CT Construction Digest Friday December 18, 2025

Construction of new Roxbury School wins key approval in Stamford

Robert Marchant

STAMFORD — After lengthy delays, plans for a new Roxbury School building and the demolition of the old school are moving forward.

The Stamford Planning Board reviewed and approved plans for the new school construction, as part of the process to acquire state funding. The Stamford school administration is going to a bid-authorization meeting with state officials in coming weeks, and approval from the city Planning Board is required. The board affirmed the project meets the goals of the city's comprehensive plan.

Kelly Nelli, a senior project manager working on the school replacement project with the Arcadis construction group, told the board that the preliminary work would begin in July of 2026. The first phase of the project would be the construction of geothermal wells at the site.

Nelli said portions of the old building on West Hill Road, including some portable structures and four classrooms in the rear of current building, would have to be demolished before work on the new structure could commence. The demolition, part of the preliminary phase, is required to allow access to the building site of the planned new structure. Major construction would commence in November of 2026, Nelli told the board, and wrap up in 2028.

"The kids will move into their new school August 2028," Nelli told the board. The work will take around 22 months, including the preliminary work. Demolition of the old school would take place after the new facility was operational. 

Planning Board member William Levin asked why the parking at the school was being raised from around 45 spaces to 160. "Why do we need three times as much parking?" he asked. 

Randall Luther, a designer on the project, replied, "The existing parking is inadequate, and the school enrollment is increasing significantly."

The current Roxbury School educates students from kindergarten through fifth grade, and the new school will offer instruction through eighth grade. The enrollment will go from 500 to 850 students.

The cost of the school replacement has been a controversial topic among city leaders and budget planners, far exceeding initial estimates of $86 million. The project is currently expected to cost $130 million, with state funding covering $78 million of that sum.

The Planning Board approved the construction project at the demolition work.

The Roxbury School, built 70 years ago, is in poor condition and in constant need of short-term repairs, according to school officials.

Work on offshore wind project off CT coast resumes after federal shutdown

Austin Mirmina

The region's Revolution Wind project is moving forward and should start supplying power to homeowners next year, following a months-long shutdown and recent legal battle, officials said.

Construction of the offshore wind farm was halted in August after the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a stop-work order. The project, located 15 miles south of Rhode Island and 32 miles southeast of Connecticut, resumed about a month later when a federal judge overturned the order. The bureau's 60-day deadline to appeal the ruling passed Nov. 21

As of early last month, the project was about 85 percent complete, with 52 of 65 turbines, all 65 turbine foundations and two offshore substations installed, according to a spokesperson for Orsted, a Danish energy company and one of the wind farm's developers. 

"Revolution Wind remains on track to reach completion in the second half of 2026," the spokesperson said.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management didn't respond to a request seeking comment on its decision not to appeal the ruling.

The White House, however, defended the Trump administration's broader opposition to renewable energy.

“President Trump has been extremely transparent: wind energy is the scam of the century," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said. "Reversing the Green New Scam was a very popular promise President Trump made on the campaign trail to the American people, who were tired of the Left’s radical and expensive climate agenda.

"President Trump issued very direct policy guidance on offshore wind on day one, which the administration has been working diligently to carry out," she added.

Revolution Wind will be the first offshore wind farm serving Connecticut and Rhode Island, providing 704 megawatts of electricity – enough to power about 325,000 homes – as state officials look to expand renewable energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The wind farm sits in federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean, with staging operations based at the State Pier in New London.

The project is part of Orsted's trio of recent offshore wind farms in the Northeast, along with South Fork Wind, which began operating last year, and Sunrise Wind, which is slated for the second half of 2027, according to Reuters. Orsted's Block Island Wind Farm was completed in 2016.

Work on Revolution Wind was 80% complete when the bureau shut it down, claiming national security concerns. Connecticut and Rhode Island sued the Trump administration over the decision, while Orsted and the project's other developer, Skyborn Renewables, sought an injunction against the order.

Officials said the shutdown cost developers $2.3 million per day and put 1,000 people temporarily out of work, including 100 at the State Pier. The Associated Press previously reported that $3 billion had been invested or committed to the project, with another $1 billion at risk if it were abandoned.

On Sept. 22, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Royce Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction in the case brought by Orsted and Skyborn Renewables. The separate lawsuit filed by Connecticut and Rhode Island remains pending.

Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration has said canceling Revolution Wind would lead to higher electric bills, a less reliable power grid and widespread job losses. The project has also been tied to a controversial redevelopment of the State Pier in New London that cost more than $300 million — about $200 million of it funded by the state.

