CT Construction Digest Thursday August 28, 2025

Waterbury Mixmaster replacement narrowed to two options costing $3B to $5B

Paul Hughes

WATERBURY — The state Department of Transportation is evaluating two options for replacing the so-called Mixmaster interchange of highway bridges in Waterbury following a $223.7 million rehabilitation of the crossroads of Interstate 84 and Route 8.

The first option for the "New Mix" program called the "Modern Crossover Interchange" would involve reconstructing Route 8 ramps and bridges to the east of the Naugatuck River.

The second option labeled the "Naugatuck River Shift" would move the river toward the east to provide space for unstacking the series of Route 8 ramps and bridges. 

The DOT on Tuesday announced the selection of these two options after reviewing and analyzing potential designs for the permanent replacement of the interchanges that carry I-84 and Route 8 over downtown Waterbury streets and the Naugatuck River. The two selected alternatives are projected to cost $3 billion to $5 billion in 2022 dollars.

Built in 1968, the intricate network of stacked, overlapping bridges and elevated ramps was dubbed the Mixmaster after a trademarked stand kitchen mixer made by Sunbeam Products. At that time, the interchange was considered innovative because the stacked bridges allowed the crossroads of I-84 and Route 8 over the Naugatuck River to be constructed in a smaller footprint. It originally had a life span of 50 years.

“The Mixmaster was once a modern engineering marvel, but today it no longer meets the needs of travelers and the greater Waterbury community," DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement. "We’re excited to move this plan forward, which was based on what we heard directly from residents and businesses. This transformative initiative will change how people safely and conveniently travel through and around Waterbury.”

The Mixmaster was designed to accommodate approximately 100,000 motor vehicle trips a day, but that number has nearly doubled to 190,000 vehicle trips per day. By 2045, the DOT is expecting the number of daily trips to approach 225,000. The wear and tear from all that use required multiple major rehabilitation projects over the years.

The DOT last November announced the completion of a $223.7 million project to rehabilitate interchange structurally and extend its life span 25 years while plans for a permanent replacement are made. Work on the renovations started in 2018.

Workers replaced decks on 21 spans on Route 8 southbound, and 36 spans northbound, which also included a temporary bypass and U-turn. Major structural repairs consisted of strengthening the girders, columns and beams to address fatigue and corrosion.

Work on I-84 eastbound and westbound included deck patching, paving and joint installation, steel repairs and strengthening, painting and substructure repairs and the installation of sign support structures.

Within Connecticut, the DOT said I-84 serves as a critical east-west transportation link between Massachusetts and I-90 to the east, and New York and beyond to the west.  Route 8 extends from Bridgeport and the I-95 corridor on the south coast, north to the Massachusetts state line. In Waterbury, Route 8 parallels the Naugatuck River. 

The DOT said the two replacement options announced Monday aim to improve safety and mobility on I-84 and Route 8, as well as improve multimodal connections within the surrounding roadway network. In both alternatives, the I-84 and Route 8 structures would be unstacked and reconstructed with an expected life span of more than 75 years.

“Progress takes patience, and while this work will take decades to fully complete, we are committed to improving lives through transportation by implementing, and completing, certain projects within the next five years” Eucalitto said.

The announcement said the two design options originated through the New Mix Planning and Environmental Linkages Study. Over the last several years, strategies for improving transportation for all users were identified in alignment with the city of Waterbury's economic and developmental goals. The PEL study also involved public outreach and participation.

The public can learn more about these alternatives by visiting the Project Alternatives page on the PEL study website.

In addition to the two replacement options, the DOT reported that the PEL study also identified breakout projects, including some that have been constructed and several that are in various stages of conceptual development and design. These breakouts are independent projects improving safety and mobility for the surrounding transportation network, while the state and federal environmental review and design of the interchange advance.

The Mixmaster replacement options

The DOT ruled out an in-place reconstruction due to the construction difficulties involved or another rehabilitation of the Mixmaster in 2045 because it would not substantially improve the interchange’s functionality, nor would it extend its life span relative to the cost of a full replacement. It also concluded continued rehabilitation would not be able to address operational and safety standards.

Another alternative that the DOT dismissed was constructing a tunnel because the projected construction and maintenance costs would be considered unreasonable and impractical due to the length of tunnel needed to construct a functioning interchange. The topography also presented limitations because of the required depth for a tunnel.

The DOT said the the Modern Crossover Interchange alternative results in a configuration that addresses the needs of the interchange. It would reduce the potential for crashes and would include substantial benefits for the surrounding community while minimizing effects on environmental and community resources. This alternative would allow for riverfront access along both riverbanks of the Naugatuck River. 

This alternative would replace the Mixmaster with a full system interchange, using elevated structures that would cross over or under one another. Under this option, I-84 near the core of the interchange would be located just south of the existing alignment, while Route 8 would be relocated east of the existing alignment, and east of the Naugatuck River, just south of I-84. Route 8 would remain on the west side of the Naugatuck River north of I-84.  

The DOT concluded the Naugatuck River Shift alternative would also address the needs of the interchange. The option anticipates the Naugatuck River would be shifted east to a more favorable position for the Route 8 roadway. This alternative would allow for more opportunities for riverfront access along the eastern riverbank and would also benefit transportation, safety, and environmental and community resources.

This alternative would also replace the Mixmaster with a full system interchange that would be built in an unstacked configuration. Under this scenario, I-84 would be located just south of the existing alignment near the interchange core and Route 8 would be reconstructed on the west bank of the Naugatuck River. To accommodate the unstacked Route 8 configuration, the Naugatuck River would require partial relocation. The width, river flow, and capacity of the shifted portion would be maintained in the final condition.

DEEP ‘Threatened’ Pull Back of Funds in Old Lyme After Referendum Delays

Francisco Uranga

OLD LYME — State officials warned First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker that delays in calling a referendum to raise the sewer project budget could cost the town a forgivable loan to help cover the work.

On Aug. 15, Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Emma Cimino emailed Shoemaker a timeline of milestones the town should meet and stressed the consequences of a delay.

“We are aware that the Board of Selectmen has not yet voted on moving the increased bond authorization to referendum, and that the WPCA has been asked to provide additional info. I want to emphasize the need for quick action at each stage to remain aligned with the association timelines,” Cimino wrote. “Please also note that if an action/milestone noted below doesn’t occur or is delayed, it will significantly impact the town’s ability to pursue the internal and shared projects, including execution of a CWF [Clean Water Fund] agreement as well as the opportunity to receive additional funding in the form of principal forgiveness.”

After a public informational meeting on Tuesday at the Lyme-Old Lyme High School Auditorium, Shoemaker told CT Examiner she viewed the message as a “threat.”

Tuesday’s meeting was a step toward, potentially, calling a second referendum to increase the project budget from the $9.5 million approved in 2019 to $17.1 million. The original borrowing fell well short of bids received earlier this year.

The second referendum was originally scheduled for Sep 9, but Shoemaker said that date cannot be met given a number of steps that would need to be taken first. A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen has still to be called, likely next week, to convene a town meeting that must occur at least seven days before the referendum. The setting of a possible referendum date is still pending.

The call for a referendum was delayed in early August while the Board of Selectmen sought additional information on costs and waited for the Miami Beach Association to receive bids for work on its portion of the project. Miami Beach bids came in above the anticipated cost, and a decision by the chartered beach community on whether to proceed is pending.

If any one of the three chartered beaches opts out, the cost to the remaining participants would increase significantly, Old Lyme Water and Pollution Control Authority chair Steve Cinami acknowledged.

Old Lyme Shores has yet to put the project out to a bid.

In the meantime, DEEP officials have offered the town a grant of 25% of the cost and an additional 25% as a forgivable loan to encourage the town to move forward with the installation of sewers — apparently a priority project for the state’s environmental agency.

But repeated delays are putting that extra funding in doubt.

The timeline recommended by DEEP calls for the town to submit a Clean Water Fund application and for the town to award a construction contract before Oct. 15.

