters and even automobiles, a Silicon Valley of its day.

The spirit of innovation is again taking wing in Parkville, with a new push by city leaders and the private sector to foster a 21st-century hotbed of startups, particularly in advance manufacturing and cost-saving technology for the insurance industry. This, they say, is a good fit with arts and culture that have thrived in Parkville for years.

The plans envision a neighborhood of not only early-stage companies but new apartments, more restaurants, a parking garage and entertainment venues — all existing together in a campus-like atmosphere a short walk from Pope Park and West Hartford’s Park Road.

“We could be a Brooklyn, a small Brooklyn,” said Carlos Mouta, a longtime developer in the neighborhood and the force behind the thriving Parkville Market. “So when I tell people I want to Brooklyn-ize Parkville, I’m not ashamed. I don’t mind copying what other successful people have done.”

Mouta’s $70 million conversion of the sprawling, former Whitney Manufacturing Co. on the corner of Bartholomew Avenue and Hamilton Street could be one of the first projects in the new innovation district, perhaps early next year.

The 290,000-square-foot, 3-story factory — about as much space as a Walmart Supercenter — would include 80,000 square feet for startups; short-term, co-living space for start-up visitors; 189 mixed-income apartments; restaurants and a beer garden.

A significant boost could come to the district if the city is successful in vying for up to $50 million in grants over five years from the state’s “Innovation Corridor” program, launched in October. The program is part of Gov. Ned Lamont’s broader, “economic action” program to spur the state’s economy, add jobs and revitalize cities.

The Innovation Corridor program stipulates that its funding contribute no more than 20% to a project, ensuring that there is strong financial commitment from other sources. The requirement seeks to make sure projects are economically viable.

Martin Guay, vice president of development at New Britain-based Stanley Black & Decker, said it is logical for Hartford to focus on manufacturing because of its roots in the industry.

But it also makes sense, Guay said, because New Haven has carved out life sciences and Stamford is focusing on digital.

Stanley Black & Decker, the tool and equipment storage giant, has partnered with the city of Hartford on the creation of the Parkville innovation district and is also a prominent corporate leader statewide in encouraging the growth of businesses that could result in more jobs.

“What the city gets — and the neighborhood — are projects that are invested in the city,” Guay said. “Because ultimately, the people of the city need to win for the strategy to be viable. And the way they win are permanent, good-paying jobs and benefits that are created over time.”

Stanley would likely benefit from working with the start-ups in the new district. The company has shown a willingness to collaborate with other companies. Its decision to hire HCL Technologies to handle its IT led to HCL establishing a presence in downtown Hartford with the promise of 200 jobs for the city.

Stanley Black & Decker had already taken a strong interest in Hartford. The manufacturer has established an advance manufacturing accelerator downtown and recently took the first steps in helping finance downtown apartment development. Parkville is especially suited to an innovation district, proponents say, because it has the buildings, though some are vacant, others blighted. It also is close to amenities such as the Parkville Market, which is expanding, and a CTfastrak bus station. The area also is located in an Opportunity Zone.

Obtaining financing through tax credits, the Capital Region Development Authority, private lenders and other sources still will certainly present a hefty hurdle to clear. CRDA funding, for instance, through the State Bond Commission has slowed as Lamont has pulled back on borrowing through the sale of bonds.

The effort also will require more developers getting involved to diversify the sources of investment.

But Guay said he is optimistic that the first signs of redevelopment could come next year, with the district unfolding over the next five to seven years.

While an overall strategy for redevelopment is crucial, it will be equally important to just get a few projects off the ground to create a buzz.

“We need to hit singles and doubles before we hit the grand slam,” said Peter Denious, chief executive of AdvanceCT, a private, nonprofit that seeks to foster business development in the state. “Let’s agree on step one, use that as the ‘Hey, look, this is happening. This is real’ and build that and get it done. Then this begins to take on a life of its own.”

Building momentum

For years, Parkville has been a rising star for arts and culture in Hartford.

Real Art Ways, the contemporary arts center on Arbor Street, has been in the neighborhood since 1989 and two weeks ago announced a $15 million expansion.

While the Parkville Market has grabbed a lot of attention in the past year and is now planning an expansion, the Hog River Brewery and the Know Good Market, a monthly food festival, have been staples.

The neighborhood certainly has been on the radar. Last year, the “Parkville Arts and Innovation District” was listed as one of 10 projects that could transform the city by the time Hartford reaches its 400th anniversary in 2035.

