From school security to development, CT board approves $1 billion in projects
Days before next week's 10th anniversary of the Newtown
school massacre, the State Bond Commission on Thursday approved $10 million in
the state's competitive school security grant program for hardening buildings,
purchasing cameras, electronic locks, ballistic glass and other measures.
"This has been an ongoing effort every since Sandy
Hook," said Gov. Ned Lamont, who heads the 10-member panel. "We're
continuing to do everything we can, thanks to the folks here, to make sure
we're doing everything we can to keep our kids and our teachers and our schools
safe."
The program, approved by the General Assembly in 2013,
includes private and parochial schools at a rate of 10 percent, compared to 90
percent for public schools.
The commission's last meeting of the calendar year lasted 43
minutes as members approved more than a billion dollars in new borrowing for a
variety of statewide projects, about half of which are transportation-related,
including $100 million for track and facility improvements at Hartford's Union
Station. The 55-item agenda was approved with no opposition to Lamont and his
budget chief, Jeffrey Beckham, who review and approve items for inclusion in
the monthly agenda.
"It's not very flashy," Lamont said of the
projects reviewed and approved one-by-one in a packed meeting room in the
Legislative Office building. "It's not very flashy. We're fixing and
replacing and renovating and rejuvenating, and just fixing stuff."
The Dixwell Plaza redevelopment in New Haven was allocated
$10 million from the state's Community Investment Fund for a new 150-unit,
mixed use project expected to cost $200 million. Erik Clemens, chief executive
officer of the Connecticut Community Outreach and Revitalization Program, said
the plan will transform the downtown neighborhood, with the state funding
putting the project on-track..
"Some of you may know that the Dixwell community is a
historic Black community that has languished in poverty and disinvestment for
decades," Clemens said, stressing that demolition of the existing Dixwell
Plaza should begin in June or July of next year. "We're going to deliver
housing," Clemens said. "We're going to deliver a public square, a
child care facility, a 15-restaurant food hall, a 60,000 square-foot office
tower, town houses, greenhouses, a 300-seat performing arts center,
job-training programs as well as a supermarket."
Middletown was approved for $12 million to demolish and
remediate a property in the first phase of the so-called Return to the
Riverbend project along River Road near the Connecticut River. The city of
Ansonia was approved for $6.5 million in the active rehabilitation and
redevelopment of the former Ansonia Copper and Brass site on Liberty Street.
More than $100 million was approved for housing programs,
including $1.7 million for Baldwin Holdings project in Bridgeport for a
mixed-income site with 50 units; $2.1 million for the BIMEC Housing
Development's affordable housing on Shelton Avenue.
The panel allocated $1 million to design improvements to the
New Haven Harbor, including the analysis of a rock to be removed at the
entrance to the channel.
Items approved included:
$40 million for the UConn Health Center for boiler
replacements, elevators maintenance and window repairs.
$34 million for technology upgrades in various state
departments including the office of state comptroller and the Department of
Social Services.
$30 million for town road-aid grants.
$15 million to upgrade and replace the state Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection's mobile radio network.
$3 million for the study and design of exterior renovations
to the Superior Courthouse on Elm Street in downtown New Haven.
$1.2 million for 28 police departments to purchase body
cameras, dashboard cameras and video storage devices, including the University
of New Haven as well as Gateway and Housatonic community colleges; and Easton,
New Haven, Thomaston, Torrington, Wallingford, Ansonia, Bethel, New Fairfield
and Watertown.
New Haven Housing, Healthcare Projects Get $21M+ State Boost
THOMAS BREEN
Dixwell Plaza’s mixed-use redevelopment, a new health
center on Grand Avenue, and new affordable apartments on Shelton Avenue were
some of the dozen New Haven projects to receive over $21 million in support
from Hartford in an end-of-year windfall of state aid.
That infusion of state cash for New Haven-based projects
came Thursday
from the State Bond Commission.
The commission signed off on over
$500 million in state aid for projects across the state, including more
than $21 million heading to the Elm City.
“These projects that are receiving funding in New Haven are
each built around the shared goal of supporting the people who live in the city
and making it an even better place to live and work,” Gov. Ned Lamont is quoted
as saying in a Thursday afternoon email press release sent out by
Connecticut House Democrats. “I am glad we could get this funding
approved today.”
