CT Constuction Digest will resume Monday July 7

 Will resume Monday July 7th. Have a great 4th of July. 

Nate 

CT Construction Digest Friday June 27, 2025

Bushnell Park Pond undergoing major dredging, restoration project

Andrew Larson

Amajor dredging and restoration project of the Bushnell Park Pond is underway, aiming to fix long-standing issues with sediment buildup and water quality.

The project, which began in May, involves removing sediment that has accumulated over decades. The debris had caused the water to become shallow and murky, and created drainage issues.

After dredging, the pond bottom will be restored and a new pump will be installed to ensure a continuous supply of fresh water.

The project also includes repairing the brownstone walls that line the pond.

The city of Hartford issued a bid solicitation for the pond upgrade and awarded the contract to Torrington-based Yield Industries for $2.94 million.

The project is expected to be finished by June 30, 2026.

The park will remain open during the project, but the area around the pond is currently fenced off and inaccessible.

Developer outlines plans for $12M sports complex in North Stonington

Gianni Salisbury

North Stonington— A New York City development firm outlined its plan to about 40 residents Thursday for a $12 million project called the North Stonington Sports Dome and Adventure Complex.

For the past few months, Fox Trails VII, LLC developers Damion Barrett and Guy Shmuel have discussed the project with First Selectman Bob Carlson. It calls for a sports dome on land they own at 701 Norwich-Westerly Road (Route 2) near the Ledyard town line. Carlson has said the town would not contribute towards the cost of the project.

Shmuel told the crowd his firm's mission is to build a year-round indoor sports facility that will be the largest and most advanced indoor sports dome in the region. It would provide space for lacrosse, basketball, soccer, pickleball, batting cages, tennis, volleyball, a golf driving range, multi-use courts and fields, a restaurant, sports lounge, a party room, a gear shop and space to expand.

He said he hopes the complex can be used for more than just sports.

"You can use it for social events. You can use us for special events, community gatherings and graduations," Shmuel said.

Donato Fraioli, who works in technical sales and product development for Air Structures American Technologies Inc. (ASATI) of Rye Brook, N.Y., described the construction of the bubble.

He said ASATI has a long history of constructing air-supported structures for colleges and teams in Major League Soccer and the NFL and would be responsible for constructing the bubble here.

He explained the bubble is essentially a fabric covering inflated by air, which creates pressure to keep the bubble up. At the top of the dome there is a cable net system which allows this system to work.

"What occurs is the internal pressure goes into the fabric, transfers to the cables and down to the foundation. The air pressure we put in the fabric or into the building, gives it stability," Fraioli said.

He said the pressure is resistant to snowstorms, high winds and hurricanes.

Marquis Lobban, the firm's head of marketing, described the demand for such a complex. He explained that due to the lack of sports facilities in the area, there is large demand for "pickleball, youth travel sport and wellness culture in the area."

Lobban said the bubble will be able to reach 1.1 million residents in the 50-mile radius surrounding the bubble and that families, schools, private sports teams and active adults would use the facility.

The complex, its fields and courts would be rented to teams and schools.

He said area communities that have expressed interest in using the facility include Groton, Preston, Waterford, New London, Plainfield, Canterbury, Norwich, Stonington along with the Rhode Island towns of Hopkinton, Ashaway and Westerly.

Lobban said that he firm's plan is to open the complex on May 22, 2026. First though, it needs to obtain local sewer and water permits and secure financing.

Residents request pool, track

Several residents commented on the plan during a question-and-answer session Thursday.

Troy Hopkins, North Stonington's superintendent of schools, expressed his support for the bubble while asking that a running track be included in the project as Wheeler High School does not have one.

"We started an indoor track team two years ago and the kids, they have no tracks to run on," Hopkins said. "We don't even have outdoor tracks to run on. In the area, there's the Coast Guard Academy and New Haven, where track meets are held. So I'm just suggesting throwing it out there. It probably can't fit in your main bubble, but maybe in a second bubble."

Resident Mike Urgo also supported the bubble and asked that a 50-meter swimming pool be included because there are not many public pools in the area.

"There are no 50-meter pools anywhere close to here that are available for use. You can make money," Urgo said. "There are a lot of teams that like to use them for swim meets. If you build a pool that's that large, you could section it off so it could be used at the same time for clubs and the community.

Resident Bill Ricker asked about the safety of the structure and if any of ASATI's bubbles have ever come down. He pointed to a 2013 incident in which a synthetic bubble over the Cheshire Community Pool collapsed during a snowstorm.

Fraioli said that in the 60 years his firm has built air-supported structures, some have come down, but not in a while.

"Structures have come down in the past, but the steps that we take today are to keep the structure from seeing these extreme events," he said. "They happen very rarely, and we have a much lower failure rate then we used to."

More information on the type of sports bubble ASATI has built can be found on its website.

CT town officials question scale of $225M, 240-unit housing proposal on this riverfront property

Alexander Soule

Amid a statewide housing crunch, Farmington officials raised questions this week about a proposed riverfront development that could add 240 houses and apartments or more — with pressure on town schools and traffic top of mind.

Crown Equities LLC is proposing between 240 and 296 houses, townhouses and apartment units at what it would call the Enclave at the Farmington River. The property includes a former gravel excavation plant, on a swath of land between Farmington Avenue and the river. The Minneapolis-based developer is exploring any opportunities to get financing through the Build for CT program, which provides subordinate loans to fund construction of "middle income" housing in Connecticut.

Crown Equities led an informal review of the project on Monday before members of the Farmington Plan & Zoning Commission. The company has contracts to purchase 65 acres for the project if it is able to secure town approvals to move ahead. 

Liz Sanford was one of two commissioners who expressed doubts on the scale of the project, while stating support for the general concept of housing at that site.

"We've heard from the community, 'How many more apartments are you going to keep building in town?'" Sanford said. "It just seems very big, very large — but very nice."

Both at that meeting and at another the following night before an architectural review committee, Crown Equities executives pledged to work with the town generally on any concerns. Crown Equities has been eyeing the riverfront site for more than two-and-a-half years, said Jack Brandt, president of Crown Equities, telling the PZC the firm is "not married to any particular kind of concept."

"We're trying to figure out what works for the community," Tom LaSalle, principal of Crown Equities, said Monday during the Farmington PZC review. "We're not anxious for a fight."

Brandt and LaSalle could not be reached on whether the firm is open to reducing the unit count below the stated threshold of at least 240 houses, townhouses and apartments. Crown Equities has a smaller project in Simsbury in the works: Crown Simsbury on Casterbridge Crossing, where it envisions 72 apartments in two buildings and another 54 units in larger townhouses.

Farmington ranked among the top dozen towns and cities in Connecticut for residential building permit momentum over four years since the COVID-19 pandemic, and led Hartford County according to data from the state Department of Economic and Community Development. Across 2022 and 2023 combined, developers received permits for just over 600 units of housing, the first two years since 2006 that more than 50 permits got the green light in any single year.

Houses in the area have sold in about three weeks on average this year after hitting the market, according to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties. That is in line with Berkshire Hathaway's average for Hartford County, which has ranked regularly among the hottest real estate markets in the United States by Zillow and Redfin.

Crown Equities currently envisions up to 86 houses, 30 townhouses and 180 more units either built as apartments or townhouses. Based on its initial plan, Crown Equities is projecting a total development cost of roughly $225 million. 

Brandt said Crown Equities would build the apartment and townhouse buildings, with the single-family houses left to other developers at sale prices that could range from $800,000 to $1 million. The firm envisions houses having garages at street level, and rooms on upper levels above flood stages of the Farmington River, which had catastrophic flooding after a pair of storms in 1955.

For those willing to spend extra, elevators would be an option in houses, with the headquarters of elevator giant Otis Worldwide less than five miles distant.

CT town breaks ground on $24M affordable housing project that has been delayed for 20 years

Kurt Moffett

PLYMOUTH — Construction of a $24 million housing development at 9 Scott Road is finally under way after 20 years, although a bit smaller than originally planned.