The start of a new wave of innovation gained early momentum as reSET, a business incubator and accelerator, took space in 2015 in the redeveloped Hartford Rubber Works building at the corner of Bartholomew Avenue and Park Street.

Sarah Bodley, reSET’s executive director, said she expects the concentration of innovation and start-ups broadly in Parkville will accelerate the momentum.

“One thing that is really unique about co-working and the accelerator model, you get to build that energy when you are in a group of entrepreneurs who are all tackling big, hairy problems together,” Bodley said.

Parkville Market offers a model for start-ups experimenting with new ideas or expansion to a second location, said Michael W. Freimuth, CRDA’s executive director.

There isn’t the barrier of a big investment up front or signing of a long-term lease, Freimuth said.

Hartford’s Real Art Ways plans nearly $15 million expansion, biggest in history of the arts organization »

“If someone fails, it’s part of the system,” Freimuth said. “So, you want to nurture that concept for the neighborhood. So that’s what’s going on here. Stanley may be doing it in manufacturing, and the Parkville Market in the food industry.”

“Others will try in other technologies. Maybe some service businesses will come out of it. That’s what rebuilds the economy. That’s getting back down to the nuts and bolts of it, and that’s what exciting about Parkville.”

Space to grow

On a recent morning, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin walked along Bartholomew Avenue, talking about how the street could form the “spine” of the innovation initiative.

Parkville Market sits at one end of Bartholomew and, at the other end, the 34-acre, former scrap metal junkyard just taken over by the city. On the quarter-mile in between are buildings — including Mouta’s factory building — that could be part of the new district.

As he walks, Bronin points to a parking lot just past the corner of Bartholomew and Park, with an old factory boiler building to the rear bearing the name of the long-gone Spaghetti Warehouse restaurant.

The parking lot, also owned by Mouta, would be ideal for a 350-space parking garage “wrapped” with apartments and storefront space, Bronin said. The boiler building could become part of the project with more residential rentals, he said.

“There is a need for parking in this neighborhood,” Bronin said. “You know that if you come to Parkville Market at lunch or dinner time. But like we’re trying to elsewhere in the city, we’re hopeful that structured parking could open up other development opportunities.”

All together, the three components could cost more than $50 million, according to preliminary estimates.

Bronin said the area also offers the rare opportunity for start-up space to be next to the 34-acre tract that would be appropriate for larger scale development, while, at the same time, creating places for people to live.

“There is the space to do those side-by-side here in a way there isn’t anywhere else in the city,” Bronin said.

Bronin said he doesn’t see gentrification as an overriding concern in Parkville because so many buildings are vacant, so residents won’t be displaced.

“It helps lift up the neighborhood, and if we are successful, it creates not just a vibrant neighborhood where people can live and play but also a neighborhood where they can work,” Bronin said.

Other opportunities also exist: a closer integration with the adjoining West Hartford neighborhood, little more than a block away; and an extension of Bartholomew all the way to Flatbush Avenue and a quick entrance to I-91, long sought by the neighborhood.

Buildings now occupied by other companies also could well figure into the district in the future.

For example, Champlin Packrite, a packaging company at 81 Bartholomew, had discussed a sale of its 80,000-square-foot building to Real Art Ways several years ago. But RAW decided to buy the building it had leased on Arbor Street as part of its recently-announced expansion.

But Rory Poole, Champlin’s chief executive, said the company still is looking to consolidate and expand its plant in Manchester. The building, which once housed steel-tube manufacturing for Columbia bicycles, has been occupied by Champlin since 1931.

Of a potential sale, Poole said, “I think it will be coming somewhat soon.”

Leasing start-ups

At the former Whitney factory, Mouta hopes to lease start-ups with space between 2,000 to 3,000 square feet, with his thought being that as companies grow they will stay in the city, perhaps moving to new, larger space on the nearby 34 acres.

Mouta said he expects to start conversion of the factory building early next year, with redevelopment spread out over two or three years. The creation of the startup space is the first priority, Mouta said.

He is still lining up financing but Mouta said he believes he is close to winning up to $30 million in tax credits. Mouta expects bank financing will be $28 million to $30 million.

Along with startups and new neighborhood residents, he sees cultural diversity among shop owners and restaurateurs as key to revitalization.

Mouta immigrated with his family to Hartford from Mozambique in 1975 and grew up in Parkville. Mouta says he’s come up against plenty of naysayers on his projects in Parkville, where he has concentrated building efforts since the late 1980s. But he said he’s proven them wrong and the push for the innovation district is the latest evidence.