New Haven State Reps. Al Paolillo Jr. and Juan Candelaria
are also quoted in that press release as celebrating this rush of
state aid.
“I am confident that these projects will have
a positive and significant impact on New Haven, and I appreciate that
Community Investment Fund and Governor Lamont and State Bond Commission
recognize this as well,” Paolillo is quoted as saying. “I am happy to see
New Haven with an opportunity to create greater health care access, leverage
food entrepreneurship, respond and improve critical infrastructure that
supports local economic development.”
“The Fair Haven Community Health Center is a Federally
Qualified Health Center that has been around for decades providing much-needed
primary, behavioral health, and dental care to the residents of New Haven,
primarily to those that reside in the Fair Haven area,” Candelaria is quoted as
saying. “The health center provides indispensable services to
a large number of Hispanics in New Haven and this funding will assist with
the construction of their new facility that will further enhance the delivery
of services. I thank Governor Lamont for prioritizing this item on
today’s agenda.”
The state grants for New Haven projects included in
Thursday’s bond commission vote include:
• $10 million for ConnCORP’s
planned redevelopment of Dixwell Plaza into a new mixed-use
development with 150 new housing units, 20 percent of which will be reserved at
below-market rents.
• $3 million for Fair Haven Community Health Care to help
fund the health center’s planned new construction of an expanded facility at
382 – 394 Grand Ave.
• $2,132,250 for the Believe In Me Empowerment Corporation’s
(BIMEC) planned new construction of 18
affordable single-room apartments at 53 Shelton Ave.
• $1.5 million for the City
of New Haven’s long-in-the-works planned rehab of 596 – 598 George St. into two
owner-occupied, three-family residences.
• $1,092,500 for the local farmers market nonprofit CitySeed
for the creation of a 10,000 square-foot facility with a new
commercial kitchen and food business incubator.
• $1 million to help cover the costs of the design of the
New Haven Harbor Improvement Federal Navigation Project. The Bond Commission
agenda describes this project as: “Major design components include
analysis of rock to be removed at the entrance channel to the harbor, ship
simulation refinement based on specific vessel analysis with CT Pilots
participation, tidal marsh beneficial use placement at Sandy spit; & plans
and specifications for dredging and marsh placement, hydrographic survey,
cultural resources investigation, value engineering, and contract documents
for solicitation.”
• $780,000 to the Economic Development Corporation of New
Haven to help outfit a “manufacturing training facility with specialized
manufacturing equipment.”
• $594,938 for various improvements to Hillhouse and Wexler
Grant schools. “Projects will include alterations, repairs, improvements,
technology and equipment to help address building and site deficiencies, and to
promote the health, safety, and learning of the students.”
• $500,000 for the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen for
renovations to 266 State St. to create a “one-stop social services hub
for people experiencing homelessness.”
• $401,810 to reimburse the New Haven Police Department for
the costs of purchasing body cameras, dash cameras, and video
storage devices.
• $312,619 for the local homelessness services nonprofit New
Reach to “renovate facilities for greater safety and
energy efficiency.”
• $155,000 for the New Haven Jewish Community Council
Housing Corporation to help them “explore expanding services.”
State Bond Commission approves funds for schools and housing in the region
Johana Vazquez
The State Bond Commission Thursday approved almost $1
billion dollars in state funding with some of the money coming to southeastern
Connecticut for schools and housing.
Gov. Ned Lamont chaired the meeting and said half of the
funds were related to transportation. He said it was not a “flashy” agenda but
the state is “fixing, replacing, renovating and rejuvenating” its
transportation, state facilities and schools.
Among other schools in the state, New London Public Schools
received $220,272 for Bennie Dover Jackson Multi-Magnet Middle School and New
London High School for repairs and improvements to address building and site
deficiencies. The two schools are in the middle of construction of a nearly
$160 million two-campus project.
State Rep. Anthony Nolan, D-New London, said he is
incredibly grateful to Lamont and the members of the State Bond Commission for
prioritizing the school funding.
“Our students deserve access to the best facilities and
materials so that they can learn, grow, and thrive," he said in the
release.
Ella T. Grasso Technical High School in Groton received
$94,964 in funding for equipment.