The plan now is to build 47 affordable housing two-bedroom townhouse-style units in nine energy-efficient residential buildings. The 18-month project is scheduled for completion in late 2026.

Heading up the development, called Oak Woods, is Connecticut Housing Partners, a nonprofit that develops affordable housing. 

CHP Chief Executive Officer Renee Dobos said the clearing of land and the pouring of foundations has begun. Adjustments also need to be made to the sewer system that was installed by a previous landowner years ago. 

“In some areas it’s too high and not pitched correctly,” Dobos said.

The blasting of ledge has also begun, which has disturbed some neighbors. 

Karen Zagurski of Washington Road, who lives on her 15-acre farm across the street from the construction, said a blast awakened her last week from a nap.

“It shook the house so bad, it scared the crap out of me,” she said, adding that she was not notified in advance about the blasting, which she said is happening about once per week.

Dobos said she was informed that the fire department did notify neighbors. The blasting company also notifies homeowners if the blast is expected to be significant. 

Zagurski said she also wants to make sure a fence is installed around the new housing development to prevent young children from trespassing on her property and getting stuck in her pond, which is muddy and murky and between 18 and 24 feet deep at the center, she said.

“I just want to protect others,” she said. “It’s not a safe place for kids to play.”

Dobos said CHP and the contractor, Haynes Construction in Seymour, are aware of the fence requirement. The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission made the fence a condition of approval, under a former landowner and developer.

The 29-acre site, which consists of three adjacent parcels, was purchased in April by a limited liability partnership dubbed Nine Scott Road Partners for $1.2 million. It has taken 20 years to get to this point. Ownership changes, a lawsuit, COVID, and economic downturns have all contributed to project delays.

Funding comes from a combination of public and private institutions, including Webster Bank, the state Department of Housing, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and CREA LLC, the project’s tax credit investor.

“This project was not going to happen if we didn’t step in and rescue it,” Dobos said.

The original plans for the site called for 59 or 60 units, but Dubos said CHP could not secure the funding for that many. She said it’s possible more units could be built in the future, if the money and the demand is there.

All 47 units will be rentals and considered “affordable,” as defined under state law, Dobos said. Oak Woods will have 12 units that will rent for 30% of the area median income (AMI), or roughly $338 per month; 20 units at 50% of the AMI, or $1,285 per month; and 15 units at 80% of the AMI, or $2,000 per month. 

Dobos said the rental limits with tax credit programs change every year, “so by the time we start occupying, a year from now, it will be a little bit different, but they typically don’t elevate too much.”

The Oak Woods development will help the town reach the state’s goal of having 10% of its housing stock considered affordable, Dobos said. The town currently has 1,865 affordable units, or 7.26%, which she said is “pretty good.”

The town needs about 2,500 more affordable units to achieve 10%.

CT Construction Digest Thursday June 26, 2025

How driving on the I-84 shoulder could improve Danbury congestion without widening Mill Plain Road

Rob Ryser

DANBURY — The bad news is Connecticut has no plans to reconfigure Interstate 84’s Exit 2 to reduce rush-hour backups on Mill Plain Road as part of the state Department of Transportation’s grand strategy to reengineer the highway in Danbury.

The good news is that Exit 2's congestion would be relieved without reconfiguring if a short-term plan to create a shoulder-driving option for the highway does its job.

“A lot of the congestion on Mill Plain Road is bypass traffic,” said Neil Patel, principal engineer for the costly and long-term I-84 improvement project. “With the improvements of the dynamic lane, we’ll see a (reduction) of that (bypass) traffic.”

By “dynamic lane” Patel is referring to a $200 million plan that could begin construction in early 2028 to allow driving on the inside shoulder of I-84 between exits 3 and 7 during highway backups.

The shoulder lane, which would revert to a shoulder once the congestion cleared up, is among a handful of short-term projects to ease highway backups and related traffic jams at city exits that will be discussed during a meeting on Thursday in Danbury.

The DOT’s overall plan to straighten and widen I-84 is still a decade away from beginning construction and is expected to cost between $3 billion and $4 billion. The expected completion date is in the 2040s.

“These are mega-projects that take time to get through the environmental review and the permitting and the construction,” Patel said.

The project has taken so long to plan and execute because it has grown to involve more than just I-84, which carries a daily average of up to 120,000 vehicles both ways between exits 3 and 7, Patel said this week.

“In 2018 and 2019 we pivoted … and took a step back, taking a look at the needs of the corridor as a whole and not just the highway,” Patel said about a project that the DOT has been studying since 2000. “The scope expanded.”

A I-84 Danbury project meeting, which is open to the public, is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Student Center Room 202 at Western Connecticut State University’s downtown campus, 181 White St.

The news comes eight years after then-Gov. Dannel Malloy announced planning had begun to rebuild I-84 between exits 3 and 8 in Danbury to “improve safety, increase capacity and improve operations and access to the highway.” Construction was expected to start by 2022. The project cost: $640 million.

Today, the project extends from the New York state line to the Exit 8 interchange and includes side proposals to improve traffic patterns in downtown Danbury at Exit 5, to streamline traffic in the Danbury Hospital corridor at Exit 6, and simplify connections on Newtown Road at Exit 8, among other side proposals.

The DOT’s Kevin Burnham said he understands the frustration among some in Danbury who are eager to see an end to a decades-old problem.

“Not everything about the I-84 project is long range,” said Burnham, the I-84 project manager. “People may be concerned about when everything gets done, but a lot of things are going into design right now, such as the dynamic lane use and other breakout projects, that will have a more immediate impact. Those things are going to start reducing congestion in the near term.”

The shoulder-driving option, once built, would be the first of its kind in Connecticut. The state DOT has been looking for guidance at models in Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio, where similar lanes are in use.

The challenge is making the concept work “in our unique situation” Burnham said.

“We want to get it right the first time,” he said. “This might be something that we use elsewhere.”

Waterbury approves $37M expansion for Roberto Clemente Dual Language School

Paul Hughes

WATERBURY — Teachers and parents of students at the Roberto Clemente International Dual Language School applauded the Board of Aldermen's unanimous approval Monday of a $37 million bond authorization to renovate and expand the school.

The renovation and expansion project will enable to magnet school to expand its unique language immersion program through grade 8 as originally planned.

The Roberto Clemente International Dual Language School provides instruction in English and Spanish across all subjects to evenly divided classes of native English- and Spanish-speaking students.

It opened in 2021 with prekindergarten, kindergarten and first grade classes. The academic plan called for adding a new grade level each year until the school reaches the eighth grade in the 2028-29 school year.

The Board of Education is facing a tight time window to obtain needed state funding for the renovation and expansion project and maintain its commitment and schedule for taking instruction up to the eighth grade.

The deadline to apply for state grant that is expected to pay nearly 80% of the $37 million cost is June 30. The Clemente project must make the annual school construction priority list that will be forwarded to the state legislature in late December for consideration in the 2026 legislative session.

Clemente school parents and teachers testified for the city funding during a public hearing that preceded Monday night's vote.

"Extending the school to the eighth grade is near and dear to my heart as it will contribute to the consistency of my child and all the other children who were promised a biliteracy education," said Trecia Reid, the mother of a third-grade Clemente student and a member the school steering committee.

"I am asking you to send a strong message to the children that they are important and their education and the promise of a pre-K through 8 grade biliteracy school is important."

Nanichi Rodriguez Velez, Clemente's 2025 Teacher of the Year, also urged the Board of Aldermen to support the renovation and expansion project.

"Every day I have the privilege of watching our children grow, not just learning two languages, but becoming proud of who they are and where they come from and the cultures that shape them," she said. "Expanding our program through eighth grade means giving our children the time they need to truly become bilingual and biliterate and ready to take on the world."

Mayor balks at original plan

The plans for the renovation and expansion project were scaled back after Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski and the Board of Aldermen balked at the original proposal's $81.2 million price last June.

The first plan proposed the construction of 87,000 square feet of building additions. The city's share after state reimbursements was estimated to be $31.4 million. At that time, it was decided to explore other options even though that meant pushing the timetable back one year.