“I’m happy that Parkville finally — finally — is getting what it deserves,” Mouta said, “meaning that I’ve only been doing this in this neighborhood since 1989.”

Master plan finds six Stamford schools in ‘poor’ condition as district considers which buildings to fix first

Ignacio Laguarda

STAMFORD — Stamford school and city officials have waited for months to see the results of a master plan they say they hope will help them decide which of the district’s 21 schools to rebuild.

Recently, they got their first taste of those findings.

During a roughly 40-minute presentation by contractor SLAM Collaborative to the city’s Long Term Facilities Committee, members were given a look at which buildings need to be fixed soonest — and a plan to change the makeup of the district to include either K-5 or K-8 schools to better fit children to classroom seats.

The contractor first displayed a list of all of the city’s school buildings defined by their condition, from poorest to best.

At the top of the list was Roxbury Elementary School, which the city had already identified as one of five schools most in need of demolition. It received a score of “poor” from SLAM.

Next on the list were Newfield Elementary School, Northeast Elementary School and Turn of River Middle School, all also listed as poor.

The final two schools to receive the same grade were Stamford High School and Toquam Magnet Elementary School.

Toquam had also been identified by the school district as one of five schools to demolish and replace. The other three on the district’s initial list were Cloonan Middle School, Hart Elementary School and Westhill High School.

Westhill was not included in SLAM’s list since a project to demolish and rebuild the school on the same site is currently before the state for approval, and an assessment of the building by a different firm was completed in that process, the committee was told.

On the upside, two schools were listed by SLAM as “very good:” the recently built Strawberry Hill School and Westover Magnet Elementary School.

Westover has battled a longstanding moisture problem that has allowed mold to grow. It was shuttered in 2018 because of a mold infestation, and students and staff were moved to a temporary location. The school didn’t reopen until 2020.

Outdoor air dehumidifier units were recently installed at Westover, which officials said they hope will solve the mold problem.

Listed in the “good” category were three schools: Rogers International School, Scofield Magnet Elementary School and the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering.

Representatives from SLAM said the list was derived from the overall cost per square foot to address deficiencies in the buildings, including problems with the structure itself, the interior, inside architecture, electrical and mechanical equipment and plumbing.

However, the contractors did not go so far as to recommend any of the structures be torn down.

In the case of Stamford High, architect Kemp Morhardt said as long as the city funds capital improvement projects at the school over the next 10 years, and the project to rebuild Westhill goes forward, that would satisfy the needs of the city’s high schools.

The elementary and middle school picture is another story, however

Kemp said SLAM is analyzing both a K-5 and K-8 model to address some of the building deficiencies.

Both would likely involve redistriFincting based on geography and population, as well as a strategy described by Kemp as “newer and fewer.”

In the K-5 model, he mentioned the idea of adding new structures in high density areas, while the K-8 model could include new schools in the north, south and central parts of the city.

“We understand there is limited real estate south of (Interstate) 95. However that is where the greatest density of students reside,” he said. “That’s a little bit of a quandary that we’re working on.”

The district would have to move on from some current school buildings, he said.

“There may be some retirement of facilities,” Kemp said. “The question is: which ones?”

The presentation by SLAM also included an analysis of the district’s projected enrollment.

The number of students in the school system has dropped the last two years, and SLAM representatives said they expect that the current enrollment will stay relatively steady, with a slight drop-off, for the next 10 years.

Mike Zuba, director of public education master planning for SLAM, said that while the overall population of Stamford is rising, making it the second most populous city in the state, the school population isn’t growing.

“We found that all those new housing developments aren’t generating a ton of students,” Zuba said. “So even though we’re seeing growth in the population, we’re not seeing growth in the student population for Stamford Public Schools.”

He said one possible explanation is that many students are attending private schools, either in Stamford or elsewhere.

Part of the presentation also included an analysis of how many empty chairs there were across the district, taking into account the maximum allowed per the teacher union contract. According to the current contract between the school district and the Stamford Education Association, the maximum number of students allowed in grades K-5 is 25; in the secondary grades, it is 30.

The analysis found 1,348 seats available in elementary schools, or 3.3 per class. At the middle school level, they found an average of 2.2 seats per class, and at the high schools, 1.6 seats per class.

SLAM is expected to submit its final master plan report to the city in February.