Earlier this month, a federal judge struck down an executive order signed by President Trump on Jan. 20 that halted wind energy projects nationwide, ruling the action was "arbitrary and capricious" and violated federal law, according to the Associated Press.

Connecticut Races to Lock in Solar Energy Projects Before Federal Credits Expire

Francisco Uranga

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced the selection of three solar projects on Thursday that will expand grid capacity, racing to lock in federal clean energy tax credits before they expire.

The agency said the projects would secure affordable, reliable and clean energy sources — but declined to disclose the bid prices.

“The price is kept confidential while negotiations are ongoing,” a department spokesperson responded to queries from CT Examiner.

The selected projects will total approximately 67 megawatts of capacity, enough to supply 12,000 homes in the state, according to DEEP. The agency expects them to be online before the end of 2030.

In its press release, DEEP explained the selection was launched on September 10 and conducted expeditiously to choose advanced-stage projects that could capitalize on federal incentives while they’re still available.

“We are pleased to announce the selection of new grid-scale solar projects that can take advantage of federal tax credits before they expire to help provide affordable, reliable clean energy to Connecticut residents and businesses,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “By working together with New England and state partners, and working quickly to take advantage of competitively priced projects, we are able to secure greater affordability and reliability benefits for Connecticut at a fraction of the cost.”

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed under the Biden Administration, modified tax credits for carbon-neutral technologies, with changes that took effect in January this year. These changes introduced two types of benefits, of which developers could choose only one—an immediate 30% tax credit on the investment value or a tax credit of up to 2.8 cents per kilowatt-hour produced over 10 years from the start of production.

The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed this year, determined that credits for solar and wind projects would be eliminated for projects that begin construction after July 4, 2026 and projects that are not in service before the end of 2027. However, projects that begin or are completed before those two deadlines would not be affected.

The cost of renewable energy has been a political football in recent years. Critics blame renewable generation in part for the state’s high cost of electricity, among the most expensive in the country, while renewable energy advocates point to falling costs in recent years, and the need to decarbonize the state’s sources of energy.

Over the past 12 months, the wholesale price of electricity in Connecticut was just above 7 cents per kilowatt-hour. Other large-scale solar projects had costs that doubled that figure.

Revolution Wind, the first offshore wind project expected to start supplying power to Connecticut homes next year, has an agreed 10 cents per kilowatt-hour price in its purchase agreement.

State Sen. Ryan Fazio, R-Greenwich, introduced a proposal in the past legislative session that would have prohibited power purchase agreements at 150% above the wholesale price.

Regional collaboration

The selection of new solar projects was conducted through a multi-state process led by DEEP. Massachusetts and Maine participated, along with Vermont’s largest electric utility. Connecticut chose the largest capacity, accounting for 39% of the 173 megawatts selected collectively by the four states.

“Regional collaboration is critical to expanding and diversifying our energy supply, especially as we work to bring down the cost of electricity for Connecticut ratepayers,” Gov. Ned Lamont said, according to a press release issued by DEEP. “These resources can start providing power in the near future, sooner than any other new generation resources, and will help ensure we have a more reliable and affordable grid.”

Connecticut’s share of the project will be funded through contracts with utilities, subject to review by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

Husky Solar, a 50-megawatt project, is the project that would be located in Connecticut, in the town of Plainfield. The state selected 25% of this project’s capacity, while the remainder was divided between Massachusetts and Maine.

Connecticut also selected two solar projects in Vermont; Viridis Solar, with 50 megawatts, and Fair Haven Solar, with 20 megawatts. Connecticut secured about 80% of each project’s capacity.

The state has significantly expanded its solar capacity over the past decade to nearly 1.7 gigawatts by 2024, enough to power about 245,000 homes, according to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association. 

Last year, when Connecticut decided to pass on selecting offshore wind energy in the tri-state auction held with Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the state announced the same day that it had opted for solar and batteries to increase capacity. 

Capacity, however, is a maximum estimate that does not reflect energy generation variability. In the total electricity generation mix, natural gas continues to be the most important source. In September 2025, more than 55% of electricity was generated by gas sources, nuclear power accounted for 39% and renewables 4%, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Developer readies to build 176 mixed-income apartments at old CT office park

Don Stacom 

As a Boston-based developer prepares to start building 100 mixed-income apartments in an affluent Farmington Valley suburb, the state is kicking in $3 million to help with the second phase that will add another 76 affordable units.

