CT Construction Digest Tuesday July 21, 2026

At Age 103, O&G Still Is Next-Gen Contractor

Debra K. Rubin

O&G Industries Inc. in Torrington, Conn., has been active in state and regional construction since Andrew Oneglia founded the company in 1923, with family ownership and leadership now in the fourth generation and with many multigenerational staff.

“The combination of long-tenured employees and emerging talent gives us both stability and momentum,” says the firm, now diversified into heavy contracting, complex project management and materials production, with strengths in transportation, education, health care, commercial and industrial markets. O&G ranks at No. 159 on ENR’s national list of Top 400 Contractors, reporting $830.5 million in 2025 construction revenue, and at No. 30 among ENR East Top Contractors with $668.68 million in 2025 regional revenue, up 46.59% from the prior year.

O&G says it targets market demand for lower-carbon buildings and infrastructure, forming a link with Urban Mining Inc. to substitute standard cement using a patented concrete additive made from locally recycled glass that cuts emissions. Its community involvement includes Crew for a Cause, an employee-driven charitable giving effort that has provided more than $1 million to local groups and projects since 2023. The firm now has seven fourth-generation members as company managers. One of those, Thomas J. “T.J.” Oneglia, vice president of construction materials, outlined the firm’s strategic approach in a Q&A that has been edited and condensed.

Notable projects from O&G Industries include:

Amtrak Connecticut River Bridge, Old Saybrook to Old Lyme, Conn.: The landmark $1.3-billion infrastructure project supports one of the region’s most important rail corridors to improve passenger connectivity, mobility and long-term infrastructure resilience, says O&G, which, with joint venture contractor Tutor Perini, expects to complete work in 2031.

I-91/I-691/Route 15 Interchange Improvements, Meriden, Conn.: The reported $712-million project slated to finish in 2030 is a key connection point for commuters, freight movement and daily travel through central Connecticut, with roadway upgrades set to enhance safety, traffic flow and reliability for thousands of motorists.

Manchester Public Library, Manchester, Conn.: The recently completed project estimated to cost $53.6 million is a 75,000-sq-ft building that is the state’s first net-zero library. Operating off the local power grid, it produces enough energy to power its operation and return any excess to the grid for separate use.

How do you balance firm stability with staying agile to meet new industry needs?

O&G is far from static. We have all spent most of our careers directly involved in daily operations of the divisions we respectively have responsibility for overseeing while also maintaining a strong focus on enterprise-wide strategy. That means being intimately involved with bidding work, pricing sales, production decisions, labor staffing, training, safety and compliance. Through deliberate strategic planning, the fourth generation prioritizes initiatives that draw on the full depth of our collective expertise and resources, such as expanding capabilities of our power and energy division to support building division clients, particularly those pursuing renewable energy initiatives on their campuses. This level of involvement is the best way to stay in touch with changing needs and trends.

How has safety and mental health developed as a key workforce priority?

The construction and material manufacturing industries saw government regulated safety standards in the 20th century, but O&G recognized early that compliance is just the baseline for building a safe workplace. By implementing processes for hazard identification, near miss reporting and worker participation in our safety program, O&G has maintained a workplace people are proud to be part of. Related to mental health, historically the industry has emphasized self-reliance and grit, often leading to apprehension in jobsite discussions. O&G has been a leader in addressing the stigma by speaking directly with employees and partnering with unions to inform them on mental health resources. These can benefit not only an individual employee but also can keep collective morale high and boost workforce performance. Mental health and physical safety are a shared priority.

What macro trends concern you most related to the future industry workforce?

The industry faces a labor shortage due to decades of under-recruitment, Baby Boomer retirements and an emphasis on four-year degrees among GenX and Millennials. Market factors are starting to correct this as businesses compete for skilled labor with better pay. Workers are also beginning to question payback on rising college education costs. We are always concerned with maintaining a talent pool to deliver on promises we make to our customers. The better an organization is at recruitment and retention, the bigger its competitive advantage. We have very little trouble with skilled labor retention and have extremely low turnover. I attribute that to our family business oriented culture and [being] a union employer offering outstanding wages and health and pension benefits.