The Clemente school is in the former Saints Peter and Paul parochial school on Beecher Street. The Catholic school closed in 2019, the city acquired  the property for $1.75 million in 2020 and the Clemente school opened a year later.

The redesigned plan proposes to renovate and build additions to the existing school building and rehabilitate a vacant convent building abutting the rear of the school building and connect the two buildings through a corridor.  

The three-story main school building was built in 1926 and a two-story addition in 1962. The convent building was erected in 1970. School officials reported inspections determined the two-story, brick building is structurally sound and suitable for its planned school uses. 

School officials plan to locate the seventh and eighth grade classes in the renovated convent building. The project plan also calls for constructing a new cafeteria, a full-size gymnasium, dedicated art and music rooms, a media center and adding elevators in both buildings.

In addition, the plan proposes to replace the roofs on both buildings, with new heating and air conditioning systems for each. There also would be added security protections.

School officials said state reimbursements could cover up to 80% of the revised $37 million project cost based on initial consultations with state officials. The cost to the city would be $7.8 million.

The projected reimbursement rate is 78.9%. That would represent $29.2 million of the cost. School officials reported the project could be eligible for up to an additional 5 percentage points because Clemente offers full-day kindergarten classes.

Superintendent of Schools Darren Schwartz said the $37 million price includes costs for fitting out classrooms and other learning spaces.

"Our school brings together families from all across Waterbury and what unites us is our belief in the power of language, culture and community," said Velez, Clemente's 2025 Teacher of the Year.

$316M Union Station TOD Revealed

Mona Mahadevan 

Two 16-story towers containing 470 apartments and 28,000 square feet of retail and commercial space are now slated to be built next to Union Station, per the governor’s announcement Wednesday of a major new transit-oriented development.

Gov. Ned Lamont and state Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Laoise King broke that news in an email press release. 

The governor, Mayor Justin Elicker, and top city and state officials gathered at that same time in the parking lot just north of Union Station to hold a press conference about the project. 

According to the governor’s press release, the $316.1 million project will be led by Gilbane Development Company and MURAL Real Estate Partners. 

The press release states that, of the 470 new apartments, 118 will be ​“affordable units.” 

At Wednesday’s presser, Elicker said that 20 percent of the new apartments will be reserved for households making no more than 50 percent of the area median income (AMI), which currently is around $45,500 for a two-person household. Elicker said an additional 5 percent of the new apartments will be reserved for those earning up to 80 percent AMI, which currently translates to $72,800 for a family of two.

In addition to the 28,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, there will also be 26,000 square feet of residential amenities and 294 parking spaces to serve tenants and transit customers.

Construction will unfold in two phases. The first, scheduled to begin in late 2026 and finish in early 2028, will include 280 units and 393,000 square feet of development. The second phase is slated to begin in August 2029 and wrap up by November 2031, delivering the remaining 190 units and 286,000 square feet.

Opening Wednesday’s press conference, Elicker described Union Station as ​“the welcoming mat to the city” and framed the project as part of a broader initiative to increase the city’s housing supply. This will help ​“make sure we build, build, build,” he said, noting that 7,000 apartments are currently in the pipeline citywide.

King viewed the idea of building more as ​“really exciting,” though emphasized that what constitutes appropriate housing depends on a community’s size and character. Nonetheless, she said, ​“There is so much land that can be put to higher and better uses.”

Gilbane CEO Edward Broderick highlighted the development’s mixed-use, mixed-income vision. His company is committed to providing ​“quality housing that serves a wide range of incomes,” he said. ​“One day, the short walk from here and the Green will be filled with spaces where families are happy to go; where they can get a cup of coffee or lunch.”

MURAL CEO Robin Ziegler echoed that vision for a vibrant neighborhood, saying the development aims to attract ​“young professionals, families, singles, and empty nesters” alike. She said the commercial portion would likely include both food and retail, selected in coordination with the city using ​“a community-driven and community-centered approach” to ensure they ​“provide something for everyone.”

New Haven-based firms Pickard Chilton and Newman Architects are among the architects chosen for the project.

For Pickard Chilton Principal Adrienne Nelson, one of the more exciting parts of the project is ​“the opportunity for creating an amazing destination along that walk downtown.” In addition to addressing the housing crisis, she said, ​“it adds to the community in terms of creating a sense of place and arrival.”

On the question of parking — where 294 spaces will be available at the end of construction — King said she ​“think[s] it’s going to be sufficient” for residential and commercial uses. Commuters, she added, will be encouraged to use a multi-modal transit center planned for the station’s West Lot, which is currently in the design phase.

Newman Architects Principal Melinda Agron agreed. Based on data collected by her firm, many parking garages in New Haven are underutilized, demonstrating the city’s reduced demand for parking, as well as providing another parking option for the building’s future residents. ​“It takes a cultural shift to get used to the idea that we don’t need as much parking,” she said.

City spokesperson Lenny Speiller told the Independent that this newly announced development project will not impact the existing Union Station Parking Garage, which has 876 parking spaces. He also noted that the state Department of Transportation is planning to build an additional parking garage on the West Lot. That new garage will have 400 to 600 new parking spaces.

Wednesday’s announcement comes nearly four years after the city, state, and parking authority struck an agreement in 2021 to build up the lot just north of Union Station into a new mixed-use development. By late 2024, four developers had responded to a request for qualification for the project: Gilbane, Spinnaker, Richman Group, and Twining Properties.

Electric Boat acquires former Macy's space in Crystal Mall

Brian Hallenbeck

Groton — Electric Boat, lately in real estate-acquisition mode, announced Wednesday it’s done some shopping at Crystal Mall in Waterford, purchasing the former Macy’s department store property that’s been vacant since 2021.

In a news release, EB said it intends to convert the former store, a 121,000-square-foot building, into facilities for engineering, training and laboratory units, as it ramps up production of the Columbia- and Virginia-class submarines it builds for the U.S. Navy.

EB said it expects to eventually put about 700 employees at the mall location, the first of them as early as 2027. It referred to the 7-acre site on Route 85 off Interstate 95 as “ideal,” with plenty of parking and ready access to local businesses. The site is about 5.5 miles from EB’s Groton shipyard.

EB currently employs more than 24,000 people.

“We are delighted to expand our footprint in southeastern Connecticut," Mark Rayha, EB’s president, said in the news release. “Over the past two years, we successfully worked with the Navy, Congress and the administration to secure funds that enable us to increase wages for the nuclear-powered vessel workforce and allow for significant additional investments in capacity, shipyard processes and systems.

“This acquisition is another example of effectively leveraging those funds to move important support functions out of the shipyard and maximize the production value of our waterfront footprint.”

Rayha was referring to the Navy’s recently awarding EB a $12.4 billion contract modification for construction of two Virginia-class submarines authorized during the 2024 fiscal year. A portion of the funding was earmarked for shipyard improvements and employees’ wage increases.

Soon after the announcement of the award, EB management and the Marine Draftsmen’s Association, a 2,500-member labor union, reached agreement on a new five-year contract that included raises totaling 30.6% over the life of the contract.

EB has received nearly $2 billion worth of additional contract modifications this year.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, hailed EB’s ongoing expansion.

“The acquisition of the Waterford location and other recent property acquisitions by our nation's largest submarine builder underscore the pivotal role our state plays in strengthening America's national security,” he was quoted as saying in EB’s release.

EB did not disclose the purchase price of the former Macy’s property, and no documentation related to the sale had yet been filed with the Waterford Town Clerk's Office.

Land records show the property was owned by CRJ Waterford LLC, an entity controlled by Charles Robert Jones, who bought it for $4 million in 2021. Jones, a Nashville, Tenn.-based developer, has acquired, restored and repurposed historic properties and malls around the country.

“The Town of Waterford is thrilled to welcome Electric Boat," Waterford First Selectman Rob Brule said in EB’s release. "Electric Boat's expansion to our town is a significant investment that reinforces our strong maritime history and our commitment to economic development for our community.”