Beacon Communities LLC, one of the country’s biggest affordable housing builders, has been planning a major residential development at the former Security-Connecticut Life Insurance building in Avon since 2021.

After years of arranging financing and securing permits, Beacon is poised to break ground next year on 100 new apartments that it will build on the grounds of the former office building on Security Drive in Avon. That project is called The Homes at Avon Park, and about 85 of the units are expected to be priced at state-designated affordable rates.

Earlier this year the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority awarded $2.1 million in federal housing tax credits for the second phase, Avon Village. That $39 million initiative involves remodeling the four-story office headquarters itself. The Connecticut Bond Commission on Thursday approved a low-interest $3 million loan to advance it.

“Avon Village is phase two of our redevelopment of the underutilized office park on Security Drive,” Chief Executive Officer Dara Kovel of Beacon said Thursday. “This phase involves the adaptive reuse of an office building into 76 affordable apartment homes.

“Today’s funding award from the state Bond Commission is the next milestone in the process. We expect to purchase the property before year end, with construction starting in late spring or summer.”

The building is about 50 years old, and most recently was temporary home of the Ana Grace Academy until the school relocated to Bloomfield mid-2022.

Beacon first proposed a fresh vision for the Avon Park South office park property during the pandemic, and drew support from town leaders. The town had a little over 4% of its housing qualified as affordable then, and its 2022 five-year plan for affordable housing cited the Security Drive proposal as a factor that would help boost the percentage.

Today in History: December 19, U.S. auto industry gets emergency bailoutToday in History: December 19, U.S. auto industry gets emergency bailout

“These units will continue Avon’s progress toward the 10% affordability threshold” desired by the state, the plan says. “But there is a recognition that achieving that number will be a process that will extend well past the five-year scope of this first Affordable Housing Plan.”

As of last year, the state listed Avon at 4.15%.

“Avon is committed to increasing the availability of affordable housing,” Town Manager Brandon Robertson said Thursday. “These projects clearly achieve this objective and the location is ideal.  Residents will be within easy walking and biking distance to the Avon Village Center which provides shopping services. The Avon Canal Heritage Trail can also be easily accessed from this location. It is an excellent project conceived by a developer with a long history of success.”

Beacon plans one- and two-bedroom apartments, along with amenities including a community room and kitchen, fitness spaces, a playground, walking trails, dog runs and more.

Avon will be Beacon’s 11th market in Connecticut. The company already owns income-restricted apartment complexes in New Haven, Stamford, Bridgeport, Branford, Windsor Locks, Wolcott, New Britain, Southington, Waterbury and Bristol.

The company advertises that it has more than 20,000 apartments in 11 states. The trade publication Affordable Housing Finance listed it in 2024 among the Top 30 affordable housing owners of the year.

CT Construction Digest Wednesday December 17, 2025

Old Lyme Residents Overwhelmingly Reject Beach Area Sewer Project

 Francisco Uranga, 

OLD LYME — Town residents rejected a budget increase for a Sound View area sewer project Tuesday, with 72% voting against to proposal in a referendum that closed one chapter in a years-long local debate.

Of the 1,288 residents who turned out to vote, 925 voted against expanding the budget to $20.5 million and 363 voted in favor.

The rejection marks the end of a contentious process that pitted the town’s Water Pollution Control Authority leadership against residents of Sound View and Area B, who opposed the project over concerns about the costs they would bear.

Dennis Melluzzo, a Sound View resident and one of the project’s most vocal opponents, was the only area resident waiting for results at Town Hall on Tuesday night.

“It was an ill-fated system. It was an ill gotten referendum. This should never have happened,” Melluzzo said. “This was the vote of the people who said no.”

First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker said she would not comment on next steps until speaking with the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. She also noted that Miami Beach would vote on the project next Saturday.

“Let’s have a conversation after Miami’s vote on Saturday,” Shoemaker said.

The beach area sewer project, pushed forward by DEEP, was intended to address the high density of houses and septic systems along the shoreline. The state agency had offered to cover nearly half the cost through grants and forgivable loans, which would have reduced the burden on homeowners in the beach area.

The plan proposed installing sewers in Sound View and Area B — two neighborhoods directly part of the town with about 210 properties — as well as three private beach associations: Old Lyme Shores, Old Colony and Miami Beach.

The project had been approved in 2019 with a slightly higher turnout than Tuesday’s vote, but in that case the result was 833 in favor and 565 against. They approved a $9.5 million budget — less than half the amount voted on this time.