O&G emphasizes preconstruction planning. How has recent material cost volatility changed value engineering and subcontractor prequalification?

Delivering a successful project requires more than tracking cost. From the earliest design stages, it demands a proactive, disciplined approach to maximize value and protect the schedule. As drawings develop, teams review materials, systems and construction methods for best balance of performance, durability and cost. Potential improvements are tracked in a centralized log and vetted internally before being presented to the design team to ensure only well-developed and constructible recommendations advance. This helps avoid late-stage redesign and minimizes project disruption. We identify long-lead key components early in design and work closely with team members and potential subs to help ensure specifications are advanced enough to support early major equipment purchases, particularly mechanical and electrical systems.

O&G credits its survival through past economic downturns to operating diversity. Which sectors will be your strongest growth drivers and why?

For decades, O&G has been a diversified and vertically integrated construction materials and services business. We do not intend to change that model by focusing growth in one area over another. Each division has its own specific growth objectives. School construction will continue to be a cornerstone of our building business, but we are pushing hard into health care and defense. In addition to road and bridge construction, our heavy civil division is focused on pursuing power projects, and the materials unit is seeking opportunities that provide synergistic value to our existing network of plants and quarries.

O&G emphasizes preconstruction planning to prospective clients. How has recent material cost volatility changed how you handle value engineering and subcontractor prequalification?

Delivering a successful project requires more than tracking cost. From the earliest design stages, It demands a proactive, disciplined approach to maximize value and protect the schedule. Our teams integrate value management and early procurement strategies during preconstruction so decisions strengthen budget and timeline outcomes. As drawings develop, teams review materials, systems and construction methods for the best balance of performance, durability and cost. Potential improvements are tracked in a centralized log and vetted internally before being presented to the design team to ensure only well-developed, constructible and meaningful recommendations are advanced. This helps avoid late-stage redesign and minimizes project disruption. To mitigate market volatility, we identify long-lead key components early in design and work closely with team members and potential subcontractors to help ensure specifications are advanced enough to support early major equipment purchases, particularly mechanical and electrical systems. Our relationships with manufacturers and suppliers provide real-time insight into lead times and market conditions, allowing informed decisions on available alternatives. Where appropriate, we promote inclusion of “or equal” manufacturers to maintain competition while meeting project standards. By aligning cost, schedule and design decisions early we provide clear options, reliable information and decision flexibility, insuring a project that reflects client priorities, maximizes long-term value and is set for successful execution from day one  

O&G How has sustainability in material supply and construction methods developed into a growth and profit generating approach for O&G?
Our experience allows us to look beyond initial construction costs and evaluate how building systems will perform, operate and be maintained over the facility life, bringing constructability insight, market knowledge and lessons learned from prior projects into the process. That helps clients evaluate options such as high-performance building envelopes, efficient mechanical systems, water conservation measures, responsible material selections, waste reduction strategies and commissioning requirements not only for sustainability benefits, but also for functionality, maintainability and overall life-cycle cost. The real benefit to our clients is clarity, understanding trade-offs between competing approaches to make informed decisions. A sustainable solution must work in the field, serve facility users and remain practical for operating teams.

We help clients look beyond turnover and consider the full life of their systems so facilities operate efficiently, use resources responsibly, reduce long-term costs and serve their intended purpose well into the future. Of note is the recent completion of Buckley Elementary School in Manchester, Conn. touted as New England’s first net-zero school. We see strong, owner driven demand for low global warming potential materials that meet or exceed green building standards. O&G was the first ready-mix concrete producer in Connecticut to have independently certified, Type III, cradle to grave Environmental Product Declarations for our ready-mix concrete. This allowed customers true transparency into the global warming potential of our concrete products.

As the first to incorporate a locally produced ground glass pozzolan, called Pozzotive, into our concrete mixes, we were awarded work as concrete supplier for three projects at Yale University that used this innovative supplemental cementitious material in the mix. In 2025, O&G recycled more than 220,000 tons of reclaimed asphalt through our hot mix plants, and are on pace to exceed that amount in 2026. We have converted several facilities to solar energy, including a five-acre, 1-MW array that powers all production at our Southbury, Conn., quarry and asphalt and concrete plants co-located on site. As demand grows for green products and buildings, having these experiences under our belt will translate into future success for our business.

