December 23, 2022
December 21, 2022
CT Construction Digest Wednesday December 21, 2022
Port Authority says State Pier work to be substantially completed by February
Greg Smith
New London ― Despite obstacles that have complicated
construction and driven up costs, work to transform State Pier in New London
into an offshore wind hub is about 75% complete and on schedule to achieve “substantial
completion” by February, Connecticut Port Authority Executive Director Ulysses
S. Hammond announced on Tuesday.
“We are either ahead or tracking on target in five of the
six key construction areas,” Hammond said.
Hammond, addressing the authority’s board of directors at
its regular meeting, said there remain challenges as workers make a final push
towards project completion in anticipation of the pier accommodating offshore
wind vessels in the spring that are associated with the construction of South
Fork Wind.
South Fork Wind is a 12-turbine offshore wind farm now under
construction off Long Island by Orsted and Eversource, the partners developing
and leasing State Pier to use for several of its offshore wind projects. South
Fork will supply power to East Hampton, N.Y.
Tuesday’s meeting did not include any updated costs
associated with the added work at the pier though Hammond said a final
“guaranteed maximum price” could come as early as the board’s next meeting in
January. The authority, which is managing the State Pier project, is involved
in a series of “complex negotiations regarding a fair and what I will call a
final path forward with the entire project team,” Hammond said.
The cost of the project, which has risen dramatically since
it was first proposed, now stands at $255.5 million. Costs are split between
the state, which has contributed $178 million, and offshore wind partners
Orsted and Eversource, who are jointly providing $77.5 million towards the
project.
In October, the authority shifted $7.5 million in available funds
to cover the unanticipated costs due to extra work and supply chain issues. To
cover some of the shortfall, the authority is using about $2.5 million in
contingency funds and $3.7 million is being removed from an escrow account that
contains money it had put aside to lease the New England Central Railroad
property next to the pier.
The added costs were in part associated with excavation work
as crews work to drive piles and install retaining walls around the expanded
pier.
Marlin Peterson, construction manager for AECOM, the
consulting firm overseeing the State Pier project, said crews had trouble
driving piles due to rock and encountered underwater timber and concrete
foundations which required additional demolition and excavation to get piles
driven to the proper depth for the heavy lift platforms on the pier.
In some locations, Peterson said additional work is being
done to provide stability. Some of the work will continue into the spring. It
is unclear if the new work will drive up the final price of the project.
Peterson said the load requirements of sections of the pier
are five times that of the typical container terminal.
There have been other hurdles in the project.
Last month, Peterson said the dredging contractor suffered
an equipment failure to one of its barges that resulted in the release of
dredge material into the main channel of the Thames River. Cashman Dredging
& Marine Contracting began dredging for the project in October.
Peterson said the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
were all informed and the material was subsequently removed. The dredging
equipment has since been inspected and certified and dredging continues, he
said.
Peterson said excavation work continues on the adjacent
railroad parcel being leased by the authority. A contractor working there had
to relocate an on-site water treatment plant, which handles existing
contaminated groundwater. That work will continue over the next several weeks
as below ground utilities are installed.
There was no mention, during the meeting, of a report by the
Connecticut Mirror of criticism about a potential for a conflict of interest with
construction manager Kiewit Construction hiring itself for some of the
subcontracts in the project.
“As we make the final push to project completion, while we
cannot control what Mother Nature might have in store for us this winter, we
have a few challenges as outlined,” Hammond said.
Major Greater Hartford, CT development projects get boost from new state funding
Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday announced $36.5 million in grants
for eight economic development projects, including $5.5 million to help build
57 apartments in Hartford and $5.3 million to help transform a blighted factory
in Torrington into a marketplace and offices.
This latest round of Connecticut Communities Challenge
grants will leverage approximately $143.5 million worth of investment from
other sources for projects that fit the state program’s goals of supporting
livability, vibrancy and equity. The $100 million program aims to create
approximately 3,000 jobs and is a pillar of Lamont’s statewide economic
development strategy.
The state aims to allocate about half of funding to projects
in distressed municipalities.
The first round of challenge grants, announced in April, saw
$45 million allocated to 12 projects.
This latest round includes:
$1.56 million toward Newport Realty Group’s $3.6 million
effort to build 10 mixed-income apartments in a building across from the train
station in Berlin.
Half of the units will be allocated as affordable, for
families making less than 80% of area median income.
Additional organizations, including the Meriden-New
Britain-Berlin YMCA, Kensington Volunteer Fire Department, Berlin Board of
Education, Cromwell Board of Education and Berlin Land Trust are working to
provide pedestrian access and open space walking trails nearby.
Newport Realty principals Mark Lovley and Anthony Valenti have already
completed a 16-unit apartment building with first-floor restaurant space as
part of the ongoing Steele Center development, which will contain 60 apartments
and more than 80,000 square feet of commercial space in several buildings.
A $5.5 million grant to help developer Carlos Mouta’s $16.72
million construction of a new 57-unit apartment building (30% of which would be
allocated to affordable rate tenants), with first-floor commercial space on a
vacant lot at 17-35 Bartholomew Ave., in the city’s Parkville
neighborhood.
The project is located near one of the state-run CTfastrak
bus stations.
A rendering of developer Carlos Mouta’s planned $16.72
million, 57-unit apartment building to be built on a vacant lot at 17-35
Bartholomew Ave., in Hartford’s Parkville neighborhood.
A $6 million grant toward a $17.3 million project providing
infrastructure and site improvements to an underutilized property along Rubber
Avenue in Naugatuck, just 500 feet from the borough’s downtown green and
adjacent to a planned train station.
The site is slated for development of 180 apartments and
7,320 square feet of commercial space under affordable housing developer
Pennrose LLC.
A $4 million grant toward developer Amit Lakhotia’s $17.53
million effort to transform a 52-year-old, 48,475-square foot brick office
building at 102 West Main St., in New Britain, into 79 apartments (20% of which
will be affordable), with restaurant space on the street level and rooftop. \
This project is within a quarter-mile of a CTfastrak
station. Lakhotia paid $1.6 million for the building and a nearby quarter-acre
paved lot in February.
$5.27 million toward a $32.24 million project transforming a
former factory along Water and Church streets in Torrington into a marketplace
and offices. The city plans the project, which includes brownfield cleanup, to
work in concert with extension of its greenway, improved bus access, repair of
a train platform and a new YMCA outdoor recreation facility.
Project partners include the city, private developers, YMCA,
Water Street Healthcare Group LLC and Naugatuck Railroad.
$2.7 million toward a $4.1-million project providing
infrastructure improvements to support a 247-unit housing development in
downtown Stamford. Twenty-three of the units will be affordable.
The improvements include stormwater relocation, pedestrian
safety improvements, along with park and public space upgrades.
$3 million to help Fairfield pay for a $10-million project
replacing a 2,800-foot section of sewer main that supports 60% of the town.
This is meant to enable development of at least 357 new housing units (20% of
which will be affordable), a 118-room hotel, 70,000 square feet of office space
and 40,000 square feet of retail.
$8.46 million to help cover the $81.36 million cost of
multiple developments along Groton’s riverfront yielding 256 apartments,
including 51 set aside at affordable rents.
Groton is partnering with its housing authority and Rogers
Development LLC in these projects, which will also deliver various
infrastructure improvements, including bikeways, a pedestrian bridge and new
public recreation space.
Real estate partnership plans 890-bed apartment development near UConn campus
A partnership between a national real estate firm and an
investment management company is proposing to build an 890-bed residential
building for University of Connecticut students on a 16-acre property.
Athens, Georgia-based Landmark Properties, a real estate
firm that develops and operates residential communities, has formed a
“build-to-core” joint venture with Manulife Investment Management, the companies
announced Monday.
They plan to construct The Standard at Four Corners at 1717
Storrs Road, in Mansfield, with completion set for August 2025. The property is
home to a former restaurant and is owned by KRCL LLC, which is controlled by
Robert Moskowitz of Storrs.