Brule did not respond Wednesday to a message seeking further comment.

It was not immediately clear what effect EB’s purchase of the former Macy’s location might have on the rest of Crystal Mall, a once-thriving regional shopping hub that has struggled to survive, as many malls have. The former Macy’s property is one of two pieces of the mall not owned by the Namdar Realty Group, the other being a Sears store that closed in 2018.

Namdar, which purchased the main mall, including 535,500 square feet of retail space, for $9.5 million at auction in 2023, indicated a year ago that it was exploring selling the mall or pursuing a partnership with another entity interested in redeveloping it. That the entire mall property has multiple owners has been seen as a major complication.

On Wednesday, Namdar’s chief operating officer did not answer messages seeking an update on the mall’s prospects.

In January, EB purchased 55 acres of land in North Stonington for construction of a 480,000-square-foot warehouse, paying the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe $5.5 million for the property. In May, it bought the former Garbo Lobster property and adjacent land, a total of about 2.5 acres, at 415 Thames St. in Groton for $3.6 million and a one-acre commercial lot at 435 Thames St. for $1.5 million.

CT Construction Digest Tuesday June 24, 2025

Massive offshore wind ship getting repaired in New London

Jack Lakowsky

New London — A monster lurks in the waters of the Thames River — actually a very, very big ship named after a mythical monster. 

The wind turbine installation vessel Wind Scylla, hoisted out of the water on towering structures downriver from New London Union Station, is undergoing repairs at State Pier, according to Paul Whitescarver, executive director for the Southeastern CT Enterprise Region and chairman of the CT Port Authority Board of Directors. 

Whitescarver said the repairs are minor. It's the second time the ship has docked at the pier for repairs. It is unclear how long the ship will be here.

"Every day the ship is moored here, there is a significant loss in revenue for the developer, hence their reluctance to provide timelines and probable repair requirements," Whitescarver said Monday.

Wind Scylla, which is 450 feet long, has a 1,500-foot-high crane and 344-foot-long legs that allow it to install wind turbine components in water depths of more than 200 feet. It can sail at 12 knots, or about 14 miles per hour. It is named after a man-eating monster from Greek mythology which along with another monster, Charybdis, protects a channel of water.

The vessel is being used to help construct three offshore wind farms, South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind.

Revolution Wind, a 65-turbine offshore wind farm whose first foundation was installed last May, is a 704-megawatt farm, the country's first multistate wind energy project predicted to power 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The other two will provide almost 700,000 megawatts to homes in the State of New York. 

Scylla is owned by Cadeler, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based company that has a contract with energy company Ørsted. The Revolution Wind project is a joint venture of Ørsted and Eversource. 

Because it is a foreign vessel, Scylla cannot load any offshore wind components, Whitescarver said. The federal Merchant Marine Act of 1920, widely known as the Jones Act, requires that any cargo shipped from a U.S. port sail on a U.S.-built vessel.

Ørsted has said wind turbine components would be shipped to the wind farm site with smaller vessels.

On Monday, Ørsted said Revolution Wind remains on track for a 2026 completion.

A live feed of the Wind Scylla repairs can be watched at www.secter.org/livefeed.

New federal courthouse in Hartford gets green light, enters design phase

Andrew Larson

The federal government on Monday released a “record of decision” for construction of a new courthouse on Allyn Street in downtown Hartford, which marks the final step in a two-year environmental review process.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has selected the 2.2-acre site at 154 Allyn St., now a surface parking lot, situated between Union Station and the XL Center.

GSA will begin soliciting bids for design and construction this summer, according to Monday’s announcement.

The new building will replace the Abraham A. Ribicoff Federal Building and Courthouse, which was constructed in 1963 and no longer meets the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut’s needs for space, functionality and security.

The seven-story building at the corner of Main and Sheldon streets, next to Hartford City Hall, has eight courtrooms and 10 judges’ chambers, “some of which are severely undersized,” according to the GSA.

The new courthouse on Allyn Street will span 281,000 square feet and contain 11 courtrooms and 18 judges’ chambers. It will have offices for other federal agencies and a secure two-level underground parking garage.

The building will house 220 to 240 full-time employees. 

When the project is finished, the district court plans to move its headquarters from New Haven to Hartford.

“The court is excited to see this project proceed past this important milestone,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish said. “We thank our friends in the General Services Administration for their hard work in identifying and selecting this site for our new courthouse.”

In the record of decision, GSA outlines its reasons for selecting the Allyn Street property, the purpose of the project and environmental impact.

Moving the court’s operations to Allyn Street will improve efficiency, effectiveness, security and safety, while balancing potential impacts to the city, GSA says.

The GSA released a 500-page environmental impact report in May, which found that building the new facility on the Allyn Street site would have minimal adverse effects.

The GSA also considered a site at 61 Woodland St. in Hartford, along with a “no build” option.

The Allyn Street proposal received strong support from downtown business owners and landlords, who said it would help stimulate economic activity in the city’s downtown.

They noted the ample supply of nearby parking and that surrounding office buildings – which lost many of their tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic – could accommodate court-related services and tenants.

GSA plans to acquire 154 Allyn St., which is owned by SGS Allyn LLC, which is controlled by Bernard S. Bertram. He is the managing member of Brooklyn, New York-based Shelbourne Global Solutions, downtown Hartford’s largest office landlord. 

Shelbourne bought the property in 2019 for $3.9 million, city records show.

The federal government has authorized $334.97 million for the site acquisition, design and construction.

The design of the new courthouse is expected to begin next year with construction beginning in 2027. The new courthouse should be substantially completed by 2030, GSA said. 

For more information, visit gsa.gov/hartfordcourthouse.

Bridgeport gets $200K state grant to design continuous Yellow Mill Channel pathway

Brian Lockhart

BRIDGEPORT — The East Side street is named Waterview Avenue, which is apt because, for much of its length, that is all the public can do — admire from afar the Yellow Mill Channel running parallel to the roadway south to Bridgeport's harbor.

The state is investing $200,000 to try to change that situation. 

Earlier this month, Gov. Ned Lamont's administration announced the area Metropolitan Council of Governments (MetroCOG), in collaboration with the city and Trust for Public Land, is receiving those funds to design a continuous pathway with more spots providing direct access to the channel.

The route would run from Waterview Park, situated at Crescent and Waterview avenues, down to where Waterview and Stratford avenues intersect at the Steelpointe harbor front redevelopment. 

"MetroCOG is excited to partner with the city and Trust for Public Land on this community-driven planning grant," said the organization's executive director, Matt Fulda. "(We) all share the commitment to provide active recreation opportunities for all Bridgeport residents, and this grant, along with others, will further the goal of the city's 2017 waterfront plan."

The Yellow Mill Channel path is a piece of that larger, multiyear effort to open up an additional 20 miles of shoreline to better connect people living and working in Bridgeport's urban neighborhoods with the natural amenities that earned Connecticut's largest municipality the nickname Park City.

"The waterfront pathway is no pipe dream," said Vincent Mobilio, senior economic development associate for Bridgeport, who helped obtain the $200,000 in state aid. 

Mobilio cited as progress: the decades-in-the-making Steelpointe on the lower East Side, with its mix of commercial, residential and recreational uses; the pending demolition and eventual redevelopment of the retired coal-fired power plant across the harbor on the South End shoreline; and the hoped-for construction of a proposed minor league soccer stadium, apartments and hotel along Kossuth Street, also on the lower East Side, adjacent to the Pequonnock River. 

"With the big projects underway ... we'll see significant portions (of shoreline) come on line in large chunks," Mobilio said. "From these big projects, we're branching out into every neighborhood."

He noted Waterview Avenue has 200 units of new family housing, two elementary schools and a pair of marinas, so the Yellow Mill Channel route is a worthwhile focus and expense.

"Folks will be able to stroll along the water and relax and enjoy — bring a little St. Mary's by the Sea to the East Side," Mobilio said, referring to the picturesque section of the Black Rock neighborhood across town. 

