Training facility proposed for former Meriden power plant site
Mary Ellen Godin
MERIDEN — The Operating Engineers Local 478 union has
presented plans to the city for developing a heavy-equipment training facility
at 600 South Mountain Road.
The 36-acre former power plant site has been vacant since
the plant, which never opened, was razed leaving a few foundations. The Local
478 Operating Engineers Apprenticeship Training and Skill Improvement fund
purchased the property for $975,000 from Meriden Gas Turbines LLC in June 2019.
The union currently has a training facility on Cheshire Road
that will remain open, according to city officials. .
The Local 478 presented a non-binding pre-application plan
to members of the Planning Commission on Dec. 14. At that
meeting, representative John Paul Garcia stated it was the union’s intent
to use the property for a school and heavy equipment training.
“We don’t have a formal proposal yet,” said Assistant City
Planner Brian Grubbs. “It’s a training site for various trades, carpentry to
excavation. “I do know there is a heavy equipment training component for the
proposal.”
The property is accessed by a mile-long driveway ascending
Cathole Mountain. The proposal is for potential commerical drivers license
training, a crane-training facility for different sized equipment,
and training equipment to mimic different environments, and GPS
training on site. No materials will be removed from the site, Garcia told the
commission members.
“The reason for the pre-application is to find out how
extensive the site plan needs to be for an application and if the commission
has any concerns,” according to meeting minutes.
City Planner Paul Dickson shared staff’s concerns and the
need for an updated conceptual plan showing how the development will be integrated
into the site along with more specifics of operation and program
curriculum.
Commission members discussed acessory uses, proposed
training activities, performance standards for noise, determination of proposed
use, noise monitoring and how extensive the application and site plan should
be. Commission members suggested city staff work with the union to address
comments and concerns.
In 2017, the commission also approved a request by Energy
Advantage for a two-year period to evaluate the potential for solar panels on a
vacant parcel at 600 South Mountain Road. Then City Planner Robert Seale
said the project would require $13 million in improvements to the site.
The total appraised value of the property is $4.3 million,
according to city property records.
In 2002, Meriden Gas Turbines applied for building permits,
for warehouses and a factory for $9 million.
Since the late 1990s, a power plant project had been planned
for the 36-acre site at the north end of the city. The 544-megawatt, natural
gas-fired generating plant never came to fruition due to financial problems and
the declining need for power generation, but the shell of two buildings stood
for years.
While the property originally included over 700 acres of
land, much of it was turned over to Berlin and Meriden and has been dedicated
as open space. Much of the plant and two storage tanks was demolished in
2014.
More than 100 acres in Meriden, however, is being slated for
redevelopment as a "Research Parkway west," former City Planner
Dominick Caruso said in 2014, citing the city's Plan of Conservation and
Development.
“The property for future economic development is the city-owned part of the mountain,” said Economic Development Director Joseph Feest. “The engineers own part of the top
North Stamford is less than a year from city sewers, but it will cost residents $8 million long term
STAMFORD — Local water authority officials were able to give
North Stamford residents more details on sewer improvements expected to break
ground before the end of this year including the cost of phase one: $8.15
million, much of it financed by homeowners long term.
The city's Water Pollution Control Authority and the
project's structural engineers Tighe and Bond provided the information during
an online meeting last week, discussing the first of three potential
construction phases bringing sewer service to the area.
Septic systems are used across North Stamford. But on
streets in the Perna Lane area, which is near the Rippowam River, some aging
systems cannot be replaced with new, up-to-code systems because the lots are so
small.
"It makes it difficult for people with aging septic
systems to even be able to ... have room to repair their systems and meet
current health codes for new septic systems," said Ann Brown, the city
sewer authority's supervising engineer.
The Rippowam flows into two Stamford reservoirs, both
located above the Merritt Parkway and managed by the Aquarion Water Company, as
part of the city's water supply.
"There's also concerns of — if there (are)
failing septic systems, especially of those homes along the Rippowam River — of
the water quality within the Rippowam River," Brown said.
The first phase, which includes properties mostly east of
High Ridge Road from the Merritt Parkway to Perna Lane, is estimated to cost
about $8.15 million. City boards previously authorized the WPCA to spend more
than $6 million on the project.
The WPCA, like the city, issues bonds for capital projects.
