Montville commission approves Gateway Project salt facility plan
Montville — The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a proposed salt storage and distribution facility at a special meeting Tuesday night.
The commission voted 7-0 in favor of the plan at Town Hall;
Commissioners Bruce Duchesneau and Anthony Siragusa were absent. The decision,
with few members of the public in the audience, comes seven weeks after
the commission first heard the preliminary plan for the Gateway Project proposed
on May 24.
"It's a step in the right direction," attorney
Harry Heller, who represents Gateway Montville LLC, said Tuesday. "And
it's an important project for the town, the redevelopment of a major industrial
site."
Town Planner Liz Burdick made a motion to approve the
application so long as a list of 13 conditions was met prior to project's
launch. The conditions include assigning the new street number "131"
on all documents and limiting truck traffic to Depot Road only. The
developer is required to get an approved zoning permit before starting any
work and must pay soil erosion and sediment control fees.
Additionally, the developer will have to install a retaining
wall at 55 Dock Road, use the existing pier for marine vessels and put up
signs. Future activity at the site shall require new review and approval by the
commission and will be required to comply with all local, state or federal
permitting requirements. The memo also noted proposed work on train tracks and
drainage structures, as well as proposed uses for a small structure referred to
as a “guard shack” on the property.
Final plans must be submitted to the Planning Department,
and any signage not shown in the plan would require a separate application. The
zoning enforcement officer would have to inspect soil erosion and sediment
controls at least 24 hours before the start of any work.
Once those conditions are met, work can begin. After
construction has started, any major changes would have to be reviewed and
approved by the planning director or commission. Burdick added that all
comments from the town officials — including the town engineer and Water
Pollution Control Authority — were addressed prior to Tuesday's meeting.
"I would reiterate that this is a use permitted as of
right in the industrial zoning district so the applicant's obligation is to
comply with the site plan requirements under regulations," Heller
said after presenting the plan to the commission.
Gateway Montville LLC of New Haven plans to redevelop two
former industrial sites on 125 Depot Road, 133 Depot Road and 55 Docks
Road, the former locations of AES Thames Cogeneration Facility and
WestRock Papermill and Packaging plant. The facility will use the pier already
in place to receive shipments via barge and the former coal storage area will
be expanded to an approximately 2.3-acre concrete pad that will hold up to
120,000 tons of road salt for sale to municipalities via trucks in southeastern
Connecticut, according to documents submitted to the town.
The new facility will fill the void left in the
absence of DRVN Enterprises, which previously distributed road salt from State
Pier in New London but was forced to leave to make way for an offshore wind-turbine hub.
The first phase of the two-phase Gateway project will
include the concrete storage pad and machinery for use in moving the road salt,
such as conveyers, as well as a temporary ramp providing access to the pier,
scales and a portable building. Water runoff collection and treatment
improvements will be made to protect the Thames River from the excess salt.
Phase 2 of the project will raise the grade of a portion of
the property at 125 Depot Road to 11 feet above mean sea level using fill.
Additionally, the plan includes putting in low-speed railroad tracks used to
load and offload freight cars, construction of a new access driveway at 125
Depot Road, installation of a security fence and stormwater management
improvements, some of which are required due to potential preexisting
contamination in the soil.
F.A. Hesketh & Associates Inc. of East Granby
conducted a traffic impact analysis and projected a typical increase
of 10 trips per hour to and from the site to 25 per hour in the winter, with
occasional pre-storm spikes of up to 65 trips per hour. The report concluded
that the roads have the capacity to handle the increase in traffic.
"You have three significant modes of transportation
that are accessible and immediately available to this site," Heller said
in regards to the nearby interstate, the Thames River and the railway system,
"which lends the site perfectly for an intermodal facility."
Scott F. Hesketh — the author of the original
May 6 traffic report — was on hand to give a detailed presentation of the
study his firm conducted. He was able to answer questions from Commissioner
John Poole regarding the increased levels of traffic and its impact on the
current flow of traffic. Commissioner Chuck Longton was concerned about the
timing of the traffic light on Route 32 and Route 163, though Hesketh assured
him it would not need to be changed. He also was able to clarify the
number of trucks per hour entering the property, clearing up a
misunderstanding by commission Vice Chairman Wills Pike.