With a combined $85 million updated budget, including shared infrastructure and the four neighborhoods, the project has been described by Selectman Jim Lampos as the largest in the town’s history.

WPCA Chair Steve Cinami lamented the outcome.

“I believe it’s unfortunate the BOS did not explain the consequences of not passing the referendum to the public,” Cinami said in an email. “It will be interesting going forward to see how much money will be spent fighting the DEEP, which all taxpayers will have to absorb.”

The weeks before the referendum were marked by public acrimony between Lampos and Cinami, who clashed over the project’s potential impact on town taxpayers. Cinami criticized Lampos’ calculations, arguing he had overestimated the impact.

The debate centered on state statute 7-249, which caps what property owners can be charged at no more than the increase in their property values from sewer installation. Any excess amount could have been appealed by homeowners and might ultimately be divided among all town taxpayers.

In the days before the referendum, signs urging a no vote appeared on front lawns and roadsides, some linking the vote to the Halls Road redevelopment project, which was also rejected earlier this year.

Hours before the polls closed, Melluzzo stood at a table alongside Mary Daley and Brian Cornell, three WPCA members who are Sound View homeowners and led the opposition to sewers. To combat the cold afternoon, they offered coffee and donuts to voters. Melluzzo said they had been there since 11:30 a.m., minutes before the polling station opened. At the time, he expressed confidence that high turnout indicated people came out to vote against sewers.

Melluzzo said a no vote would kill the project.

“This is the perfect chance for the selectman to say stop,” Melluzzo said, “because there’s no funding.” 

A year in, Kooris’ CMDA sets stage for wave of transit-oriented projects

Michael Puffer

When 2025 began, David Kooris was expected to play a major role in reshaping how some Connecticut communities approve and finance dense housing.

A year later, he has built a new state agency from the ground up, secured buy-in from dozens of municipalities, and begun laying the groundwork for major transit-oriented development projects across the state — efforts backed by $90 million in bonding approved by lawmakers to boost high-density housing in downtowns and near rapid bus and rail stations.

Kooris was tapped by Gov. Ned Lamont in July 2024 to launch and lead the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA), a new quasi-public agency tasked with helping cities and towns advance large-scale redevelopment. He brings extensive experience in economic development, including nearly two years as a deputy commissioner with the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

Over the past year and a half, the veteran planner has focused on assembling the agency — creating programs, hiring staff, recruiting consultants and persuading towns to participate.

As of late November, 32 communities had agreed to join CMDA, with 11 completing all steps to establish development districts eligible for funding. Kooris said he eventually expects about 50 municipalities to participate.

The authority can issue low-interest loans to help developers close funding gaps and make projects viable. It can also help pave the way for development by assisting with zoning changes and helping communities obtain grants for brownfield cleanup, demolition or infrastructure upgrades.

Developers in Waterbury, Enfield, Avon, New London, Norwich, New Haven and other communities have begun early talks with CMDA, although no formal funding applications had been submitted as of mid-November. Kooris expects the first proposals to be submitted before the end of 2025.

“We have some very interested and eager applicants who are getting their stuff together, so they will be very ready when we are too,” he said.

‘Need for subsidy’

Kooris is a familiar figure in Connecticut’s development circles. Before joining state government, he led Connecticut operations for the Regional Plan Association, a role that brought him from New York to Stamford and deepened his work on land-use and transportation issues.

He later headed Bridgeport’s planning and economic development offices, gaining firsthand experience with the barriers that stall housing production in older urban centers. That experience followed senior roles in state government — including director of resilience at the Department of Housing and deputy DECD commissioner — and a stint running Stamford’s downtown business improvement district.

Kooris said the financing hurdles CMDA is designed to address are not new to him. In Bridgeport, for example, he saw how strong housing demand often failed to turn into viable projects.

“I would characterize Bridgeport’s challenge as not dissimilar to other participating cities,” Kooris said. “There is increasing demand for housing, but it’s not at the rents that are necessary to support construction without subsidy. And we need housing that is affordable for the workforce in the area. So, there’s just a basic need for subsidy to make new construction or renovation possible beyond what a bank is willing to lend.”

Bridgeport — along with New Haven and Manchester — was among the latest cities to have its memorandum of agreement approved by CMDA, formalizing its participation in creating development districts near major transit hubs and in downtown areas.

Coordinating and permitting role

Kooris emphasized that CMDA’s role goes beyond financing. The agency is working with consultants to analyze development and market potential around every train and rapid-bus station in Connecticut, helping municipalities identify zoning or infrastructure constraints and develop strategies to remove barriers.