The city is also promoting its "Waterfront Wednesdays" initiative, encouraging participation in several outdoor events like birding, skating and painting at shoreline venues, including Waterview Park. For more information, visit https://engage.bridgeportct.gov/waterfront.

CT salvage yard with ties to Nascar proposes 36,000-sq-ft recycling center

Michael Juliano

AConnecticut salvage yard with a connection to Nascar racing has proposed building a two-story recycling center on its property.

Lajoie’s Auto Wrecking Co. plans to erect the 36,000-square-foot building on its 3.58-acre property at 40 Meadow St., according to plans filed with the city.

The building’s first floor will house an area for receiving, processing and shipping metal materials, a garage and welding area for business maintenance, offices and restrooms. It will also include a “museum” space to display the LaJoie family’s racing collection and memorabilia.

Family member Randy LaJoie is a former Nascar racecar driver, and is the father of Nascar drivers Corey and Casey LaJoie.

The second floor will contain more office space, a conference room and restrooms, the application said.

Plans also call for demolishing a metal building along the southern boundary of the property. The property currently has a 5,800-square-foot commercial/industrial building and other structures, including storage bays for recycled projects and an automobile crusher. 

LaJoie’s, doing business as D&R Inc. of Norwalk and DLJ Associates, recycles vehicles and other metal products for reuse by the building trades and other industries.

Francis LaJoie founded the company more than 100 years ago as a business that recycled rags and paper. Today, it sells aluminum scrap to Pennex, Alcoa and Novelis; copper to Revere Copper, Acupowder International and Cambridge-Lee Industries; and steel scrap to Commercial Metals, McWane Ductile and Sims Metal Management.

 “In its century of existence and operation in Norwalk, LaJoie's has served local residents and businesses, as well as large companies with government contracts  such as Sokorsky Aircraft, Pratt & Whitney and Hubbell, and municipalities through Fairfield County, and various police and fire departments,” the application stated. 

“Furthermore, the majority of the extended LaJoie family continues to reside in Norwalk – raising their families here, paying taxes here, spending their time working here, and patronizing local businesses.”

CT Construction Digest Monday June 23, 2025

How many UConn stadiums could fit into CT's 3.2M square foot Amazon facility?

Lilli Iannella, Bryan Haeffele

Construction on a massive new Amazon facility on the Naugatuck/Waterbury line has been underway for just over a month. It came after the City of Waterbury closed a $2.5 million deal in late April, selling 157 acres of land to Amazon. 

Spanning nearly 15 of those acres will sit a five-story fulfillment center that Amazon hopes to have up and running in 2027, where goods will be warehoused for distribution. There will be 3.2 million square feet of space among its five floors. That's nearly as big as Mohegan Sun's property, which spans 3.5 million square feet.

The multi-floor building is proposed to be 106 feet tall. That means it won't be nearly as tall as the Hartford State Capitol Building, reaching heights of over 250 feet, or any of Connecticut's tallest buildings.

It's hard to wrap ones head around the massive size, so to put it into perspective, here's how some of Connecticut's most well-known sites and people compare to the size of the new fulfillment center. 

CLICK LINK TO CONTINUE READING

DOT warns of nighttime bridge detours and Route 15 lane closures in Meriden

Mary Ellen Godin

MERIDEN —The state Department of Transportation is alerting motorists to nighttime closures and detours on Paddock Avenue and intermittent lane shutdowns on Route 15 beginning Sunday night. 

The closures are expected to continue for about five weeks and are necessary to install girders for the Paddock Avenue bridge, according to the DOT. The bridge replacement is part of a three-phase project to improve safety at the junctions of 691, o91 and Route 15 in Meriden.  

A detour will be implemented at Paddock Avenue while the new bridge girders are installed. Traffic will also be halted intermittently for 15-minute periods on Route 15 (Northbound and Southbound lanes) while the girders are lifted across the highway and set in place. After the closures on Route 15, one lane in each direction will be reopened.

The Paddock Avenue bridge replacement is part of Phase II of a multi-year project aimed at improving traffic flow at the 91,691, Route 15 interchange in Meriden and Middletown.

Realign and widen ramp from 691 eastbound to I-91 northbound to two lanes to meet traffic demand

Phase I will realign and widen ramp from 691 eastbound to I-91 northbound. It remains under construction and expected to cost $85 Million It will also provide one additional lane on I-91northbound to relieve congestion caused by a steep uphill grade and widen the bridge.

Phase II It is expected to cost $185 million and includes bridge replacement due to ramp realignment and widening. It will also build a two-lane exist ramp from Route 15 northbound to I-91 northbound to reduce congestion on the exit 68 ramp.

DOT workers will also close the existing Exit 17 ramp from I-91 northbound to Route 15 northbound and re-route traffic to exit 16 to provide a two-lane exit ramp with a right-side traffic merge onto Route 15 northbound. The exit 68 westbound ramp in Wallingford from Route 15 will be widened to two lanes. Engineers are reconfiguring the acceleration and deceleration lanes to provide adequate traffic weaving distances. 

Phase III is still under design review, according to the DOT. The total cost of the project is expected to be $500 million.

The Paddock Avenue bridge detour routes starting Sunday at midnight:

Northbound

•    From south of the Paddock Avenue Bridge on Paddock Avenue, head south

•    Left onto Murdock Avenue

•    Left onto Research Parkway

•    Left onto East Main Street

Southbound

•    From north of the Paddock Avenue Bridge on Paddock Avenue, head north

•    Right onto East Main Street

•    Right onto Research Parkway

•    Right onto Murdock Avenue

•    Right onto Paddock Avenue

New Milford to replace aging Wheaton Road bridge at cost of $2.52M

Kaitlin Keane

NEW MILFORD – By next spring, the town’s Public Works Department hopes to begin work to replace the aging single-span bridge that carries Wheaton Road over the East Aspetuck River.

“In the grand scheme of things, this is going to be a standard bridge replacement project,” said Chuck Ballard, the roads design engineer for New Milford’s Public Works Department. “Easement acquisitions were reasonably small, and (it) will have minimal impact on private properties.”

Built in 1985, the 35-foot-long Wheaton Road bridge consists of a multigirder steel beam and concrete deck superstructure supported by concrete abutments and wingwalls, according to data from the Wethersfield consulting firm Close, Jensen & Miller. The bridge is located 300 feet east of Route 202 between Northfield Cemetery and Carlson’s Grove Park, and has an estimated average daily traffic of 890 vehicles per day, according to data from the state Department of Transportation.

The bridge has been deemed in “poor condition” and is vulnerable to failing due to erosion from flowing water on the East Aspetuck River.

Public Works applied to the state’s Local Bridge Program in 2021 for the full replacement of the Wheaton Road bridge and received approval in 2022, Ballard said.

The existing bridge on Wheaton Road will be replaced by a new single-span bridge consisting of a precast concrete box beam superstructure supported by reinforced concrete integral abutments and wingwalls. The overall bridge length will be increased from 35 feet to 69 feet, and it have a 60-foot clear span, according to the DOT.

Open bridge rail will be used across the new bridge, and curved walls will be installed at all four corners of the bridge, according to the DOT. Guide rail will also be installed on the bridge’s west approach.

The estimated cost of construction is $2.52 million, according to the DOT. Ballard said 80% of the project will be paid for with federal funds and 20% will be paid for with state funds.

Construction is tentatively expected to start the spring of 2026 and finished by November 2026, according to Ballard. A detour route will be prepared this year, with Wheaton Road traffic redirected to Litchfield Road and Upland Road, he said. 

Public Works plans to advertise for construction companies for the project this fall.

A virtual public informational meeting for the project will be livestreamed Monday, July 15, at 7 p.m. on YouTube at portal.ct.gov/ctdotvpimarchive.

Ansonia's Kinneytown Dam ‘needs to go’ neighbors say as activists, officials take steps for removal

Stagnant water from a tributary of the Kinneytown Dam gives off a stench that keeps residents in the North Fourth Street area of Ansonia from opening their windows in the summer heat.