Old Lyme sewer projects about to begin in beach communities

Gianni Salisbury

Old Lyme — The beach sewer projects here are finally moving forward after years of of deliberation.

The Old Colony Beach Club Association, the Old Lyme Shores Beach Association and Miami Beach Association will see construction begin on their sewer systems over the next few months after the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection stepped in with a consent order that forced the projects to take place after town residents rejected the work at a referendum.

The projects, estimated to cost $85 million, are meant to stop septic tanks at the three private beaches from polluting Long Island Sound. They have been in the works for around 20 years but recently faced a two-month delay after town officials determined the beach associations must obtain a special permit to temporarily use two Shore Road properties as staging areas for construction materials. The two properties are located at 224 and 250 Shore Road.

The permits were approved at last week's Zoning Commission meeting. Following the approval, residents have taken to Facebook to ask questions about how they may be affected by the projects.

At the meeting, Brendan Sharkey, the attorney representing the three beach associations, said they and DEEP will address problems as they arise during construction.

"When the team consulted, it was pretty clear that we were not going to be able to get our arms around every possible issue that may pop up in the course of the construction," Sharkey said. "At this time, there are still too many variables out there that are maybe a year or more down the road. What we opted to bring to you instead was to bring you the amendment for the laydown areas only for tonight with the understanding that if there are other changes or adjustments, we may need to come back to you with your approval for those changes as they become evident."

He also acknowledged the work the beach associations have put into moving the sewer projects forward over the past few years.

"These beach associations are complying with the State of Connecticut's mandate. They have taken on the project over the last several years with earnestness and a purpose as well as a financial commitment that each of them have made by floating their own bonds to cover these costs for the installation," Sharkey said.

Because the town voted against the projects, the three sewer projects are moving forward without town involvement. Selectman Jim Lampos said Monday the town's role remains uncertain, but officials are in discussions with DEEP about how the town could be involved going forward.

"On our end, we have had very productive meetings with DEEP. We've had two so far, and we're putting all options on the table. We've had very respectful discussions, and we're just surveying all of the options right now. So far, it's too early to tell how this is going to turn out or what the solution is going to be," Lampos said.

Sharkey said during the public hearing that the associations welcome input from town officials.

"The associations appreciate the input from town officials and staff in regard to the scale and scope of this project as this is probably one of the largest civil construction project that is being undertaken in Old Lyme," Sharkey said.

The special permit specifies what can be done on the Shore Road properties. They can be used as temporary construction staging areas through Sept. 30, 2027, and only from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The permit does not allow night work or overnight lighting. Fire hydrant use is also not allowed as water will need to be brought to the site.

The permit also states the projects must implement dust control measures and topsoil stockpile areas must be added to the site plan for the 224 Shore Road site. It also states that contractors must meet with neighboring property owners after the projects are done to address any damage done to their property during construction.

Northeast State DOT Projects Win Top Honors in National Competition

Eleven state department of transportation projects from Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have earned regional accolades in the 2026 America's Transportation Awards competition.

From streamlining access to government services to reducing crash risks along key urban corridors, these projects deliver lasting benefits that improve safety, mobility and quality of life in the communities they serve.

Selected from 30 projects submitted by eight states and the District of Columbia in the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO) region, these entries are part of a record 127 nominations from 45 state DOTs in this year's overall competition. Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the America's Transportation Awards honor transportation projects that deliver meaningful benefits to communities. Projects compete in four categories — Quality of Life/Community Development, Operations Excellence, Best Use of Technology & Innovation and Safety — showcasing the essential role transportation plays in improving mobility, safety and quality of life for all users.