But while the city issues tax-exempt bonds, the sewer authority issues revenue
bonds, said Lauren Meyer, a special assistant to Mayor Caroline Simmons, in December. The bonds are supported by the users of
WPCA services rather than taxpayers citywide.
Officials said costs for homeowners are broken down into
three categories.
First, the WPCA will impose “sewer assessment charges” 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. They estimated the average assessment, for a home
with two bathrooms or less, will be $20,000.
The other two costs homeowners will bear are installation
and annual usage fees.
The project, though discussed for decades, began in earnest
in 2018. After several surveys showed insufficient interest among homeowners to
replace their septic systems with a city sewer system, the WPCA delegated a
group of homeowners to encourage a supermajority — two-thirds of affected
residents, or 66 percent — to buy in. Spearheaded by Brian Teitelbaum, a neighborhood
resident and advocate for the project, the group returned 68 percent approval
among all Perna Lane area property owners for the changeover.
The second phase of the project would extend the sewer line
to Scofieldtown Road, while the third phase would include properties around
Redmont Road. Neither area has returned two-thirds approval in surveys yet, the
threshold the WPCA designated to put construction in motion, officials said.
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
The 20 meeting attendees were split on their feelings about
the project. Supporters expressed excitement about the sewers and their
importance for protecting the area's water quality. But others were audibly
distressed that they would be paying what they said would be too much in sewer
assessment charges, and they sought clarity about future payments.
In order to reduce construction costs, officials said they
plan to run the service the first floors of homes rather than basements,
reducing the depth of excavation necessary to build sewer lines. Homes with
basement toilets will need grinder pumps to deposit waste into the sewer
system, they said.
"It seems like it'd be better for all of us to know
more about what those costs are on an individual home-by-home basis, assuming
that you can see which homes will need grinders and which won't," Stephen
Perry, who lives in the area targeted by phase one, said. "It would help
from an economic standpoint to understand those costs which are going to go
forward, and what we have to budget for so we can afford that."
WPCA Executive Director William Brink said anyone who needs
a grinder pump will be provided one. Afterwards, it's the residents'
responsibility to maintain them.
Some residents also said they worried they were shouldering
a disproportionate amount of infrastructure costs. In order to prepare for
future construction phases, the phase one designs will include some
construction that would support phases two and three.
Brink said it would be "a reasonable
accommodation" to provide the Perna Lane area residents with "some
sort of credit or reimbursement ... on your assessment."
Other speakers said they viewed the project as a necessary
investment.
"It's very expensive for all of us as homeowners, but
it's a project that I am in favor of because with failing septic (systems) in
our area and without the ability to replace them and keep to code, I think it's
very important that we all look up to the sewer systems," Zoe Corbo said.
Officials are working on revising the project design to
reflect raised sewer lines and obtaining the proper permits. Then, they will
open a bidding process for the project, they said.
"By the time we would start construction, I would say
(it'd be) maybe late fall this year, early winter," Brown said. "I
don't think you'd see a shovel in the ground before that."
Middletown zoning board to consider $65M plan to build luxury dwellings
MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown
Planning & Zoning Commission is hearing a proposal Wednesday for
modified site plans which will allow for a “more luxurious and efficient”
layout for
an apartment building to be built on Newfield Street.
Newfield Residential of Princeton, N.J., submitted
application materials in November to modify an existing land use permit for the
redevelopment of 534 Newfield St., on Route 3, which was approved for a housing
complex with 414 residential units.
The project was originally approved over a decade ago, with
planning done by Middletown developer Glenn Russo. He then teamed up with
Bob Dale, a principal at Newfield Residential. According to Dale, he and his
company recently took over the principal planning.
The new site plans will maintain the same number of units,
but incorporate more floor plans and architectural types, including
townhouse-style homes, which will line the entryway to the site.
“The overall macro development scheme is really the same,”
Dale said. “Most of the changes are aesthetic and related to having a more
diverse type of home. Our experience in the market over the last decade or so
is there’s a much more diverse profile.”
But in addition to adding new architecture styles, the
modified proposal also includes plans for additional amenities, including a
pickleball court, walking trails, and a community center with a coworking
space. Newfield Residential also plans to add more parking spaces, a garage,
and elevator service to meet the needs of potential residents.
Dale said they anticipate bringing in not only younger
renters, but an older generation who want to downsize while remaining in
Middletown.
