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New Haven’s 101 College Street: On time, on budget as Downtown Crossing advances
NEW HAVEN — Just over 13 months after city and state
officials joined developer Carter Winstanley to break
ground on the 10-story, 500,000-square-foot 101 College Street bioscience lab
building, part of the city’s Downtown Crossing project, it’s
on time and on budget, with four stories of steel up so far, officials said
Tuesday.
“This used to be the edge of downtown,” said emcee and city
Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli at a press conference at
the corner of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Temple Street.
At one year into construction, the four-phase project already has generated $4
million in economic activity, much of which has gone to city-based minority
contractors, he said.
It is expected to directly provide 700-1,000 jobs, officials
have said.
“We are witnessing something that is so elusive in today’s
economy, and that is a project that is on schedule and on budget,” said Mayor
Justin Elicker. “... So many members of our team have worked so hard to make
sure that the project stays on schedule.”
Throughout its first year, the 101 College Street project
has employed 65 to 95 people a day, providing the kind of “inclusive growth”
the city needs, Elicker said.
“That, I believe, is what’s going to make us, as a city,
prosperous: inclusive growth,” he said.
More than just a development project, 101 College Street
includes partnerships with the New Haven Public Schools, Southern Connecticut
State University and Gateway Community College to train young people for good
jobs in the bioscience industry, Elicker has said.
Downtown Crossing is a city infrastructure project that will
create a system of urban boulevards on the former Route 34, aka Oak Street
Connector right-of-way. 101 College Street is one of the new buildings being
built within that area, and will be home to Arvinas Pharmaceuticals, the
Alexion division of AstraZeneca, BioLabs and Yale University, among others.
Elicker pointed out that back in the 1950s “there were
hundreds of houses here” that were knocked down to build what ultimately would
be named the Richard C. Lee (Route 34) Connector, which ended up being “a
highway to nowhere.”
“What happened was ill-advised” and is part of what the
current project is trying to fix, he said.
Elicker thanked the state for its support, saying these
kinds of projects “wouldn’t happen without support from the state.”
Alexandra Daum, deputy commissioner of the state Department
of Economic and Community Development — and a New Haven resident — said the 101
College Street project “really is our gold standard ... We’re not just bragging
about it when we’re in New Haven. We’re bragging about it when we’re everywhere
else.
“A years ago when we broke ground, we were willing to make a
bet on this developer, Carter Winstanley, and we were willing to make a bet on
this municipality,” she said.
The fact that the project already is close to fully leased
is proof that it was a good decision, she said.
DECD Commissioner David Lehman said in a release that the
project “is another strong example of Gov. Lamont’s administration commitment
to Connecticut’s cities ... With patience, perseverance and collaboration, we
have solidified New Haven’s standing as the second-largest bioscience hub in
New England.”
Winstanley thanked both the city and the state for their
support and said, “We appreciate the patience of all of the residents and
commuters who have had to thread their ways through the traffic caused by
construction.”
He said the building ultimately will be home to companies
doing extraordinary work “to cure cancer, to cure rare diseases.”
By the end of this year, “the building should be
topped-out,” Winstanley said.
Winstanley was proud of the fact that in addition to the
work that will go on inside 101 College Street, “this building has a public
corridor that runs from one end of the building to the other.” People “will be
able to walk through on their way from the railroad station to downtown.”
Hill Alder Ron Hurt, D-3, who was joined by Hill/City Point
Alder Carmen Rodriguez, D-6, said “one thing we strive to do in the Hill is to
work together” and the 101 College Street building fits right in with that. “We
are better together, and what you see this afternoon is togetherness.”
He pointed out that “in 1937 (the Hill) was redlined ... and
yet here we are, together. With this structure behind us, we worked hard so
that everyone would have the opportunity to work hard ... and have a good job
within the community.”
One way that happened was through the work of Melissa Mason
of New Haven Works, an organization the Board of Alders’ Black & Hispanic
Caucus formed to make sure that New Haveners of color benefit from things such
as downtown construction.