While below, at the base of the dam, shad, eels and salmon attempting to migrate up the Naugatuck River have found themselves stuck until they die trying. Then, vultures and other predators swoop in to eat the corpses. 

And all around the dam, contaminated sediment has accumulated and emits methane, creating a powerful greenhouse gas manufacturing plant, experts say.

An eyesore and safety hazard that spans the river between Seymour on the west and Ansonia on the east, the Kinneytown Dam is “like a blighted building,” said Kevin Zak of the Naugatuck River Revival Group.

Zak and other environmental activists, elected officials and government agencies have been working for years to address the problems caused by the dam. And now, armed with $47 million, including $25 million in state funds received this month, they hope to acquire and remove the dam by the end of 2028.

The dam, which is 413 feet across and 30 feet high, was built in 1844 to divert water from the Naugatuck River to downtown Ansonia to power factories. Later, in the 1980s, part of the dam was converted to make hydroelectricity, but it hasn't produced electricity for at least five years. 

In the last several years, a coalition of groups, including the Naugatuck River Revival Group and Save the Sound, came together to find solutions to the environmental problems caused by the dam, leading them to this point where removal of the dam is tantalizingly close. 

At the end of the Coe Pond, North Fourth Street residents said the standing water and the trash surrounding it have brought rats and mosquitoes to their street, which is separated from the facility by a chain link fence.

The smell of sewage seeps into the area in the summer months, making it hard to bring over company and eat outside. If the dam were removed, the standing water would also go, Zak said, clearing up the smell and other issues.

Christina Cybart, who moved to North Fourth Street last July from Derby said "breathing it in, too, can’t be good. It does stink, it really does on those hot, hot days,” she said.

Cybart, in her 30s, said the smell makes her nauseous to her stomach and that the rats, which she thinks come from the trash around water, have created space for themselves in a wall off of her driveway.

“It needs to go,” Cybart said.

'A methane gas manufacturing plant'

Executive Director of the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments Rick Dunne said the land’s ultimate ownership and what the river will look like following the dam’s removal will remain foggy until plans are stamped by federal regulators.

The most costly and complicated part of the project is likely going to be dealing with up to a million cubic yards, roughly 50,000 dump tri-axle trucks-worth, of potentially contaminated sediment that has accumulated around the dam, said Paul Woodworth, senior director of ecological restoration for Save the Sound.

Unfortunately, the dam has done an extremely good job of trapping in sediment, said Laura Wildman, vice president for ecological action with Save the Sound.

“When you probe into the sediments in Kinneytown, it bubbles up with methane gas,” Wildman said. “So, it becomes kind of like a methane gas manufacturing plant, which is really a problem, because methane gas is a very powerful greenhouse gas.”

How much the sediment is contaminated and will need to be removed to avoid causing downstream problems will be decided by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Woodworth said. 

The federal Environmental Protection Agency has plans to test the sediment this summer after it completed a first round last year. With the sampling, the team will decide what needs to be contained or capped or let run downstream, Woodworth said.

Dunne said the dam has been a problem for the environment since it was built, and its current owner, Trimaran Energy LLC, has “let it fall into severe disrepair.”

Trimaran Energy did not respond to questions sent by CT Insider.

"It doesn't generate any power. It serves no useful commercial purpose any longer, and it's been passed through a bunch of corporate hands. So we put together a group to try and resolve the issue and cure the problems," Dunne said. "This is a huge win, if we can get it done."

Officials initially planned to acquire the dam at essentially no cost by May last year. Since then, the written agreement to take on the dam from its owner has been extended six times as negotiations have been complicated by due diligence and six figures-worth of delinquent taxes the dam’s owner owes to Seymour and Ansonia, Dunne said.

“It has expired several times and been renewed several times,” Dunne said. “There are plans, and then there are plans.”

CT Brownfield Land Bank to take ownership

The Connecticut Brownfield Land Bank, a nonprofit aimed at supporting state municipalities dealing with potentially contaminated sites, will hold the title to the dam as it is torn down. Dunne, the president of the corporation, said he expects some of the land will be donated back to Seymour and Ansonia after the destruction has been completed.

He said he is confident the Land Bank will acquire the dam within the next several weeks, mainly thanks to additional funds.

Another hurdle will be two old sewer lines that run below the water, servicing Ansonia and Seymour, and officials will need to install new lines before the old ones can be decommissioned and removed, Woodworth said.

“One project can't happen without the other, and they both need to be synchronized,” Woodworth said.

Additionally, Route 8, which was built into the impoundment long after the dam was established, and the riverbank may need to be stabilized when the sediment washes away in the river. On the other side, railroad tracks line the east side of the river and also need to be protected, Woodworth said.

Despite the barriers, Zak said he remains optimistic about the pace of progress.

“It's said at every meeting and it's in everybody's mind, that this project seems like it's taking a long time. The last year has been very painful for me because of that,” Zak said at a community meeting in May. “However in its totality, this has been lighting fast. You’re talking about moving some of the most unmovable government agencies in this country.”

Minneapolis developer eyes $225M upscale housing project in Farmington

Andrew Larson

AMinneapolis-based developer is proposing a housing development in Farmington with hundreds of units, including a mix of upscale apartments, owner-occupied townhomes and detached single-family dwellings.

Crown Equities LLC has filed an architectural master plan with the town for the development, called Enclave at the Farmington River.

The project, estimated to cost $225 million, would be located on two properties that span a combined 63.5 acres at 3 Bridgewater Road and 1179 Farmington Ave.

An informal review of the proposal is set for the Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday. The developer is asking the town for input before submitting formal land-use applications.

Plans show three lots, each with a different type of housing: Lot A with upscale, owner-occupied townhomes; Lot B with 138 to 180 upscale rental units; and Lot C, which runs along the Farmington River, with 72 to 86 luxury-single family residences.

The developer plans to include an affordable component and will seek financing through Build for CT, a state program that incentivizes construction of housing for middle-income residents.

According to the project plans, 20% of the Lot B units would be restricted to middle-income renters.

Crown Equities has completed dozens of projects in states that include Minnesota, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kansas.

It is currently developing two projects in Simsbury, a 72-unit apartment complex and 54-unit townhome rental development.

The L-shaped parcel at 3 Bridgewater Road contains 15 acres of commercial vacant land behind an assisted living facility, Riverbend at Farmington. The lot is owned by Waterside Ten LLC, which is controlled by Peter Fishman, president of Farmington-based property management firm PKT Development.

The 48.5-acre property at 1179 Farmington Ave. is sandwiched between 3 Bridgewater Road and the Farmington River. It contains a quarry and is owned by Plant 17 LLC, which is controlled by Stanley Mierzejewski, president of Plainville-based Mizzy Construction.

 

Enclave at the Farmington River would offer a direct connection to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Other proposed amenities include boat docks and slips, riverview gazebos, fishing from the shoreline, resident kayak and canoe storage, and picnic areas with grills.

According to a development summary submitted to the town, the project would have a positive fiscal impact, improve wetlands and remove the gravel pit operation.

In addition to Crown Equities, the development team consists of Kemper Architects Inc., civil engineering firm SLR, law firm Scully Nicksa & Reeve, geological consultant Clarence Welti Associates Inc., and M & O Construction. 

They are in the process of compiling a zoning application and are seeking state permits.

CT Construction Digest Friday June 20, 2025

Train stations in Windsor Locks expected to be completed by September

Eric Bedner

WINDSOR LOCKS — A new double-track train station supporting a rail line between Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as the historic downtown train station, are both expected to be constructed and renovated by early this fall.

The $65 million new train station has been under construction for about three years, and the "major initiative" is expected to revitalize downtown Windsor Locks by attracting new daily visitors, First Selectman Scott Storms said.

The project is the culmination of several local administrations and is being completed in a timely manner and less than its initial budget.

The historic train station is also being renovated to compliment the new modern train station, with both expected to be completed by September, Storms said.

Several other improvements along Main Street are also planned, such as a walking path, and exterior sidewalk and ramp work that will connect both train stations.