David McKay, an engineer with Boundaries LLC who is
responsible for overseeing the project, was also on-hand to answer questions
from the commission. He addressed all concerns regarding the fill needed in
Phase II, among other concerns.
Mark Augur from Gateway assured the commission that the salt
will be the same as the salt Montville currently uses and said the size of the
salt pile will be similar to the one that once sat at State Pier.
Extended stay hotel planned for Route 2 in Pawcatuck
Stonington — The owner of the La Quinta Inn and Suites
hotel on Route 2 in Pawcatuck is now proposing to build an 80-room extended stay
hotel just down the street.
Mystic Sahajanand LLC, whose principal is Mukesh Patel,
appeared Monday before the Architectural Design Review Board for a preliminary
review of its plans for the five-story Extended Stay America hotel on a vacant
8.8-acre site at 321 Liberty St.
It would be located on a lot that borders the Tractor Supply
store to the south. The two businesses would share a driveway.
The Architectural Design Review Board asked Mystic
Sahajanand to rework some of the exterior materials of the hotel and the
return to the board, which then will submit comments to the Planning and
Zoning Commission.
The project also would have to be reviewed by the Board of
Police Commissioners, obtain permission to hook up to the sewer system from the
Water Pollution Control Authority and then receive a special use permit with
the Planning and Zoning Commission, which would hold a public hearing on the application.
Mystic Sahajanand has not yet filed an application for the special use permit.
Extended Stay America is a Charlotte,
N.C.-based firm with 650 locations across the country, according to
its website. Its hotels provide apartment-style units with kitchens for
longer stays.
The 75-room La Quinta, which borders the Tractor Supply
store to the north, opened in 2009. The Tractor Supply store opened
in 2010.
HARTFORD — Two of the four developers submitting visions for
a major redevelopment near the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford on
the largest of a jumble of parking lots have built a total of hundreds of
apartments in the downtown area in the last decade.
The two developers are Spinnaker Real Estate Partners LLC of
Norwalk and Spectra Construction and Development of New York, associated with
Wonder Works Construction Corp., the Capital Region Development Authority said Tuesday.
The field of developers is rounded out by Lennar Multifamily
Communities (LMC) of Charlotte, North Carolina, which has an office in Stamford
and its architect has worked on the North Crossing project near Dunkin’ Donuts
Park; and Michaels Organization of New Jersey, which has an office in Boston,
CRDA said.
Michael W. Freimuth, CRDA’s executive director, said the
plans submitted by the four developers for the 3-acre lot just east of the
renovated State Office Building at 165 Capitol Ave, would cost an average of
$110 million to build.
The lot is part of the larger, Bushnell South redevelopment
that could eventually have as many as 1,200 residential units — both rented and
owned — restaurant, shops and entertainment venues.
The 3 acres is part of a larger swath of parking lots — both
state- and privately-owned — and would include a broad, pedestrian promenade
with restaurants and space for outdoor events. The promenade would be between a
new park adjacent to the State Office Building and a block of apartments and
townhouses.
Freimuth said he could not give specific details about each
proposal because the quasi-public agency is still reviewing the proposals.
Freimuth did say they are all consistent with a consultant’s
vision outlined last year. The focus of the review now underway is to find a
partner that can be flexible as the development unfolds, particularly if market
conditions change, rather than the project details, he said.
CRDA hopes to have a preferred developer selected this fall,
Freimuth said.
Spinnaker Real Estate Partners LLC of Norwalk is already a
partner in the Bushnell South redevelopment area with a $63 million conversion
of the historic, 55 Elm St. into apartments. Spinnaker also has plans for new
buildings on parking lots surrounding 55 Elm that are diagonally across from
the 3-acre parking lot.
Spinnaker also is completing the $26 million apartment
project at Park and Main streets.
Wonder Works Construction Corp of New York, a partner in the
development of 560 rentals in the city beginning with the old Sonesta Hotel on
Constitution Plaza in 2011. Wonder Works is now embarking on mixed-use
conversions of downtown’s Pearl Street firehouse and the former municipal
office building on Main Street across from city hall.