“(Middletown) is doing well, he added. “It’s become a real
regional destination for young professionals and empty nesters. What we’re
trying to do is build a community that has a real sense of place and is
providing fresh housing and a diverse mix.
"That’s the special sauce of Middletown. It’s uniquely
located and a vibrant community, and we’re hoping we can add to that vibrancy,”
he explained.
The modification proposal was originally supposed to go in
front of the commission Jan. 11, but the applicants requested a postponement to
address the city’s concerns about the plans.
Many departments, including water and sewer, requested more
information about the proposal and assurance it would meet city specifications.
The Department of Public Works flagged the lack of soil stabilization and
drainage issues in some areas, lack of connection between one roof drain and
storm system, and a lack of handicap slope in one portion of the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, the Land Use Department requested information on
how the site plan was modified for work proposed in the flood hazard area, as
well as information on the floor plans and electric vehicle charging stations
in the parking lot.
“Most of the feedback we’ve gotten has been very technical,”
Dale says. “Most of the staff review has been positive. One of the reasons we
didn’t go on Jan. 11 was to be able to respond to additional info city
engineering staff was looking for. There was nothing in their comments that was
of concern to us. It was part of typical process.”
Director of Land Use Marek Kozikowski reiterated Dale’s
sentiments, adding that the commission will likely approve the plans once the
applicants can show it meets zoning code standards.
“This is a fairly significant development plan,” he said.
“There's a lot going on, a lot of grading, drainage, road, utilities, easements
to contend with, flood zone areas that are being disturbed and need to be
mitigated. There’s work within the protected area of wetlands. There's a lot of
design work that goes into this.”
Dale said they hope the project is approved in time to allow
for a February or March groundbreaking.
“We’re hoping things go well,” he said. “We’re anxious to
get started. The project’s been more than a decade in planning. I think
everyone would like to see it happen as quickly as possible. We’re ready to
go.”
Earlier this month, wetlands
officials heard from two dozen residents against D&V Development
of Middletown's plan to build two apartment complexes near Spencer Elementary
School and wetlands on Kaplan Drive — just over a mile away from 534 Newfield
St.
They were concerned about the proposal's proximity to
wetlands, environmental impacts of the construction, an increase in traffic,
and student safety.
The existence of union dock workers in CT may soon be decided
Jordan Nathaniel Fenster
There are currently no union longshoreman jobs in
Connecticut, and a meeting this week will determine if there are any for the
foreseeable future.
There are only a few deep water ports in Connecticut, and
the state pier in New London has not served as an active port since
construction began to modify
the port as a staging ground for offshore wind farms.
A company called Gateway was in 2019 granted a 20-year
concession agreement to act as port operator in New London, taking over from
Logistec.
Logistec did employ union longshoremen, according to Peter
Olsen, business agent for International Longshoremen's Association Local
1411.
“Local 1411 has provided the loading and unloading of cargo
down at the state pier since the 1930s,” he said. “We had a presence with
Logistec for 20 years.”
When Gateway took over at the port of New London and
construction began, halting all shipping activities at the state pier, “Our
jobs went away,” Olsen said.
“The local’s role down there is unknown at the moment,” he
said. “Gateway has really not talked with us since they left the port and moved
back down to New Haven.”
Gateway also maintains a presence at the port of New Haven,
but a company spokesman confirmed that the company does not currently employ
union longshoremen.
“They're a non-union company down there,” Olsen said. “New
Haven’s only about 40 miles away, and they did not offer us any work down
there.”
A meeting scheduled for Jan. 24 involving Gateway, Olsen
representing the local office, plus representatives from the International
Longshoremen’s Union, could determine if there are any union longshoremen jobs
in Connecticut.
The state Port Authority, a quasi-public agency, owns the
state pier. David Kooris, Port Authority board president, said their hope was
that union workers would be employed.
“We indicated in our concession agreement that that was our
hope, that they would work together, but it is Gateway’s discretion, and they
are in active negotiation, and were very hopeful,” he said.
When asked if Gateway plans to employ union labor at the
port of New London, Matthew Satnick and Philippe DeMontigny, co-CEOs of
Enstructure, Gateway's parent company, said yes.
"We are committed to working with the ILA in New London
and look forward to our partnership," they said in an emailed statement.