“If the town doesn’t complete one or more of the milestones listed above, the town’s participation in the shared project (including principal forgiveness funding) would be in jeopardy and result in DEEP’s consideration of appropriate follow-up action(s) in accordance with its Enforcement Response Policy,” Cimino warned Shoemaker in an email.

Local opposition

About 70 local residents attended Tuesday’s meeting in Lyme-Old Lyme School auditorium. All those who spoke publicly were opposed, demanding that the town fight back against the state’s demand for sewering the beach neighborhoods construction, or that the costs be divided among residents of the entire town. As it stands, residents of the beach neighborhoods are on the hook for the entire cost.

Cinami, who led the meeting, presented the project calculations and defended sewers as a solution that would increase property values, address a pollution problem and eliminate a health hazard. If the referendum fails, Cinami said, the town could face fines, lose the forgivable loan or DEEP could impose a consent order to mandate sewer construction.

“When I presented this to the WPCA, one of the comments was why is it so doom and gloom and I didn’t put any positives,” Cinami said. “I just don’t see a positive outcome from not passing the referendum.”

The audience laughed sarcastically at that comment.

Cinami said the time to fight DEEP’s decision had passed and that he was only following orders to move forward, even when area residents opposed it.

“It’s a town call. I don’t have any dogs in the fight. If someone said ‘Let’s just stop this out’ I would stop,” Cinami said. “I’m sorry they [residents] don’t have as much say as officials.”

Resident Matt Merritt complained to Shoemaker that the town should challenge DEEP’s decision.

“Martha, you’re our person. You’re hearing,” Merritt said. “How come we’re not fighting hard for what these other towns are doing successfully and we’re not?”

Merritt also questioned Cinami’s calculations and called for greater scrutiny of the numbers.

“You’re underestimating the costs,” Merritt said. “I think someone should take a closer look at this because I don’t think it’s realistic.”

“I believe these numbers are realistic,” Cinami replied.

Dennis Melluzzo, a critic of the plan and a member of the WPCA, said that if DEEP withdrew the forgivable loan portion, the project would immediately become unaffordable with the current bids. And he encouraged the town to reject that offer.

“Tell the state to take it, we don’t want it,” Melluzzo said. “Then we’ll see you in court. I doubt the town of Old Lyme wants to see 200 appeals in circuit court over this project.”

Residents complained, repeatedly, that the cost of the project, estimated at about $1,939 annually per equivalent-dwelling unit, according to Fuss and O’Neill, would be even higher than their property taxes.

The estimated costs do not include a one-time hookup fee, which Cinami estimated at about $6,000, or a connection fee payable to New London and East Lyme for their past infrastructure investments, that would amount to about $230 per year. The operating and maintenance fees would amount to an added $564 per year, according to a DEEP estimate shared by Cinami.

Another frequent criticism was that only Sound View and Area B residents would pay the cost of the sewers, but the entire town would vote in the referendum. 

Sebastian Mangiafico, a Sound View resident, was one of the most vocal in that complaint.

“The whole town is voting on spending our money,” Mangiafico said. “We’re outnumbered by like eight or nine to one.”

Mangiafico asked how much the project would cost each taxpayer if it were divided among all town residents instead of end users. The answer was about $110 per year.

“So $110 a year per taxpayer versus us paying $30,000?” Mangiafico said. “Excuse my French, but that’s asinine.”

Residents also questioned the state agency’s underlying motive for the work. A longstanding complaint from residents was that there was no recent data to prove that septic systems in the beach area were actually polluting.

Cinami responded that, according to Connecticut statutes, DEEP is the authority that determines whether or not there is pollution.

“If they say you’re polluting or you’re going to cause pollution, you’re polluting,” Cinami said. “I’m not going to argue over the law. That’s the statute, I can’t control the statute.”

“You have given the board of selectmen a lot to think about,” First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker told the audience.

Selectman Jim Lampos, a homeowner in Sound View, said DEEP considered it unnecessary to retest the water for pollution because, due to the density of the area, it was considered there to be pollution “by definition.”

“They don’t care if the groundwater is clean or not. They don’t care if the Sound is clean or not,” Lampos said. “They’re telling us that we’re polluting by definition.”

Shoemaker said that they would take all comments into account when deciding whether or not to call a referendum at the special session scheduled for the coming days.

“You have given the board of selectmen a lot to think about,” Shoemaker said.

CT Construction Digest Wednesday August 27, 2025

CTDOT Announces the Long-Term Vision for the Replacement of the Waterbury Mixmaster

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today announced the long-term vision for the replacement of the Interstate 84 (I-84) and Route 8 Interchange in Waterbury, also known as the “Mixmaster.”

After reviewing and analyzing multiple potential options, the two advancing alternatives are the Modern Crossover Interchange and Naugatuck River Shift. Both alternatives aim to improve safety and mobility on I-84 and Route 8, as well as improve multimodal connections within the surrounding roadway network. In both alternatives, the I-84 and Route 8 structures would be unstacked and reconstructed with an expected lifespan of over 75 years.

“The Mixmaster was once a modern engineering marvel but today, it no longer meets the needs of travelers and the greater-Waterbury community. We’re excited to move this plan forward, which was based on what we heard directly from residents and businesses. This transformative initiative will change how people safely and conveniently travel through and around Waterbury,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “Progress takes patience, and while this work will take decades to fully complete, we are committed to improving lives through transportation by implementing, and completing, certain projects within the next five years.”

This plan originated through the New Mix Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study. Over the last several years, strategies for improving transportation for all users were identified in alignment with the City’s economic and developmental goals. These analyses, along with extensive public outreach and input, identified the two alternatives which are advancing for further study.

The public can learn more about these alternatives by visiting the Project Alternatives page on the study website.

In addition to the two alternatives for the future replacement of the Mixmaster, the PEL Study also identified breakout projects, including some that have been constructed and several that are in various stages of conceptual development and design. These breakouts are independent projects improving safety and mobility for the surrounding transportation network, while the state and federal environmental review and design of the interchange advance.

Through the PEL process, CTDOT was charged with developing a vision for the future of the interchange and surrounding transportation network to address the transportation needs and goals of the community. As projects continue to be designed and implemented, additional public outreach will be conducted.

For more information, to sign up for project updates, and newsletters, visit NewMixWaterbury.com

Two CT airports will share in $7M in federal grants. Here’s how the funding will be used.

Kenneth R. Gosselin

Two Connecticut airports will receive $7 million in federal aviation grants, including $3.1 million that is helping lay the groundwork for a major expansion at Tweed New Haven Airport that could break ground late next year.

The grants from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, also are providing $3.9 million to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks for upgrades, some of which are connected to new additions to the east and west ends of the terminal, which include space for future gates.

Tweed New Haven’s plans call for the addition of a second, 84,000-square-foot terminal with four gates that could be expanded in the future. The cost of the new terminal project is now estimated to be between $100 million and $200 million, airport officials said Tuesday, well above the initial projection of $70 million.

The $3.1 million grant be used to reimburse the airport for an environmental assessment that was required by federal regulators for the expansion. In addition, the grants will help finance the design of the project, including a 975-foot, runway extension. The longer runway is integral to the expansion, needed to accommodate aircraft with larger passenger capacities now favored by airlines.

All together, the terminal project has now received $10.5 million in federal grants. Once ground is broken, it is estimated it will take 12-18 months to construct.

“These federal investments represent another milestone in building a stronger, more resilient, and future-ready Tweed New Haven Airport,” said Michael Jones, chief executive of The New HVN, which is overseeing the expansion. “By modernizing our runways and taxiways, we are ensuring (Tweed New Haven) continues to meet the highest standards of safety and efficiency while also supporting expanded service options for southern Connecticut residents. These improvements lay the foundation for the next generation of travel, commerce and community benefit at Tweed.”

The new terminal project has been controversial. It has drawn opposition from the town of East Haven, where the expansion would be located; Save the Sound, the environmental advocacy group; and residents in the surrounding neighborhood.