Landmark Properties purchased the property for $6.8 million
under the name The Standard at Four Corners LLC in a sale recorded Nov. 28.
The UConn development is the first effort by the joint
venture, which has identified other sites for potential development across the
United States.
The units would range in size from studios to three
bedrooms. The property offers pedestrian access to the UConn campus and
downtown Storrs, the partners said.
"We believe the student housing sector represents a
compelling investment opportunity underpinned by attractive supply/demand
dynamics and strong historical performance," said Edward Dunn, managing
director of Infrastructure Investments at Manulife Investment Management.
Each apartment will have a gourmet-style kitchen with
cabinet space, quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances. Every
residence will be fully furnished.
There will be 24-hour study lounges, a fitness center and
computer lab, along with a gaming lounge, heated pool, hot tub and fire pits,
according to the developers. A deck will offer parking for an additional fee.
The development also features 14,500-square-feet of
ground-floor retail space.
STAMFORD — Two schools only a few yards away from each other
in Stamford are slated to be torn down and rebuilt for about $387 million — and
the state has agreed to put down roughly $292 million to get it done.
Both Westhill High School and Roxbury Elementary School,
separated only by Roxbury Road, were recently selected by the Connecticut
Department of Administrative Services as
two state projects to qualify for grant funding.
The Westhill construction is estimated to cost about $301
million, of which the state has agreed to pay $241 million. The price tag for
Roxbury is $86 million, with the state taking on $51.6 million.
Westhill had already been selected for reimbursement last
year, but at the time, the state had
only agreed to pay for 20 percent of the work, or about $51.6 million. That
previous submission estimated the full project cost to be $258 million, but
that number has since risen because of increased construction costs.
State funding for construction projects is
based on a formula tied to a municipality’s wealth. In essence, the
poorest municipalities in Connecticut get the highest reimbursement rates while
wealthier communities receive a smaller reimbursement percentage.
But
that all changed for Stamford earlier this year, when state officials
agreed to increase the city's refund rate to 60 percent for new construction
and pick up 80 percent of the cost to build a new Westhill.
The Westhill project would include a new school on the
32-acre site. The existing school will remain in operation during the
construction of the new building.
The Roxbury construction would transform the current K-5
school into a K-8 program. Once completed, Cloonan Middle School would be
shuttered.
“The input of many members of our school community guided
the development of the initial structural design," said Roxbury principal
Mark Bonasera in a press release from Stamford schools. "Being able
to remain on our campus during construction is a key advantage.”
According to a document from the state Office of
Administrative Services, Roxbury has the highest cost per square foot of
deferred maintenance among all the school buildings in Stamford.
"The district’s overall goal for this facility is to
have a state-of-the-art, welcoming and inspiring school to serve its diverse
population," the document reads. "Transitioning to a K-8 school on a
site directly across the street from Westhill High School allows for a K-12
one-campus experience for students and families."
The list of recommended projects, including Westhill and
Roxbury, will be voted on by the Connecticut General Assembly during the
upcoming legislative session.
"It’s been an honor to have worked with our colleagues
within the city grants department, (the Connecticut Office of Policy and
Management) and engineering departments, SPS facilities and the Roxbury school
community to move the project to the next step in the process," said
Associate Superintendent for Intervention and Student Support Michael
Fernandes in the press release. "A lot of hard work has gone into
this.”
Both projects are part of the school district's 20-year
Long-Term Facilities Plan, which is estimated to cost $1.5 billion with
the city paying $756 million over that time and the state covering the
rest.
“I am thrilled that Roxbury School has been included in the state legislature’s school construction priority list,” said Mayor Caroline Simmons in the press release. “Our schools have many capital needs and having state support allows us to be better positioned to fully fund and implement the improvements and vision of the Long-Term Facilities Plan. I look forward to continuing to work with Superintendent (Tamu) Lucero and her team and the state delegation to ensure we secure all funding opportunities available that will go toward enhancing the quality of our schools for Stamford students, teachers and administrators.”
Milford commission approves downsizing apartment plan
Saul Flores
MILFORD — Once proposed for nearly 350 units, the Beaver
Brook apartment complex earned approval from Milford's Inland Wetlands Agency
with an apartment count more than 150 units lower.
The city's agency, at its meeting on Dec. 7, approved the
modification proposal from developers Metro 553, LLC, to downsize the apartment
project from 342 to 189 units. City Planner David Sulkis said the next step for
the complex would be to go before the Planning and Zoning Board.
"We anticipate it is perhaps coming to the board in
February since it's still under review," he said.
The apartment project in 2016 was to have two 54-foot
buildings, two parking garages for 512 cars, a bridge crossing over Beaver
Brook, walking paths and wetland mitigation. About 27 acres of the 57-acre site
is wetlands, stated Inland Wetland Officer Maryrose Palumbo.
The new modification eliminates the wetland crossing with
associated parking, access drive, and grading work within 150 feet of the
Beaver Brook watershed, and reduces the building's average area from 173,150
square feet to 70,763 square feet.
The 189 proposed apartments are distributed within six
structures with a building height of 49.5 feet. Metro 553, LLC, is also
proposing to provide parking for 268 vehicles with a combination of outdoor and
indoor parking and 22 accessible spaces.
"This proposal eliminated 0.09 acres of wetland filling
and the access drive to the School House Road that the agency approved in
2016," said Palumbo.
The property will be accessed by a driveway running from
West Avenue, which attorney Chris Smith, representing Metro 553, LLC, said the
redesign eliminates School House Road Access.
"With regards to reductions and eliminations of many of
the regulated activities that were approved, we no longer need an Army Corps
permit," Smith said. "We are enhancing the visual impact of the
residential community relative to the beaver brook boardwalk and trail network."
Smith said they were staying within the scope of the
regulations approved in 2016 and are not proposing new regulated activities.
"The plan and the regulated actives along with it, not
surprisingly because there are less than what was approved, do not result in an
adverse impact on wetland or watercourse," he said.
Appeal of West Haven mixed-use 140-unit development dismissed
WEST HAVEN — A Superior Court judge dismissed an appeal of
the Planning and Zoning Commission's approval of a 140-unit, mixed-use housing
development on four downtown parcels on Campbell and Washington Avenues.
In September 2021, the planning
commission approved the development of two L-shaped buildings at 215, 291 and
313 Campbell Avenue and 288 Washington Avenue. The roughly 3.5-acre development
would include space for a market and cafe at ground level while adding 140
studio, one- and two-bedroom units in two five-story buildings. Developers
presented a site plan that would connect Washington and Campbell Avenues to
pedestrians and provide about 200 parking spaces. Included at that site is the
former American Buckle Company building, which operated for over 100 years
before closing in 1985; developers said they intend on preserving elements of
the building to incorporate into the new development.
302 Campbell Avenue LLC filed an appeal about a month after the development was approved, arguing that the Planning and Zoning Commission's decision was based upon a misunderstanding of an Inland Wetlands Intercourse Agency approval, that the approval was predetermined by the commission and that the application violated local regulations. Judge Matthew Budzik said in a Dec. 16 decision that he was unconvinced by all of the appeals arguments and dismissed that appeal.
In his decision, Budzik noted the facts that the proposed
development falls within two zones: a Central Business District zone and a
Village District Overlay zone. The former is intended to develop the city's
commercial base and the latter exists to preserve the character and landscape
of the district while encouraging a walkable, mixed-use area for residents.
Budzik noted that the commission held a public hearing in
which experts explained "in great detail" how the development adheres
to restrictions of both the CBD and VDO zones — including landscaping to retain
stormwater and setting back the highest parts of the development so they do not
impact sightlines along the street.
Regarding the fact that a decision made by the Inland
Wetlands Watercourse Agency was under appeal at the time of the commission's
approval — and remains under appeal today — Budzik said it is irrelevant, as
the commission has the authority to make its own decisions on the application
that is before it. He said he was "not convinced" by the evidence presented
by the plaintiff that the result was predetermined. He said the recording of
the public hearing reflects the commission subjected the application to a
"fair and reasonable" process, during which proponents and opponents
of the development were able to testify and representatives for the developer
were questioned.