Winstanley is working with New Haven Works on a permanent
jobs pipeline as well as opportunities during construction, officials said.
Mason said New Haven Works was formed after the caucus found
that 18 percent of the city’s Black and hispanic residents were unemployed.
“So far, we’ve placed over 1,800 people in jobs,” Mason
said.
In the case of 101 College Street, New Haven Works
established a partnership agreement that gives preferential consideration in
hiring to residents of the adjacent Hill and Dwight neighborhoods, among
others, and guarantees them interviews if they meet the requirements.
The State Bond Commission is set Friday to borrow $25
million to fund the state’s brownfield remediation grant program, and another
$25 million for a rebooted version of the Small Business Express program.
These are among a laundry list of economic development
initiatives poised to receive tens-of-millions of dollars in funding on the
state’s credit card.
The brownfield program allows communities to apply for
grants of up to $2 million each to clean up polluted sites for reuse.
The new version of Small Business Express, called the Small
Business Boost Program, will have a revolving loan fund, a separate revolving
fund dedicated to minority business, as well as input from Connecticut-based
bankers and Connecticut Innovations Inc. Loans from the minority revolving fund
can range from $10,000 to $500,000 with a maximum interest of 4%, with terms of
no more than 10 years.
Gov. Ned Lamont, on Monday, announced plans to pump $75
million into the small business program.
Traditionally, items on the bond commission agenda are
almost always successful.
Friday’s agenda also includes $10 million for the
Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Fund. This is a loan and grant program
meant to encourage joint research and development efforts between private
business and universities; vouchers to assist with business development; job
skills training, as well as matching funds for federal grants.
The Office of Policy and Management is in-line for $6 million
for grants to towns to support transit-oriented development.
The Capital Region Development Authority is slated to
receive millions of dollars for a laundry list of projects, including:
$5.5 million for a low-interest loan to help with the $36.2
million redevelopment of the former Fuller Brush factory at 3580 Main St. in
Hartford. This project, by major Hartford developer/landlord Shelbourne,
will add 153 market-rate apartments.
$258,612 to help East Hartford demolish the former McCartin
Elementary School. This will make room for single-family housing.
$3 million for a low-interest loan for the $18.7 million
redevelopment of the former Travelers training center at 200 Constitution Plaza
in Hartford into 101 apartments, 10% of which will be affordable. Biagio Barone
of Stratford-based Barone Properties has teamed with John Guedes, president of
Bridgeport builder Primrose Cos. for the redevelopment of the roughly
125,000-square-foot, five-story concrete building on the northeastern edge
of downtown Hartford.
$1 million for improvements at the Connecticut Convention
Center and Rentschler Field. Work will include repairs to stadium concrete,
caulking and painting, along with replacement of damaged bathroom fixtures,
flooring and ceiling sections. It will pay for new food and beverage equipment,
LED lighting, sound system upgrades and various other repairs.
The bond agenda also includes $53.5 million in earmarks
through OPM for specific community projects, including some that include direct
or tangential benefits to economic development, including:
$2 million to help Hartford with brownfield remediation.
$1 million for improvements to the Elizabeth Park
Conservancy in Hartford.
$2.1 million to Waterbury to upgrade electric and water
capacity at its Captain Neville Industrial Park.
$415,000 for renovation at the Noah Webster House Museum in
West Hartford.
Plainville moving ahead with several projects
PLAINVILLE – Town leaders are moving ahead with several
projects including White Oak remediation, police station and airport
improvements, and installing a sewer system extension for the Honor Heights
neighborhood.
Town Council Chair Kathy Pugliese said that the town has put
out RFPs (request for proposals) for remediation work to the former White Oak
Construction building at 1& 63 W. Main St., next to the Municipal Center.
“We’ve talked to a few people,” she said. “This is the first
step in the remediation process.”
Town Manager Robert E. Lee said White Oak was once one of
the largest construction companies in Connecticut and was known for building
bridges. The property has sat vacant since it closed in the early 2000s. The
town received a $1.17 million state Brownfields grant for site remediation last
June.