Danbury seeking community input on topics including development, transportation

Dan Brechlin

DANBURY — City officials are looking for the public’s input as they continue to process of shaping plans over the next 10 years.

The city is holding an in-person workshop Thursday and is seeking residents’ feedback. The meeting is part of the city’s Plan of Conservation and Development planning process. Municipalities across the state are required to update their POCD every 10 years and use it to shape the future of the city.

The meeting will be held Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Palace Theater, 165 Main St. Residents can weigh in on topics including housing, economic development, open space and environmental resources, transportation and infrastructure and more.

The city’s POCD was last updated in 2013.

Face masks are required to attend the event. Those unable to attend in-person can attend an online workshop Thursday, Dec. 9 at www.bit.ly/3mMNt4J.

Developer Avner Krohn breathes new life into downtown New Britain

Terry Corcoran

Developer Avner Krohn’s relationship with New Britain began about 15 years ago when he first saw the Andrews Building at 136 Main St.

“The building had been gutted probably less than 20 years prior but it just wasn’t run well,” Krohn said.

Today, the Andrews Building is a mix of retail on the lower floors and luxury apartments above after Krohn’s company, Jasko Development, renovated it. Other downtown New Britain buildings Jasko resurrected include the Rao and Raphael buildings, each now a mix of retail and residential.

As Krohn, 40, embarks on his biggest New Britain project — a $14 million, luxury 107-unit apartment building at Main and Bank streets dubbed The Brit — he says his work in the Hardware City is far from done.

“I think New Britain can handle many hundreds of market-rate apartments downtown if you build with the right mixed use, with retail on the ground floor,” Krohn said. “I think smaller projects will come into play on the side streets once you get the vibrancy that’s necessary downtown.”

The Brit

The Brit, Krohn’s fifth project in downtown New Britain, will have that mix of ground-floor retail, including a restaurant, and apartments above. He envisions attracting young professionals who can commute to Hartford from the CTfastrak bus station one block away.

“New Britain is blessed and lucky to have access points right into the downtown — Routes 72 and 9 and the proximity to I-84,” he said.

Krohn, who’s been in the development business about 17 years, said his philosophy with a project like The Brit is to create a lifestyle for his tenants.

“You’re building a community. You’re creating interaction among the tenants,” he said. “People are not just looking at coming home from work and putting their head down for the night. They may be working from home a few days a week. That’s why we’re going to have an outdoor area that’s going to be landscaped and have grills. We’ll have a pet spa.”

New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, who described Krohn as an involved partner of the city, said she has high hopes for The Brit’s ability to draw in younger professionals.

“Attracting more young professionals to New Britain would positively impact our local economy, increase participation in community organizations and cultural events, as well as elevate New Britain’s reputation as a thriving city with a bright future,” Stewart said. “We believe the young professionals who move here will fall in love with their new city and make long-term commitments themselves.”

Actively committed

Krohn said Jasko’s philosophy is to adapt each project to the setting. For example, he and Brian Zelman of Zelman Real Estate partnered on The Residences at Wash Brook in Bloomfield, which will have no retail.

Instead, the project with 111 apartments in a four-story building just under 135,000 square feet will focus on nature, occupying five acres of a 17-acre parcel with the rest placed in a conservation easement.

“The entire goal is to tailor a development to the specific area where it’s located,” Krohn said. “From a design aspect, from an architectural aspect, from an engineering aspect, we look at the neighborhood, the setting and make sure it fits. Every setting we’re building in has its own vibe, its own look, its own creative aspect.”

Krohn sees New Britain as a partner in his project and said he works closely with Mayor Stewart and her staff.

“We’re looking at it as a blank canvas and we’re saying, ‘How do we create the new New Britain?’ I’m thinking about, ‘How do I make this city a better place?’ Mayor Stewart and city officials understand it’s a long-term vision. As a developer, you want to piggyback on the fact that you have a mayor and officials who understand your vision.”

Stewart said Krohn’s work on the Rao, Andrews and Raphael buildings represent the first major investments in downtown by a private developer in decades.

“Many developers just renovate or develop a property and then leave, but Avner has been actively committed to the city of New Britain for over a decade,” she said.

Tax breaks

The city has provided Jasko with tax breaks and other incentives.

“Most towns in the state — definitely Hartford County — work to provide incentives to developers,” Krohn said. “A lot of these projects would make no economic sense if you didn’t have either a [payment in lieu of taxes] program, or a tax-fix structure, or an abatement.”