"For almost two decades, the America's Transportation Awards has highlighted the innovative work state DOTs do to improve communities and enhance the lives of the people who live and visit them," said AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon. "But the truth is, these projects are just a fraction of the incredible work done by state DOTs every year. AASHTO is proud to recognize the diverse and forward-thinking projects that are improving safety, mobility and quality of life in communities across the country. As we look forward to Congress completing a federal surface transportation reauthorization bill by the end of September, this year's winners underscore the importance of sustained federal investment in transportation and demonstrate how those resources are delivering meaningful benefits to residents, businesses and travelers nationwide."

Many of this year's NASTO regional winners benefited from IIJA funding, demonstrating the critical role the next federal surface transportation legislation will play in continuing progress toward safer communities and improving mobility and access for all.

All nominated projects first compete at the regional level against projects of their own size: "Small" (projects costing up to $10 million), "Medium" (projects costing between $10 million and $100 million) and "Large" (projects costing more than $100 million). This year's winning NASTO regional projects are:

• Maryland Department of Transportation's One-Stop Government Shop (Quality of Life/Community Development, Small Project)

• Connecticut Department of Transportation's Reconstruction of Route 34 (Main Street) in Derby (Quality of Life/Community Development, Medium Project)

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Route 79-Davol Street Corridor Improvements (Quality of Life/Community Development, Large Project)

• New Jersey Department of Transportation's Shrewsbury Maintenance Dredging (Operations Excellence, Small Project)

• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Automated Permit Routing and Analysis System Modernization (Operations Excellence, Medium Project)

• New York State Department of Transportation's NY Route 347 Safety, Mobility and Environmental Improvements Project (Operations Excellence, Large Project)

• New Jersey Department of Transportation's Statewide Advanced Traffic Management System (Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Small Project)

• Maine Department of Transportation's Acadia Gateway Center (Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Medium Project)

• New York State Department of Transportation's Safety and Operational Improvements on Jackie Robinson Parkway (Safety, Small Project)

• Maryland Department of Transportation's I-95 Interchange at I-695 – 10 Bridges Rehabilitation Project (Safety, Medium Project)

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Reconstruction of Route 20 in Charlton and Oxford (Safety, Large Project)

Following the NASTO competition, additional regional competitions will continue throughout the summer. Once all regional winners are announced, the three top scoring winners from each region will advance to the Top 12, which will be revealed in early September. These standout projects will then compete for two national honors in the 2026 America's Transportation Awards.

The grand prize will be chosen by an independent panel of transportation industry judges, while the People's Choice Award will be decided through online public voting. AASHTO will reveal both winners at its annual meeting in November 2026 in Louisville, Ky. The winners of both of those awards will each receive $10,000 to donate to a scholarship fund or charitable cause of their choice.

CT Construction Digest Monday July 20, 2026

Bridgeport crane company proposes redeveloping Stratford property into storage yard

Andreas Yilma

STRATFORD — A Bridgeport crane and rigging company is seeking approval to transform property on Stratford's west side into a construction equipment storage yard, giving the company a second location in the region.

The applicant, 348 Surf Avenue LLC, has submitted a coastal site plan and erosion and sediment control plan to redevelop about 1.1 acres spanning several adjacent parcels on Surf Avenue and Charles Street, adjacent to the Interstate 95 southbound Surf Avenue exit.

The property would become a second location for A&A Crane and Riggings, which has provided crane, rigging and trucking services in the Bridgeport area for about 30 years. The company currently operates from 900 Rusciana Ave. in Bridgeport.

The site, which is in Stratford's light manufacturing zone, is currently occupied by Barre Granite Memorials, a stone monument manufacturing and sales business that has operated there since the 1940s. Owner Donna Miller said the business plans to relocate to a smaller location elsewhere in Stratford later this year.

According to the application, the property contains three structures — a garage and two commercial buildings — and is in poor condition, resembling a junkyard.

Plans call for demolishing the garage, renovating the two remaining buildings, installing new lighting and landscaping, and replacing existing asphalt parking areas with gravel and crushed stone. A new 12-foot-wide gravel driveway would be built from Charles Street while the existing driveway from Surf Avenue would remain.