In a package for various housing projects, the Norwich
Housing Authority will receive a $4 million grant to finance infrastructure
repairs and improvements at Sunset Park, which consists of 29 buildings with 35
two-bedroom units and 18 three-bedroom units
The bonding commission also approved $500,000 for the
Norwich Community Development Corporation’s creation of a second business park
on property it has yet to purchase in Occum. Norwich residents on Monday urged its City Council to delay or
reject the plan as inappropriate for the quiet, rural residential area.
The NCDC will also receive $550,00 to re-development the
Reid & Hughes building in downtown Norwich to create space for two
minority-owned businesses and market-rate housing.
The commission also approved funding for state facilities,
two of which are in Norwich. The Campbell building in Uncas will receive
$186,274 for roof repairs and the Thames Valley Council for Community Action
Agency will receive $284,050 for a boiler replacement.
In funding for state libraries, the commission allocated
$250,000 to go towards the Waterford Public Library for an HVAC replacement and
natural gas connection.
The State Bond Commission approved funding for multiple
economic development projects across the state during a special meeting
Thursday.
The funding includes $12 million for Middletown’s riverfront
revival, meant to help the city further its plans to rejuvenate 220 acres of
industrial land along the Connecticut River with new parks, community spaces,
restaurants, retail and multifamily development.
Middletown has already spent more than $75 million
decommissioning its sewage treatment plant, buying properties and repairing a
shuttered riverside restaurant building.
In addition, the State Bond Commission approved $10 million
to support demolition and soil cleanup of the former Anaconda American Brass
site in Waterbury, $1.2 million for Hartford’s Asylum Hill Neighborhood
Association’s rehabilitation of the shuttered Aetna Diner and $1.5 million for
Hartford’s Colt Gateway to obtain a low-interest loan supporting a $6.7-million
conversion of commercial space in the development into 45 apartments.
Also, Hartford will receive $1.1 million to support
renovating 681 Wethersfield Ave. into a year-round food truck court.
The commission further approved $4.5 million for planning
grants to the The North Hartford Collaborative and a $3.75 million low interest
loan for Hartford’s Sheldon Oak Central Inc.’s 155-unit, mixed-income
reconstruction of the Martin Luther King affordable housing complex.
The commission approved money for several projects overseen
by Capital Region Development Authority, including $1.5 million for repairs at
Rentschler Field and the Connecticut Convention Center, another $5 million for
repairs to its parking garages in Hartford and $2 million more for
environmental monitoring and repairs to the Front Street District. In addition,
CRDA is set to receive another $500,000 for improvements at the Connecticut
Regional Market in Hartford.
$10 million approved for Freight Street redevelopment
MATT TOBIN
WATERBURY – The State Bond Commission and Gov. Ned Lamont
approved $10 million Thursday for the Freight Street Corridor Redevelopment
Project.
The funding is part of more than $14 million that will be
used for economic development, infrastructure and city schools.
The city will receive $10 million signed off by the board of
the Community Investment Fund 2030, a five-year grant program, and has matched
$5 million toward projects that include demolition and remediation of about 20
acres across 130 Freight St., 170 Freight St. and 000 West Main St. in the west
end.
“The money will be used to demolish 170 Freight St. and
clean up the rest of the site,” said Thomas Hyde, interim director of Waterbury
Development Corp. “Additional environmental investigations need to be done at
the site to find out what can or cannot be built there.”
A demolition firm already is under contract tearing down and
removing tanks at 000 West Main St., and Tighe and Bond is conducting a
hazardous building material survey, the prep work to raze the building.
The former Anaconda American Brass Co. on Freight Street in
Waterbury. The State Bond Commission and Gov. Ned Lamont approved $10 million
Thursday for the Freight Street Corridor Redevelopment Project. Jim Shannon
Republican-American
The long-term goal is to encourage mixed-use,
transit-oriented development in the blighted, underused area and complement
improvements to the Waterbury Branch Line’s downtown Metro-North railroad
station.
“The city is matching $5 million, which we’ve already put
toward the demolition of 130 Freight St. and environmental remediation there as
well,” Mayor Neil M. O’Leary said.
The city also will use $2.8 million to revamp the
intersection at Washington Street, Washington Avenue and South Main Street,
O’Leary said. The city owns the properties at 835 and 777 South Main St.
“We’re going to lop off a portion of that property so when
you come down Washington, it will continue straight,” the mayor said. “We’ll
move the road over. It will align the intersection so there will be less
traffic and congestion.”