Considering the station's close proximity to Bradley International Airport, travelers are likely to provide a boost to the local economy by visiting nearby businesses, Storms said.

"I think you're going to have a more viable downtown area," he said, adding the new transportation opportunities and housing construction are "all tied in together."

"I think it's transformative for our town," Storms said. "It's very exciting."

Meanwhile, the state has awarded a $4 million grant for brownfield remediation on the parcel adjacent to the train station.

The grant will be used to clean up ash and waste on the land, as the historic train station used the property for a dumping ground.

Once remediated, the land will be home to a $42 million mixed-use complex with a design that connects it to the new train station.

Boston-based Trinity Financial already has local approval for 120 workforce housing units in two buildings, along with roughly 9,000 square feet of retail space.

Construction on the first phase of the project consisting of about 70 apartments is expected to begin this fall and run through 2026, Storms said.

Because all of the new construction is being done in the town's Tax Increment Finance, or TIF, district, taxes will be spread throughout the district, leading to more future developments, Storms said.

Storms' main concern is the increased traffic downtown that will come from the new developments.

However, "there's no way to avoid that with the location of the new train station and the buildings," he said. Ultimately, the developments are "very positive for our community."

Contaminated New Haven sites at old coliseum, along Quinnipiac River to get $1.8 million remediation

Steven Goode

NEW HAVEN — A portion of the former New Haven Veteran's Memorial Coliseum site and property along the Quinnipiac River are among about two dozen sites across Connecticut to receive grants from the state for remediation and other blight abatement efforts. 

The 1.13-acre coliseum site, 275 South Orange St., is currently a parking lot and was awarded $880,000. The funds will be used for site remediation that will enable the construction of a phase of a multi-use development that will include 7,159 square feet of retail space and 120 residential units.

The other New Haven site, chosen through the Department of Economic Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program is a 1.34-acre site located along the Quinnipiac River at 185, 212 and 213 Front St.

The $947,500 grant will be used for the demolition and abatement of blighted buildings and excavation of petroleum-impacted soil. The site has a history of industrial use, including a coal yard, fuel tank farm, and metalworking shop. The remediation, officials said, will pave the way for the construction of 70 residential units, retail spaces, and a 29,000 square foot green space and boardwalk to improve pedestrian access.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the city has set an ambitious goal of building 10,000 new housing units over the next ten years, with at least 30 percent of those being affordable or deeply affordable units.

"These grants will help activate and transform two previously underutilized properties into two exciting new developments that will add nearly 200 new units towards that goal," Elicker said. "Both sites are high-profile properties, one the former site of the New Haven Coliseum and the other prime waterfront property along the Quinnipiac River, and their development represents yet another clear demonstration of the continued excitement for and investment in the future of New Haven.”

Regarding 275 South Orange St., Elicker said that after years of underutilization as a parking lot that it's been "amazing to see the former New Haven Coliseum site transformed into a new multi-use development with new housing and businesses that are expanding the footprint of downtown New Haven."

 As for Front Street along the Quinnipiac River, Elicker called it one of the most picturesque locations in all of New Haven.

"However, this part of Front Street currently represents a bit of an eyesore with a stretch of blighted buildings," he said. "The plans to tear down these old buildings, remediate the properties, and replace them with new housing units, retail space, green space and a pedestrian boardwalk with waterfront access represents a very exciting development for the Fair Haven community.”

Fereshtah Bekhrad, owner of the Front Street properties, said Tuesday that the grant is an important addition and major development to the project, especially related to remediation of the contamination. Bekhrad said she is hopeful to complete the project, which covers 80,000 square-feet of land, in about three years.

Will Cannon, development manager for Spinnaker Real Estate Partners, said Tuesday that  the company is grateful for the continued support from the city and the state in advancing the coliseum redevelopment.

The recent award of a brownfield grant supplements private investment to bring critical infrastructure improvements and environmental remediation closer to reality, directly supporting the delivery of new mixed-income housing, job opportunities and long-term tax revenue for the City," Cannon said "We look forward to the continued collaboration as we advance this next phase of the project."

The state released a total of  $18.8 million grants that will be used for the assessment and remediation of 227 acres of contaminated land across Connecticut. The funding will support 23 properties in 19 towns and cities, helping cover the costs of cleaning up these parcels so they can be redeveloped and returned to productive use, state officials said.
 
This round of funding is projected to attract $218 million in private investment and facilitate the creation of 450 housing units. Approximately 52% of the total funding will be allocated to distressed municipalities, officials said.
 
“Old, polluted, blighted properties that have sat vacant for decades do nothing to stimulate our economy, grow jobs, and support housing growth,” Governor Lamont said. “With these grants, we are partnering with towns and developers to take unused, lifeless properties and bring them back from the dead, rejuvenating land that can be used for so much more and can bring value back to these neighborhoods.”

West Hartford receives two remediation grants from the state

Steven Goode

WEST HARTFORD — The town is among about two dozen municipalities in the state to receive grants in the latest round of funding from the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and Development Program.

West Hartford received a $200,000 grant for assessment activities of the former AC Petersen Ice Cream production facility, a 1.02-acre site located at 240 Park Road. The assessment and subsequential cleanup will allow the building’s existing businesses, including the Playhouse on Park, a performing arts theater, to expand into the environmentally affected areas that have been unused or underused for several decades, according to state officials.

Another $688,000 grant will focus on demolition and remediation of the 1.21-acre site located at 579 New Park Ave. The remediation activities will enable the construction of a mixed-use, transportation-oriented development project that will include 70 residential housing units, officials said.

West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith said assessment grant for 240 Park Road would be a critical step toward assessing and ultimately remediating the site to support the expansion of existing businesses, including Playhouse on Park, calling the area "a vibrant and well-loved part of town."

"We are incredibly grateful to the state of Connecticut for this support. It is a small step toward solidifying Playhouse on Park’s future on Park Road," Playhouse on Park Executive Director and co-founder Tracy Flater said. "We are at the very beginning stages of planning to acquire and remodel our space; and to acquire and redevelopment the plant to include office, teaching, rehearsal space and more. This first step of assessing for contaminants is a critical one."

Regarding the brownfield grant for the remediation of 579 New Park Ave., Ledwith said the support will help advance the development of the Jayden, a transformative mixed-use, multifamily development within the town's transit-oriented development district.  

"This project not only aligns with our goals for redevelopment and affordable housing expansion, but also represents an important step in continuing the growth of our TOD corridor and enhancing connectivity for our residents," Ledwith said.

The grants are part of a total of $18.8 million in state grants that will be used for the assessment and remediation of 227 acres of contaminated land across Connecticut, and allow them to be restored to productive use, state officials said.

This round of funding, officials said, is projected to attract $218 million in private investment and facilitate the creation of 450 housing units. Approximately 52% of the total funding will be allocated to distressed municipalities.

“Old, polluted, blighted properties that have sat vacant for decades do nothing to stimulate our economy, grow jobs, and support housing growth,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “With these grants, we are partnering with towns and developers to take unused, lifeless properties and bring them back from the dead, rejuvenating land that can be used for so much more and can bring value back to these neighborhoods.”

CT Construction Digest Wednesday June 18, 2025

Old Lyme needs $7.5M more for controversial sewer project

Jack Lakowsky

Old Lyme — The town will need $7.5 million more than expected to install sewers at Sound View Beach, which it owns, however the Board of Selectmen wants more information before sending the question to voters.

Steve Cinami, chairman of the Water Pollution Control Authority, said voters will now be asked to approve $17.1 million, up from the $9.5 million voters approved in 2019. The $7.5 million is up from a previously proposed increase of $4.5 million, which did not include other necessary parts of the project.

Selectman Jim Lampos, who lives in the Sound View neighborhood, said the $1,932 yearly cost to users is about $300 shy of unaffordable by state standards. If the state deemed the project unaffordable, it could not go ahead.

But he pointed out the costs for users to connect to the main sewer line and the systems in East Lyme and New London, are not included in the yearly user fee. Neither are maintenance costs.