Contrary to an argument made in the appeal, Budzik found
that the development would also protect adjoining property values, as it would
add retail and additional foot traffic to the city's downtown businesses,
whereas the parcels are currently vacant, financially unproductive and provide
no significant stormwater abatement.
Attorney Michael Leone, who represented the city in the
appeal, said he agreed with the decision.
“I think it was a well-reasoned decision. I think they took
a thorough look at the entirety of it,” he said.
James Perito, an attorney who represented applicant GLI
Holdings, LLC before the commission and in court during the appeal, said it was
"gratifying that the court saw both my client and the commission did the
work required under the regulations.”
Michael Lipsett, principal of 302 Campbell Avenue LLC, did
not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Councilwoman Bridgette Hoskie, D-1, expressed concerns about
the impact the development would have on traffic at the time it appeared before
the planning commission as an application. As the area's councilwoman, as well
as a neighbor to the property, she said she had concerns about adding more cars
to neighborhood streets that are already overstressed during drop-off and
dismissals at the nearby Washington School.
On Tuesday, Hoskie said she was "happy" to see the
project can continue to advance.
"I think other towns have seen great success with
revitalization of areas through this type of proposed housing," she said
in a text message.
Currently, there is still an appeal with an Inland Wetlands
Intercourse Agency decision related to the development. Hoskie said that, if
the project survives that appeal, she is "hopeful that it can be the start
of changing our downtown."
"Stores need foot traffic to survive. This could
hopefully assist with that," she said.
After hearing six hours of back and forth about the plan
last week, West Hartford’s town council is expected to decide Wednesday night
whether developers can put up a six-story condo building and mixed-used complex
in the town center.
The decision on The Arapahoe Group’s proposal is certain to
disappoint plenty of people regardless of which way the vote goes.
One one side, proponents see it as an opportunity to fill in
a large, under-used section of the town center with a project that will provide
housing and future tax revenue. Opponents argue that it’s far too large and out
of proportion, and fear it will worsen traffic on streets that are already
crowded.
The Arapahoe Group wants to build on 3.4 acres fronting
Arapahoe Road and LaSalle Road, part of the town’s successful center and a
block from Blue Back Square.
Developers consider the land some of the most under-used
real estate in town, largely because much of it is a simple parking lot. Arapahoe
would put up a six-story building with 58 condominiums along with a five-story
building of 25 apartments above a ground-floor restaurant or store.
“The infill development component of this will happen
primarily within the areas of the property that are currently unattractive
asphalt surface parking or paved alleyways,” Arapahoe said in its application.
The plans include a partly underground parking garage,
extensive landscaping and public areas.
Most of the residents who spoke against the plan at last
week’s hearing live nearby.
“We love the neighborhood feel the center has and the
quaintness of the area that comes from having smaller buildings. It is these
things that give it the quintessential New England feel,” said Woodrow Street
homeowner Kim Hudson.
“This proposal is out of scope for the area it serves. It
will considerably change the character of the center due to its size,” Hudson
told the council.
“Our road is already very busy with cars using it as a
high-speed cut-through to the town center,” said Todd Parker, an Arapahoe Road
resident.
“This proposed development funnels all traffic from 85
multifamily units and 3,500 square feet of retail onto Arapahoe Road,” Parker
said. “There’s no other example of a large development funneling all traffic
onto a residential road. For good reason.”
Amanda Driscoll of Arapahoe Road said she and her neighbors
are concerned that potentially years of construction could jeopardize children
walking to nearby schools.
“Please carefully consider how many years of disruption
there will be,” she said.
Opponents submitted petitions against the project, and town
staffers will determine before Wednesday’s council meeting whether they got
enough valid signatures to force a super-majority “yes” vote for approval. If
the petition drive fails, the council can pass the project with a simple
majority.
Numerous residents addressed the council or wrote letters of
support.
Resident Evan Berman of Brookline Drive, a Realtor, urged
the town to approve the zone changes that Arapahoe needs.
“There is a strong need for condominiums right here in West
Hartford center,” Berman said. “Without a doubt there’s a need for housing in
the center. We have very limited space for new home ownership here. The
features this development has to offer are fantastic. We need the housing to
allow our town to continue to grow and prosper.”
Jennifer LaForte of Montclair Drive also spoke in favor of
Arapahoe’s plan.
“The addition of the proposed condominiums and apartments
will be a plus for West Hartford center and the town overall. Additional living
spaces will enhance the center,” LaForte said.
“The renderings showcase a strong architectural aesthetic,
and the condos and apartments flow well visually with the rest of the center,”
LaForte said. “I also like the idea of building something on unused concrete
areas.”
The council will meet Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at town hall to
decide the matter.
Torrington seeking federal grant funds
TORRINGTON – In an effort to revitalize dense areas of town
where older houses line streets as well as to draw economic development to
vacant lots, the city is applying for $11.2 million in grants.
The grants are part of a second round of the Federal Community
Investment Fund, Economic Development Director Rista Malanca said. The city did
not apply during the first round.
At Monday’s City Council meeting, after a presentation by
Malanca, the council authorized Mayor Elinor C. Carbone to apply.
The larger of the two asks, $8.7 million, would allow the
city to provide funds to owners of older homes in need of updating or to clean
up potential environmental issues, such as lead paint, Malanca said.
The funds would also be distributed to neighborhoods looking
to complete beautification projects.
About 60% of the city’s existing housing stock was built
before 1970, which was before lead paint laws were enacted, meaning they have
potential environmental issues, Malanca said.
“So we have an aging housing stock,” she said. “What we’re
really aiming for is to improve our current housing stock.”
About 35% of households spend 30% or more of their income on
housing expenses, which diminishes homeowners ability to complete home
improvement projects, she said. The idea is to help get those projects going,
“regardless of the ability of homeowners to pay” for them.
The city would partner with a lending institution and offer
low interest loans that would not depend on the borrower’s income, credit
score, or ability to pay, Malanca told the council during the presentation.
Portions of the loans could be forgiven for borrowers who make on-time payments
or add private investments to the project.
While the loans would be available to all property owners,
the focus would be to improve housing conditions for medium Income residents
making 120% of the area median income and below, Malanca said.
Carbone said the funds would also allow the city to help
property owners to “activate” vacant houses.
“We wanted to look at this through the lens of how can we
enhance the housing stock?” she said. “Roughly 10% of our housing stock is
vacant.”
An initiative to make homes healthier, the funding would not
be for additions, swimming pools and the like, Malanca said.
The funds could also be spread through the community via
$2,500 grants to neighborhoods.
Participating neighborhoods would be able to use the funds
to spruce up their area, such as adding fresh paint to porches, planting
flowers and repairing walkways, Malanca said. There would also be grants for
neighborhoods to work together with contractors and community partners to
beautify public spaces or create public art.
The smaller of the two grant requests is for $2.5 million to
extend sewers down South Main Street, including to vacant parcels the city
would like to see developed, such as the former O&G Industries site on the
corner of South Main Street and Vista Drive.
The hope is that the infrastructure will make the sites more
desirable to potential developers, Malanca said. Developing the properties
would bring more business to the city, increase jobs and create a more vibrant
community.
The grant would also be used to identify vacant and unused
parcels that are ripe for development and determine why they are vacant.
“What are those barriers and how can we break them down?”
Malanca said.
Potential answers are that the sites lack infrastructure or
have environmental concerns, she said.
Valley towns get $11M in state grants
ANDREAS YILMA and SLOAN BREWSTER
Two Naugatuck Valley towns will receive more than $11
million in state grant money for revitalization projects.
Naugatuck and Torrington received almost a third of the $36
million grant money dispersed by the state through the Department of Economic
and Community Development’s Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant Program.
The two towns are looking to redevelop section into a mix of
commercial and residential with an eye toward transit.
Torrington was awarded $5.2 million in grant funding for its
$32.2 million revitalization project of Railroad Square neighborhood, which is
bordered by Water Street, John Street, Mason Street and Church Street.