Lennar Communities is a developer of mixed-used properties
across 19 states, including Connecticut, according to its website. In
Connecticut, Lennar expects to complete a mixed-use, apartment high-rise in
downtown Stamford for occupancy this winter.
The Michaels Organization is a developer of mixed-use
projects in 35 states, including Connecticut, and the District of Columbia. In
Connecticut, Michaels has developed 6 Solomon’s Crossing in New Haven and 11
Crown Street in Meriden.
Some downtown housing developers, including Martin J. Kenny,
have been wary of adding another major housing project like Bushnell South
before it’s clear how quickly new apartments at North Crossing and along Pratt
Street are leased. Kenny is part of the Pratt Street project.
Freimuth said he disagrees.
“You don’t hit a button and development happens,” Freimuth
said. “Development is an 18, 24, 36 month process. Realistically for us to get
something done and get it launched, we need to start. It’s conceivable that we
are 2, 3 years out from brick and mortar.”
Freimuth said the rental market in and around downtown has
shown, so far, that it can lease new apartments. CRDA is keeping a close watch
on leasing trends and projects could be slowed or quickened depending on those
trends.
“This land has been laying fallow for 50 years,” Freimuth
said. “Why do we have to keep on waiting?”
Dodge construction index rebuffs recession fears, hits 14-year high
The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI)
inched up 0.3% in June to hit a 14-year high for the benchmark that measures
nonresidential building planning.
Manufacturing construction starts led the group and reached
a record $41.6 billion over the last 12 months ending May 2022. That’s 161%
more than the 12 months ending May 2021, according to Dodge data.
This peak is largely due to U.S. onshoring efforts, as more
American companies move their manufacturing facilities back to the U.S.
Though the slight increase wasn’t dramatic, Dodge chief
economist Richard Branch said it’s another data point that shows a sign of
strength in the construction industry.
A total of 27 projects with a value of $100 million or more
entered planning in June, according to the release. Year-over-year, the DMI was
9% higher than in June 2021. The commercial component was 11% higher, while the
institutional component was 5% higher than one year ago.
Branch added, however, this positive sentiment will soon
come under fire, especially as the Federal Reserve’s tightening policy to fight
inflation has increased the possibility of driving
the economy into recession either later this year or at some point in
2023.
“A new cyclical high in the Momentum Index is a sign that
developers feel that projects
still have hope of moving forward, despite concerns of an impending
economic slowdown,” said Branch in the Dodge press release. “However, this
sentiment will be tested in the months to come as higher interest rates eat
away at business and consumer
confidence.”
Associated General Contractors of America reported
a drop in nonresidential projects in May, a third consecutive month of
decline. Total nonresidential spending fell 0.6% to $832.5 billion, though it
was still up 1% in the last year.
But the jump in the DMI, which leads construction spending
for nonresidential buildings by a full year, is largely due to efforts from
American companies to bring manufacturing
facilities back to the U.S. That includes projects related to electric
vehicle factories, chip plants and food related production facilities.
Major
manufacturing hubs include the West and South regions, namely states
such as Arizona, and Texas, according to Dodge. Major projects include the
$9.98 billion Intel chip factory and the $5.98 billion Taiwan Semiconductor
factory, both in Arizona.
Dodge forecasts South manufacturing starts to reach $12.82
billion in 2022, a 3% increase from a year ago. In the West region, Dodge
expects manufacturing starts to reach $14.39 billion in 2022,
about a 47% increase from a year ago.
Gilbane sees slivers of hope for material, supply chain woes
There may be a sliver of good news for contractors as supply
chain woes, material price escalations and long lead times for key construction
components have begun to improve.
Jay Pendergrass, director of supply chain management and
equipment at top 11 contractor Gilbane, issued some upbeat notes in his latest
Market Conditions Report looking ahead to the second half of 2022.
“We have seen measures of supplier performance, delivery
times, backlogs and shortages are showing some improvement,” Pendergrass
wrote in a report issued July 6, highlighting a softening of commodity
prices, including for copper, steel and lumber.
Dive Insight:
While not universally positive, Pendergrass’s outlook for 2H
2022 pointed to key areas displaying better conditions for contractors.