Stewart said the tax incentives aid the developer and, in turn, tenants through lower rents. Eventually, tax deals help grow the grand list over time while also improving the neighborhood, she added.

Krohn said Jasko’s advantage is its ability to take on and complete many projects.

“We have our own construction team and in-house construction management, so all our projects — the year or two years of pre-construction — are done in-house by our team,” he said. “It makes a big difference with quality and understanding how to maneuver.”

He also said that model helps with project financing because his company has a track record of successful projects.

Krohn said Jasko employs a combination of financing, including investors, for his multimillion-dollar developments.

“But once we get to a certain point on a project, we’re going the traditional lending route. We have great relationships with lenders,” he said.

Dream career

It seems Krohn was always destined to be an entrepreneur. As a child growing up in Rockland County, N.Y., he started mowing lawns at age 10 and grew that into a landscaping business he sold at age 17.

He then spent four years in Israel, studying and playing drums professionally, coming home each summer to study finance and real estate. He said his parents supported him in pursuing his dream of a career in development and real estate.

Today, Krohn is a married family man living on Long Island, spending the occasional night in Connecticut for business.

Other projects Jasko is currently involved with include a proposed 360-unit apartment at the former Showcase Cinemas in East Hartford, a commercial project in West Hartford Center, a 200,000-square-foot retail project in North Carolina and medical buildings in Massachusetts.

Despite his full agenda, Krohn said his work is much more than a job.

“There’s never a boring moment or hour. No matter how long you’re in the business, it’s always changing,” he said. “It’s the creative aspect of looking at something that may be desolate or blighted, then bringing it, and the area around it, back to life. And when I drive by a completed project at night and see the lights on — nothing is more gratifying.”

CT Construction Digest Tuesday November 23, 2021

Pratt & Whitney reaches agreement to sell 300-acre former airfield near Rentschler Field

Zachary Vasile

East Hartford jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney announced Monday that it has reached an agreement to sell its 300-acre former airfield to a Massachusetts-based development and investment firm, which plans to use the site for unspecified commercial development.

In a statement, the manufacturer, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, said the land, known as Rentschler Field, will come under the control of National Development, which has its headquarters in Newton Lower Falls, just west of Boston.

A purchase price was not disclosed.

Commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE, which was involved in facilitating the deal, said the property includes more than 280 developable acres, making it perhaps the largest development site available between New York City and Boston.

The site was marketed as a potential logistics hub, given the significant demand for new warehouse space in Greater Hartford. It’s the same site where a developer previously pursued construction of a $105 million, 70-store shopping outlet center for about five years before abandoning the project in 2018.

“This brings tremendous opportunity for economic development to Rentschler Field, which could have a very positive impact on the overall Greater Hartford area,” said Shane Eddy, senior vice president and chief operations officer at Pratt & Whitney. “With neighbors like Pratt & Whitney, Cabela’s and UConn football, the site offers an attractive place to do business with incredible access to major highways as well as the estimable talent available in the region’s job market. We are pleased with the work CBRE has been able to do and look forward to an exciting next step for this historic piece of property.”

Rentschler Field functioned as a military airfield and then as a private, company-run airport until 1999, when it was formally decommissioned. Part of the property was split off and developed as Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.

“National Development is very enthusiastic about the potential for the next phase of development at Rentschler Field,” said Edward Marsteiner, managing partner at National Development. “The combination of the central location, the immediate highway accessibility and the access to a densely populated labor pool is unparalleled and we are already hard at work evaluating possibilities for the site. We have a long track record of partnering with communities to deliver best-in-class projects, and we look forward to collaborating with local and state agencies to finalize the sale and bring economic development to this currently underutilized parcel.”

CBRE began advertising the land last winter. At the time, Pratt said it wanted to sell the property by September 2021.

Road work: How the state plans to spend billions on infrastructure

PAUL HUGHES 

The big infrastructure bill is directing $1 billion a year in federal funding for road, bridge, rail and transportation-related infrastructure projects in Connecticut over the next five years.

In anticipation of its long-awaited passage, officials at the state Department of Transportation have been pouring over near- and long-term capital plans for months reassessing project listings and prospective timetables.

The DOT staff is weighing what projects slated in the current five-year capital plan could be expedited, and what projects in the long-range transportation plan could be moved forward in the planning, design and construction stages.

“We are working on it. Stay tuned. You’ll see the timetable,” Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said.