The hope, Olsen said, is that union longshoremen would staff
all ports handling wind components on the East Coast.
“The international has what they call a ‘master contract,’
he said. “What the international’s been talking to Gateway about is handling
wind components — turbines, whatever — at any one of the ports from Virginia to
Maine so that all of the union ports would be on parity with wages.”
The local was chartered in the 1930s. Olsen said that when
he began as a longshoreman in 1975, it was difficult to get a union job.
“When I started, it was hard to get in. There was nepotism.
It was very much like ‘On the Waterfront,’” he said. “You would go down there,
and there would be more than 100 people that wanted to work that day, and we'd
stand behind the gate, and somebody would point.”
At the time, manufacturing in Connecticut was robust, and
many goods and textiles were brought into and exported from the state pier in
New London, particularly wood pulp, copper, lumber and hemp for rope.
But the manufacturing base of Connecticut changed over the
ensuing decades. One company that had processed copper in the state and been a
source of work for the longshoremen “almost overnight, said we can't afford to
do business here anymore and shut their operation down,” Olsen said. “Wood
pulp, especially the part of the industry that made the photographic paper that
went away almost overnight with digital cameras
When Gateway took over in New London, there were about 40
dues-paying union members. Olsen said some have taken work in Providence, R.I.,
but the presence of union longshoremen jobs in Connecticut is at risk.
“I'd hate to see the longshoremen lose their place down here
on my watch,” he said.
The Day tracked the rise and fall of major projects in 2022
Claire Bessette
From writing descriptive stories that introduced readers to
major projects, through coverage of hours and hours of public meetings, Day
reporters tracked controversial plans in 2022 that could have changed the
landscapes in host towns.
Three projects that dominated news in Norwich, Preston and
Groton now are off the table: the Respler Homes LLC plan to create a residential,
commercial and recreational village at the former Mystic Oral School, Blue Camp
CT’s plan to build a luxury RV park on land owned by the Mashantucket Pequot
tribe on Route 2 in Preston and the state Department of Transportation’s $45
million plan to reconstruct Route 82 in Norwich with six roundabouts, a median
divider and bicycle lanes.
In all cases, The Day covered the public discussions, met
with residents and business owners, talked with state and municipal officials
and wrote news stories, columns and editorials on the topics. Reporters
continue to track the aftermaths, including next steps, lawsuits and potential
revised plans for each project.
Mystic Oral School
The state Department of Economic and Community Development
in October sent a letter to Respler Homes terminating the firm’s agreement with
the state to purchase the state-owned former Mystic Oral School, also known as
Mystic Education Center. A month later, the town of Groton also terminated its development
agreement with Respler for the property. Groton a year earlier had found
Respler in default of conditions of the agreement, and the parties had been in
mediation for months before determining there was no resolution to the
disputes.
Preston RV Park
In Preston, Maryland-based Blue Water Development Corp.,
under the name Blue Camp CT LLC, initially proposed a 300-space seasonal luxury RV and
campground park on 65 acres owned by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe at the
junction of route 2 and 164 and abutting Avery Pond. Stiff opposition by
residents, especially in neighborhoods near Avery Pond, led the developers to
reduce the scope of the project.
But after the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission
voted 3-2 to approve the scaled-down plan, the Planning and Zoning
Commission voted 4-3 against the project after holding three marathon public hearing sessions.
Blue Camp CT has appealed the PZC denial to New London
Superior Court, where it remains pending.
Norwich roundabouts
Any plans to reconstruct Route 82, nicknamed “Crash Alley,”
also remain pending. The Day first started writing about the plan to build six
roundabouts, a median divider, narrowed lanes and bicycle paths on the 1.3-mile
stretch when they were introduced in 2015.
But as the project drew near, City Council meetings filled
with residents and business owners railing against the potential by the state
to take properties and displace several long-standing local businesses and
years of construction disruptions. The Day once again covered marathon public
meetings and visited business owners potentially affected by the
project.
State legislators got involved, and in October, on the eve
of the state legislative elections, the DOT announced it would “reassess” the project after
taking into account “community input.”
Revised plans are expected later this year, so stay
connected to The Day to learn what the DOT has in mind to take the “crash
alley” moniker off Norwich’s main commercial strip.