In some cases, that means improving public communication with residents or updating zoning rules; in others, it may involve utility, transportation or wastewater upgrades. CMDA’s analyses can also help towns compete for state and federal grants.

“I think a big part of our purpose is to realize what is holding each community back from their goals,” Kooris said.

The agency is also working to streamline permitting by collaborating with state and federal regulators to preapprove certain traffic or stormwater impacts in select districts — reducing delays without sacrificing community input or environmental review.

“It just can be done in a different way that front-loads as much of that as possible, so that when a developer comes in, they are implementing a preapproved vision, rather than vetting that project as the vision,” he said.

Kooris expects lawmakers to continue to add funding for development incentives in the coming years. But he believes the authority’s ability to coordinate across local, state and federal agencies — and to create predictable, streamlined conditions for development — will ultimately prove more impactful.

“I’m thinking a lot about the way in which we will evolve as an organization over the course of the next several years,” he said. “I think, over time, our direct funding role becomes less and less important, and our coordinating and permitting role becomes more and more important.”

Waterbury water main break prompts city officials to fast-track system upgrades

Paul Hughes

WATERBURY — As work to fully restore water service in Waterbury continued Tuesday, city officials outlined plans to step up a capital project that they said could prevent a repeat of widespread disruptions following any future water main breaks.

During a news conference on the ongoing restoration efforts, Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. and Water Superintendent Bradley Malay said city officials had been preparing to include a project to install additional bypass valves in the water system in the city's capital improvement plan for the next fiscal year, but will now expedite the schedule.

Large parts of the state's fifth largest city and sections of surrounding towns receiving water service from Waterbury lost water following a water main break on Thomaston Avenue last Wednesday afternoon. At the outage's peak, nearly 100,000 customers lost water, and city officials said 100% of Waterbury lost water at some point Friday night.

City officials are cautiously bringing the water system fully back online. Malay said re-introducing water too quickly under high pressure could cause significant damage.

"The last thing we want to do now that we've mitigated the big problem is create another big problem that we have, 'Oh now, we have to shut down because these three 12-inch mains broke over here,'" he said. "It is the last thing I want to do."

Instead, crews are slowly introducing low-pressure water while simultaneously releasing air from the lines, Malay said.

"It may be an abundance of caution, but I believe it is the correct amount of caution to put towards it," he said. "We're going to continue to fill until the furthest reaches of our system our full of water. Then, we're going to introduce more pressure into the system. I believe that is the correct way."

While water service is being restored to residents, the city remains under a boil water advisory. Malay said water samples are being sent to a state-certified laboratory and results are expected to be returned on Thursday morning. The boil water advisory will remain in effect until testing confirms the absence of bacteria in the system.

Pernerewski also announced the city will continue distributing bottled water Wednesday and Thursday, but only at Municipal Stadium at 1200 Watertown Ave. because the companion site at Crosby High School has closed. A later city advisory said distribution at Municipal Stadium will start at 9 a.m. Wednesday and continue until supplies are depleted. 

The mayor said that he was advised the demand for bottled water Tuesday was lowest in the last several days.

Pernerewski said the lack of a bypass valve in the vicinity of the water main break on Thomaston Avenue was a big reason for the widespread and lingering disruptions in water service. He said this was also an issue following an earlier disruptive break in one of the city’s largest and oldest high-pressure water mains on Huntingdon Avenue in September.

"One of the reasons that we're going through this today, and we went through the same problem back in the fall, is because within the system when we have a leak we have not been able to isolate it as sufficiently as we should be," Pernerewski said.

He said crews finished installing a bypass valve on the Thomaston Avenue main Sunday as part of the repair work there.

"Had we had a valve located anywhere in the area where put the new valve in on Sunday this would not have been a problem," Pernerewski said. "We would not have shut down the system to isolate where the leak was."

He said the mayor's office and the Water Department had been discussing including a project for installing new bypass valves or replacing existing ones in capital budget for the upcoming 2027 fiscal year, but now will no longer wait that long after this latest water main break.

Pernerewski said the installation of new or replacement bypass valves in 10 locations across the city would permit the Water Department to isolate sections of water mains that fail and minimize or avoid any interruptions in water service. He said more locations could possibly be identified as part of planning process.

"Then, we're going to undertake a program much earlier so that we can get going on that. If we can get these valves installed, I believe that we will have less of an issue like we've had in the last two big breaks when we have had to shut the system down and then bring the system back.