The expansion has been promoted as good for the area’s economic development and as alternative for air travelers in New Haven and Fairfield counties.

New Haven owns the airport, but a portion of the airfield is in East Haven. East Haven has argued that it would get all the headaches — including traffic, parking issues, pollution and noise — while New Haven would reap the benefits.

The FAA signed off on the project last year based on the environmental assessment, but there is a push from opponents for a deeper look at the environmental impact. A permit also must be secured from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Connecticut’s Congressional delegation drew praise from both Tweed and Bradley for securing the grants, framed as investments in the region’s economy. The grants are part of $740 million announced last week.

At Bradley, Connecticut’s largest commercial airport, the $58 million in additions will connect the concourse to baggage claim areas at two separate locations. This is intended to relieve the congestion at the existing central stairwell and will create a new lounge areas for people waiting for and seeing off travelers at Bradley. The central stairwell will be eliminated, allowing for an expansion of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, passenger checkpoint.

“This additional space helps position the airport for future growth as we continue to increase our number of nonstop destinations and welcome new airline partners,” Michael W. Shea, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Bradley’s operations. “The funds will also be used to extend one of our taxiways to make aircraft movement more efficient. Grant assistance like this is critical at (Bradley) and the (CAA’s) five general aviation airports to enhance safety, maintain efficiency in our operations, and offer more convenience for passengers.”

“This $7 million boost in federal support will make our two major airports safer, more reliable, and comfortable for all flyers,” the state’s Congressional delegation said in a joint statement. “Air passengers deserve better facilities vital to upgrade the flying experience. Connecticut welcomes and depends on visitors from all over the world, and residents who travel widely, to drive our economy. We’ll continue to fight for critically necessary federal investment in our airports.”

CT Construction Digest Wednesday August 27, 2025

CTDOT Announces the Long-Term Vision for the Replacement of the Waterbury Mixmaster

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today announced the long-term vision for the replacement of the Interstate 84 (I-84) and Route 8 Interchange in Waterbury, also known as the “Mixmaster.”

After reviewing and analyzing multiple potential options, the two advancing alternatives are the Modern Crossover Interchange and Naugatuck River Shift. Both alternatives aim to improve safety and mobility on I-84 and Route 8, as well as improve multimodal connections within the surrounding roadway network. In both alternatives, the I-84 and Route 8 structures would be unstacked and reconstructed with an expected lifespan of over 75 years.

“The Mixmaster was once a modern engineering marvel but today, it no longer meets the needs of travelers and the greater-Waterbury community. We’re excited to move this plan forward, which was based on what we heard directly from residents and businesses. This transformative initiative will change how people safely and conveniently travel through and around Waterbury,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “Progress takes patience, and while this work will take decades to fully complete, we are committed to improving lives through transportation by implementing, and completing, certain projects within the next five years.”

This plan originated through the New Mix Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study. Over the last several years, strategies for improving transportation for all users were identified in alignment with the City’s economic and developmental goals. These analyses, along with extensive public outreach and input, identified the two alternatives which are advancing for further study.

The public can learn more about these alternatives by visiting the Project Alternatives page on the study website.

In addition to the two alternatives for the future replacement of the Mixmaster, the PEL Study also identified breakout projects, including some that have been constructed and several that are in various stages of conceptual development and design. These breakouts are independent projects improving safety and mobility for the surrounding transportation network, while the state and federal environmental review and design of the interchange advance.

Through the PEL process, CTDOT was charged with developing a vision for the future of the interchange and surrounding transportation network to address the transportation needs and goals of the community. As projects continue to be designed and implemented, additional public outreach will be conducted.

For more information, to sign up for project updates, and newsletters, visit NewMixWaterbury.com

Two CT airports will share in $7M in federal grants. Here’s how the funding will be used.

Kenneth R. Gosselin

Two Connecticut airports will receive $7 million in federal aviation grants, including $3.1 million that is helping lay the groundwork for a major expansion at Tweed New Haven Airport that could break ground late next year.

The grants from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, also are providing $3.9 million to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks for upgrades, some of which are connected to new additions to the east and west ends of the terminal, which include space for future gates.

Tweed New Haven’s plans call for the addition of a second, 84,000-square-foot terminal with four gates that could be expanded in the future. The cost of the new terminal project is now estimated to be between $100 million and $200 million, airport officials said Tuesday, well above the initial projection of $70 million.

The $3.1 million grant be used to reimburse the airport for an environmental assessment that was required by federal regulators for the expansion. In addition, the grants will help finance the design of the project, including a 975-foot, runway extension. The longer runway is integral to the expansion, needed to accommodate aircraft with larger passenger capacities now favored by airlines.

All together, the terminal project has now received $10.5 million in federal grants. Once ground is broken, it is estimated it will take 12-18 months to construct.

“These federal investments represent another milestone in building a stronger, more resilient, and future-ready Tweed New Haven Airport,” said Michael Jones, chief executive of The New HVN, which is overseeing the expansion. “By modernizing our runways and taxiways, we are ensuring (Tweed New Haven) continues to meet the highest standards of safety and efficiency while also supporting expanded service options for southern Connecticut residents. These improvements lay the foundation for the next generation of travel, commerce and community benefit at Tweed.”

The new terminal project has been controversial. It has drawn opposition from the town of East Haven, where the expansion would be located; Save the Sound, the environmental advocacy group; and residents in the surrounding neighborhood.

The expansion has been promoted as good for the area’s economic development and as alternative for air travelers in New Haven and Fairfield counties.

New Haven owns the airport, but a portion of the airfield is in East Haven. East Haven has argued that it would get all the headaches — including traffic, parking issues, pollution and noise — while New Haven would reap the benefits.

The FAA signed off on the project last year based on the environmental assessment, but there is a push from opponents for a deeper look at the environmental impact. A permit also must be secured from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Connecticut’s Congressional delegation drew praise from both Tweed and Bradley for securing the grants, framed as investments in the region’s economy. The grants are part of $740 million announced last week.

At Bradley, Connecticut’s largest commercial airport, the $58 million in additions will connect the concourse to baggage claim areas at two separate locations. This is intended to relieve the congestion at the existing central stairwell and will create a new lounge areas for people waiting for and seeing off travelers at Bradley. The central stairwell will be eliminated, allowing for an expansion of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, passenger checkpoint.

“This additional space helps position the airport for future growth as we continue to increase our number of nonstop destinations and welcome new airline partners,” Michael W. Shea, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Bradley’s operations. “The funds will also be used to extend one of our taxiways to make aircraft movement more efficient. Grant assistance like this is critical at (Bradley) and the (CAA’s) five general aviation airports to enhance safety, maintain efficiency in our operations, and offer more convenience for passengers.”

“This $7 million boost in federal support will make our two major airports safer, more reliable, and comfortable for all flyers,” the state’s Congressional delegation said in a joint statement. “Air passengers deserve better facilities vital to upgrade the flying experience. Connecticut welcomes and depends on visitors from all over the world, and residents who travel widely, to drive our economy. We’ll continue to fight for critically necessary federal investment in our airports.”

CT Construction Digest Tuesday August 26, 2025

How CT can save an offshore wind project that could power 350K homes

Alex Putterman

NEW LONDON — Days after President Donald Trump halted an offshore wind development designed to help power Connecticut as soon as next year, Gov. Ned Lamont outlined two possible paths toward saving the project.

The first, Lamont said, is to speak with Trump administration officials, including some the governor has sought to maintain a friendly relationship with, and impress upon them the importance of Revolution Wind, an ambitious offshore wind farm that is already about 80% complete.

"We've had some preliminary conversations," Lamont said at a news conference Monday. "I think some of the key facets of the federal government were taken by surprise by this decision as well, so we're trying to get all the players together."

Lamont specifically mentioned Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, both of whom he met with in Washington, D.C. earlier this year.

Asked whether he expects these appeals to work, Lamont paused and grimaced.

"You never quite know with this administration," he said. "But I think there's a deal to be had, and I've got to see what the ask is."