More Apts, Parking, Labs OK’d For “Square 10”
NORA GRACE-FLOOD
The redevelopers of the ex-Coliseum site won city approval
to build 120 more apartments, 657 new parking-garage spaces, and a new
11-story lab and office building — all as construction of another 200 new
apartments right next door has already begun — in the latest chapter of the planned
overhaul of a former-arena-turned-parking lot into “Square 10.”
The City Plan Commission granted those approvals Wednesday
night during the local land-use body’s latest monthly meeting, which was held
online via Zoom.
The commissioners unanimously voted to broaden the scope of
the first of two phases of redevelopment
of the 3.5‑acre block bounded by Orange Street, George Street, State Street
and MLK Boulevard — all with the goal of bringing new housing,
retail, offices, open space, and biomedical labs to the downtown-adjacent
property.
That area, which is now an active
construction site, has long sat as a surface parking lot ever since
the demolition of the sports and entertainment complex in 2007.
Thanks to Wednesday’s votes, the Norwalk-based developer
Spinnaker Real Estate Partners has now won site plan approvals to build
a total of 320 new apartments, a new 657-space parking garage, and
a new 11-story lab office-building at that 275 South Orange
St. property.
A Wednesday’s meeting, the developer, represented by local
attorney Carolyn Kone, received unanimous support for a modified site plan
and two new site plans for three different “subphases” of development at
the former Coliseum site. The developer also received approval for a special
permit to create a parking garage with over 200 spaces.
Those subphases are divided into three different parcels,
known as Parcel 1A, Parcel 1B, and Parcel 1C, each corresponding
to a different stage of the development project.
These approvals come more than two years after the same
developer won an initial site plan approval back in November 2020 to build 200
new apartments, a retail “laneway,” and a new public plaza as
part of Phase 1A.
On Wednesday, the developer won permission to modify that
previously approved plan. The modified version maintains many of the key
elements of the prior approved version, preserving the planned new 200-unit
apartment building that will be nine stories tall along with roughly
25,000 square feet of public open space.
As part of the modified plan for Phase 1, the developer has
now walked back on plans to build a surface parking lot on the northern
area of the site. Instead, they introduced a new site plan for Phase 1B which
will add an additional 120 units of housing as well as a new 657-space
parking garage. The planned new 120 apartments will wrap around that garage,
the latter of which will be open to both residents and the public.
The final subphase introduced — and OK’d — by the developer
on Wednesday night was for Parcel 1C, located in the southwest portion of
the property. That now-approved site plan focuses on the construction of an
11-story life-science laboratory building featuring additional retail space on
the ground level and office space throughout.
The lab building, which will be constructed by
a company called Ancora based out of North Carolina, is meant to be
a uniquely sustainable undertaking with minimized carbon emissions that
developers hope will receive a LEED gold building rating.
Even as the developer announced a significant expansion
in the project’s parking plans, they also described a concerted effort to
grow a pedestrian-focused retail lane passing through the three parcels
from west to east. That retail lane would include a protected bike lane,
benches, and newly planted trees, and could host farmer’s markets and
art exhibits.
City staff hailed the new site plans Wednesday night, with
Economic Development Administrator Mike Piscitelli welcoming the project as
a means of “improving health outcomes for people all over the world”
in a global “health mission” while introducing housing and
affordable apartments as part of an “inclusive agenda” for
New Haveners.
The three sub-phases and fresh site plans came with new
clarity on expanded open space, environmentally focused construction and how to
create a neighborhood friendly urban feel.
City Plan Director Laura Brown said she believed the
developers’ plans highlighted the potential to “create a vibrant,
pedestrian friendly and transit oriented setting that will grow new native jobs
and tax base.”
City Plan Commissioners complimented many of the proposed
changes to the site plans, welcoming the environmental and pedestrian-focused
interventions — all while focusing on the expansion of the now-approved new
parking garage.
City Plan Commissioner and Westville Alder Adam Marchand
complimented the developers’ sustainable goals, but questioned whether the
developers were overestimating the amount of parking spaces needed by future
residents of the development.
Engineer Peter Calkin responded that if the city wanted to
decrease parking availability, the developers would likely have to build fewer
floors of apartments. The developers also expressed a commitment to ensure
10 percent of the garage spaces have capacity to serve electric vehicles.