The grant includes $1.2 million to fund school improvements
at Crosby High School, Wilby High School, Kennedy High School, Wallace Middle
School and North End Middle School. The upgrades will promote health, safety
and learning, while addressing structural issues to buildings and their
properties.
Goals for the redevelopment project include adding jobs and
extending Waterbury’s downtown.
State Sen. Joan V. Hartley applauded Lamont and the State
Bond Commission’s approval of the funding.
“The approval of these funds for revitalizing the Freight
Street district opens the path for hundreds of mixed-use and commercial jobs in
an abandoned industrial area that is ready for a prosperous return,” Hartley
said.
Hyde added, “We’re very thankful to the state for selecting
our project. We’re really excited at the prospect of cleaning up a 20-acre site
that has real potential to make a change in downtown Waterbury.”
North Stamford residents can't fix their broken septic systems. It'll cost at least $8M for sewers.
STAMFORD — When he moved to the neighborhood around Perna
Lane in 2004, Michael Lepeltier said he was told: “The sewers were coming. The
sewers were coming.”
In fall 2023, the city’s Water Pollution Control Authority
hopes construction will finally begin to bring sewer service to the area. The
Board of Finance this week approved a $1.88 million appropriation to move the
project forward.
Lepeltier and other residents voiced their support for the
project during a virtual board meeting Wednesday night.
Septic systems are used across North Stamford. But on
streets in the Perna Lane area, which is near the Rippowam River, some aging
septic systems cannot be replaced with new, up-to-code systems because the lots
are so small, said Brian Teitelbaum, who has advocated for the sewer
project.
Martina Teply said she tried to sell her home several years
ago, but a potential buyer backed away because of the property’s failing septic
system.
“This is something we need desperately,” said another
resident, Nick Tamburro.
“It is hard to believe that, in the year 2022, we have
people living in Stamford that are forced to be exposed to the wretched smell,
the health risks of the constant sewage in their yards,” said Maria
Venneri.
The first phase of the project, which includes properties
mostly east of High Ridge Road from the Merritt Parkway to Perna Lane, is
estimated to cost about $8.1 million. City boards previously authorized the
WPCA to spend more than $6 million on the project.
“We really won’t know the exact cost of what it will be
until the bids come in, obviously,” said Ann Brown, the WPCA’s supervising
engineer.
The WPCA, like the city, issues bonds for capital projects.
However, while the city issues tax-exempt bonds, the WPCA issues revenue bonds,
said Lauren Meyer, a special assistant to Mayor Caroline Simmons.
“Revenue bonds are bonds that are supported by fees charged
by the WPCA,” Meyer said. “They are not bonds supported by the taxpayers — but
by the users of the WPCA’s services. Because they have a specific source
of funds identified to pay the bonds (not the full faith and credit of the
municipality like taxes) they have more risk associated with them and typically
they pay a higher rate of interest.”
The WPCA will impose “benefit assessments” on the property
owners to pay for 40 percent of the sewer-related costs of the project, as
required under Stamford’s ordinances. The owners will be able to pay the
assessments over 15 years, and what they owe will depend on how many bathrooms
are in their homes.
The average cost per property was recently estimated at
$21,700.
Republican Board of Finance member Dennis Mahoney, who
previously represented part of North Stamford on the Board of Representatives,
urged WPCA officials to give the residents a “clear, unambiguous understanding
of what their cost exposure is going to be” since they heard lower assessment
estimates in the past. He noted that residents will also face a connection
cost.
Brown said the WPCA plans to hold an informational meeting
for residents in January.
Past bids for the work “came in very high,” she said. The
WPCA received a single bid of $14 million in 2018 and 2019, according to a
presentation shared with the Board of Finance.
“We did talk to some contractors, who said the project was
designed so that the sewers were very deep to pick up the homes, the
basements,” Brown said. “So in some areas, the sewers were 10 feet deep, and in
other areas, such as on High Ride Road, the sewers were like 23 feet deep, and
it put them into rock. ... So that’s what drove the cost up.”
Brown said the WPCA “put the project on hold” after COVID-19
hit and the agency received a mixed response from residents who responded to
surveys. The agency’s board later decided to proceed after two-thirds of the
property owners in the project area signed a petition in support, according to
meeting minutes.