About 15 to 20 pieces of construction equipment would be stored on the site, including mobile cranes parked outdoors. Air handling units and generators would be stored inside the buildings.

The yard would generally operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., although employees could access the property earlier for out-of-state jobs. The application says the site would typically be used only three or four days a week and is not expected to generate offensive noise, smoke, odors, dust or excessive vibration.

The proposal is before the Stratford Zoning Commission, which continued its public hearing until July 22 to allow review of outstanding information. 

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also recommended changes to the project's stormwater management plan, including the use of permeable paving materials such as permeable asphalt to reduce runoff, according to meeting minutes.

Shelton may forgo state funding to speed up Constitution Boulevard project

Brian Gioiele

SHELTON — With completion of the first phase of the Constitution Boulevard work in sight, Mayor Mark Lauretti may turn down state funds, instead dipping into the city's coffers to pay for the remaining two phases. 

Paving on phase one of the Constitution Boulevard West extension — from Bridgeport Avenue up the hillside — is expected to be completed by year’s end, according to Lauretti. 

This work comes some three years after initial groundbreaking, with the delays a product of state Department of Transportation requirements demanded as part of accepting $5 million in Connecticut grant money for the project. 

It is those requirements — and potential for future delays — that has Lauretti rethinking accepting future state monetary awards for the final two phases and instead paying out of city coffers. Lauretti did not have an estimated figure for the work as city officials await bids for the second phase of the road creation which focuses on roadways inside the Mas property, home to what the mayor envisions as a manufacturing hub.

“We may just fund the rest ourselves,” Lauretti told Shelton Economic Development Corp. board members and guests during a tour of the site Tuesday. 

“But we have all the delays from the state for Phase One behind us now,” Lauretti added. “We hope to pave the road (up to the Mas property) by the end of the year.” 

That paving plan involves the lowering of Cots Street by 8 to 10 feet to meet the roadway leading to the Mas property.

Necessary state permits entered an administrative logjam, Lauretti said. It was during that forced hiatus the city learned it had to purchase the state right of way along Bridgeport Avenue — where the city was to break through to connect the road.  

The city purchased the strip of land for $876,000 from the state, land which was then leveled to allow for construction of the roadway. 

The city has been awarded some $3 million state grant for the final two phases: phase two being the roadwork inside the Mas property, which is currently out for bid, and phase three the final connection to Route 110. 

But Lauretti said he remains unsure if he will take the money. 

“We may shift gears, bite the bullet and pay for phase two and move forward,” Lauretti said. 

Lauretti said the city owns virtually all the needed property from Bridgeport Avenue all the way to what would be a connection on Route 110. 

“If we just fund it ourselves, we can build the road quicker, get people on those properties and get people paying taxes,” the mayor added. 

Constitution Boulevard West — long just a concept on paper — will allow development of the nearly 76 acres known as the Mas property, which has been landlocked. The city has already agreed to sell portions to various companies, including Bigelow Tea. 

Shelton Economic Development Corp. President Sheila O’Malley, who has obtained millions of dollars in state and federal aid for various projects over the years, says accepting state funds can add 6 to 9 months to a timeline as the state demands significant paperwork and requirements. 

O’Malley said if the city accepts the $1.6 million for phase two, it would be required to complete an engineering study for phase three — a move that would add a year to the overall project. 

“The goal is not to make money on the sale of the land, although the city will get a significant return,” said Lauretti. 

The city years ago purchased the Mas property for $600,000. The city has reached contract agreements for nearly all 76 acres at $85,000 per acre, which calculates to nearly $6.5 million. 

“The real prize is the taxes the city will collect over the next 40, 50 years. … Imagine what that would mean for the grand list,” Lauretti said. 

The mayor added there remains a “waiting list” to purchase land on the Mas property. While the land has been rezoned for corporate manufacturing, Lauretti said he has even received interest from a hotel and banquet hall. The anchor is Bigelow Tea, which is under contract to purchase some 25 acres and plans to build a 300,000-square-foot facility.

“We’re in a really good position here,” Lauretti said. “Now we just have to finish this.” 

