This Sunday looks like a great day and your last chance to check out the 125 year Suzio story.
THE SUZIO STORY 125 YEARS OF FAMILY ENTERPRISE PHILANTHROPY AND SERVICE
The Meriden Historical Society is hosting an exhibit entitled "The Suzio Story - 125 Years of Enterprise, Family, Philanthropy, and Service" at its Museum and History Center, at 41 West Main Street in Meriden every Sunday in October from 11:00 to 3:00
Featuring memorabilia and photographs from Suzio headquarters on Westfield Road as well as videos of interviews with past and present employees
Capturing the remarkable story of a 21 year old Italian immigrant, Leonardo Suzio, who grew Suzio York Hill into one of the most successful and enduring family-owned businesses in Connecticut history starting in 1898
Including the role of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation Suzio members and Henry Altobello in the evolution and growth of the business from building (1910's) to road construction (1930's) to building materials (1955 - today)
Highlighting Suzio loyalty to its origin city Meriden, its employees, its vendors, and its community.
Hartford settles $90M lawsuit with Dunkin’ Park’s original developer after seven-year legal battle
Steven Goode, Liese Klein
HARTFORD — After seven years and millions in legal fees on both sides of the issue, the original developers of Dunkin' Park and the City of Hartford have settled a $90 million lawsuit that had been slated for a second trial in the spring.
Centerplan Co. and DoNo Hartford LLC were originally slated to construct the downtown baseball stadium, which is now home to the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats.
According to a city official, Hartford will pay $9.9 million to Arch Insurance, the group that covered the cost of completing the ballpark after the developers were fired, and Arch will pay $1.8 million to Centerplan as part of the settlement.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said at a press conference Thursday afternoon that he initially approached Arch about settling over the summer and that they were amenable. He also said he was grateful to the company because without its willingness to release its claims against Centerplan and DoNo, they likely wouldn't have been able to reach a settlement and the litigation and legal fees would continue.
"They (Arch) are foregoing a significant amount of money," Bronin said. Arch spent $34 million finishing Dunkin' Park, Bronin said, and subsequently obtained a judgement against Centerplan.
Arch spokeswoman Stephanie Perez said Thursday that the company was "pleased to have worked jointly with the City of Hartford to achieve this settlement that allows all parties to move forward without further litigation."
Bronin said he was confident that the city would prevail again at trial but added that however a jury decided it would lead to years of appeals on either side. Bronin said the city council will hold a special meeting Monday to consider whether to approve it, but added that he was confident it would.
As for the funds used to achieve the settlement which will be paid in a lump sum, Bronin said that the city had set aside surpluses totaling $10 million that were earmarked for a possible settlement and that no money from the city's undesignated fund balance would be used.
The lawsuit originated in summer 2016, following the firing of Centerplan from the construction of what was then called Dunkin' Donuts Park and surrounding mixed-use development designed to transform a sea of parking lots on the north side of downtown.
After repeated delays in completing the ballpark in time to salvage part of the first home season for the Yard Goats, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin called the performance bond and fired Centerplan from the project in June 2016. Ultimately, the farm team of the Colorado Rockies would play its entire first season on the road as work was completed by a new contractor.
That action prompted Centerplan to file a $90 million lawsuit for wrongful termination, claiming that the city had interfered with their efforts to complete the baseball stadium on time and on budget. The company also contended that it should still be allowed to develop the area surrounding the ballpark.
In 2019 a jury found for the city, but in 2022 the state Supreme Court overturned that decision and ordered a new trial, scheduled to begin next spring.
At the time of jury's decision, Hartford Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher also lifted restrictions on the parcels around the ballpark, and the city hired RMS Cos. of Stamford, which completed the first phase of development, 250 apartment units to the south of the 6,100-seat ballpark.
The ballpark, originally budgeted for about $60 million, ultimately came in at about $100 million. The city has also reportedly spent about $6 million on legal fees tied to the lawsuit.