Connecticut is scheduled to receive nearly $5.4 billion in direct funding from the infrastructure act over the next five years. It a more than $1.6 billion increase over the most recent transportation bill enacted in 2015.

“Look, we’re going to get well over $1 billion a year. It is going to be transformative for our state,” Gov. Ned Lamont said.

The state is getting $3.3 billion to tackle major corridor congestion and safety, accelerate construction projects, and increase safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, another $1.3 billion to enhance bus and rail public transit, and $561 million to bring aging bridges into a state of good repair.

In addition, the state will be eligible to compete for $30 billion in grant funding for improving rail service in the Northeast Corridor and another $100 billion in other transportation grant funding. Lamont and DOT officials are confident Connecticut will be able to get its share of these competitive grants.

THE MIXMASTER REHABILITATION is the biggest ongoing transportation project in Greater Waterbury, and the now $212 million project is expected to extend the service life of the elevated interchange of Interstate 84 and Route 8 for another 25 years.

The latest renovation of the network of bridges and elevated ramps that cross the Naugatuck River is slated to be completed in June 2023, nine months over schedule and $60 million over budget.

A 2018 analysis estimated that another rehabilitation in 2045 despite an estimated cost of $1 billion would not improve how the interchange functions, nor would it extend its life span significantly relative to the cost of a full replacement.

Whether through intensive rehabilitation or replacement, the latest long-term planning program anticipates a phased project progressing from 2020s through the early 2040s.

The federal infrastructure funding coming to Connecticut could help the DOT plan for what comes next with the Mixmaster.

ANOTHER BIG INTERCHANGE PROJECT in the works is the overhaul of the junction of Interstate 91, Interstate 691 and Route 15 in Meriden roughly 20 highway miles from the Mixmaster.

Due to funding constraints, the DOT is planning to split the reconstruction of the I-691 chokepoint into three separate projects. The Lamont administration estimated an overall cost of $265 million to $300 million last year. The plans under development involve widening I-91, relocating connections to I-91 and Route 15, and widening and replacing ramps.

Construction on the first the three projects was tentatively scheduled to start in the fall of 2022, but a revised schedule now anticipates the contract going out to bid in late 2024.

The DOT’s latest five-year capital plan included project listings for the overall project totaling $229.4 million, with a state share of $198.4 million and a federal share of only $31 million.

SMALLER SCALE PROJECTS on the DOT’s to-do list that are important locally are also dependent on the availability federal funding, including another interchange project to the west of the massive Mixmaster rehab.

The DOT has planned a $29 million reconstruction of the interchange of Route 63, Route 64 and I-84 on the Waterbury-Middlebury line. The latest five-year capital plan anticipates $23.2 million in federal funding and $5.8 million in state funding.

The project will involve widening sections of Routes 63 and 64, constructing a new roadway to connect Chase Parkway with Route 63 and a multiuse trail to connect the Middlebury Greenway, widening an I-84 off-ramp to Chase Parkway, and altering and adding traffic lights. There is also a new commuter parking lot planned,

The DOT is now scheduled to advertise the contract in September 2022. Initially, construction was anticipated to begin in the spring of 2022. Construction is expected to take three years, but the start of work depends availability of funding, acquisition of rights of way, and approval of permits.

CLOSE TO 250 CONNECTICUT BRIDGES were rated in poor condition in the Federal Highway Administration’s most recently released report in 2020

The list of structurally deficient bridges includes some the state’s largest and most heavily traveled spans such as the Gold Star Bridge that carries Interstate 95 and Route 1 over the Thames River between Groton and New London.

There is also state bridge No. 06129, a two-lane, 110-foot bridge that supports Napco Drive over the Pequabuck River in Plymouth. After 40 years since its last rehabilitation, the twin asphalt-coated metal pipe arches carrying the bridge have seriously deteriorated.

DOT is estimating a construction cost of $2.7 million to replace the metal pipe arches with a precast box culvert, reconstruct headwalls, wingwalls and cutoff walls at the inlet and outlet, and reduce its length to 100 feet to re-establish the natural stream channel and to minimize cost.

Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2024, and the DOT expects the proposed rehabilitation to be accomplished during one construction season. Again, the timetable depends on the availability of funding, acquisition of rights of way, and approval of permits.

This project also anticipates federal government will cover 80% of the cost and the state will pick up the other 20%.

THE ONLY COMMUTER RAIL LINE serving the Naugatuck Valley could also see additional improvements as a result of the infrastructure bill.