The city is partnering with the YMCA, Naugatuck Railroad and
Water Street Healthcare Group LLC, a group of investors working with the owner
of 190 Water St., the former owner of the old Register Citizen building.
The biggest investment comes from the new owners of the
former Register Citizen building at 190 Water St. MV Motorsports purchased the
property in December 2020 and is committing $25 million
The former Register Citizen building on Water Street will be
part of a large revitalization project that includes Railroad Square.
Republican-American archives
The venture looks to upgrade several areas which include an
adaptive reuse of a former factory building to a large-scale marketplace and
offices later in the phase, increased access to public transportation with an
extension of a greenway, improved bus access and repair to the historic train
station platform.
These funds will help with the development of an adaptive
reuse plan to convert the first floor of 190 Water St., approximately
15,000-20,0000 square feet into a marketplace that supports boutique stores
such as prime meats, fresh seafood, cheese shop, organic produce, bakery, deli,
coffee and tea shop, boutique clothing store, artesian shops and more, the
Torrington press release states.
“I am committed to revitalizing the forgotten areas of
Torrington and breathing new life into the City through public private
partnerships” Mayor Elinor C. Carbone said. “These grant funds, along with
funding commitments and partnerships with Franklin Products, NW CT YMCA,
Naugatuck Railroad and Water Street Healthcare Group will be the catalyst for
transformational change, not only in Railroad Square, but the entire City.”
The project is currently in the design phase and
construction is anticipated to start in Fall of 2023, according to the
Torrington release.
The borough of Naugatuck has been awarded $6 million for its
$17.3 million Transit Orientated Development, mixed use residential and
commercial project for Parcel B, on the corner of Maple Street and Old
Firehouse Road.
Earlier this year, the Board of Mayor and Burgesses chose
Pennrose, a real estate development company and the Cloud Co., a Hartford-based
firm, to develop 7.75 acres of underutilized land of Parcel B.
The state Department of Transportation allotted funding for
the relocation of the Naugatuck train station from Water Street near The
Station Restaurant to Parcel B.
Pennrose and the borough plan to develop the parcel with 180
housing units where a certain percentage of which will be affordable at various
income levels as well as 7,320 square feet of commercial space according to the
press release
Naugatuck Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess said they’re very
happy at the borough to receive the funds which helps them finish off their
downtown project in a way that they envision.
“It enables us to finish the road network that the state is
building by extending Water Street from the new train station all the way to
Rubber Ave. across the (Naugatuck) Event Center,” Hess said. “It gives us money
to streetscapes and really improve Old Firehouse Road.”
Hess said all in all, it’s a great package that enhances
their project and allows borough officials to deliver a first class project to
downtown.
December 19, 2022
CT Construction Digest Monday December 19, 222
Developer Randy Salvatore’s ongoing effort to build around
1,000 apartments just north of Hartford’s downtown was buffeted in 2022 by
labor shortages, supply chain difficulties and interest rate hikes.
A court challenge has stopped him from breaking ground on
the next phase of development.
Still, Salvatore said, demand for the 270-unit apartment
building he has nearly finished next to Dunkin’ Donuts Park has been stronger
than anticipated, and the red-hot rental market has led to higher rents than
budgeted. Combined, these factors make him more upbeat than ever on the Capital
City’s prospects, he said.
“The fact that we rented 190 to 200 apartments in the first
five, six months at rates exceeding what we thought about tells me that if you
build it, they will come,” Salvatore said. “If you build a great product they
will come. I was bullish before. Now we have actual experience telling us that
demand has outpaced what I thought it would be, so I’m more bullish now than I
ever was about Hartford.”
Salvatore started 2022 as one of the great hopes for
Hartford. Mayor Luke Bronin and other city officials are counting on the
addition of thousands of market-rate apartments to pump new life into a city
center that has seen its corporate presence sapped by the pandemic and
resulting exodus of office workers to remote or hybrid work schedules.
The first phase of Salvatore’s broader North Crossing
development around the ballpark was initially expected to debut before the first
pitch of the Yard Goats’ 2022 spring season. Instead, supply chain holdups and
labor shortages delayed the opening of the first 270-unit apartment building —
dubbed “The Pennant” — until August.
In a mid-November interview, Salvatore said he expected to
put finishing touches on the last of those initial apartments by the close of
the year.
As The Pennant was readying for occupancy this summer,
Salvatore anticipated rolling right into the next phase of construction — a
522-space parking facility attached to a structure with 528 apartments — on a
lot just southwest of the stadium.
That hope was put on hold by a twist in a lawsuit filed by
Middletown-based Centerplan Cos., the original developer of Dunkin’ Donuts Park
and surrounding development. Centerplan was fired in 2016 by the city of
Hartford after being accused of doing shoddy work that was late and over
budget.
The city subsequently hired Salvatore to build apartments on
vacant lots around the ballpark.
Centerplan’s suit — which contends it was unjustly fired and
still has rights to build on the lots — gained new life in May, when the
Connecticut Supreme Court ordered a new trial. Centerplan has sought an
injunction against additional construction, at least temporarily delaying
further progress on the North Crossing development.
CT Children’s massive Hartford campus expansion gains approval
The Hartford Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday
gave its final approval to a $280 million expansion plan that will reshape
Connecticut Children’s Washington Street campus in Hartford.
The expansion will be anchored by a new 195,000-square-foot,
eight-story patient tower that will include a new fetal care center, 50 NICU
beds and expanded capacity for cellular gene therapy, labor and delivery and
other services.
Currently, Connecticut Children’s Hartford facility measures
about 321,000 square feet with 187 beds. The new tower will be anchored to the
existing building.
A groundbreaking will take place in the spring of 2023,
officials said, and the new tower is expected to be completed by the end
of 2025.
Connecticut Children’s President and CEO Jim Shmerling has
said the expansion will allow the care provider to grow existing services and
launch new ones, including an effort to become a national center for fetal
care.
It is being driven by increased demand for surgical and
other children’s care and a lack of available space within the hospital’s main
campus building, Connecticut Children’s officials said.
Connecticut Children’s, which is devoted solely to the care
of children, said it plans to pay for the expansion by utilizing a number of
different funding opportunities including philanthropy and structured loans.
Connecticut Children’s had originally submitted a master
plan that included construction of a new parking garage and pedestrian bridge.
But that was taken off the table, at least for now, after the Planning and
Zoning Commission raised some concerns.
Connecticut Children’s spokesperson Monica Buchanan said plans for the garage and bridge will be resubmitted at a later date under a separate timeline. The bridge/walkway would be owned and operated by a third party.
Norwich Public Utilities jump-starts lead pipe replacement project with state grant
Claire Bessette
Norwich ― In the 1980s, Norwich Public Utilities replaced
all the lead water pipes in its water distribution system beneath city streets,
but that work left untouched hundreds of older, privately owned water lines
that run from the curb into residential and commercial properties.
Starting in Spring of 2023, the city utility will begin work
on an estimated five-year, $5.65 million project to replace the estimated 800
private water lines already identified. A survey of the lines to be conducted
early in 2023 likely will identify several hundred more such lines that need to
be replaced, NPU officials said.
Last week, the state Bond Commission approved a $600,000
state grant through the state Department of Public Health Drinking Water
Revolving Fund to jump-start the project by replacing the first 70 lead pipes
that run from curbs into residential and commercial homes.
The Norwich City Council approved a $350,00 water revenue
bond in November to be used to plan, design and survey water lines to identify
locations of top priority for replacement. NPU General Manager Chris LaRose
said that money will be paid for through a combination of state grants and
loans paid through customers’ water rates.
Over the next two months, NPU will identify the first 70
lines to be replaced with the state grant, complete the water line surveys and
put the construction project to bid.
Public outreach to property owners will be critical, NPU
spokesman Chris Riley said, as construction schedules need to be coordinated,
including access to private property and into the basements of homes and
apartments where the lines will be replaced.
Property owners will be contacted by mail and telephone, and
public information sessions with owners are planned for early spring, Riley
said.