If that approach fails, Lamont said, the second option to to sue the Trump administration, as Connecticut has in numerous other instances. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who joined Lamont and other officials in New London on Monday, said he expects a lawsuit to resume the project would be successful.

"It is nuts, crazy, insane to stop a project that is 80% completed and will save hundreds of millions of dollars for consumers," Blumenthal said. "It is also blatantly illegal, lawless and reckless."

The Trump administration's stated reason for halting the project was to "address concerns related to the protection of national security interests of the United States." Federal officials have not specified what the national security concerns are.

Sen. Chris Murphy, among others, cast doubt on that explanation Monday, noting Trump has often expressed a distaste for wind energy, which he has called "the scam of the century." 

"This isn't about national security," Murphy said. "This is a decision about politics. The President of the United States has pledged his loyalty to the oil and gas industry, plain and simple."

Revolution Wind, which cleared years of federal and state reviews before construction began in 2023, is expected to be Connecticut and Rhode Island's first large offshore wind farm, capable of powering more than 350,000 homes. It would provide power at a rate of 9.8 cents per kilowatt hour, cheaper than the average cost of electricity in New England.

The project has employed hundreds of unionized workers in Connecticut, some of whose jobs could be threatened if work doesn't resume soon. Keith Brothers, president of the Connecticut State Building and Construction Trades Council, said some crews have already been sent home, as others have shifted to on-shore work.

"Let us finish what we started," Brothers said at the news conference. "Let us go back to work."

In addition to consequences for workers, a pause or cancellation of Revolution Wind could come at a price for Connecticut households already dealing with surges in energy prices. The project was supposed to offer a reliable energy source beginning next year, bringing down costs for residents statewide.

Though Trump has stated a desire for the U.S. to move toward energy independence, he has generally opposed renewable energy, which he blames for rising electric costs, while dismantling the federal government's capacity to regulate greenhouse gases in an effort to fight climate change.

Still, state officials had been under the impression Revolution Wind would be permitted to continue, given how far along construction was. Lamont said Monday he was "shocked" last Friday to learn the Trump administration had ordered work to stop.

"We've had a lot of conversations down in Washington, D.C.," the governor said. "I talked about this with the President and the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Interior, and we don't agree on everything, but there was a strong sense that we wanted more American based power."

Lamont said he didn't know why the administration had changed its position or what Trump might want in return for allowing construction to resume.

Asked whether, in a worst-case scenario, Revolution Wind could sit idle for four years until a new administration takes over in Washington, the governor said that was "the worst idea I've heard all day."

Lamont Open to Deal with Trump to Restart Stalled Wind Project

Francisco Uranga

NEW LONDON — Gov. Ned Lamont said Monday he expects to make a deal with the federal government to revive the Revolution Wind offshore wind project, which was ordered to be halted last week, citing unspecified national security concerns.

“I feel very confident that this is such a dumb decision, it’s going to get fixed,” Lamont said at a joint press conference at New London’s State Pier with federal lawmakers, and state and local officials. “You never quite know with this administration, but I think there’s a deal to be had. And I got to see what the ask is.”

Shortly after Lamont’s comment, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy took a less conciliatory stance and stressed that the President Donald Trump did not have the legal authority to suspend a project that had been permitted.

“You don’t have to pledge political loyalty to the president of the United States in order to build wind power in this country,” Murphy said. “We all have to be really careful about doing trades with this president that could send this country down a really dangerous anti-democratic rabbit hole.”

The conference sought to send a unified political message in Connecticut to the Trump administration’s decision to halt the wind project, which is in an advanced stage and scheduled to begin production next year. The project would supply 700 megawatts, enough to power 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Revolution Wind would be the second project completed at New London’s State Pier, which was redeveloped as a platform for the offshore wind industry and has drawn criticism due to escalating costs. The project’s budget has ballooned from $93 million to $311 million, with an ongoing dispute over soil issues beneath part of the platform that could drive costs even higher.

The first project, South Fork Wind, began production last year to supply energy to New York State.

‘Scam of the century’

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said it ordered the project to be halted Friday in order to “address concerns” regarding the protection of national security interests.

But everyone present at the conference considered it as a political move aligned with Trump’s aversion to wind energy, which he called “the scam of the century” on Truth Social last Wednesday.

“This president is committed to destroying renewable energy and to powering this country only on oil and gas to please and help his friends,” Murphy said. “I’m not going to pretend that this decision is on the level. It’s not. And that’s why we’ll ultimately likely prevail, because the law is on our side.”

Last April, the Trump administration also halted the Empire Wind project in New York. It resumed a month later after an agreement with Gov. Kathy Hochul.

While Lamont said he was confident the Revolution Wind issue would be settled soon, he did not rule out legal action.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the decision was “blatantly illegal.”

“The administration will lose if there is a legal challenge, but in the meantime, consumers will lose,” Blumenthal said. “And that is the result of an administration stance on wind power that is truly reckless and irrational.”

Blumenthal questioned the lack of clarity for why the federal government decided to halt the project.  

“They say there are national security interests here. Come clean, reveal them, and if you can’t do it in public, give us a briefing in private. We have top secret clearance,” Blumenthal said. “They have offered no facts to justify this lawless, reckless decision.”

‘Let us finish what we started’

The Revolution Wind project was being built 15 miles off the coast of Rhode Island and was at an advanced stage, with all underwater foundations and 45 of the 65 turbines installed.

State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said the project had obtained permits after a nine-year process.

“It’s been very thoroughly vetted across two administrations to get us to the point where it is today, where there’s work going on in the water,” she said.

Dykes said the project would provide 2.5% of New England’s energy needs next year and that there were no identifiable substitutes for that energy supply in the event of an outage.

“Right now, we are at high risk of power outages if we experience heat waves or extreme winter weather that could overload our grid,” she said. “Offshore wind is a very important resource that helps keep the lights on during those peak energy consumption periods.”

On Monday, ISO New England, the organization that manages the region’s electric system, issued a statement warning that delays to the project could threaten reliability.

Keith Brothers, president of the Connecticut State Building and Construction Trades Council, emphasized that State Pier jobs were high-quality positions with good wages, health and retirement benefits. 

“Let us finish what we started,” Brothers said.

The project received permit approval in November 2023. It was initially a joint venture between Ørsted, which is 50% owned by the Danish government, and Eversource. Ørsted reported that it expected to begin operations by the middle of next year after last week’s federal government order.

The Trump administration’s decision adds pressure to a sector that experienced difficulties in previous years.

In 2023, Avangrid canceled the Park City Wind contract in Connecticut, and Ørsted also canceled its contracts in New York, New Jersey and Maryland. The sector as a whole suffered setbacks in 2023, with projects canceled or delayed despite federal support and incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act.

In 2024, Eversource sold its stake in Revolution Wind to Global Infrastructure Partners, a company owned by BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager. Late last year, Connecticut pulled out of the tri-state auction it had announced with much fanfare a year earlier.

In early August, Ørsted asked shareholders for the equivalent of $9.4 billion to boost its finances and cope with Trump’s policies opposed to wind power, sinking its shares to their lowest level since 2018. On Monday, shares plunged again by more than 15%.

Legal uncertainty and the loss of federal government support left the State Pier’s future in limbo and raised doubts about other planned projects, such as Sunrise Wind. Owned by Ørsted, Sunrise Wind is planned to supply 924 megawatts to New York state.

State Pier’s future

When Michael O’Connor became executive director of the Connecticut Port Authority in January, he said he hoped  rising costs at State Pier would no longer dominate headlines. But months later, controversy persisted — fueled by debates over the pier’s future and criticism of turning it into a hub for an industry currently under threat. 

After the Monday press conference, O’Connor said he didn’t see the need to assess the federal government’s potential impact on State Pier yet.

“You understand why it would be hard to figure that out in five minutes,” he said.

O’Connor declined to comment on the contract status for the State Pier redevelopment, the work still to be completed or the final cost.

Port Authority Chairman Paul Whitescarver confirmed they were not yet assessing Trump’s decision’s impact.