Manafort Brothers, Inc., Newport Realty and TWM Development
ultimately plan to renovate the building into a mixed-use development. The
development will consist of medical office space, industrial condominiums, a
community building, retail, housing and parking.
Pugliese said that the Town Council has also approved the
removal of furniture and other items from inside the White Oak building. This
will cost $83,000, which will ultimately be reimbursed by Manafort Brothers,
Inc., Newport Realty and TWM Development.
“There was some concern about vandalism and people breaking
into the building,” she said. “We will pay to clear out the cabinets and
furniture and empty out the building. I would imagine this will take place in
the next few weeks.”
The town also plans to utilize $100,000 of the $200,000
allocated to the police department from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding
for building enhancements at the police station.
“It will allow them to renovate the kitchen and the Robert
Holcomb room and make other interior upgrades,” said Pugliese. “The building is
25 years old and in need of some updates. Chief Christopher Vanghele put
together a list of items and the work will be completed by a local company,
Award Kitchen & Bath, on Whiting Street. They have said they will donate
some dollars to help get the work done.”
Robertson Airport, the public use airport at 62 Johnson
Ave., will also see the installation of new weather-related equipment to assist
pilots in a $1.465 million project. Pugliese said that $1.3 million, about 90%
of this project, will be covered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
$40,000 will be covered by state funding and the town will pay for the
remaining $106,000.
The Honor Heights neighborhood, which includes 82 homes,
will also be connected to the town’s sewer system as part of a $1.2 million
upgrade. This project will be funded with state grant money.
“The residents of this neighborhood are currently only on a
septic system,” said Pugliese. “These systems are about 30 years old and would
cost $30,000 to fix. This is an extensive project that will be a permanent fix
for those residents.”
Pugliese added that town engineers are also looking into a
flooding issue on Hemingway Street, which she said affects the 8 homes in the
area closest to Norton Park.
“There is a drainage problem with the pipes that were
installed 50 years ago,” said Pugliese. “The original developer is no longer
around and the residents’ backyards were being flooded. Town engineering staff
are going out to the affected areas and trying to find a solution.”
Construction begins this week in Southbury to repair two bridges over Pomperaug River
Dan Nowak
SOUTHBURY — Work to upgrade two local bridges running over
the Pomperaug River is expected to begin later this week.
The Flood Bridge Road and Heritage Road bridges will undergo
repair and an upgrade beginning on or about Friday, according to the Southbury
Public Works Department. The project consists of the rehabilitation of both
bridges including the bridge decks. It includes repair work to the underside of
the structures.
Flood Bridge Road will be closed for the duration of
construction. Heritage Road will be staged during construction, allowing
partial use by motorists.
The project is expected to last three months with an
approximate opening of the bridges scheduled for Oct. 27 or sooner.
Advancing these projects has been First Selectman Jeffrey
Manville’s goal, especially since the town received federal COVID-19 relief
funds from the American Relief Plan Act, or ARPA.
“The bridges were in the plan for repairs prior to ARPA
money coming out,” Manville said. “But this did help to combine the two bridges
and get a competitive pricing by doing them at the same time.”
Other bridges, including one on Old Field Road, will be
upgraded, too. That won’t be done at the same time as Heritage bridge.
“Traffic would be too difficult,” Manville said. “We are
ordering the precast for this bridge so that it will be ready to go and avoid
inflationary increases.”
When work starts on the two bridges at Flood Bridge Road and
Heritage Road, motorists using those two bridges should be aware of detours.
From August through October, Flood Bridge Road will be
closed. There will be a detour consisting of Flood Bridge Road, Library Road,
South Britain Road and Main Street South. Motorists should follow posted signs
for the detour route.
Heritage Road will be staged during construction, allowing
motorists full and partial use of the bridge during construction. Stage one
will allow motorists to use the bridge to and from Heritage Village. Stage two
will restrict motorist to one way into the Village only. A detour (alternate)
route, for vehicles leaving the Village, will be in effect during stage two
using Heritage Road, North Poverty Road, Roxbury Road (Rte. 67) and Main Street
North. Motorists should follow posted signs for that detour route as well.