“We asked our consultants to once again look at this since
we’re moving ahead,” Brown said. “We asked them to see if they could raise the
sewers out of the depth that they were at ... so that the construction would be
a little easier, the cost would be a little less. They were able to do that by
servicing the first floors of the homes,” instead of their basements.
The second phase of the project extends to Scofieldtown
Road. The third phase includes properties around Redmont Road. Board of Finance
Chair Richard Freedman, a Democrat, said he wouldn’t support the third phase,
where all of the properties appear to be able to replace their septic
systems.
Torrington City Council hires contractor for East Main sidewalk project
TORRINGTON — The city's expansive plan to replace or add
sidewalks along the East Main Street corridor took a step forward this week
when the City Council awarded a bid to Costa & Son LLC, based in South
Windsor, for $768,625.80.
Paul Kundzins, deputy director of Public Works, and engineer
Mark Austin developed and presented
the sidewalk plan in April. The project will include new sidewalks
along the north side of Route 202/East Main Street, from Fern Drive easterly to
Torringford West Street, totaling approximately 4,600 feet. T
The proposed improvements include traffic signal
modifications, installation of ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks and sidewalks
ramps, granite curbing, pavement markings and replacement of catch basin tops.
The project is fully funded under the Responsible Growth and
Transit-Oriented Development (RG/TOD) Planning Grant Program from the state
Department of Transportation.
City Economic Development Director Rista Malanca applied for
and received a grant for $1.997 million for the project.
Phase 1 ends at Cumberland Farms at the top of the hill,
across the street from BJ’s and Jimmy’s Store.
Phase 2 begins from BJs and replaces sidewalks along an auto
dealership property on the south side of the road, and continuing up the hill
toward WalMart and McDonald’s.
For the first phase, the signal at Charles Street will be
upgraded to include a pedestrian crosswalk, as well as a “pedestrian refuge
pad” or area that allows people on foot to stand in a safe place before
crossing the street. A pushbutton station will also be installed for the
signal, requiring vehicles to stop and allowing pedestrians to cross safely.
Several other signals also are being upgraded along the
roadway, with the same type of standing area and traffic signals for
pedestrians, Kundzins said.
Some areas have slopes or grades that may require more work
to avoid crossing into private property, Kundzins said, such as an area between
Arlene and Bishop streets where a slope runs along the edge of East Main Street
rather than flat ground. All of the work in this section is possible, remaining
in the DOT’s right of way, and the project will not go onto private property,
he said.
Torrington conducted public input studies and forums on the
sidewalk plan in 2021, inviting residents and business owners to participate.
The plan was developed using that input, focusing on problem areas for pedestrians
and traffic, officials said.
City, regional officials plan to connect Meriden trails to Middletown
Mary Ellen Godin
MERIDEN — Regional and local officials continue putting
together plans to connect the city’s existing paved trail system from
downtown Meriden for bicyclists and walkers through Giuffrida Park and into
Middletown.
The Meriden segment is part of a larger effort called
the Central Connecticut Loop Trail connector that runs from the
Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in Cheshire through Meriden, Portland and East
Hampton to join up with the Air Line Trail that runs from Bolton to
Hartford and then back to the Farmington Canal Trail.
Supporters believe the trail will be a strong attraction for
cyclists from in and out of the state. Because it passes by rail stations
in Meriden and Hartford, it would encourage transportation by bicycle and
train.
At a September meeting, engineers and consultants said the
Meriden Phase II plan calls for the linear trail to be connected at Brookside
Park using an old rail line that travels from the park to Broad Street. A
signal light at Atkins Street will provide access to the continued rail line on
the eastern side of Broad Street.
The city is currently working on properties on Hanover
Road to realign Harbor Brook to reduce flooding. The work will yield an
extension of the linear trail along Hanover to the Meriden Green. Forging a trail
from the northern part of the Green to Brookside Park is still in the works,
city officials said.
The rail line trail across Broad Street will travel to Bee
Street where it will cross and continue along Westfield Road. A 10- to
15-foot-wide path will be constructed to get to the entrance to Giuffrida
Park.
Engineers and consultants noted the steep climb to the park
entrance and said the path can be meandered some to reduce the grade for
pedestrians and cyclists. Another paved portion at the rear of the Bradley
Hubbard Dam will bring the trail to the Blue Ridge Trail system where it will
cross into Middletown.