LaRose said building codes banned lead water pipes in the
early 1970s, but hundreds of old lines remain in place in the city’s older
housing stock and commercial buildings. In each case, the old lines, either
with lead pipes or lead-soldered seams will be removed and new pipes laid in
the ground.
NPU officials and state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague,
co-chair of the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee, helped secure the
$600,000 grant to replace the first 70 privately owned water pipes. She and NPU
officials stressed the importance of the project to public health and safety.
“The funding approved by the State Bond Commission will be
very helpful as NPU gets started on a critically important project,” Osten said
in a news release announcing the Bond Commission approval. “Getting a head
start on modernizing their water infrastructure in Norwich will have public
health and safety benefits for generations to come.”
According to information on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website,
prolonged exposure to lead over time could pose several health risks, including
abdominal pain, constipation, depression, distractedness or forgetfulness,
irritability or nausea.
Exposures to high levels of lead may cause anemia, weakness,
and kidney and brain damage, according to the CDC. Symptoms may go unnoticed if
they occur slowly over time. Pregnant women exposed to lead may pass on the
contaminant, which can damage the developing nervous system, to their unborn
children, the CDC warning stated.
Eversource could put in new power lines in these southwestern CT towns
WESTON — New power lines could be coming to Weston,
Fairfield, Easton and Bridgeport after a no-decision discussion with Eversource
at Thursday's Board of Selectmen meeting.
Abigail Bowersox, project manager for the 1714/1720 line
rebuild project with Eversource,
said that the project will rebuild a 9.4-mile long section of power lines
between Old Town Substation in Bridgeport and the Weston Substation.
She said the purpose is "to improve system reliability
by reducing the risk of age-related failures from deteriorating lattice tower
structures, as well as replace the conductor and obsolete shield wire."
She said that this line section is one of their worst
performing circuits in the state due to "vegetation-related
disturbances."
The lattice towers are about 68 years old, Bowersox said,
and are not designed with current National Electric Safety Code standards. The
current conditions make it a "high priority for replacement."
The project would replace the existing lattice towers with
weathering, steel monopolies and the existing conductors with upgraded wires of
the same voltage, she said. One ground wire will also be replaced with a fiber
optic ground wire.
Bowersox said 17 lattice structures will be replaced with
seven structures over six locations. Those structures will be added
because of the topography of the area and the needs to manage clearance
requirements and meet current electric code standards.
In 2020, some trees were already removed in the area. As
part of this project, there will be a few more tree removals and limb trimming,
she said.
"In Weston, the average new structure height is 108
feet tall, and the average height increase is 20 feet," she said.
The construction is expected to begin in the third quarter
of 2023, Bowersox said.
There will also be, and has been, stakeholder outreach
including to property owners and tenants, businesses, local officials and state
agencies through briefings and presentation, letters, phone calls and emails,
door-to-door communication and a project hotline, she said.
"Eversource is committed to communicating and working
with all property owners along the project corridor," she said.
First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor asked if any of the other
municipalities have posed any concerns about the project.
Steve Burger of Eversource said that they held briefings
with the other involved towns, and their questions surrounded vegetation
impacts and property owner needs.
"I think, speaking from an Eversource perspective, it
is a needed upgrade due to... this being one of the worst performing lines, due
to vegetation and the lattice tower structures exceeding their life span,"
he said.
Selectman Martin Mohabeer asked how Eversource determines
what neighbors are spoken to, as the poles might affect multiple houses.
Burger said they have a list of homeowners who directly abut
the right of way of the towers, though those beyond that area are welcome to
reach out.
Ansonia, Derby get grants to turn brownfields into apartments
Eddy Martinez
ANSONIA — The hulking, rusted-out building on 501 East Main
St. used to be the home of the Farrel Foundry, which city officials have long since
wanted to turn into apartments. Now the state is working on making it happen
with a $990,000 grant.
Economic Development Director Sheila O'Malley said the grant
will be used for an assessment, remediation and demolition.
State officials recently announced a list of towns receiving
grants to redevelop brownfield sites into apartments, including the $990,000
for Ansonia and $650,000 for Derby.The money comes from the
state's Department of Economic and Community Development Brownfield Remediation
and Development Program.
Some of the units will be set aside as affordable housing —
a requirement of the grant — and while both sites have developers linked to the
projects, the money would help with clean up costs and demolition.
Both locations are considered brownfield sites, which are
properties or locations that have soil contamination such as chemicals. The
other location is a property on on 67-71 Minerva St. in Derby. The cleanup will
lead to better health outcomes and economic opportunities according to
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes.
“Ensuring that these sites are properly cleaned up will
contribute to safer communities and will open the door to significant economic
benefit once remediated," Dykes said.
The Farrel Foundry project is being developed by Shaw Growth
Venture, Inc. and will be completed in stages, according to DECD spokesperson
Jim Watson. The first phase should be done in two years and the second phase
should be completed in five years. An environmental assessment and remediation
plan have been conducted along with a hazardous material survey.
Derby's remediation project should be completed two years
after the DECD contract is signed. Environmental site assessments have already
been conducted for the Derby site, Watson said.
These steps are needed before any construction is to begin,
he said.
According to the release, 200 mixed-income units will be
built in addition to about 20,000 square feet of commercial space at the former
Farrel Foundry in Ansonia.
Derby's project will be developed by Cedar Village Minerva
Square, LLC which will build a four-story, 90-unit, mixed-income apartment
building.
Watson said the exact amount of affordable units is still
being worked out for both.
"Although plans are not final, both projects intend to
set aside 10 to 20 percent of the units for affordable rents," Watson
said.
But while the development was praised by local and state
officials, Corporation Counsel John Marini questioned why Ansonia will be
providing more affordable housing than wealthier municipalities. He said
Ansonia is providing it without complaint but asked why the state legislature
isn't asking wealthier communities to set aside space for affordable
housing. The
city had previously advocated for market rate units saying it would boost
economic activity. The Bella Vista apartments which began to open earlier
this year is a fully market-rate complex, also built by Shaw Growth Venture,
Inc.
O'Malley, questioned state Rep. Kara Rochelle's motives who
represents both cities.
"Why would our state rep want to have more affordable
housing," O'Malley said.
Rochelle said she was supporting local officials' efforts,
adding city officials wrote this grant application.
"I and Senator (Jorge) Cabrera delivered on what they
asked for," she said. "But I will continue to advocate for any funds
the city formally requests.”
The Farrel Foundry already received $1 million in 2021 for
demolition, according to previous reporting from Hearst Connecticut Media.
O'Malley previously stated the site was polluted with asbestos and other city
officials said it would
have been demolished by the end of 2021, but the foundry demolition which
makes up part of the former Ansonia Copper and Brass site, has since been
delayed by logistics according
to comments previously made by Marini.
Derby Chief of Staff Walt Mayhew said he was happy with the
funding.
"We are overjoyed at the approval from DECD," he
said. "It represents that final piece of the puzzle for the city and
developer to move forward. We are looking to meet next week and formally
execute agreements. The developer last we spoke was hoping to begin work in
January should the state approve the grant."
Local leaders praise $15M to remove Kinneytown Dam
ANDREAS YILMA
SEYMOUR – Environmentalists and river advocates received an
early Christmas gift after the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments secured
$15 million in federal funding for the removal of the Kinneytown Dam.
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday the
NVCOG, in collaboration with Save the Sound, has been recommended for funding
for removal of the Kinneytown Dam through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal grant program.
NVCOG applied for the $15 million earlier this year for the
project which includes decommissioning the Hydroland Corp. facility, designing
the deconstruction and eventually removing the dam and restoring the river,
according to the NVCOG press release.
Kinneytown Dam is a hydroelectric facility on the Naugatuck
River consisting of two dams with powerhouses in Seymour and Ansonia. It is
owned by Hydroland, Inc. The powerhouse in Ansonia has been offline since
before 2013, and the powerhouse in Seymour has not produced electricity since
2020.