The two-bridge repair project includes rehabilitating the
existing superstructure including a new bituminous concrete surface and
expansion joints and repairs to the concrete structure below. The repair work
will extend the life of both structures approximately 20-plus years. The golf
cart path, that is below the Heritage Road Bridge, will be protected and remain
open to golfers for the duration of the project.
Modifications or extensions to this schedule may become
necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are
advised to maintain a safe speed when driving along any of the detour routes.
“There is a plan in place for many years out with a funding
mechanism to pay for the road and bridge repairs,” Manville said. “One of the
biggest cost in a municipal budget is road and bridge repair and maintenance.”
Bristol City Hall renovations continue to move forward
BRISTOL – With the physical exterior of city hall changing
and further projects on the horizon for downtown, the Bristol Board of Public
Works updated officials as to ongoing demolition and project progress with the
structure.
“ Up until at least this week, there has been a lot of
demolition work,” said Public Works Department Director Ray Rogozinski. “This
really is the week that a lot of new construction is ultimately scheduled.”
According to a memo shared with city officials, over 20
workers are on-site each day.
With the demolition of city hall’s front brick exterior,
workers observed that brick and concrete block walls were not “tied
structurally with the building’s substructure” and additional ties were set to
be installed in mid-July. The eastern facade of the building will not require
ties because much of the area is going to be covered in glass. Ties will be
required on other parts of the building. A change order was approved by city
council for the work in the amount of $45,000.
Abatement of the building is significantly completed and
around $70,000 will be available from “asbestos contingency” to be utilized in
other areas of the project.
Excavation of additional space around city hall was slated
along with interior office space framing activities and HVAC support and hanger
installation.
Among current projects the city will consider taking further
action including details with the city council’s dais. The potential addition of
more city council and Board of Finance members with charter revisions may
require more seating. Officials are also debating the potential for placing two
electric vehicle charging stations near the former tax window of city hall. On
the third floor of the new building, architects will determine whether the
addition of mobile partitioning equipment would allow for a staff lounge to be
turned into a public event space.
Officials will determine stair and tile finishes at an
upcoming tour for the Public Works Department. Public Works is also set to
speak with a fire marshal about the potential of relocating a nearby fire
hydrant.
Scheduled meetings with an audio-visual consultant and
Public Works are set to consider visual conferencing equipment within city hall.
A proposal of around $752,000 was prepared by a designer for such needs.
Allocations, according to the memo, allow for around $250,000 towards the
project, however, officials anticipate money will not be utilized in other
portions of the city hall build project and can be dedicated elsewhere.
Public Works is also requesting architects to share their
opinions on the potential addition of a service window to the mayor’s office
area of the new city hall as many other departments have similar spaces dedicated
to meeting with residents in halls.
Manchester Redevelopment Agency recommends new Parkade developer
The Manchester Redevelopment Agency has recommended a
Dallas-based developer take over the city’s long-awaited Parkade property
redevelopment on Broad Street, six months after nixing
an agreement with the site’s former developer.
During its July 21 meeting, the RDA recommended the Board of
Directors begin negotiations with Anthony Properties to redevelop the derelict
23.2-acre former Parkade site, Manchester General Manager Steve Stephanou said.
The vote was 10-1 with RDA member Louis Spadaccini voting against, according to
a draft of meeting minutes.
It’s not clear when the town’s board of directors will take
action on the recommendations.
Manchester issued a new request-for-proposal for the project
in March after announcing in January the town ceased its partnership with
Manchester Parkade 1 LLC, the developer picked in 2019 to redevelop the area.
Town officials cited numerous delays and an unclear timeline as reasons for
moving on from the Easton-based developer.
The planned $140 million mixed-use project was expected to
break ground on initial construction this spring.
The town first bought the multi-parcel property in 2011,
after Manchester voters approved an $8 million bond to revitalize the Broad
Street area. In 2019 the town named Manchester Parkade 1 LLC as the preferred
developer for the site, and a development agreement was signed in April 2021.