The South Central Region Council of Governments commissioned
the study at $108,000 to open up transportation options in open space areas in
Connecticut. The entire project will encompass 111 miles.
“The step we’re in right now, is we’re performing a study,”
said Emile Pierides, associate city engineer. “SCRCOG gave us a grant to
fill in the gap from Cheshire to Middletown. The trail under construction now
is for the Harbor Brook portion to the Meriden Green. This study is just for
the section from Brookside Park to Middletown.”
The trail planners could not follow the entire rail bed
beyond Bee Street because it leads to the Suzio York Hill quarry, cuts through
significant wetlands and personal properties that would have to be settled
first, planners said.
View the trail presentation deck.
They determined the best alignment would travel
along Bee Street to Westfied and into Giufridda Park. The trail would be
10-15 feet wide alongside the existing sidewalk.
The city owns much of the property on Westfield Drive to
Hunters Golf Course and the park entrance.
“The end of the (park) driveway is where it gets
really steep,” Pierides said. “We don’t have to follow the driveway into
the park. We can make the trail make a more gradual slope so you maintain a
steady grade.”
The part that engineers want to pave is an upper
trail along the western side of the park. The western most trail is
basically a gravel road used infrequently by the city and Eversource, which has
a power line easement in the area.
There appears to be some confusion among the public about
exactly what will be paved.
“Once there (at the parking lot) there are multiple trails,”
Pierides said. “The western most trail is basically a gravel road. That isn’t
the trail. It’s an upper trail to the west. It’s fairly flat and it’s gravel
and 10 to 15 feet already. Makes a lot of sense to have the trail on that. It’s
not on the water until we get to the back section of the lake and combines with
the trail that goes around the reservoir for a short period.”
Once beyond the lake, it meets the Blue Ridge Trail into
Middletown. City engineers have met with Middletown and SCRCOG officials
several times to determine where Middletown can pick up the trail in its
city.
Study authors are accepting public comments about the
proposed trail and have received mainly positive comments, although some people
are averse to paving the trail around the reservoir.
“I am opposed to paving the trail right along the lake side
of the lake at Giuffrida Park (or removing the trees so that any trail further
away would have a clear view of the lake),” Lisa Davis, a member of the
Meriden Land Trust Board of Directors, stated in an email. “The walk along
the lake under the trees that were planted by the WPA, clamoring over the roots
... standing amongst the trees, maybe fishing or walking a dog is a classic
feature of Meriden.”
Davis said she is speaking for herself and not the group.
She understands the need for access for those with disabilities. “However, not
all locations can be adapted without causing major disruptions.”
Other people expressed positive views about the project and
think it will help more residents explore open spaces in the city and
elsewhere.
“I was totally against paving the Red Bridge Trail,” Michael
Hoffman stated on social media. “It was a great trail for hiking and easy
mountain biking. But after seeing it get so much use and so many people
enjoying it, I changed my mind. If it gets more people out of the house and
outdoors, I think it’s worth it as long as enough undeveloped trails remain.”
The study authors are still gathering public comments about
the proposal and expect a full report to be completed in January.
For more details on the September presentation and to leave
a comment, please go online and visit:
https://www.meridenct.gov/announcements/central-ct-loop-trail-connection-study/
Stonington to repair South Anguilla Road bridge
Carrie Czerwinski
Stonington — The Board of Finance on Wednesday awarded a
$338,445 bid to Suchocki & Sons, Inc. of Preston to repair the South
Anguilla Road Bridge.
The five bids for the work ranged from $322,334 to $396,000,
with the low bid coming from Old Colony Construction of Clinton.
After the bids were reviewed and reference checks were
completed by consultant WMC Engineers of Newington, the bid was awarded to the
second lowest bidder, explained Town Engineer Christopher Greenlaw.
In a memo to the board, Greenlaw wrote that Old Colony
Construction, “has a performance history of extended project timelines and
schedules that would drive increases for construction, admin[istration], and
inspection at a minimum.”
He also said the town’s bid documents state that it reserves
the right to not select the lowest bid.
In a report compiled by WMC, Old Colony was reported to have
the necessary experience and that the references provided by the company all
confirmed that the company’s work was of acceptable quality.
“All references agreed that the projects all took longer to
complete and were behind schedule for various reasons, some legitimate, but
many not in their opinion. For one project, originally scheduled to be
completed in one year, the project has taken over two years. This required
additional time and costs for construction administration and inspection,” the
report stated.