Chairman of the NVCOG and Waterbury Mayor Neil M. O’Leary
said the removal of the dam has been a seven-year project for NVCOG and the
eventual elimination of the dam will have life-long everlasting impacts on the
Naugatuck River.
“This is a huge environmental win, huge win of the ecosystem
of Naugatuck River and every town that touches the river bank,” O’Leary said.
“We’re very proud of this.”
O’Leary said getting the region’s federal delegation into
the fight was the difference here before being able to apply for the grant as
he pointed to U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy, both
Democrats, as well as Congresswomen Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3rd District, and Jahana
Hayes, D-5th District.
O’Leary also said officials are grateful for Naugatuck River
advocate Kevin Zak, who brought this to their attention and for his wife,
Sondra Zak, as an activist for the river.
Zak is the president and co-founder of the Naugatuck River
Revival Group and Supervisor of Waterbury PAL River Brigade. He said the water
quality of the river is very good as volunteers have been pulling out tons of
trash and debris.
“The aesthetic value of the river is safer and much better,”
Zak said.
Zak said fish still aren’t able to migrate past the dam due
to not having a free flowing river.
“Without the removal of the dam, the health of the river is
always impaired,” Zak said. “It’s not a real river.”
NVCOG developed the proposed project in partnership with
Save the Sound, and the nonprofit will be a sub recipient of funds through
NVCOG, according to the COG press release.
Zak said the dam is killing a free-flowing river and it has
absolutely zero benefits to the river but instead collects garbage and wildlife
dies at the dam all the time. The health of the river depends on the removal of
the dam, he added.
NVCOG and Save the Sound will negotiate the award and
project scope with NOAA, the press release states.
O’Leary said the NVCOG, which is made up of 19 cities and
towns, made a bipartisan unanimous decision four years ago to invest its
financial resources to hire attorneys to get to this stage of the game.
“I’m extremely proud of our COG for showing this support,”
O’Leary said. “Amazing to see everyone agree on a single path.”
Zak said the removal of the dam is going to change the river
for a thousand years.
“The river is very forgiving and the wildlife is very
forgiving,” Zak said. “They’ll come back. It’ll take some time. It will
eventually heal itself but you have to get rid of the dam.”
December 16, 2022
CT Construction Digest Friday December 16, 2022
Costello Dismantles 12 Interconnected Brass Plant Structures in Waterbury
IRWIN RAPOPORT
Between March and April 2021 and an additional phase in 2022, the Costello Dismantling Company Inc. completed the demolition of the 400,000-sq.-ft. former Anaconda American Brass Company manufacturing plant in the city of Waterbury, Conn. The contractor also removed asbestos and contaminated soil and materials.
The plant — 12 interconnected structures, primarily manufacturing facilities, which closed many years ago — is owned by the city and overseen by the Waterbury Development Corporation. The majority of the buildings were single-story high bay foundry buildings — 40-ft. tall in many areas — and also included a multi-story office space.
Due to widespread contamination and deterioration of the entire complex, more than 10,000 tons of debris was handled and disposed of as PCB and asbestos waste.
Waterbury was known as "The Brass City" because it was home to several brass manufacturing plants.
The plant was located at 130 Freight St. and 000 West Main St. After the company vacated the site, it was utilized as a Connecticut regulated waste treatment and soil remediation facility by Environmental Waste Resources, which ceased operations in 2011.
The 130 Freight St. parcel, 10.56 acres, had eight buildings. The demolition for this portion was covered by a $1.5 million Urban Act State of CT grant. The 000 West Main Street parcel is a 3.28 acres.
Waterbury received $2.2 million — $2 million from the State of DECD and $200,000 from an NVCOG EPA RLF grant — to pay for the demolition, environmental assessment and remediation on both parcels, which are adjacent to each other.
"The two sites were tax delinquent and the city took them over in late 2020," said Tommy Hyde, the WDC's interim director. "The properties had been abandoned for quite some time and had become eyesores for the community. The sites were very contaminated and were subject to the Resource Conversation and Recovery Act. The remediation is still ongoing and it has to be cleaned up to EPA and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection standards. The city just acquired an adjacent property at 170 Bridge St. and the plan is to convert both sites into a mixed-use transit-oriented development."
Costello Dismantling secured the $2,704,253 demolition and abatement contract in early 2021.
"The ravages of time, technology and the economy left the 400,000 sq.-ft. complex ‘worth more dead than alive,'" said Dan Costello, the company's owner and president. "We developed a plan to decontaminate and abate asbestos and PCB waste, which then allowed demolition and recovery of the massive steel structures that comprised the brass mill. The recovered value of the salvaged steel greatly contributed to the economic efficiency of the project. In the end, a clean, level land parcel in the middle of the city was returned to the development market for a new modern purpose.
"In the context of this project, creative traditional and non traditional asbestos abatement techniques were implemented to facilitate abatement and manage costs," he added. "The familiarity with similar structures allowed us to select equipment to execute the demolition safely and efficiently to recover the substantial scrap steel component of the structures. The scrap credit greatly reduced the overall project costs."
Costello noted that his firm had a month to prepare its bid for the project and a plan to go with it and after securing the contract, another month to tighten the plan before the work began.
"Once we started, it was pretty straight forward," he said. "We began at one end and worked systematically through the complex."
Having been closed for many years, all the water, electricity and gas utilities had been shut off. Also, there were no functioning underground utilities spanning the approximately 14-acre site.
"We had plenty of space to set up our operations," said Costello. "We had field offices via trailers, a site to wash the trucks and space to park our equipment."
The debris from the demolition was removed from the site on a regular basis.
"Much of the site had deteriorated and the debris was cross-contaminated with asbestos, which is why we had to do a bulk loading scenario," said Costello, who added that this was a day-shift operation that had approximately 15 employees on site — machinery operators, loader drivers and staff specializing in abatement operations.
To prevent asbestos and other contaminated materials from being blown by the wind, industrial misters were positioned around the work areas.
"There was always a shroud of water during the demolition process," said Costello. "We used firehoses and point watering to minimize dust and we had air monitors at the perimeter to verify that no dust was leaving the site. We met all the environmental regulations of the state and municipality."
Crew members also wore masks as part of site personal protective equipment requirements.
This was an equipment-driven project. A Volvo 750 high-reach excavator with a big shear brought down much of the structure. This was backed up by several Volvo 480 excavators with grapples and shears to process the downed materials. Debris loaded with two Volvo 180E loaders equipped with solid rubber tires for demolition work. Also on site were several Caterpillar 236 skid steers with solid tires and demolition grapple buckets.
"We were well equipped to handle any building structure we came across," said Costello.
Greg Geyer served as the onsite project manager.
"We always try to be collaborative," said Costello. "We have very experienced crews that have worked together for many years. Their concern for safety is paramount."
In addition to having vehicles washed at the entrance and exit points, vehicles remaining on site were sprayed at a specially set up decontamination pad.
The contaminated material was shipped by truck to specialized landfills in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The steel was thoroughly washed to remove any residue from the asbestos and other debris.
Costello Dismantling has recently purchased a fair amount of new equipment.
"I don't recall any issues with the equipment on this project," said Costello. "We have a fairly new fleet and we have a master mechanic with helpers and support services."
Much of the equipment is still under warranty and when required, the dealerships send technicians to various work sites.
The project site was approximately 150 mi. from the company's equipment yard.
The company purchases its Volvo equipment from Woodco Machinery in Woburn, Mass., and its Caterpillar equipment from Milton CAT in Milford, Mass.
The project had its challenges, but all went very well.
"You certainly learn something on every job to help you do the next one better," said Costello. "We do a lot of this type of work, so we're well equipped and well-trained to handle big industrial jobs and we do them well." CEG
Quinnipiac Univ. receives final approval for $293M South Quad project
Andrew Larson
Quinnipiac University has received final approval to construct three buildings – a new school of business, an academic building and a residence hall – at its Hamden campus, part of the school’s controversial South Quad project.