Naugatuck road project will close key streets for about a month starting Monday, police say

Tyler Fedor

NAUGATUCK — Motorists in Naugatuck “should expect significant traffic impacts” as road construction begins Monday near May Street and Lincoln Street, according to a post on the Naugatuck Police Department’s Facebook page. 

Police said these roads and intersections will be closed to through traffic for about a month starting July 20: May Street between Donovan Road and Mulberry Street; Lincoln Street between May Street and Auburn Street; May Street at Donovan Road; May Street at Mulberry Street; Lincoln Street at May Street and Auburn Street at Lincoln Street.

There will be detours, but those could change as construction goes on, police said. 

“We encourage motorists to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and use alternate routes whenever possible,” police said. “Thank you for your patience and cooperation as these roadway improvements are completed.”

Major changes planned for a Route 15 interchange, including removal of stop signs

Brianna Gurciullo

It's out with the stop signs on the Wilbur Cross Parkway near the Hamden-North Haven border, and in with acceleration and deceleration lanes.

That’s the state Department of Transportation’s plan for the stretch of Route 15 where drivers enter from or exit to Whitney Avenue.

The agency recently announced it will hold a public meeting about the project, which aims to make it easier for drivers to merge onto the parkway, on Sept. 15 at Hamden Government Center. It will also accept comments by email and phone for two weeks after the meeting.

Construction could start as soon as spring 2028, depending on availability of funding, right-of-way acquisitions and permit approvals, DOT said.

On its webpage for the project, DOT said it needs to ditch the stop signs because they lead to a high number of rear-end crashes. It wants to install acceleration lanes for both the northbound and southbound on-ramps and a deceleration lane for the northbound off-ramp.

The interchange currently includes an Exit 51, formerly Exit 61, on the northbound side and an Exit 51 on the southbound side.

DOT plans to remove the southbound Exit 51 off-ramp as part of the project. Drivers would instead use Exit 52, where the agency has proposed installing a signal at the end of the ramp to allow for both left and right turns onto Whitney Avenue.

The agency also wants to install pedestrian crossings where the Route 15 ramps meet Whitney Avenue and build sidewalks where there is currently a 1,500-foot gap along the road.

In addition, a wooden noise barrier along Route 15 southbound would be replaced.

The estimated cost of the construction is about $28 million. In all, 80% of the project’s funding is expected to come from the federal government.

DOT previously provided a cost estimate of $19.6 million, but agency spokesperson Joe Cooper said that figure was from the “conceptual design phase.”

“It later increased to $27.6 million to reflect design updates, including the addition of a retaining wall adjacent to the Mill River and acceleration lane onto Route 15 northbound,” Cooper said.

With both the design and construction costs included, the total estimated cost of the project is $32 million, he said.

Last year, the agency was considering adding bike lanes to Whitney Avenue as part of the project, but DOT did not immediately return a request for comment on whether bike lanes are still part of the plan.

New Hopkins School Gibbs Innovation Center building gets green light in New Haven

Mark Zaretsky

NEW HAVEN — The private Hopkins School, located on a hill overlooking the Westville section, will build a 35,137-square-foot  building to expand research, robotics and technology programs and house the Gibbs Center for Innovation after winning unanimous approval from the New Haven City Plan Commission. 

The CPC approved the project — funded by a record $50 million gift from Hopkins alumnus John C. Malone, the Milford-born billionaire founder and chairman emeritus of Liberty Media Corporation — Wednesday. Malone graduated from Hopkins in 1959. 

Approval came after Hopkins  representatives assured members that all truck traffic would enter only between rush hours and only off Forest Road, which is a state highway.

The project would be built on 2.9 acres of the historic prep school’s leafy 101-acre campus, located on a hill at 986 Forest Rd. overlooking Westville.

Several of the dozen or so neighbors who spoke raised questions about trucks, dust and traffic. Concerns were fueled in part by memories of Hopkins' last big construction project, a now-completed performing arts center, known as "APAC," that is located near the 366-year-old school's northern boundary, off Knollwood Drive. 