Anne Goshdigian, a city resident who opposed the ballpark being built with public money from the beginning, said that if the details are correct, the settlement is an insult to Centerplan, which she feels was mistreated by the team, the city and the stadium authority in the run-up to being fired because of numerous change orders that the stadium authority rubber-stamped.
Goshdigian also blamed then city council president Shawn Wooden for the creation of the stadium authority, which prevented the residents of Hartford from having a direct say in whether the ballpark got built, and added that the city must still pay annual debt service payments of $4 million a year for another 19 years, before taking ownership.
“At that point (in 2042) it will be really difficult to (retain) a team without spending millions more,” she said, adding that the promises of well paying jobs, and more traffic at city hotels and restaurants has not yet been realized.
“It is yet to be seen if this will be a boon to the North End,” she said.
Bronin said during the press conference that being able to develop the area around the ballpark was an important factor in seeking a settlement, because adding residential and business owners to the tax rolls will offset the debt service on Dunkin' Park, as it was originally intended to do.
"We need to accelerate residential development as quickly as possible," he said.
Randy Salvatore, the founder and CEO of RMS, said Thursday it was "wonderful" that the lawsuit had been settled and congratulated Bronin for his leadership.
“This puts an end to all the delays and we can move forward immediately with phase two,” he said, referring to continued development around the stadium that had been held up by the lawsuit.
The next phase is about 500 apartments and parking spaces across the street from the ballpark in what is now a surface parking lot. Salvatore said he hopes to break ground on half of that phase by the end of the year with a completion time of about 18 months.
Avangrid avoids $1 billion write-off after ending plans to build CT's Park City Wind farm
Alexander Soule
Avangrid reported Thursday that in canceling its Park City Wind farm for Connecticut, it sidestepped more than $1 billion in write-offs as projected costs outstripped revenue it expected under a power purchase agreement with the state.
Avangrid, a subsidiary of Spain-based Iberdrola, has its headquarters in Orange. Avangrid's subsidiaries include United Illuminating, which owns power lines that provide electricity in the Bridgeport and New Haven metropolitan areas. UI sued the state in September after regulators denied a rate increase it had sought.
Avangrid also owns Central Maine Power, which has its headquarters in Auburn where officials issued a "shelter in place" advisory after the overnight mass shootings in adjacent Lewiston. Just after 9 a.m. on Thursday, CMP alerted customers it would coordinate with local law enforcement in responding to any outages Thursday morning.
"We have many Central Maine Power employees in Lewiston and all over Maine who are likely severely impacted by this horrible act of senseless violence," said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra, speaking Thursday morning on a conference call with investment analysts. "We are monitoring the situation very closely and we are prepared to provide every resource available to our employees and our affected communities. Our hearts and thoughts from all of us at CMP, Avangrid and Iberdrola are with the Lewiston community in this difficult time."
Avangrid unilaterally pulled the plug on the Park City Wind farm several weeks ago, as the cost of construction outstripped revenue projections from a power purchase agreement with the state of Connecticut. The companies had aimed to start construction by 2026.
In August, Avangrid restarted construction of a transmission line through Maine to feed electricity to the New England grid from hydropower plants in Canada, after a court decision in its favor. At 1,200 megawatts, the New England Clean Energy Connect lines would deliver 50 percent more power than Park City Wind at optimal wind conditions.
Avangrid calculated a $181 million gain last year as a result of restructuring Park City Wind and a second project called Commonwealth Wind it tabled for Massachusetts, with the company paying termination fees for both projects this year. Avangrid's third-quarter profits totaled $59 million.
With components already purchased for the nearby Vineyard Wind farm off the southern New England coast, Avangrid is pushing ahead with that project. On Wednesday it reported two turbines are already completed that will begin providing power to Massachusetts customers this year, and that more than a third of the "monopile" foundations — steel tubes driven into the seabed to support the towers above — have been installed. On Wednesday, Avangrid reported it raised $1.2 billion in financing via a tax equity package on Vineyard Wind, backed by JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo.