Commissioner Josh Van Hoesen also articulated concerns about
setting aside so much space for parking needs. He acknowledged that
establishing a parking garage rather than multiple surface lots would
relieve “some of the congestion on the streets” and preserve space.
Commission Chair Leslie Radcliffe, meanwhile, added
that “the number of cars and carbon monoxide” attributed to building
a massive parking garage would provoke fears in another part of the city,
but the garage’s location directly off the highway seemed fitting from her
perspective and could ultimately “reduce the amount of traffic of people
going through the downtown area just trying to find parking.”
The commissioners ultimately voted unanimously in favor of
each of the developers’ proposals.
Marchand said that when he heard the developers were looking
to modify their past plan, he felt concerned that “it’s not going to be
as good a project… I thought this could be a set of compromises
or watering down of things we had really wanted to see in the project. In
fact,” he said, “It’s the opposite of that.”
Meriden cannabis developer, OSHA settle after Massachusetts worker dies
MERIDEN —
Florida-based cannabis producer and retailer Trulieve reached a settlement with
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration last month after a Holyoke,
Massachusetts employee died from an apparent asthma attack while
filling pre-rolled joints.
Trulieve, which is building a cultivation facility on
Kensington Avenue, agreed to undertake a study to determine whether ground
cannabis dust is required to be classified as a “hazardous chemical” in the
occupational setting, in accordance
According to an updated OSHA report, the employee was
filling pre-rolled joints when she complained she couldn’t breathe and
“suffered an asthma attack and later died at the hospital.” In
an earlier report, OSHA had stated the “employee could not breathe
and was killed, due to the cannabis dust.”
In addition to the modified report, OSHA reduced the
proposed fine from $35,219 to $14,502 and two of the “serious” items were
withdrawn. The withdrawn items involved having a “safety data sheet” and
providing training under OSHA’s hazard communication standard. The remaining
citation, which identified the standard for listing “hazardous chemicals” was
replaced with a citation about conducting a hazard analysis.
“We’re pleased to have entered into this agreement with
OSHA,” said Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve in a statement announcing the settlement.
“We are proud of the many protections we have already put in place for our
workers. However, as an industry leader in what is still a relatively new
manufacturing business, we want to continue best practices, so our workers can
have the health and safety assurances they need.”
Trulieve is a multi-state operator with hubs anchored in the
Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast with large market share in Arizona, Florida
and Pennsylvania. It has a license for a medical dispensary in
Bristol.
Pending the outcome of the study, Trulieve will design and
implement a temporary information and training program that alerts employees to
potential allergic reactions they might experience working with ground cannabis
dust in an occupational setting. The program will include information about
steps employees should take if they experience symptoms of allergies related to
ground cannabis dust, according to a company press statement.
Plans for Meriden
Trulieve received conditional approval to build
cannabis growing and processing facilities on Kensington Avenue in September.
Plans call for the construction of two industrial
buildings, one 24,200 square feet in size, the other 35,200 square feet at 525
Kensington Ave., a roughly 20-acre lot near Meriden Mall that runs along
Chamberlain Highway, north toward the Berlin border.
The Planning Commission’s approval included several
conditions detailed in staff comments. Trulieve must submit a final odor
control plan to be approved by staff prior to the city issuing a building
permit, for example. The odor control plan must be certified by an engineer
credentialed in odor mitigation, and include details related to system design,
building layout, management procedures and record keeping.
In September, Derek Starling, Trulieve’s senior director of
facilities and engineering, described the company’s plans for the site as still
being in the initial architecture and design phase.
Starling added that air handling units will also be
strategically placed to minimize smells and to reduce particulates in the air.
The building will also use ultraviolet light, airlock doors, air filtration and
other means to prevent contaminants from entering it, in addition to odor
control, Starling explained.
Jonathan Booth, Trulieve’s heating ventilation and air
conditioning manager, explained in September that the company’s facilities are
designed with maintaining a neutral environment in mind.
“We set up our rooms to recirculate air. We’re running air
scrubbers 24-seven in most areas — not only for odors but also for helping with
overall air quality,” Booth said. “It’s beneficial for us, not only to be a
good neighbor.”
Trulieve representatives did not respond to requests for
comment for this story.
DCP monitoring
The state Department of Consumer Protection, which
regulates the state’s budding cannabis industry, is watching the Trulieve
settlement for additional details.