“As we move into the back half of 2022, tighter financial
markets, slower growth and a continued improvement of supply bottlenecks could
lead to a further retreat in commodity prices and an easing in goods price
inflation for many equipment and materials,” Pendergrass wrote. “The rate of
increase for commodities is slowing and may be peaking in some commodities as
we move to the back half of 2022.”
Pendergrass’s outlook comes as the Federal Reserve has
promised to raise interest rates even more, on top of the total 1.5 percentage
point increase it’s already instituted this year. It’s set to announce its next
rate decision July 27.
Meanwhile, some market observers and economists have argued
that inflation
has already peaked, due to demand softening and some supply side issues
being straightened out.
Pendergrass’s market measures provided at least some more
data points to support that perspective.
For instance, while deliveries are still delayed across the
board, prices have stabilized for copper, glass, steel and stainless steel pipe
and fittings. Inventories of plumbing fixtures, notoriously difficult to
procure earlier in the pandemic, have also improved.
Q2 2022 Building Materials Update
|
Material |
Price |
Inventories |
Deliveries |
|
Copper |
Stabilizing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
Drywall |
Increasing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
Electrical
Equipment |
Increasing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
Glass |
Stabilizing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
HVAC
Equipment |
Increasing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
Plumbing Fixtures |
Increasing |
Stabilizing |
Delayed |
|
PVC |
Increasing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
Steel |
Stabilizing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
Stainless
Steel Pipe & Fittings |
Stabilizing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
|
Transportation/Shipping/Freight |
Increasing |
Contracting |
Delayed |
SOURCE: Manufacturing & Services PMI Institute for
Supply Management Gilbane Supplier Network
At the same time, he noted there were still plenty of
headwinds hitting the construction market. Major electrical and mechanical
equipment, curtainwall and roofing materials still show lead times of more than
six months, for instance.
Material Lead Times
|
Material |
Lead Time (Months) |
|
Major
Electrical Equipment |
10-18+ |
|
Curtainwall |
9-12 |
|
Major
Mechanical Equipment |
8-10 |
|
Generators |
8-12 |
|
Roofing |
6-9 |
|
International Fabricated Millwork |
6+ |
|
Small
Electrical Equipment |
5-7 |
|
Small Mechanical Equipment |
4-7 |
|
Food
Service Equipment |
4-7 |
|
Elevators |
4-6 |
|
Fire
Pumps |
4-6 |
|
Entertainment/Recreation Equipment |
3-5 |
|
Steel |
3-5 |
|
Metal Panels |
3-4 |
|
Specialty
Door Hardware |
3-4 |
|
Lockers |
3-4 |
|
Plumbing
Specialties |
3-4 |
|
Imported Tile and Stone |
3 |
|
Ceiling
Baffles |
3 |
SOURCE: Gilbane
The war in Ukraine has also intensified shortages of oil,
natural gas, fertilizer, aluminum, palladium and titanium. And the impacts of
COVID-19 lockdowns in Asia during the first half of 2022 will still play out
during the last six months of the year.
Meanwhile, surging demand in the U.S. has led to contractors
having to pay workers more.
“Rising inflation poses an additional risk, especially
to labor costs where workers have the upper hand in negotiating their
position during the balance of 2022,” Pendergrass wrote.
Ridgefield’s Main Street project continues on schedule, night work begins
RIDGEFIELD — The second phase of the realignment
of Main Street is progressing well, according to the town.
Work continues without delays at the CVS parking lot near
the Main and Prospect streets intersection. During the week of July 11,
Richards Construction will dig three test pits along Main Street for fire
hydrant relocation and verification of existing water main conditions.
This work will begin at 7 p.m. in the following locations:
1) the entrance to the CVS parking lot, 2) the intersection
of Catoonah and Main Street, and 3) the intersection of Bailey and Main Street.
There will be no significant traffic disruption due to this
necessary work, according to the town.
The $4 million project is intended to improve traffic flow
on Main Street.
For more information, refer to the Main Street Project Fact
Sheet at https://www.ridgefieldct.org/office-first-selectman/pages/main-street-project.