Pernerewski and Malay had no estimated timetable or costs for the project, but both said it will be a costly one. Malay said the planning and execution of such a capital project will also be involved.

"Even when you have the funds available and even when you the plan to do it, you just can't do it," Malay said. "You have to make sure you have a plan for people having water. You have to have a plan for people being able to drive down the road. A lot of these valves are right in the middle of the road. It is not just, 'Hey, we're going to replace the valve.' There's a lot of impressing factors on when you decide and how you decide to do these projects. And, yes, it will take a long time, but there is no two ways about it. But you don't finish it if you don't start it."

North Haven could have four new elementary school buildings by 2033, experts say

Jessica Simms

NORTH HAVEN — With four public elementary schools in North Haven due for an upgrade, building planning experts and engineers have recommended a scenario that would include rebuilding them all. 

At the Board of Education’s recent meeting, officials from MP Planning Group and Colliers Project Leaders, a construction project firm, said the best way to modernize all four elementary schools would be by rebuilding them, starting with Ridge Road Elementary and Montowese Elementary. Then, Green Acres Elementary and Clintonville Elementary would follow. 

“I just think it’s important for everyone to know that the new construction is necessary at this point. … These schools are falling apart, and they really need to be addressed,” Mike Zuba from MP Planning Group said at the Dec. 11 meeting. 

School board Chair Ronald Bathrick brought up the idea of upgrading the town’s elementary schools in October, saying that financially, rebuilding would make more sense than renovating due to the state’s reimbursement rate. According the Connecticut Department of Administrative Service’s updated reimbursement rates, North Haven’s new construction reimbursement rate went up from 27.5% in 2025 to 31.3% in 2026.

To renovate a school, North Haven is eligible for a 38.21% state reimbursement rate in 2026, though not every aspect of a renovation project is eligible for state reimbursement, Zuba said. For example, making a building Americans with Disabilities Act accessible and replacing the roof are eligible, but “if you’re doing something where you’re opening up walls, it then adds other project elements that become noneligible,” he said. 

“That’s what drives cost up and overall lowers your reimbursement, because in order to be able to retrofit an old building, you’re now touching architecture, flooring, walls, all items that are now not eligible,” Zuba added. 

Proposed timeline and cost

The option to rebuild the schools two at a time, starting with Ridge Road and Montowese, would take until 2033, the building officials said.

Since both of the schools are on fairly large properties, Zuba said the plan would consist of building the new facilities next to the current structures so students and staff would not need to relocate. The Ridge Road new building would be constructed next to the soccer fields, while the new Montowese building would be built on the northern area of its property. 

Under this scenario, the new Ridge Road and Montowese buildings would be ready to open in 2030. 

The Green Acres and Clintonville sites are a little too small for building new schools adjacent to the current buildings, Zuba said. So during construction, Green Acres students would go to classes at the old Ridge Road building, while Clintonville students would move into Montowese. 

The new Clintonville and Green Acres buildings would be ready for use in 2033, if this scenario is adopted by North Haven.

As of right now, the entire rebuilding project for the four schools could cost, in total, anywhere from $205.8 million to $271.1 million, with the district’s share possibly between $146.8 million and $196.1 million, Chuck Warrington from Colliers Project Leaders said. 

“These are very early numbers. That’s why we’re providing a range of costs,” he said. 

What’s next?

The firms will begin creating the educational specifications for the new Ridge Road and Montowese buildings next month, expecting to finish them for March to then get Board of Education approval, Warrington said. 

The firms also have “to do some site investigation” to get the application ready to get the state reimbursement for the project. That has to be submitted by June 30, Warrington said. 

Once the educational specifications are completed and approved, Warrington said they would be able to finalize the budget needed for the project.

“We’re going to hopefully be back out here again, sharing more detailed information with you, hopefully to garnet support for your projects,” he said. 

The Board of Selectmen will then need to give the OK to allow the project to move to a referendum in November 2026 to get official approval to be able to get on the priority list for state reimbursement. 

Bathrick, at the meeting, said the district asked the firms to look into "every possible scenario" when it came to this project. 

"Whether it was a super school, which would be one, two schools, three schools or keep it as the four-school scenario that we have now," he said. "And it really worked out that the four schools was the best between the bus rides and what we thought was going to be the best opportunity for learning for the kids coming up." 