Lampos, and First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker, said property owners need to know their entire cost before the $7.5 million request moves forward. They also want more information on the cost-sharing agreement between Old Lyme and the private beach associations, Old Colony Beach, Miami Beach and Old Lyme Shores.

"We need to know, solidly, what we're getting ourselves into," Lampos said.

State funding will cover half of the $17.1 million. Sound View Beach property owners will have to pay back $8.5 million to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection at a cost of $1,932 a year per dwelling unit. There are 270 dwelling units.

The yearly cost per unit has now increased about $570. Sound View residents will pay $522,000 a year for 20 years to repay the loan, Cinami told selectmen in a meeting Monday.

The town's three private beach associations are splitting the remaining portion of the $61 million cost of the project, which includes shared infrastructure, a pump station and the lines that carry sewage through East Lyme to the New London treatment plant. The state has ordered the town and beach associations to undertake the project in an attempt to stop septic tanks from polluting Long Island Sound.

In a June 10 meeting, Cinami said property owners are responsible for pipes from their property line to their house, while the town is responsible for what's between the property line and the sewer main.

Cinami said he wants the town to send an informational postcard to residents leading up to an Aug. 4 informative town meeting. Cinami said at that meeting he won't answer questions about the need for the project, only its financing. He said he will bring more information to the next Board of Selectmen meeting.

He also spoke to unexpected costs, which could drive the project beyond the state's affordability cap. Cinami, who owns a construction company, said that unlike other projects he has managed, there's no existing sewer system beneath Sound View that would need to be removed at an extra cost.

With $3B in federal funding frozen, charging station projects across CT mothballed, scaled back

David Krechevsky

In June 2024, the town of Wallingford unanimously approved a special permit and site plan for a privately developed facility that would be devoted exclusively to charging electric vehicles (EVs).

At the time, the project was touted as the first of its kind in the U.S.

The plan submitted by Gem Property Group LLC intended to develop a 2.04-acre vacant lot just off Exit 15 of Interstate 91 at 1 Miles Dr. The proposed facility was approved for up to 38 EV charging stations, 36 of which would be beneath a canopy.

There would be no gas pumps, just EV charging stations.

The project also proposed a 3,000-square-foot retail building for a convenience-style store to provide packaged food, beverages and other items for people waiting while their vehicles charged.

A year later, anyone driving past that property can see it remains undisturbed, covered in tall grass and with no visible signs of site-preparation work.

In an exclusive interview with Hartford Business Journal, the developer said the EV project is now dead, primarily because of, well, climate change — that is, changes to the regulatory climate.

Following the election of President Donald Trump and his administration’s subsequent decision to freeze more than $3 billion in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding, as well as the state legislature’s decision to reduce similar EV support, the Wallingford project is not the only significant charging station development in the state to be canceled or scaled back.

That will slow down the state’s efforts to expand charging infrastructure, which is seen as crucial for the broader adoption of electric vehicles.

‘Unplugged’ for the moment

Elizabeth Verna, a principal with Verna Builders & Developers, said her family runs Gem Property Group and has owned the Wallingford property on Miles Drive for more than a decade.

A year ago, she said she was bullish about the EV charging station development. Now, her family is considering alternatives because interest in the facility has evaporated.

Verna said the potential tenant was relying, in part, on the subsidies and backed out of the project after the federal funding was frozen.

“After speaking with the Realtor, everything just went cold, which is fine,” she said.

“It’s maybe a blessing,” she continued. “If government incentives were needed to keep a market strong, then it would have been risky to put a tenant in there that was surviving only because of subsidies or incentives.”

She added that she thought the Miles Drive site was a great location for the project.

“EV is not charged right now,” Verna said. “It’s unplugged, for the moment. I’d love to plug it back in.”

‘We just pared back’

So would Michael Frisbie.

He and his business partner, Abdul Tammo, own Hartford-based Noble Gas Inc., which operates 13 gas stations across the state and is developing four more. EV charging stations are planned for each of the new sites.

In February 2024, the town of Orange approved a Noble Gas proposal for a nearly 8,400-square-foot facility off of I-95 that would feature an EV showroom with charging stations, and include a gas station, convenience store, ice cream stand and drive-thru coffee and sandwich shop.

Noble Gas also is opening a station in Windsor that was supposed to feature up to 20 EV chargers. Its new gas stations in East Hartford, Hamden and Newington will each also have a few EV chargers.

Frisbie, though, said the Orange and Windsor projects have since changed.

“We just pared back in Windsor so that we don’t have as many, but we still have some,” he said of the EV charging stations.

Instead of 20, the facility has four.

“When, hopefully, the subsidies open up again — which I think they will at some point — then we are already positioned to be able to add on,” he said.

As for the EV showroom and service center, “they’re on hold for the moment, until such time as (the subsidies) come back,” Frisbie said. “We will have EV charging at the facility that we’re going to be building in Orange.”

He said Noble Gas still plans to eventually build the EV showroom, but “it’s probably part of phase two.”

Despite the setback, Frisbie said he is “still committed to pushing forward with the infrastructure for EV vehicles.” He envisions creating Noble Gas fueling facilities that include high-speed diesel pumps and EV chargers.

“I’m actually driving an EV, even though I own gas stations,” he said. “So, we think the future of EV is still pretty strong. The challenge is, we were planning on using some of these subsidies as part of the investment.”

He noted there is still some charging-station funding available aside from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.

Eversource Energy, for example, states on its website that it offers EV charging rebates for Level 2 and DC Fast charging projects, with rebates of up to $250,000. It adds, however, that the number of rebates granted each year is limited.

‘A perfect storm’

Attorney Lee D. Hoffman, chairman of Hartford law firm Pullman & Comley who focuses on clients developing energy projects, said the current political and regulatory environment for electric vehicles is difficult.

“You have a perfect storm of problems right now,” Hoffman said. “Nothing that’s insurmountable, but the federal administration froze the (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) funding, and it’s not clear what’s going to be the permanent fallout from that. We don’t know if it’s a temporary hiccup, or if that funding is never going to come out of the current administration.”

In addition to the funding freeze, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” making its way through Congress makes significant changes to the Biden-era EV tax credits. The bill phases out the clean vehicle credit, which allows a tax credit of up to $7,500 for consumers buying a new EV, and up to $4,000 for buying a used EV.

The credits were intended to encourage consumers to buy electric vehicles.

Eliminating the tax credits and freezing the funding creates uncertainty, Hoffman said, particularly for construction projects that generally have to order equipment and materials well in advance.

“If I’m delayed in getting my financing by 60 or 90 days, it may result in 120- or 180 days’-worth of delay because of supply-chain issues,” Hoffman said. “The charging equipment may get sold to somebody else who isn’t waiting on NEVI funding.”

In addition to the dramatic federal changes, EV projects in Connecticut have been waiting to see what the state legislature would do with its resources.

During the recently ended legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill, which Gov. Ned Lamont was expected to sign, that caps the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s EV charging program expenses at $20 million per year for the two-year budget.

Rep. Jonathan Steinberg (D-Westport), co-chair of the Energy & Technology Committee, said during debate on the bill that the program was among several that “got haircuts, but were not decapitated.”

Hoffman said the spending caps are less than what has been in place previously, “but it is still a significant amount of money that can be expended on this infrastructure.”

Frisbie said Noble Gas is a Connecticut family-owned business, and regardless of the federal or state cuts, is here to stay.

“We’ve invested a lot of money in the state of Connecticut, and we’re happy to do it,” he said. “We’re glad to be here.”

Others also are undaunted by the cuts. A developer in Enfield recently proposed building an EV charging station and café on an 0.55-acre vacant lot at 1561 King St., in Enfield. The facility would include 21 charging stations.

For her part, though, Verna said the plan is to replace the Wallingford EV station project with something else, perhaps a medical office building. But that remains to be determined.

“I don’t have any brilliant ideas right now,” she said. “I’d love to have an EV station there, but what are you gonna do? You can’t have everything.”