“There’s a line of ships out here that are still coming in with pieces and parts. We’re almost full. You got blades, you got pedestals, you got nacelles. There’s still a lot of work to do here,“ he said. ”I’m going to be optimistic.”

Withescraver said he was not currently concerned about the situation but acknowledged it could be a cause for worry after 2027. In the future, he said, offshore wind might not be the only option.

“You can do lots of different things here. You could bring all sorts of different types of cargo,“ he said. ”Even before we had Ørsted here, we used to bring in lumber, we used to bring in iron. Now that you have this platform, you can do roll-on and roll-off cars. This is just the start, right?”

Kevin Blacker, a staunch critic of the project, said the political situation with Trump was “entirely foreseeable.”

“Offshore wind only works with government subsidies and political mandates. So it’s very open to threat from political change,” Blacker said. “Betting our whole port on such a use is risky and it’s a foreseeable risk that everybody was warned about.”

Blacker also questioned the argument that State Pier could be used for other purposes besides offshore wind.

“I don’t care what those liars [the Connecticut Port Authority] say. The State Pier was purpose-built for offshore wind. That’s why it was so expensive,” he said. “It’s like trying to use a lawnmower as a snowblower. You could do it, but it’s just not what it was designed for.”

Connecticut’s DOT Launches Redevelopment, Housing for Stamford’s Train Station

Angela Carella

STAMFORD – The last time the Department of Transportation went into business with private developers to remake the Stamford train station, commuters revolted, the mayor objected, and one of the developers got indicted.

Thirteen years later, the DOT is trying again.

This month the agency issued a request for proposals from developers who would be interested in moving and reconstructing the aging train station, reconfiguring some of the tracks, and building a large housing complex with ground-floor retail and possibly office or hotel space.

This time, like last time, the DOT sounds as much like a development agency as a transportation agency.

The issuance of a request for proposals is a major step in the DOT’s “initiative to reimagine the (train station) as a modern, multi-modal transportation hub integrated with vibrant transit-oriented development,” the agency’s website states.

Transit-oriented development, or TOD, is a planning strategy that

calls for high-density housing and business centers within walking distance of public transportation.

“By reimagining this property, we can deliver new housing, enhanced transit amenities, and commercial and retail spaces that will serve residents and visitors for decades to come,” DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said on the agency’s website.

The announcement mixes messages about the need for a new Stamford train station – it’s the busiest stop on Metro-North Commuter Railroad after Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan – and an aim to make money building housing, Stamford’s most lucrative commodity.

The Stamford transportation center serves 5.5 million rail and bus passengers each year, according to the DOT. It needs significant upgrades “to meet the demands of a growing population and future transit expansions, including anticipated service increases from Metro-North and Amtrak,” the website states. 

But the DOT’s vision is twofold – “to create a world-class transportation center” while at the same time “fostering economic growth,” the agency’s website states.

The DOT is seeking “proposals that blend transit improvements with mixed-use development” of the 11 acres the state owns on Station Place, according to the website. “Preferred transit-oriented developments include primarily multi-family residential buildings,” it states.

In 2012, when the DOT finally took on the task of replacing the Stamford train station parking garage that had been falling apart for 30 years, agency officials issued a request for proposals. Then, as now, they were interested in more than transportation. They sought a public-private partnership for building a residential and commercial complex.

The 2012 request for proposals stated that, in deciding which developer to choose, the DOT would give two-thirds weight to how much revenue the proposal could generate for the DOT.

Then-Commissioner Jim Redeker said the DOT’s 11 acres on Station Place were the most valuable real estate in Connecticut. 

The winning bid in 2013 proposed building a $500 million, 1-million-square-foot housing, office, retail and hotel complex beside the train station, and moving the commuter parking garage a quarter-mile away.

Commuters were enraged, saying the DOT was monetizing a public resource vital to their livelihoods and the Stamford economy, and doing it using tens of millions in public funding.

Then-Mayor David Martin chastised the DOT for its lack of attention to the choking traffic congestion around the Stamford station, and for leaving the city out of the planning.

Then there were the problems behind the scenes. 

Redeker struck a deal with millionaire developer John McClutchy, at the time a Darien resident and owner of JHM Group of Companies. McClutchy formed a partnership, Stamford Manhattan Development Ventures, made up of his group, ECCO III Enterprises, Gilbane Development Co. and Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. Another Ciminelli company, L.P. Ciminelli Construction, was to be the builder. 

McClutchy’s proposal included 600,000 square feet of office space, 60,000 square feet of retail, 150 hotel rooms, and 150 housing units.

But nothing happened for three years. Then Gilbane dropped out. Then Louis Ciminelli, head of Ciminelli Construction, and two of his executives were charged in a bid-rigging and bribery scheme involving an economic revitalization project in upstate New York.

The DOT’s train station project fell apart.

This time, the DOT is better prepared.

The agency built a new garage on South State Street, connected it to the train station with a covered walkway over Washington Boulevard, and last year demolished the dilapidated garage on Station Place. 

So the stage is set for a new plan for the DOT’s most valuable real estate.

Agency spokesman Josh Morgan said Friday that at least 20 percent of however many housing units are built at the train station must be affordable. The percentage is a minimum requirement set by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Morgan said.

“It could be more than 20 percent,” Morgan said. “We have to see what proposals come in.”

Developers must submit their proposals to the DOT by Dec. 5, and the agency expects to execute pre-development agreements by the end of February.

But the concern over congestion, raised by former Mayor Martin a dozen years ago, remains, and in fact appears to have grown. 

Last year the DOT released a Stamford train station master plan that included a congestion study. It noted 14 projects within a quarter-mile of the train station that were recently completed, under construction, or approved – a total of 2,500 housing units.

Now there are more.

One is The Hazel on John Street, with 183 residential units; another is a 395-unit apartment building at 18 Dock St.

And there is potential for even more.

The owners of 15 parcels bordered by Atlantic, Pacific, Manhattan and Dock streets formed a consortium called Stamford Manhattan Transit Group and are pitching the land – an acre and a quarter in total – to a developer interested in building an apartment high-rise. The spot is zoned for maximum density. Whatever is built will stand next door to the train station.

CT Construction Digest Monday August 25, 2025

Trump halts New London-based Revolution Wind project

Joe Wojtas Daniel Drainville Alison Cross

New London — The Trump administration announced Friday that it has canceled the Revolution Wind project, which is based at State Pier.

The move could deal a blow to the future of the region’s wind industry after state taxpayers invested $310 million to transform State Pier into an offshore wind hub so that it could accommodate wind turbine components and the ships that assemble them. On Friday, large sections of turbines remained spread out on the pier.

A total of 45 of Revolution Wind’s 65 turbines have been completed. It remains the only offshore wind farm that will provide Connecticut with power — 304 megawatts to Connecticut and 400 megawatts to Rhode Island — and is the second of three planned offshore wind projects that State Pier will host.

Parts for New York’s 84-turbine Sunrise Wind were expected to start arriving just weeks after Revolution Wind was slated to be completed in the first half of next year. No projects were scheduled after that.

Friday’s move comes four months after the Trump administration halted construction on Empire Wind, a New York offshore wind project.

Mayor Michael Passero said a representative for Ørsted, the firm constructing the turbines, informed him Friday afternoon that “they are closing down the project” after being ordered to stop all work.

Passero called the news “very disappointing,” adding the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management “has not given a reason for why they’ve done this.”

“The project, from my understanding, is nearly complete at this point,” Passero said. “The implications are wide-ranging. ... There are a lot of construction jobs going on right now during this phase, and that’s probably the largest employment impact.”

Passero said the Sunrise Wind project “is still on track.”

“That project was was set to start right after they completed Revolution Wind. So that project is still going forward,” Passero said.

Ørsted, in a statement released Friday night, said it is complying with the order, and taking the appropriate steps to stop offshore activities, “ensuring the safety of workers and the environment,” while it evaluates options to resolve the matter “expeditiously.”