Officials from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are now huddling to bring new developers to the table with a joint proposal for new wind farms off the southern New England coast.
Gov. Ned Lamont and fellow Northeast governors asked the Biden administration in September for a determination on whether more money from the Inflation Reduction Act can be used to help offset the higher cost of offshore wind farm construction, with more than a dozen in the works from New Jersey to Maine, including Park City Wind and Revolution Wind to provide power to Connecticut.
Azagra said the original power purchase agreement with Connecticut put the company at too much risk, given escalating costs for components it had yet to purchase for Park City Wind, which would be staged from Bridgeport. The company retains lease rights to the site where Park City Wind was to have been built, with Avangrid not having ruled out pushing ahead if it can obtain better terms under any future auctions for power purchase agreements.
"We're not going to put in danger the financial health of the company — that's it," Azagra said Thursday morning. "You see the new auctions — are we going to participate? Let's see."
Orsted indicated this month it remains on track to begin construction of Revolution Wind, which would generate power for both Connecticut and Rhode Island, although an ongoing longshoreman's strike in New London could disrupt its timeline for construction of the South Fork Wind Farm for New York. Eversource, which has dual headquarters in Hartford and Boston, announced plans earlier this year to sell its stake in Revolution Wind, with no deal having been announced as of Thursday.
This week, New York reached an agreement on the construction of three new wind farms — on the heels of New Jersey reporting similar success — including one to be financed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Avangrid's former co-developer for Park City Wind.
On Thursday, Agraza praised New York and Maine officials for approving overall electricity rates for transmission utilities it operates in the two states, with Agraza drawing contrast to the company's standoff in its home state of Connecticut over a ruling by the state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority limiting rates for United Illuminating.
"I think the things right now are meeting legislators, executive branch, public advocates, attorney generals, investors, rating agencies, public commissions — nonstop," Azagra said. "We need to basically turn around the dynamics that we have, right now, in Connecticut."
This story has been update to reflect that Avangrid is the sole developer of Park City Wind and that it recorded a $181 million 2022 on the restructuring of both Park City Wind and Commonwealth Wind.
Includes prior reporting by John Moritz and Luther Turmelle.
CRDA seeks $12M from state to chip away at larger Pratt & Whitney Stadium repairs
Michael Puffer
The Capital Region Development Authority plans to tap $12 million through the state Bond Commission in December to begin repairs to the roughly 20-year-old Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford.
CRDA officials hope to engage a design team and construction manager in the coming months, and then launch next spring the first in a series of planned repairs and upgrades.
In a meeting Thursday afternoon, CRDA board member Andy F. Bessette, who is executive vice president and chief administrative officerof insurer Travelers Cos., said the agency would tap $12 million allocated in the governor’s budget in December, and then another $12 million for a second round of work in fiscal 2025.
Bessette said these are expected to be the first in a series of five funding installments that will ultimately yield about $60 million worth of upgrades, which were recommended by stadium design consultant Populous in 2022.
The first $12 million is expected to cover roof replacements for the tower section of the stadium and the concession stand, as well as structural repairs and IT and security improvements, Bessette said.
Populous’ report said the 38,000-seat stadium requires $63.3 million in repairs and upgrades.
“… As the stadium approaches its third decade of operation, its ability to deliver a positive guest experience is crucial for it to remain relevant both locally and nationally,” reads a portion of the 2022 report. “It is important to keep the facility in a first-class condition and well maintained for a great experience for fans, staff, and the University of Connecticut.”
Pratt & Whitney Stadium is home to the UConn Huskies football team, but has also hosted soccer, rugby and lacrosse events, in addition to weddings and concerts for major performers, such as The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and The Police.
The venue has seen more than 1 million visitors at “nearly 200 major events and hundreds of smaller scale” events since opening in 2003, according to a CRDA summary delivered last year.