Jay Costello, co-owner of WMC, told the board he called
multiple municipalities that had undertaken similar bridge work in the past
four to five years. Of the five municipalities that returned his calls, a
number of issues that would drive up costs were reported, including a large
number of change orders, higher than typical administrative costs and numerous
Requests For Information.
Old Colony Managing Member Michelle Murano Neri pushed back
against the claims, initially presented at the Dec. 1 Board of Selectmen’s
meeting.
In a December 2 email she wrote, “OCC takes exception to
their (WMC) comments found in the meeting minutes,” and added that the company
takes pride in the quality of its work and has done work for the town in the
past which resulted in a recommendation for future projects.
Board Member Michael Fauerbach asked Greenlaw if he had
confirmed any of the claims in the WMC report, and Greenlaw said he had spoken
with a municipality and corroborated the information.
The work Suchocki & Sons will perform includes milling
and repaving the road, building new guide walls and installing new guide rails
which will extend onto the shoulder before and after the bridge.
Additionally, a membrane will be laid under the new roadway
to keep road salt and water from getting into cracks and crevices in the
concrete substructure where it can cause deterioration, which Greenlaw said
will help extend the life of the bridge by another 20 to 25 years.
“Although this is one of our better bridges overall, like
anything else, it’s a 1940’s bridge. We want to try to get 75 to 100 years out
of our bridges,” he said, adding that spending the money to repair and protect
the bridge now, will save money in the long run.
Design plans call for one-way alternating traffic on the
bridge during construction, but there will be some parts of the project which
will require closing the bridge and using a detour. Installing the protective
membrane may see the bridge closed for two weeks. Greenlaw said during other
portions of the project, he hopes detours will only be during work hours,
allowing the bridge to be reopened at night.
Greenlaw said the work, which could take up to four months,
should begin by March 15.
“We want to spend our capital funds as best we can within
the appropriate year. We’d like this work to commence as soon as possible,” he
said.
Litchfield to study overhaul cost for old school
JOHN MCKENNA
LITCHFIELD – The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday authorized
seeking architectural and engineering firms to study the former Bantam School
and determine how much it would cost to overhaul the 70-year-old building for
continued municipal use.
A request for proposals written earlier in the year by the
town facilities review committee will be sharpened by public works Director Raz
Alexe and issued, selectmen decided.
Proposals would show how much an architectural and
engineering study of the building that was designed by famed modernist
architect Marcel Breuer would cost. Preliminary estimates have ranged from
$100,000 to $500,000.
“Let’s put it out there and see what it takes,” Selectman
Jonathan Torrant said. “But if it comes back at $500,000, forget about it.”
The committee, in its final report to the selectmen in the
spring, recommended an extensive renovation of the former school after two
years of discussion and study.
Committee Chairman Samuel Olmstead, who presented the report
to the board, said a complete overhaul of the building could cost up to $10
million. The cost, however, could be spread over a number of years because the
layout of the one-story building would allow for a renovation to be carried out
in phases, Olmstead said.
His same presentation to the Board of Finance last month was
met with concern because it has yet to be determined how the building would be
used beyond its current use by a handful of town offices and the Bantam post
office.
“They were leery without seeing a plan in place for a
project with an anticipated cost of $10 million,” First Selectman Denise Raap
said of the finance board.
Selectman Jeffrey Zullo, who serves on the review committee,
said the time for a detailed study of the building has come.
“I believe we need to see what architectural and engineering
firms would be interested in working on this,” Zullo said. “I hope it doesn’t
cost the $300,000 to $500,000 that has been mentioned.”
The town has waited long enough to address the future of the
building, Zullo added.
“We can’t keep kicking the can down the road,” he said. “We
need to scope it out so we can make some decisions as a town.”
The $10 million overhaul estimate, Torrant said, is
appalling and would never be approved by voters.
In 2018, voters in a referendum rejected a proposal to give
the former school to Litchfield Housing Trust, which would have turned it into
an affordable housing community.
Raap said she wouldn’t rule out another proposal for
affordable housing, provided the town maintains ownership of the property.
According to the review committee, a $10 million renovation
would be feasible because in 2024-25 the town will pay off $24 million borrowed
for a school expansion and renovation project completed in 2009. A tax increase
would not be required for the renovation, according to the committee.