The state is wrapping up a $116-million upgrade to the single-track Waterbury branch of the Metro-North Railroad that will allow trains to pass in both directions. Three new passings will make two-way service possible in mid-2022. The project also involved signalization upgrades and the installation of a positive train control system that automatically reduces train speeds when needed.

The DOT is using a combination of federal and state funding to add five new trains on the Waterbury line, increasing the number of daily trips from 15 to 22

Now, the state is going to receive $1.3 billion to enhance commuter rail and bus service, and local officials up and down the approximately 28-mile spur connecting Waterbury to Milford are envisioning even more upgrades, including new train platforms and additional train stations, and even the construction of a second rail line.

State legislators in the bipartisan Waterbury Line Caucus have already pitched the governor’s office for funding support. Another bipartisan group of state legislators in Western Connecticut just renewed a funding request for electrifying the existing Danbury branch line between the South Norwalk and Danbury stations and extending passenger rail service from Danbury to New Milford.

The public contractors poised to benefit most from infrastructure funding

Leslie Shaver

The morning after the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill passed the House of Representatives earlier this month, dozens of stocks tied to construction experienced a boost, with some funds even passing record highs, according to CNBC.

The package, which President Joe Biden signed into law Nov. 16, pays for power, broadband and water infrastructure, among other things, and promises to boost construction firms public and private from around the country for years to come.

"I think this is going to be a rising tide for most construction firms that are involved in various flavors of infrastructure," said Matt Arnold, senior equity analyst for St. Louis-based financial services firm Edward Jones. "But given the breadth and the sheer size of this bill, it's going to be an environment where it would be hard to picture your average construction company not finding some opportunity coming their way."

But some engineering and construction companies will benefit more than others. Construction Dive spoke with several stock market analysts to determine which public companies stand to gain the most from the spending measure. Here is a rundown of the biggest winners as well as the challenges on the horizon:

AECOM. Nearly every analyst mentioned Dallas-based AECOM as a clear winner when it comes to infrastructure projects, and optimism about the spending package is already permeating throughout the large public contractor. During its recent fourth-quarter earnings conference, CEO Troy Rudd said the legislation would provide much-needed, long-term funding certainty across the company's strongest markets, such as transit modernization, electrification, environmental remediation and climate resilience.

"Importantly, we are positioned to benefit from nearly every line item in this bill," Rudd said. "We anticipate this funding will increase our addressable market and our most profitable business by double digits over the coming years, and we expect the most meaningful benefits in fiscal 2023 and beyond."

AECOM gains 35% of its revenues from transportation and 28% from environment and water end markets, according to Krzysztof Smalec, an equity analyst on the industrials team for Chicago-based financial services firm Morningstar. "If you look at a company like AECOM, almost two-thirds of their revenue is very well aligned with the [infrastructure] spending," he said

Jacobs. Other industry analysts also placed AECOM in the winner's category, but the construction behemoth wasn't alone. Dallas-based technical, professional and construction services firm Jacobs Engineering Group also stands to benefit.

"If you look at the overall bill, I would say that the two companies that are the best positioned are AECOM and Jacobs," Arnold said. "They both have a very strong competitive position, particularly in the transportation, water and environmental markets."

Smalec agrees. He said 17% of Jacobs' revenue comes from transportation work, 12% are in water projects and 6% are in the environmental space. "Those are some areas where I think they can really see some upside," he said.

Fluor. While Smalec also thinks Irving, Texas-based engineering and construction company Fluor should benefit because of its strong position in transportation, including the highways and bridges space, its upside will be limited. 

"Fluor will see less growth just because I don't think they are as broadly exposed to the priorities in the infrastructure bill," Smalec said. "They're a little bit more focused on legacy oil and gas type work."

In the past, Fluor has had issues with cost overruns on fixed-priced projects — something many public firms have dealt with in recent years — which could make the company less aggressive, according to Smalec.

"I think they're going to try to be more conservative,” he said. “They've indicated before that they're going to focus on states where they have a proven track record. So I think a company like Fluor will likely be more selective with pursuing opportunities to make sure that they're not just chasing revenue, but that they're also keeping in mind margins."

Sterling/Tetra Tech. Outside of the overall boost that massive national companies like AECOM and Jacobs will enjoy, other companies will benefit from certain pockets of spending. Sean Eastman, equity research analyst at Cleveland-based corporate and investment bank KeyBanc Capital Markets, expects the 30% increase in baseline transportation funding to boost Houston-based heavy civil construction company Sterling Construction Co. and the $55 billion investment in water infrastructure to help Pasadena, California-based consulting and engineering services firm Tetra Tech.