The stadium was built on a 75-acre property donated by United Technologies in a $92 million state-funded project that began in November 2000, and wrapped up in August 2003. It was originally named Rentschler Field, after Pratt & Whitney founder Frederick Rentschler. The name was changed to Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in 2015.
In its report, Populous detailed the need for critical capital investments, with special focus on:
A replacement of the roof in the Tower Building and roof repairs for outbuildings.
Technology upgrades to make the building better suited for UConn events, producers and broadcasters, as well as safer, more efficient and more welcoming to visitors.
Rehabilitation of elevators, concourse areas, walkways, stairwells and various mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Replacement of time-worn irrigation and drainage systems on the playing field and overall site.
Populous found the roof in the tower building to be in “very poor” condition, allowing for water intrusion and resulting damage. Technology was found lacking, resulting in reduced capabilities for sound and video production, as well as broadcasting ability.
Eighteen of 35 security cameras in the stadium were not functioning properly, and cameras in the parking lot do not have reliable wireless connections.
Parking lots are cracked, as is concrete and mortar in the stadium. There is rust on exterior stairs and railings. The ability to evacuate the stadium is not up to modern standards. Air handling and heating systems are approaching the end of their useful lives, among a laundry list of issues.
The Populous report said repairs could be phased in over several state biennial budget cycles, which is the approach being pursued by CRDA.
Torrington company to be razed
TORRINGTON – Joe Pathe, who worked at the Torrington Company for 43 years, watched Thursday as crews readied to demolish 23 of the former factory site’s 26 buildings.
Pathe joined residents and city officials at a ceremony marking the demolition. He said he was the last person to shut the door and leave when the operation closed in 2007.
Pathe, who was an industrial engineer, said the demolition is “kind of sad” because when he started working there, more than 3,000 people were employed at the plant. When he left, only 12 remained.
Once a top manufacturer of ball bearings, the company sits on North Street and parts of East Elm, Prospect and Field streets.
Brother and sister Kenton and Emily-Catherine Madia listened as dignitaries, including Mayor Elinor C. Carbone and state Rep. Michelle L. Cook, D-Torrington, gave speeches about the property’s long past and plans to redevelop the space.
Carbone shared some history, including when Excelsior Needle Co. produced sewing machine needles there.
Cook described the occasion as a “spinoff on a groundbreaking ceremony,” and said the “bricks and mortar” were part of the fabric of the community, but once they are gone, the space will continue to be part of the community as it is developed into something new.
The Madias said they were from a line of people, including their grandparents, father and aunts, who were employed at the plant. The work allowed the Italian immigrants to stay in the country, they said.
“They all worked in the factory,” Emily-Catherine Madia said. “There’s so many stories we heard growing up.”
Kenton Madia added, “Every time we would drive by here, (Emily-Catherine) would say, ‘Hi Nunu,'” referring to their grandfather.
As the Madias collected bricks as keepsakes for their father and grandmother, they said it was bittersweet the factory was coming down. Emily-Catherine said she was glad the property will be cleaned up and possibly redeveloped for light manufacturing in the future. Still, she has “very mixed feelings” to see it razed because it holds so many memories.
The Madias said they also were a bit disappointed there was no actual demolition during Thursday’s gathering.
Cook, who joined Carbone in grabbing sledge hammers for some mock demolition photos, said she, too, expected to see a building come down.
Manafort Brothers of Plainville was doing demolition on buildings deeper inside the complex, away from the street and the site of Thursday’s news conference.
Manafort Vice President Justin Manaforte and project engineer John LeConche said the demolition will take about nine months to complete and some materials, including beams made from yellow pine and steel, will be savaged and given new life.
The demolition is being funded by a $2 million grant from the state Department of Economic and Community Development. The funds will cover abatement and partial demolition of the structures.
Gary Greenstein and Justin Lichter of IRG, which owns the property, said they were eager for the property to be redeveloped.
“We’re excited for the next phase,” Lichter said. “This is the starting point.”