The company said it’s evaluating the potential financial impact of the development and considering a range of scenarios, including legal action.

“This includes engagement with relevant permitting agencies for any necessary clarification or resolution as well as through potential legal proceedings, with the aim being to proceed with continued project construction towards (completion of development) in the second half of 2026.”

In a letter Friday to Rob Keiser, the head of asset management for Ørsted North America Inc., Matthew Giacona, the acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, ordered Ørsted to “halt all ongoing activities related to the Revolution Wind Project.”

In the letter, Giacona said the bureau is undertaking the review pursuant to a Jan. 20 memorandum from President Donald Trump, which called for the “Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects.”

Giacona wrote that the pause would allow time for the bureau to “address concerns related to the protection of national security interests of the United States and prevention of interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone, the high seas, and the territorial seas.”

He said that the bureau is “acting to ensure that all activities ... are carried out in a manner that provides for protection of the environment, among other requirements.”

Giacona said Ørsted may not resume construction until the bureau completes its review. He said Ørsted may appeal the order.

On Friday night, Paul Whitescarver, the chairman of the Connecticut Port Authority Board, said he did not have much to say about the news.

“I wish I could tell you anything. We just got the information too,” Whitescarver said. “I imagine it’s similar to Empire Wind that happened in New York. That was a three-to-four-week stoppage.”

‘Not good for us’

Port Authority board member John Johnson said he had not yet heard about the decision when reached Friday night.

“I’m appalled that I didn’t know about the decision,” he said.

Johnson said he didn’t know what was behind Trump’s “angst” toward the wind industry, an area where, historically, the United States has been far behind the rest of the world. He said he thinks politics has played a big role.

“I believe and continue to believe that what Joe Biden was in favor of, Trump is opposed to. It’s petty politics, but there’s no good reason not to have wind as an alternative source of power,” Johnson said. “If he canceled Revolution Wind, that’s not good for us — not good for the American public. He’s doing it because he’s in favor of coal-generated and oil-generated electricity.”

Johnson said the Port Authority, led by Executive Director Michael J. O’Connor and Board Chairman Paul Whitescarver, will now “charter a course” for the port authority.

“We have a 15- or 20-person board,” he said. “It will be a board decision. We’ll listen to a course of action that might be proposed by Paul and Mike. And we’ll discuss it in open discussion. We’ll take the course of action that we all decide on. We all are very vocal.”

He said Gov. Ned Lamont has committed substantial state resources to building out State Pier so that it could become “the center of the wind industry in New England.”

“I think it’s fair to say that we would take any and all actions that would help us in continuing to do what the pier has been doing,” Johnson said. “And that’s assembling turbines and installing them in the ocean bed — out in the ocean,” he said.

Here's what Tweed New Haven Regional Airport's new proposed terminal looks like

Mark Zaretsky

NEW HAVEN — Tweed New Haven Regional Airport released new designs of the proposed new 84,000-square-foot terminal on the East Haven side, now that designs are 60% complete. 

“This milestone is a testament to years of planning, collaboration, and innovation,” Michael Jones, CEO of The New HVN said in the release. “Through these renderings, our community can see the vision of a modernized Tweed that combines enhanced air travel, economic growth, and environmental responsibility. We are excited to share this progress and continue refining the design with input from our stakeholders.” 

The new renderings come four months after an environmental permit application was filed with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection by Avports, the Goldman Sachs-owned company that operates Tweed for the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority through its The New HVN subsidiary.

"At this stage, the big-picture decisions are finalized — such as terminal layout, footprint and systems planning — while enough detail is developed to support regulatory approvals, cost estimates, and construction planning," the release states.

The renderings also come at a time when some opponents of airport expansion have questioned what they have called a lack of progress in the 20 months after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a "Finding of No Significant Impact," or FONSI, which found, based on a draft environmental assessment,that the project would not significantly harm the environment.

East Haven and Save The Sound both have appealed that Dec. 21, 2024 FAA finding and called for a full environmental impact statement, which would go beyond the environmental assessment that was done as part of the FONSI process.

The FONSI cleared the way for the project at the fast-growing airport, which offers service to more than 30 destinations via Avelo Airlines and Breeze Airways, to move forward. 

"Glossy drawings and new press releases cannot disguise the reality: this project poses serious risks and still faces a number of unresolved hurdles," East Haven Mayor Joe Carfora said in a news release.

He said this includes traffic and environmental approvals, public safety concerns and questions of town authority.

"As I have repeatedly said, this proposed expansion will have transformational impacts on East Haven—and not for the better," Carfora said. "That is why, from the very beginning of the Environmental Assessment process, I directed the town to retain independent experts to carefully evaluate this project. Their findings have been clear and consistent: the proposed terminal would bring serious environmental damage, overwhelming traffic impacts, heightened public safety risks, and heavy economic burdens on the town."

He said East Haven will participate in the "maximum extent allowable under current laws and regulations" in DEEP's review of the process.

"East Haven will also make sure that all appropriate and applicable local laws and regulations are adhered to, including, if necessary, utilizing any and all legal avenues available," Carfora said.

East Haven also appealed the FAA’s Finding of No Significant Impact and final Environmental Assessment" in federal court in Washington D.C., which is pending.

"The citizens of East Haven deserve nothing less than a firm defense of their environment, their safety, and the character of their community," Carfora said. "I will not deviate from that duty."

East Haven resident Lorena Venegas, who has been one of the loudest voices opposing airport expansion, said the new renderings don't change her opinion or the fact that Tweed is in a low-lying area that already floods during heavy rains. She predicted that the proposed expansion won't happen, at least in its current form.

"The drawings that were released yesterday were really just propaganda," Venegas said Friday. Since Tweed began pursuing the project "costs have gone up," while Proto Drive, which Tweed's proposed new entrance would be off of, is only a few feet above a flood zone.

"I don't think it's very creative and I don't see it's very considerate to the community," she said of the plans.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker did not immediately return request for comment.

Tweed's plans call for a four-gate terminal that might be expandable at some point in the future, officials have said. The proposed project, the cost for which has been estimated at $70 million to $100 million, is on about 40 acres that formerly was used for Tweed's now-decommissioned cross-wind runway.

The federal government approved a $4 million grant toward design costs for the new terminal last November.

In a release, Tweed called the 60% design mark "a pivotal milestone" and a "critical checkpoint" in the project's progress.

"The design is advanced enough to show the community and regulators what the future terminal will look like, while still allowing refinement and community input before construction begins," the release states, adding it "demonstrates to airlines, partners and the public that Tweed’s expansion is not conceptual but advancing through real, federally recognized design stages."

The new terminal will help meet a growing demand for air service through 2040 and create new jobs, the release states.

"With every step forward, Tweed proves it is more than an airport; it’s a powerful engine of economic growth for our region,” said Robert Reed, chairman of the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority, which oversees the airport under a long-term lease with the City of New Haven. "This expansion brings opportunities for businesses, good jobs for residents and momentum for Southern Connecticut’s economy."

A group of neighbors in both New Haven's Morris Cove section, East Haven and beyond continue to oppose the Tweed expansion for both environmental and quality-of-life reasons.

The terminal plan includes environmental mitigation and sustainability measures, including restoring more than 32 acres of tidal wetlands, preserving 25 acres of grassland bird habitat and enhancing flood resilience by elevating the terminal above the 100-year flood plain, Tweed officials have said.

From Quiet Corner to mega-warehouse hub: How Plainfield became an industrial stronghold

Harriet Jones

The town of Plainfield, located in Connecticut’s “Last Green Valley,” might appear remote and rural, but it has still attracted a lot of attention from major corporate warehouses, with a slew of recent deals.

The secret — relatively plentiful land and good road connections.

“The proximity on 395 is really what it’s all about for warehousing,” said First Selectman Kevin Cunningham. “You have access to 95. You have access to 295 in Worcester. You have access to Route 6 to get you either going over towards the Hartford area or to Providence. It’s easy access to get on and off.”