Other beneficiaries. With $65 billion in funding slated for rural broadband and electric grid modernization, Eastman said companies in that sector as also poised to benefit. They include:

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-based telecommunications and infrastructure contractor Dycom Industries.

Coral Gables, Florida-based infrastructure engineering and construction firm MasTec.

Henderson, Colorado-based holding company of specialty electrical construction service providers MYR Group.

Houston-based infrastructure services provider Quanta Services.

Dallas-based specialty construction and infrastructure firm Primoris Services Corp.

"That [electric grid funding] is an end market that's already got a lot of momentum behind it and this just seems materially additive," Eastman said.

Infrastructure act likely to spur higher construction wages

Zachary Phillips

The good news is that President Joe Biden has signed the long-awaited, $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending package into law. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) represents the largest federal spending in roads and bridges in 70 years.

The bad news — or at very least, the downside to the welcome influx of civil work — is that the bill's passage comes at a time when the industry is already in desperate need of workers. 

Supply for skilled construction workers has not met demand for decades, and now, that demand is going to increase. Among other issues, this will mean that contractors will have to pay their onsite workers more, experts told Construction Dive.

Wage changes

The supply and demand issue will be exacerbated by the influx of infrastructure projects, Joe Natarelli, national leader of Marcum's Construction Services practice, told Construction Dive, and he predicts wages will go up "significantly." Natarelli said he has already spoken to clients who are trying to secure labor to work on their existing projects and to prepare for the deluge of work that's on the horizon.

A report from Marcum shared with Construction Dive shows a breakdown of current hourly wages of carpenters, electricians and heavy equipment operators across 24 states. The highest earners, according to the report, include:

Carpenters in Wisconsin, who earn $30.31 per hour, on average.

Electricians in Massachusetts, who earn $35.18 per hour, on average.

Heavy equipment operators in California, who earn $38.11 per hour, on average.

With the infrastructure spending package, those skilled workers will only become more valuable. Natarelli said current wage rates will be even higher three months from now, as a direct result of the infrastructure bill. 

Tatenda Tazarurwa, director for Turner and Townsend, indicated that wages are changing, but will also be spread out — often skilled workers move to where the work is. Even beyond the infrastructure spending, workers may head to burgeoning markets like Nashville, Tenn. or Austin, Texas.

A major goal of the infrastructure package, which will infuse roughly $550 billion into roads, bridges and other forms of transit, is to create jobs that don't require a college education, Michelle Meisels, a principal in Deloitte Consulting's technology practice, told Construction Dive. 

"It is expected to create increased demand for predominantly low-wage construction jobs and therefore drive up wages," Meisels said.

The infrastructure plan will likely increase earnings and conditions for workers in two ways, said Meisels: first, the bill will likely tighten the labor markets in which contractors operate, and second, there will likely be direct government wage mandates embedded in the bills.

"Contractors need to be cognizant of the fact that the new bill requires the vast majority of construction projects to pay prevailing wages based on an average of the pay scale for local construction work,"  Meisels said. 

The bill also includes stringent provisions that require all federal infrastructure projects to use construction materials largely manufactured in the U.S., which will increase the number of other types of jobs, and therefore, wages, Meisels said.

Wages to increase 'significantly'

The Great Resignation, partially brought on by the pandemic, has only made things more difficult. The mean workforce age in construction has climbed into the 40s as the industry struggles to recruit younger workers, Tazarurwa told Construction Dive. 

Additionally, the pandemic limited the number of migrant workers, as traveling became harder for some and impossible for others.

On the one hand, Tazarurwa said, the shortage could take some time to get over, but on the other, there has been a skilled shortage for decades, and employees are seeing their power increase.

"No time in the past generation or past ages have employees had more power," Tazarurwa said.

An uphill battle

Contractors may have to get creative to secure labor. Natarelli said he's already spoken to clients who are interested in creating joint ventures to secure work. Some companies can secure financing and bonding, but struggle with the labor. Two contractors joining forces can mitigate that, Natarelli told Construction Dive.

Nevertheless, there's a lot of work to be done. The Department of Labor estimates the industry will need to add 747,000 workers by 2026. The key to filling out those jobs? Continuing to elevate recruiting efforts.

"I see the industry really trying to reinvest back into this and reaching out to folks in high school to let them know there are careers here that are really good careers," Natarelli said.