“At this time there is no disciplinary impact on Trulieve’s
Connecticut license based on the settlement reached with OSHA,” said DCP
spokeswoman Kaitlyn Krasselt in an email. “DCP, however, will evaluate the
impact of the settlement agreement and underlying allegations on the Trulieve
establishments in Connecticut to determine next steps.”
The DCP will cooperate with all OSHA issues on any cannabis
locations in Connecticut.
“Just like any business operating in the state, cannabis
establishments are required to comply with applicable OSHA and worker safety
laws,” Krasselt stated. “If OSHA or another government entity identifies
compliance issues with cannabis locations in Connecticut, the department would
cooperate with that entity to ensure that those workplace safety laws were
met.”
Bristol officials move forward with new $5.2M downtown parking garage
ARocky Hill-based company will oversee the design phase of a
new planned parking garage in downtown Bristol.
The Bristol city council recently approved hiring Desman
Inc. to design the parking garage that will be built in Centre Square on Hope
Street. The company, the lowest of five bidders, will be paid $268,700 from
federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, city officials said.
The project’s total cost will be $5.2 million, also to be
paid via ARPA funds.
City officials said the new parking garage is aimed at
accommodating private development and bringing city residents and others from
surrounding communities into Bristol.
“We will be breaking three generations of habits. People
just had not thought about going to downtown Bristol,” Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano
told the Hartford Business Journal. “The parking structure will support Centre
Square development, the popular Farmers Market, which will eventually move to
our downtown Green, as well as provide much-needed parking for nearby Main
Street.”
Bristol Public Works Director Raymond Rogozinski said the
city is expected to have a construction company on board by the end of the year
and to start construction in early 2024. The two-and-a-half story garage will
have capacity for 184 vehicles. It is scheduled to open at the end of 2024,
Rogozinski said.
Parking will be free, he added.
CRDA program will allow deep-pocketed benefactors to loan money to Hartford development projects
Corporations and other benefactors will soon have a new way
to lend dollars into pet housing and other development projects in Hartford.
The Capital Region Development Authority has lent out about
$150 million for private development projects over the past decade, like the $12
million it granted to RMS Cos.' nearly completed 270-unit apartment building
next to Dunkin’ Donuts Park.
RMS needed $13.5 million from CRDA, but the agency wasn’t
able to deliver the final $1.5 million. At the time, Stanley Black & Decker
and Cigna Corp. stepped in to fill the financing gap.
Unfortunately, that corporate support had to dodge a
minefield of conflicts-of-interest, according to CRDA Executive Director
Michael Freimuth.
It was a big headache but also inspiration. Believing
deep-pocketed corporations or other entities would probably like to support
Hartford housing and redevelopment projects, CRDA worked with state and local
officials to create a streamlined process.
Language was inserted into the General Assembly’s budget
implementer bill in 2022, Freimuth said, and the proposal underwent a state
ethics review.
The result is a clear process that allows benefactors to
loan money to favored CRDA-affiliated projects in Hartford without
unintentional conflicts.
It is now known, for example, that any CRDA board member
affiliated with a potential contributor cannot simply abstain from votes when
that contribution or associated project is discussed. Instead, they need to recuse
themselves from the discussion entirely, or “leave the room,” as Freimuth puts
it.
Freimuth hopes to begin the new, as of yet untitled, program
in February. If would-be investors express interest in lending to a specific
development, the agency will release a request for proposals and advertise the
opportunity on its website, Freimuth said. There will be a “six-figure” minimum
investment, Freimuth said.
Investors will feed their cash into the CRDA lending
program, which bears interest.
The benefit for investors will be the ability to support
favored projects with cash that will eventually find its way back to them,
while CRDA handles all of the “grunt work,” of vetting projects, setting terms
and servicing the loan, Freimuth said.
“An individual investor who wants to marry their dollars and
invest in a neighborhood could marry them up with ours,” Freimuth told the CRDA
board Thursday. “The only kicker on that is their terms are pretty much going
to be our terms. If we get 3%, you aren’t getting 6%.”
Lenders can be pretty confident of seeing their money back,
Freimuth said. The CRDA has only lost money on one deal, a $5.2-million loan
that was lost after a primary lender foreclosed on the Red Lion Hotel, claiming
the Morgan Street property in 2021.