A 1.3 million-square-foot distribution center for hardware chain Lowe’s has consistently been the top taxpayer in Plainfield since it was built in 2004. That siting was seen as unusual enough at the time that it warranted coverage in the New York Times. It also came at a fairly steep upfront cost to the town, which was on the hook for putting in an access road, water and sewer.

But it wasn’t until more recently that other corporations saw the Quiet Corner opportunity — and according to Cunningham these newer deals are cash flow positive for the town from the jump, perhaps a factor in muting the sort of opposition that’s cropped up in other Connecticut towns over the mega-warehouse trend.

An Amazon warehouse, located at 137 Lathrop Road — formerly a greyhound racing track — and first announced in 2021, is finally due to open this October ahead of the busy holiday season. It will be Amazon’s 17th distribution location in Connecticut.

The building itself has been completed for some two years, and has been yielding $440,000 a year in tax to the town since it got its certificate of occupancy.

The opening of the 200,000-square-foot “last-mile” fulfillment center was delayed due to what the company described as industrywide supply chain and inflationary challenges. When it finally opens, Cunningham expects its tax value to the town to increase to over $1 million a year. It also expects to employ up to 200 local workers.

Meanwhile, Uline — a Wisconsin distributor of shipping, packaging and industrial supplies to business customers — is in the midst of developing a 1.3 million-square-foot distribution center, which will employ 250 people initially and could grow its headcount to 500.

The company says the facility will be completed by June 2026, and it hopes to be fully staffed and operational by October or November of that year. Like Amazon, Uline did not seek a tax abatement for the siting, and will also add substantially to Plainfield’s grand list.

Finally, Plainfield officials expect to announce more details soon about a potential Costco warehouse on a site that straddles the town line with Canterbury on Norwich Road. That could be as big as 2.5 million square feet.

“They’re going to do a public informational meeting sometime at the end of this month,” Cunningham said. “They also plan to do presentations in front of both towns for inland wetlands and also zoning. So, it’s got a long way to go for just the introduction portion of it for sure.”

Costco would not share more details, saying it does not comment on future warehouse sites.

Uline, though, is happy to speak about its budding relationship with this rural Connecticut town.

“Plainfield is the area we saw where the puck is going, and so we wanted to be ahead of that momentum of the expansion of the future supply chain,” said Dmitry Dukhan, Uline’s senior vice president of real estate and construction. “Specifically on the East Coast, the closer you are to the customer, the better the performance of the business will be.”

On-site building inspector

Currently, Uline is servicing its New England territory out of an Allentown, Pennsylvania distribution center, and the company had been on the hunt for a strategic location in the region for some time. Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island, were also on the short list for the new facility before Plainfield won out.

“It truly is one of the best locations in New England. And then obviously once we got to know the Plainfield community, we absolutely fell in love with it,” Dukhan said.

He cites Plainfield’s position close to the core markets of Boston, Hartford, Rhode Island, New York City and upstate New York. The facility was approved by the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission in April 2024, and Dukhan says the town of about 15,000 residents has been easy to work with.

One thing that First Selectman Cunningham says he offered to both Amazon and Uline is an on-site building inspector who works with the company on a daily basis to sign off on aspects of construction, speeding the time to completion.

Some limitations

Not every Connecticut town has been on board with building mega warehouses. Just a few years ago, residents in Willington and Cromwell rejected plans for distribution centers, and there was organized opposition to similar plans in Ashford and Middlebury. Planners in Windsor Locks have also rejected warehouse plans in the recent past, and the town of Enfield has faced lawsuits from residents.

The concerns mostly center on noise, light pollution and potential congestion from truck convoys. Construction noise on the Uline site has prompted some complaints in Plainfield.

Cunningham said there’s a limit to how many warehouses Plainfield can handle, particularly in terms of trucking volumes. For now, though, he welcomes the boost to economic development and the town’s grand list.

“In our town we have one grocery store,” he said. “I’m looking to promote and market another couple of areas in town for another grocery store to come in.”

He’s also hoping the influx of employment will stimulate more housing development in town. He points to a potential deal to sell the old Wauregan Mill building, on South Walnut Street, where a developer is interested in creating 230 apartments.

CT Construction Digest Friday August 22, 2025

The proposed trash facility in Plainfield is not welcome: How the town is fighting it

Connor Linskey

The Town of Plainfield is fighting against the trash to energy plant that’s proposed there. 

Plainfield First Selectman Kevin Cunningham said residents continue to sign petitions for two public hearings with Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) Katie Dykes regarding the plant. 

Residents overwhelmingly opposed the facility at the June 2 budget election. There, a non-binding advisory question appeared on the ballot, which asked voters if they were in favor of having a proposed solid waste to energy plant from SMART Technology Systems in Plainfield. Residents decisively rejected the plant, with 125 votes in favor of it and 1,148 votes against it. 

Plainfield residents also spoke out against the proposed plant at an informational meeting May 7. 

Now, the town is doing its part to prevent the facility from coming to town. 

“I have written a letter to the siting council and the town attorney is drafting one coming from the BOS (Board of Selectmen),” Cunningham said in an email Aug. 20. “We believe that the environmental impact outweighs the offset for tax revenue. There are many issues for safety that are still concerns – water at this site borders the largest aquifer in the town, air quality concerns, truck traffic that includes bringing in MSW (municipal solid waste) into town.”

Town’s efforts to prevent plant from coming to Plainfield 

Cunningham said the town has partnered with the Connecticut Coalition for Economic and Environmental Justice to utilize their experts and attorneys to try to stop the facility’s application at the siting council level. 

In addition, the town has partnered with the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG) to write a resolution against the proposed plant. Cunningham said the reason for the partnership is that the plant poses environmental problems for the towns surrounding Plainfield, which NECCOG represents. 

At town hall, there are petitions that residents can sign to allow the town’s hired specialists to speak at two of the siting council meetings. The town is also engaging with an environmental attorney to support the fight against the facility.  

“At some point, it will be a matter for the residents to vote to approve the use of fund balance monies in order to pay for the legal team to work on fighting this plant,” Cunningham said in an email. “So far, it’s minimal costs, but if the plant decides not to put in the application, then we won’t need to request funding. If they do, then we’ll get an estimate from [the siting] council and set up a meeting for that discussion.” 

Thoughts on the project from SMART Technology 

Bill Corvo, manager at SMART Technology Systems, said the plant will reduce the negative environmental impacts of processing municipal solid waste. 

“We believe it is the best available current technology,” Corvo said. 

The proposed facility is designed to process 468,000 tons of trash per year – 9,000 tons per week. It is needed, as Connecticut’s existing landfills have limited capacity. In addition, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority in Hartford closed in 2022, removing 2,000 tons of trash processing capacity per day. 

SMART Technology claims that the plant would convert organic material to a clean renewable gas while having a lower impact on the environment than an incinerator. They also say that the facility would divert millions of tons of waste from landfills and produce clean electricity year-round. 

SMART Technology moving ahead with permitting 

Corvo said SMART Technology submitted an air permit request and solid waste permit request to CT DEEP. He said the developers became aware of the concerns regarding the project after attending the informational meeting back in May. 

“We’re aware of the concerns that exist, not only in the community, but elsewhere in the state,” Corvo said. “By the same token, there were a number of people that were thinking that what we were bringing forward was an old-fashioned burn facility like the one that was in Hartford. This facility is a hundred years ahead of that in terms of environmental benefits and also, it’s quieter, it’s designed to have the lowest possible negative impact of any MSW processing plant in the United States today.”

Demolition of Bridgeport's 'candy cane' smokestack pushed back but rest of facility to be torn down

Brian Lockhart

BRIDGEPORT — Fans of the city's landmark red-and-white power plant smokestack will have a few more months to admire the South End industrial edifice before it is blasted from the skyline.

Chad Parks, a partner with Bridgeport Station Development, said the business has altered its demolition timeline for the entire property. While the bulk of the aged coal-fired facility is still scheduled to come down at the end of September, "We're going to do the stacks next year," more specifically, in April.