CT Construction Digest Tuesday December 16, 2025

Friday December 18th Bond Commission Agenda

Crucial vote on Old Lyme sewer project Tuesday

Jask Lakowsky

Old Lyme — Voters this week will decide if they want the town to spend $11 million more on a massive sewer installation project at the town-owned Sound View Beach after the $9.5 million residents approved in 2019 for the job was determined to be insufficient.

The additional funding ask would bring the cost to the town to about $20.5 million. Sound View neighborhood residents are on the hook for about half of that, which needs to be paid back to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection over 20 years, or in one lump sum, according to town information.

Polls are open noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Memorial Town Hall Meeting Room, 52 Lyme St.

The state has been pushing the town to move the project forward and threatened to pull $15 million in state funding for the work. Officials have emphasized the need to remove septic tanks based on a state study that found the containers are polluting Long Island Sound.

Neighborhood residents opposed to the project say they can't afford the yearly costs, and that it's unfair that the whole town, not just Sound View, gets to choose if the project gets funded and moves forward. Many have also called the study outdated.

The cost to Sound View residents per equivalent dwelling unit, or EDU, the formula used to determine cost, would be about $2,300 per EDU per year.

The town recently included fees to connect to systems in East Lyme and New London, as well as maintenance costs the town's Water Pollution Control Authority had not included in its original estimates, a move that's been highly criticized.

Those costs bring the total annual cost to Sound View residents to about $3,100 each. That's $62,413 paid over years, which also includes paying back the $8.5 million state Department of Energy and Energy Protection loan at 2% interest, and maintenance and operating fees.

Then there's the estimated one-time cost for homeowners to connect to the system, pegged at about $5,000. Those costs were not included in the town Water Pollution Control Authority's previous estimated yearly cost of about $1,900 a year.

The new costs brings the total lifetime cost of the project to about $67,400 per EDU.

Three other private beach associations — Old Lyme Shores, Old Colony and Miami Beach — are also under state decree to install sewers. That work is expected to cost $85 million.

$70 million mixed-use redevelopment of former Waterbury brass mill gets boost

Steven Goode

WATERBURY—The former Chase Rolling Mill brass manufacturing building could see a redevelopment project that includes housing, child care and and a neighborhood grocery.

The  mill, built in 1910 and covering more than 186,000 square-feet of space at 526 North Main St., once produced 100 million pounds of brass annually, but has been sitting vacant and in disrepair for decades.

Officials with NEST have been working on plans for several years to redevelop the building without much change. But they believe that the recent designation to the State Register of Historic Places will unlock state and federal tax credits that could lead to a $70 million mixed-use redevelopment. That development would include 90 or more mixed-income residential units, commercial and community space, a child care center, a fitness center and a neighborhood grocery.

“The historic designation of this project is a crucial first step, as it unlocks the State of Connecticut's Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit”, said Kevin Taylor, NEST’s executive director.

“This program provides a tax credit of 25 percent of all qualified construction costs, which can increase to 30 percent if the project is in a federally designated opportunity zone or includes affordable housing, Taylor said. "When combined with the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit, which offers an additional 20 percent and our next designation to acquire, we can receive a total tax credit of up to 50 percent of our qualified construction costs." 

Officials said they plan to retain the six-story Chase Mill building's early 20th century character, including its brick detailing, expansive windows and original structural framework while adding design and modern amenities.

Officials said the Crown Project is part of NEST’s broader Crownbrook Homeownership Initiative Redevelopment Plan, which 
aims to revitalize historically dis-invested neighborhoods through affordable housing, financial education, and 
inclusive community development with a goal of turning long-dormant industrial relics into a living example of what inclusive 
revitalization can look like.

Joseph McGrath, director of economic development for Waterbury, said Monday that the city welcomes private efforts to continue to grow its commercial and residential space.

Ridgefield infrastructure upgrades may cause traffic delays on Danbury Road, Aquarion says

Richard Chumney

RIDGEFIELD — Aquarion Water warned Ridgefield residents and businesses along Danbury Road that they may face traffic delays starting early next month as crews begin replacing underground water infrastructure. 

The construction work is scheduled to start on Jan. 5 at the intersection of Tanton Hill Road and Danbury Road, according to a news release from the utility provider, which is owned by the power company Eversource. 

“We greatly appreciate residents’ patience during this project,” Aquarion official Mike Hiltz said. “We will work closely with our customers, contractors, and town officials to coordinate the work and minimize any disruptions.”

Officials said the project involves the replacing of an underground pressure-reducing facility and is designed to maintain water main pressure and fire flow capacity for the town. The work is expected to be completed by spring.