That agreement was subsequently twice extended as the
developer grappled with financing issues related to Department of Housing and
Urban Development funding. Those funding issues were eventually resolved, the
developer said.
In May, Manchester Parkade 1 LLC filed a suit against the
town in Hartford Superior Court alleging they were wrongfully terminated from
the project.
New 62-unit mixed-income development proposed in Farmington
Developer Geoffrey Sager is proposing to build a
mixed-income housing development at 80 South Road in Farmington, behind the
UConn Health Center.
Sager Development representatives presented their proposal
to the Planning and Zoning Commission Monday night, but said they won’t submit
a formal application until October.
The project consists of two buildings with a total of 62
units, of which 80% would be designated as affordable housing. Of those, 15
units would be leased to Favarh, a Canton-based organization that helps people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities live independently.
There would be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units.
The buildings would have community areas, package rooms, mail kiosks, two
private offices, accessible laundry and outdoor amenities, Sager said.
“We believe this is a suitable site for mixed-income rental
housing due to its proximity to public transportation, including a Fastrak bus
stop that’s less than half a mile away,” Sager said.
“There’s a lot of employment in this area, the medical services are great, and
you have walking proximity to the schools at East Farms and Irving Robbins.”
He said the building elevations were conceived in a way that
“respects the traditional sensibilities of Farmington” while incorporating
contemporary design elements
South Road is a bypass that runs from Route 4 to Westfarms
mall. The development would be built on a 2.9-acre site between Middle and
Munson roads. No wetlands would be disturbed.
Sager said he plans to propose a site-specific affordable
housing zone, which would not apply anywhere else in town.
The area has miles of contiguous sidewalk and the nearest
grocery stores are 2½ miles away, he said.
Financing will come in the form of low-income tax credits
through the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, and low-interest-rate loans
from the state Department of Housing. The development would count toward the
town’s goal of having 10% of its housing stock labeled affordable, Sager said.
If they receive zoning approval, Sager said he will apply
for public financing in January, through an “extremely competitive” process.
“We’re proposing enough units to absorb very large fixed
costs of the development - the financing, the ongoing management - but not so
many units as to overtax the subsidy resources available to us,” Sager said.
Sager has partnered with developers on four other
mixed-income projects in Farmington, which they continue to own and manage.
He is also building a 142-unit
apartment development off Route 4, across from UConn Health Center, under
the name 402 Farmington Ave. LLC. Rock blasting for that project is expected to
begin soon.
Stratford council asks Bridgeport peers to sell Sikorsky Airport to town
STRATFORD — Members of the local town council have appealed
to their peers in Bridgeport to consider Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick’s offer
to purchase the city-owned, town-based Sikorsky Memorial Airport.
“I know our council is unified in requesting the opportunity
to be considered,” Christopher Pia, the Stratford Town Council’s chairman, said
in an interview this week. “I believe the mayor put forth a very, very strong
offer. I support her and we’re asking for them (Bridgeport’s City Council) to
truly consider us and her request.”
Pia was referring to a bipartisan letter, dated July 11 and
signed by himself and his nine colleagues. Pia and five of his fellow aldermen
are Republicans like Hoydick, with the other four members registered Democrats.
They asked their 20 Bridgeport counterparts — all Democrats — to “reject” an
offer from the Connecticut Airport Authority “and create an open bidding
process that will give the Town of Stratford the opportunity to purchase the
airport.”
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim’s Democratic administration for
the past few years has been seeking ways to revive regular commercial passenger
service at Sikorsky, which currently caters to business, charter and private
planes. That effort resulted in talks
to either sell or lease the facility to the CAA, which operates Bradley
International and five other state-owned airports and which, CAA and Bridgeport
officials have argued, has the expertise and resources to bring back passenger
service.
In February the CAA’s board made
a formal offer of $10 million for Sikorsky and in March Hoydick’s
administration went public with its interest, eventually putting $13
million on the table. But in early May the Sikorsky Airport Authority voted to
accept the CAA’s proposal, the details of which are currently being
finalized to
forward to the Bridgeport City Council for review and final approval.