Located along the harbor at 1 Atlantic St., the former plant has three such emissions towers. But really, just the colorful one, the "candy cane," is thought of with any sentimentality, so much so that City Lights gallery downtown opens a three-week art show inspired by that red-and-white smokestack on Saturday.

"We have over 50 pieces," said the venue's executive director, Suzanne Kachmar. "It's Bridgeport's icon of its grit, grime and glory. ... It's a character on the landscape we're going to miss."

Formerly operated by PSEG, the coal-powered electric generation facility was shut down a few years ago as part of an arrangement to allow a new, natural gas-fired one to be built next door. Bridgeport Station Development bought the former last fall, and with the aid of $22.5 million from the state, is dismantling and leveling the structure for an as-yet-to-be-revealed redevelopment centered around housing.

In the spring, Parks revealed at a meeting of downtown business owners that the coal plant, the candy cane included, would come down Sept. 28. The demolition was then moved to the following day to not coincide with the fourth annual Soundside Music Festival at nearby Seaside Park.

But last month, Soundside was abruptly canceled. So, Parks said, the main plant, which workers are already picking apart to remove hazardous materials, will be completely imploded on the originally chosen date of Sept. 28. 

"After this, you're really going to see (just) stacks in the air and a hunk of metal getting processed," Parks said.

The decision to split up the September teardown event and raze the three smoke stacks next April was due to "cleanup and logistics," he said.

"We were pushing to get it all done in one fell swoop, and there's no real need to," Parks said, claiming Bridgeport Station Development will still be ahead of schedule. 

Bridgeport's Building Department confirmed this week that it received the request for the plant demolition permit Wednesday. The application fee to the city is $32,190.

The candy cane's fate has been an ongoing source of debate since the entire facility was sold, with some arguing it is an ugly symbol of pollution that needs to go, while others, including Mayor Joe Ganim, are urging the owner to preserve it as a landmark seen throughout the city and from Long Island Sound.

"I'm in favor of it staying," Ganim said last fall. "I think you'll get a lot of Bridgeport people saying, 'Leave it."

Parks has previously stated that the striped tower must come down because it would otherwise require significant maintenance and be much more difficult to remove in the future when surrounded by new construction.

"There's obviously no reuse for the stack. The only reason it would stay is if people wanted it to stay, (and) I'd say close to 80 percent want it down. The other 20 percent just kind of like it as an icon," Parks said in May.

Count City Lights' Kachmar among that alleged 20 percent,

"I've seen it on the horizon my entire life, as have many other people," she said. "It provided power. Even though it used coal and also created pollution, it's also a memory, a symbol of the industrialism of Bridgeport."

Parks reiterated that the developer acknowledges those feelings, and the plan is to have a community event "where people can come in, sign the stack" before it is no more.

But Kachmar still hopes her gallery's current exhibit and other efforts can change minds over the coming seven or so months.

"It's never done until it's done," she said. 

Fairfield's rebuild of Commerce Drive bridge to be completed by fall 2027

Shaniece Holmes-Brown

FAIRFIELD —  Fairfield is rebuilding the 47-foot Commerce Drive bridge over Ash Creek. 

Jonathan Mullen, Fairfield’s assistant planning director, said traffic detours have been set up and traffic will be restricted to one-way in the eastbound direction for the project's duration. He said demolition will begin over the coming weeks.

Troy Deering, construction project manager, advises drivers to be cautious of the detour for their safety. "We're sorry for the inconvenience, but it's for everyone's personal safety to obey the detour plans," he said. 

The project was fully funded with a nearly $4.5 million grant from the state's Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program under the Department of Transportation.

Deering said other bridge reconstruction projects in town will take place over the next few years. 

"A lot of these bridges were built around the same time, in the earlier 1900s, even 50s or 60s, possibly," Deering said. "And just like anything else, they can expire, from a safety standpoint and just a structural reliability

The Commerce Drive bridge has been standing since 1929, according to the town website. Town Engineering Manager Bill Hurley said all bridges have an estimated 75-year service life. The one on Commerce Drive is in poor, though not yet serious, condition, he said. 

"I don't think anyone disputes the fact that the bridge span is in need of replacement," said Director of Community and Economic Development Mark Barnhart. 

Barnhart said the town will do what it can to help residents navigate the difficulty the detour could cause.

"Everyone understands that in order to accomplish that and to get a new bridge in place, it's going to be somewhat inconvenient for folks that do have to travel that section of roadway, or have in the past, or have businesses in the area. And so we're doing our best to minimize that and to provide continued business access."

Last week, the Plan and Zoning Commission approved the project's coastal site plan application. Mullen said the coastal site plan included conditions for the proper erosion and sediment control measures to be installed and maintained during the project.

The project is expected to be completed by fall 2027, but Deering hopes it can be completed sooner.

"For most people, even when this is going to be open, they're just going to drive over it and kind of forget that we even built a new one," he said. "But it's really important for us to do, and it's great to see that the state was helping the town out on something that's so vital for the residents, whether they realize it or not. We're ensuring their safety so they can continue commuting and crossing over town lines at all of our watercourses safely."

Amid rumor of EB's further interest, Crystal Mall soldiers on

Brian Hallenbeck

Waterford — Richard Coe, Crystal Mall’s general manager, has heard the rumor that’s been making the rounds for weeks now.

Electric Boat wants the whole mall, the rumor goes.

“Yes, I hear people saying that,” Coe, a Namdar Realty Group employee, said Wednesday. “I hear the same things that everybody else hears. But I don’t know anything about it. EB doesn’t talk to me.”

EB, the Groton shipbuilding behemoth that early last month acquired the part of the mall that used to be Macy’s, declined Wednesday to comment on the rumor it’s negotiating the purchase of the rest of the Namdar-owned mall or at least the separately owned portion that was once a Sears store.

“No comment,” an EB spokeswoman wrote in an immediate response to an email query.

Amid the speculation about the mall’s fate, Coe said he’s striving to keep up the mostly vacant property while fielding interest from a steady stream of prospective tenants of far lesser magnitude than EB.

“I’m showing at least two or three spaces a week,” he said. “There’s lots of interest in the food court and there’s some in-line interest (elsewhere in the mall interior), too. Lots of locals.”

On Wednesday, all of the mall’s four escalators and one passenger elevator were in working order, which hasn’t always been the case.

“We’re putting the work in, trying to make everything functional,” Coe said. “What the long-term plans are I don’t know. Unfortunately, I’m sometimes the last person to find out.”

Even as Coe spoke Wednesday, one of Crystal Mall’s few remaining stores was conducting a closing sale.

Claire’s, a global brand that specializes in jewelry, cosmetics, accessories and ear-piercing for tweens, teens and young girls, was selling merchandise for up to 70% off.

Addie Gallardo, a store manager, said the store’s last scheduled day of operation was Aug. 27.

“Given the situation, we’re doing pretty good,” she said, referring to the empty spaces lining the mall’s corridors. “Definitely, the sale has boosted business. A lot of customers, especially the little girls, are sad to see us go.”

Gallardo noted the state’s annual sales tax-free week, which began Sunday and continues through Saturday, allows retailers to suspend the collection of sales tax on clothing and footwear purchases up to $100.

Also Wednesday, Claire’s corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Ill., announced a major development in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings it launched Aug. 6. In an email, a company spokeswoman said Claire’s has reached an agreement with an affiliate of Ames Watson, a private holding company, to acquire up to 950 stores in North America, “while all other stores will continue liquidation sales.”

The list of stores being acquired was not yet available, so it wasn’t immediately clear whether the deal would affect the Crystal Mall store, one of eight Claire’s locations in Connecticut.

At another Crystal Mall store, Sigourney Herndon, assistant manager of Kay Jewelers, said Wednesday that her store was staying put, at least through the end of its current one-year lease, which took effect Jan. 1. She said the store’s 2025 numbers are up over the previous year’s.

Kay Jewelers’ parent company, Signet Jewelers, also owned the Zales store at Crystal Mall that closed last fall.