Construction is expected to begin this winter, with the new buildings opening during the 2024-25 academic year, the school announced Thursday,
The $293 million project includes an academic building, which will span about 142,000 square feet, along with an 80,000-square-foot business school and 417-bed residence hall for first-year students. They will be the first new standalone buildings constructed on campus since the early 1990s.
In November, the Hamden Planning and Zoning Commission approved a zone change designating the roughly 30-acre property as a Planned Development District, which gave the university more flexibility.
Some residents objected to the change, with some saying that the buildings should be more spaced out and others mentioning environmental concerns during a public hearing Nov. 21.
On Tuesday, the commission approved the final site development plan, the last step before work can begin.
“This is a great example of our community’s shared vision for the future,” said Bethany Zemba, vice president for strategy and community relations for the university. “So many people have participated in conversations — from the development of our master facilities plan to working with the Planning and Zoning Commission.”
The Quinnipiac Board of Trustees approved the project in January. Construction will be funded through a combination of the university’s endowment, philanthropic efforts and debt financing.
The school of business will include an innovation hub as an incubator to build and test new ideas; a financial technology center where students will use cutting-edge trading platforms, investment tools and data systems; faculty offices; and flexible lecture and event spaces that can seat up to 150 people for large and small gatherings, according to the school.
Quinnipiac said the buildings will be constructed with the environment in mind, and each will be LEED certified.
Construction backlog jumps to highest level since 2019
Construction backlog in November reached its highest level since the second quarter of 2019, as contractors with under $30 million in revenue landed new jobs faster than expected, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.
ABC’S Construction Backlog Indicator jumped in November to 9.2 months, a 0.4-month uptick from October and a 0.8-month increase from November 2021, according to the report.
“The rise in backlog is remarkable and unexpected,” said Anirban Basu, ABC’s chief economist. “A number of contractors have been reporting that their backlog has risen rapidly over the past three months, which is counterintuitive given the pervasive view that the broader economy is headed into recession.”
The move illustrates the whipsaw cadence of construction since the beginning of the pandemic, when new projects have stumbled to get out of the gate due to supply chain and labor challenges but the demand to build has remained high.
It also marks a U-turn from last month’s backlog report, when October numbers showed the largest monthly decline since July 2020 in the commercial and institutional category. At that time, Basu said October’s slump indicated an emerging weakness in the nonresidential construction sector.
However, in this month’s reading, the commercial and institutional category, along with healthcare-related construction, led the improvement in backlog, according to ABC.
Given those come-and-go indicators, questions remain whether that positive backlog growth can continue, said Basu.
“While it seems unlikely that backlog will hold up in the face of the Federal Reserve’s efforts to slow demand, many predicted that backlog would have dipped by now and that has yet to transpire,” said Basu. “What’s more, many contractors expect sales and staffing levels to climb over the next six months, while profit margins are projected to remain stable.”
ABC’s Construction Confidence Index reading for profit margins and staffing increased in November, while the reading for sales moved lower. All three readings remain above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations of growth over the next six months, according to the report.
Michael Walsh
WEST HARTFORD — After a public hearing that lasted just over six hours, the Town Council voted Tuesday to delay its decision on a proposed housing development in West Hartford Center.
The project, filed by development group The Arapahoe Group consisting of Jim Manafort, Marc Lewis, Harris Simons and Bruce Simons, considers constructing 58 condos and 25 apartments across two buildings on existing parking lots near the corner of Arapahoe Road and LaSalle Road.
The delay in voting came after Woodrow Street resident David Meehan filed a protest petition.
A valid protest petition, which requires signatures from 20 percent of landowners in the 500-foot radius impacted by the development, would trigger a supermajority voting requirement. The town's corporation counsel, Dallas Dodge, recommended the town council delay its vote until Dec. 21 to allow town staff time to validate the petition signatures.
Meehan said he and his neighbors who signed the petition share a concern about the size of the building housing the condos, which is set back from the roadway, and the impact on traffic the two buildings might bring to a neighborhood he said is already dealing with unsafe drivers.
"We already have a traffic issue," Meehan said. "We are already broken as far as traffic in our neighborhood."
Meehan, referencing a few recently approved housing developments in town on Park Road, Trout Brook Drive and Farmington Avenue, noted a difference between those projects and this one.
"Those developments all have their traffic flowing in and out of major roads," Meehan said. "That’s where we start to have some challenges here. This flows onto a residential road."
Maureen Chlebek, a traffic engineer with McMahon Associates, said her study showed that the new developments would create an additional 60 vehicle trips per hour to the area — or one per minute — and would not make an impact on the area's traffic that already exists.
Meehan said he and the other neighbors who signed the petition aren't totally against development in this area; they just don't think this is the right one.
"This is a group of people that realize this parking lot as it is now isn’t the best use of this property," Meehan said. "Most people think there should be some development there. We realize that there is a development that probably should take place here."
Drive who spoke alongside Meehan, said that in addition to traffic concerns, he's worried about the size of the condominium building being proposed. The apartment building will be five stories, while the condo building will max out at six stories, with part of the building being five stories.
"Our road is already very busy with cars using it as a high speed cut through to the center," Parker said. "When you place a 70-foot building on a hill surrounded by mostly one- and two-story buildings, it’s going to look out of place. It’s that simple. The developers don’t want you to see the full impact of this massive condo building that is the heart of this project."
Supporters of the project included Evan Berman, a Brookline Drive resident who is also a realtor. He said West Hartford needs the housing stock.
"There’s a strong need for condominiums right here in West Hartford Center," Berman said. "Without a doubt there’s a need for housing in the center and there’s a very strong market for housing in West Hartford Center. We have a very limited space for new home ownership here. Our center needs more properties for people to buy."
Austin Hersh, a Pelham Road resident, said he was in favor of the application since it makes use of space he says is underutilized and wasted.
"As a neighbor of the proposed development, I'm excited West Hartford will add the much-needed residential buildings in our awesome town center," Hersh said. "People are eager to live in West Hartford, specifically close to the center. It's a vibrant area with awesome shops and restaurants. Currently, the West Hartford real estate market doesn't have anything like the proposed development."
Restaurateur Billy Grant and Chris Conway, executive director of the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, also supported the project, citing the economic boost it could bring to the center of town.
In the middle of the issue is Jay Stange, an Auburn Road resident and coordinator at the Transport Hartford Academy at the Center for Latino Progress in Hartford.
His concern is timing since the town is still undergoing its West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan study, which has the potential to bring big changes to LaSalle Road and Farmington Avenue.
"This project does a lot of things that I want in our town," Stange said. "Our town is a place that has room for more people. My concern is that I don’t think West Hartford has room for more cars."
The development has plans to include a a three-story parking garage with two of its levels underground as well as surface parking. Stange referenced a recent report from the town's master plan consultant, Stantec, that said there are already approximately 5,000 parking spaces in the area impacted by the master plan.
"That’s something that the town and Town Council really needs to think about right now," Stange said. "Are we going to make room in this town for people or are we going to make room in this town for parking cars? I want to support this project. Not tonight. We can do better."
Town Manager Rick Ledwith said later in the meeting that its consultant had issued them a memo detailing traffic issues on the impacted roads.
"We have received a draft memo addressing the traffic issue on LaSalle, Woodrow, Arapahoe that we are reviewing right now," Ledwith said. "Without question, we are going to assist our neighbors on Woodrow and Arapahoe and help mitigate the issue. We need to review that memo in detail."
LaSalle Road, particularly, is the focus of much attention. The road, previously a two-way street, was turned into a one-way road going north during the COVID-19 pandemic to accommodate expanded outdoor dining. The study will leave the town contemplating the best usage of the road.
"As part of the study, we’re looking at LaSalle," Ledwith said. "Right now, it’s one-way going north. Do we leave it one-way going north? Do we leave it one-way going south? Do we convert it back to two-way or do we close it all together? Those are some of the options that are being considered."
The developer's attorney, Robin Pearson of Alter & Pearson, responded to traffic concerns by saying that the developer would be open to installing traffic calming measures to help impacted neighborhoods. Pearson also added that any development, whether it's theirs or another one, would add more traffic to the area.