Aquarion said the construction could cause minor traffic delays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. along Danbury Road. Officials said residents can stay up to date about scheduled and unscheduled work on the company’s website. 

Manchester approves site plan with 232 apartments for revamp of Broad Street's Parkade

Joseph Villanova

MANCHESTER — Town officials have approved plans for a multi-family and commercial redevelopment of part of the Broad Street Parkade.

Texas-based Anthony Properties wants to build an $80 million project with 232 apartments to be accessed from Green Manor Boulevard and 13,000 square-feet of commercial space with frontage on Broad Street. The developer has been in talks with Manchester for more than three years, and the town has sought to revitalize the property for over a decade.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously on Dec. 8 to approve a special exception permit, site plan, and erosion and sedimentation control plan for the Anthony Properties project. 

The approved plan includes 96 two-bedroom units, 88 one-bedroom units, and 48 studios, splut between four 48-unit buildings and four 10-unit buildings. Those units would be supported by 381 parking units, both on-site and on-street, as well as a clubhouse and other amenities.

Town officials have said Anthony Properties could break ground in the spring if approvals are secured in time.

The commission also moved to issue a favorable report on the sale of the four Broad Street properties that make up the project site, a sale that will ultimately be decided upon by the Board of Directors. A memo regarding the mandatory referral to the PZC, dated Dec. 3, did not mention a price for the sale.

PZC member Eric Prause said at the Dec. 8 meeting that he was relieved to finally approve a plan for the redevelopment of the Parkade after years of effort, and that he felt optimistic for the future.

"It's been a long trip," Prause said. "I am very proud of the commission and staff, the applicant, and everyone on the [Redevelopment Agency] that has worked so hard to get us to where we are now."

The RDA's work began back in 2008, when the Board of Directors charged the agency with creating a plan for Broad Street. Manchester adopted the RDA's plan in 2009, the same year that voters approved $8 million in bonds for Broad Street redevelopment.

The town purchased the part of the Parkade, a blighted shopping mall, in 2011 and demolished the property in 2012. Canadian developer Live Work Learn Play, the only respondent to a town bid, was chosen to study development of the site in 2013. Manchester signed a contract with the company in 2016, but it lapsed in 2018 before construction could begin.

Easton-based Manchester Parkade I LLC began talks with Manchester in 2019 and signed a redevelopment agreement in 2021, but Manchester declared it null and void in 2022. The developer responded with a lawsuit that the town later settled for $2 million.

Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation announce new tribal and community health center

Alison Cross

Mashantucket — A 21,000-square-foot health center is coming to the Mashantucket reservation as part of a new partnership between the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Hartford HealthCare.

The project will transform a parking lot at 102 Pequot Trail into two separate, but interconnected health facilities: A "Tribal Health Services" center serving members of federally recognized tribes and a Hartford HealthCare clinic for the broader public.

In an announcement on Thursday, representatives of both parties said the facility aims to improve health care access in New London County while providing exclusive, culturally affirming services to tribal members.

“True wellness comes when the entire community has access to the care and support they need,” Rodney Butler, the chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, said in a statement.

“This project is about more than bricks and mortar; it is about reclaiming our health future,” Butler said. “We are proud to create a space that combines modern medical care with cultural affirmation, one that serves not only Tribal citizens, but our neighbors throughout Southeastern Connecticut.”

Michele Scott, a tribal councilor and member of Hartford Healthcare’s East Region Board of Directors, said the project “sets an example that can be replicated across Indian Country” by championing a “new model of care … that blends Western medicine with Tribal traditions.”

Officials said the facility’s design is fused with native plants, water elements and other cultural symbols. The building will also include rooms for community gatherings and support spaces.

“This health facility reflects the vision, land, and investment of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation,” Scott said in a statement. “It demonstrates what is possible when Tribal sovereignty and healthcare innovation come together.”

While Norwich, New London and Groton serve as hubs for emergency care and walk-in clinics, similar options are limited or nonexistent in surrounding towns.

Jeff Flaks, Hartford HealthCare’s president and CEO, said the collaboration with the tribe will “ultimately improve health outcomes for communities across our state.”

“We are creating an innovative model of care that honors Tribal heritage and delivers world-class services close to home,” Flaks said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to partner with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. This is an extraordinary privilege and a meaningful opportunity to work together to make health care more accessible, more affordable, and more equitable for everyone.”

Officials said they hoped to break ground on the project in the spring. The facility will be located on Pequot Trail near the tribe’s public safety building, museum and research center, and public works building.