"Any additional development on that site is going to generate more vehicles," Pearson said. "You can deny this, and it won’t get built, and you’ll still have a parking lot there, and you’ll still have the commercial traffic that will go in and out closer to the more residential neighborhoods to the west."
While the town's Planning and Zoning Commission voted four to one to recommend approving the project, the town's Design Review Advisory Committee voted four to one recommending the Town Council not approve the project.
Their letter to the Town Council, dated Dec. 5, said that while they support the apartment building on the corner of LaSalle Road and Arapahoe Road, they still found issue with the condo building despite changes the developers made to reduce the building's size in response to previous committee suggestions.
"Without further changes to that building, those efforts are not enough to change a majority of the committee's opinion that the building's size, scale and placement on the site remains incompatible with the abutting properties," reads the letter, which was signed by Town Planner Todd Dumais, who is the committee's secretary.
The committee went on to say that the condo building "is not compatible with the site or adjoining buildings and does not accomplish an appropriate transition with the streetscape" and that the "mass and placement [of the building] does not create a visually pleasing or coherent site design."
The committee also took issue with the building not being compatible with the neighborhood and that it doesn't foster a sense of place in West Hartford Center. The committee ended its letter by saying it encourages the developers to submit an alternative design that addresses their issues.
Pearson noted that the committee wasn't "upset with the height of that structure at all. They were concerned with the mass of the building on the site."
Turning the focus back to traffic, Council member Leon Davidoff pondered the idea that drivers exiting the development only be able to turn left onto Arapahoe Road, keeping the building's traffic away from homeowners on both Arapahoe and Woodrow Street.
"We need to be very cognizant," Davidoff said. "We don’t want to make life worse for those who are already there. We need to find workable solutions to say listen, we want to be in your neighborhood, we don't want to negatively impact your quality of life. So what can we do to make this happen? That's why I’ve been trying to think outside of the box."
Council member Mark Zydanowicz also said he had been thinking about the exit being left-turn only.
"What did we hear today, in my mind? We heard that there’s a traffic problem downtown previous to this," Zydanowicz said. "They didn’t come to complain so much about the building. They came to complain about the traffic there. We have to respond, and I think we are and have. We have a plan in place. These are some of the things that will help with that process."
The developers said they did offer the left-turn only idea to the town, but didn't fully vet the concept with them, and indicated it may be something that could be included in the plans.
Ledwith pledged that the town will address Woodrow Street's issues before any construction begins should the project gain approval.
"That will all be part of our decision-making process," Ledwith said, referencing street calming possibilities. "Before a shovel goes into the ground, if this project were to be approved, we will have addressed the traffic issue on Woodrow."
Pearson too said the developers would commit to working with the town to address any negative impacts the development could bring to the neighborhood.
"We appreciate the concerns that have been raised by the neighbors and we do commit to working with the town staff and the neighborhood on possible changes we can output with regard to the traffic issue," Pearson said.
The Town Council will consider approval of the development at a special meeting Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Ground Broken On 398 New Apartments
THOMAS BREEN
A dozen New York City-based developers, investors, and local city officials dug in and tossed ceremonial shovels full of dirt — as a team of hard-hatted construction workers behind them continued transforming a 13-acre former contaminated industrial site into 398 new places to live.
That was the scene Wednesday morning at the official groundbreaking for 201 Munson St.
The event marked the ceremonial start for a years-old development project at the old Olin Chemical Company site that in recent months has become a bustling hub of environmental remediation and early-stage construction.
In the next 18 months, the New York City-based construction firm Hudson Meridian plans to have built a new six-story, 377-unit apartment complex, 21 new townhouses along Munson Street, 474 surface and garage parking spaces, and a green expanse of lawn sloping up in the direction of Shelton Avenue.
The work on display Wednesday of the construction of the Munson Street townhouses, the building out of the apartment complex’s concrete foundation, and the prepping to cap the last of the site’s lead-contaminated soil all served as a backdrop for a celebration of a project that has been long delayed finally nearing fruition.
“In March 2020, we were ready to close a loan and the bank put it on hold for Covid,” Hudson Meridian Principal Bill Cote said. “There wasn’t a lot of lending going on for a couple years.” He thanked the project’s lead financers, ACORE Capital and Sculptor Real Estate, which provided the developer with a $78 million loan in May, for “believing in this project in New Haven.”
Cote also singled out for praise local construction contractor and Newhallville native Rodney Williams for helping make this project a reality.
“We’ve owned the property for over four years. We were introduced by the previous owners to a gentleman by the name of Rodney Williams,” Cote said. “Rodney helped our development team navigate New Haven and work with the community. … Rodney, thank you for everything you’ve done.”
Mayor Elicker.
Mayor Justin Elicker marveled at how “remarkable” it is that a site that has been “underutilized” for so long is now finally on the brink of providing 398 more apartments.
“We talk a lot about affordable housing and how affordable housing is so important,” Elicker said. “While technically there are no affordable units as a part of this project, I think that having many, many more units in the marketplace naturally will help alleviate some of the pressure of the prices around housing.” (After the press conference, Cote confirmed for the Independent that, while the developer is not legally required to set aside any of the 398 future apartments at below-market rents, his team has committed to making 10 percent of the new housing units affordable to renters making up to 80 percent of the area median income [AMI].)
Steve Winter, who now works as the city’s climate and sustainability director but who up until Friday was the alder for the ward that includes 201 Munson, described the “tremendous amount of remediation that had to be done with this project.”
“I hope that this and the other developments in the greater Winchester-Science Park area can really knit together the various neighborhoods around Science Park,” he added. And, he said, he’s excited “to see this huge, 13-acre underutilized tract being put to much better use.”
After the press conference had ended and the dirt had been ceremonially shoveled, local construction contractor Rodney Williams pulled this reporter aside to emphasize just how big of a deal this project is for the city — and just how much of a reminder it is that New Haven needs to invest in a skilled workforce.
He lamented that the city’s current laws around developers hiring local, minority- and women-owned businesses only go so far if New Haven doesn’t double down on making sure city residents have the skills and experience to work on huge projects like 201 Munson.
“The lack of skilled workers in this city is a problem,” he said.
Good jobs that New Haveners are ready to fill will allow city residents to live where they want to live, he said. “We’re creating affordable housing,” he said, “but we’re not training” people to be able to afford to live where they want. Williams told the Independent that his firm recently had four New Haveners working security on the 201 Munson St. site, and he’s in negotiations around doing some of the drywall work for the townhomes.
Steve Calicchio, who is Hudson Meridian’s project executive for 201 Munson, said that there are currently around 80 construction workers working at the development site. At the height of construction in the months ahead, he said, there should be between 200 and 300 construction workers on site at any given time.
Aaron Goode, who founded a group called the New Haven Friends of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, also provided the Independent on Wednesday with comments he had prepared to give as one of the scheduled speakers on the press conference lineup.
“Residents of 201 Munson will be able to literally roll out of bed, hop on a bike, get on the trail and be at Yale or downtown New Haven in less than 5 minutes; or in the other direction, ride 80 miles all the way to Massachusetts without ever having to go on a roadway or navigate a single block of traffic,” he wrote about the canal trail that runs directly adjacent to the construction site. “We think that is a pretty special amenity to offer residents that is unique to this particular place. It’s exactly the kind of amenity that millennials and many other people are looking for as they seek out opportunities for urban living.
“Revitalizing a brownfield site, hiring local workers, leveraging the trail as an asset, with projects like this the future is bright,” Goode continued. “The Farmington Canal Trail is already the crown jewel of the bicycle pedestrian network in Connecticut, it is already one of the greatest rail trails in the country, but with new businesses, new development springing up around the trail practically every day, with new neighbors and new users drawn from right here on Munson Street in historic Newhallville, we know the best is yet to come. Thank you for being here, thank you to everyone who has worked on this project and helped to fulfill our long term vision of the trail as an instrument of growth and opportunity.”