That project caused problems for neighbors, several of whom said they would like to see the private school, which is the third oldest independent school in the nation, install sidewalks along Knollwood, which doesn't have them.

The commission stopped short of requiring that, but Hopkins representatives didn't rule out the possibility.

Trucks for the APAC project entered from a different entrance off residential Knollwood Drive, not Forest Road, which is state Route 122, members of Hopkins' development team said. Forest Road is what West Haven's Campbell Avenue becomes north of the Boston Post Road.

Much of the truck traffic would be expected to come through West Haven, off Interstate 95 Exit 43, members of Hopkins' development team said. But Route 122, while residential north of Route 34,  is a much wider street than Knollwood.

Hopkins attorney Meaghan Miles of Carmody & Torrance said trucks would only be allowed to enter and exit the campus between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and only through the Forest Road entrance.

The Knollwood Drive entrance, which was used a few years ago for the APAC project, "wouldn't work" because trucks would have to drive the length of Hopkins main quadrangle to get to the new construction site, she said.

"Hopkins' interest in (controlling) trucks is aligned with the neighborhood, because those trucks affect their students," Miles said.

City Plan Commission member and Westville Alder Adam Marchand, D-25, who lives nearby and whose ward borders the campus, said he was glad to see "that you're not going through Upper Westville." But he expressed concerns because "it's a very steep hill getting up there. I know, because I ride my bike up there."

Westville Alder Amy Marx, D-26, who lives on Knollwood, raised questions about the quality of Hopkins' communication with its neighbors, pointing out that she represents "almost all the houses noted on the maps," yet she received no notice of the proceedings.

Marx pointed out that "noise carries in this neighborhood. I hear noise all the way down at 290 Knollwood Drive from the football field." She also expressed concerns about traffic.

Forest Road "is an old carriage road" and "we have serious concerns about how many trucks" it can handle, Marx said. She suggested that it might be a good idea for the commission to require a traffic study as a condition of approval. She also was one of the people to suggest that Hopkins install sidewalks.

The City Plan Commission did not include either as a condition.

More generally, "we have a problem" with Hopkins parents and employees "not being good neighbors," Marx said. "...We have a lot of people thath treat Knollwood Driveway like a motor speedway."

Miles later responded to Marx, saying her office "sent out a little over 250 letters, including on the West Haven side." She said it's in Hopkins' interest, as well as that of neighbors, for the trucks not to disrupt people in the neighborhood or on campus.

Tim Appelbee, an architect with the S/L/A/M Collaborative in Glastonbuy, said they anticipate about 1,400 trucks over 96 days, with a maximum of 4.5 trucks per hour. He pointed out that the APAC project, unlike this one, "was right next to Knollwood Drive.

Other neighbors expressed concerns, including Davis Darsch, who lives across Forest Road from the entrance, who said he worried the construction would make the traffic situation worse. Darsch asked for measures to slow construction traffic and enhance safety, including possibly installing convex mirrors to help guide trucks entering and existing.

"I'm not objecting to the building, itself. I'm asking for protections for people who live directly across Forest Road from the campus," Darsch said.

Corey Smith of Knollwood Drive said he worried about impact on the neighborhood. "We've gone through two previous construction projects with Hopkins," including the APAC project and tennis courts, and the local impact in both cases went beyond what neighbors were led to believe, he said.

"What we found were many trucks ended up idling on Knollwood," with "heavy traffic in the mornings ... and it really creates a dangerous situation," Smith said. 

Erica Garcia-Young, who lives on Allston Avenue on the opposite side of Forest Road, said that a few years ago, "neighbors and I had to work with Hopkins because students were advised to park along Allston Avenue" during a previous project.

Lauren Hui of Oliver Road, also off Forest Road, said she also was concerned about trucks "using streets for idling or staging." She said she would like to see signs posted, stating, 'No construction traffic allowed along neighboring roads.'"

The area where the center would rise is now a lawn, known as Pratt Field, and temporary parking lot at the southern end of the campus quadrangle. It is just south of Thompson Hall on the campus, the application states.

The Gibbs Center is named after pioneering scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs, another Hopkins alumnus — Class of 1854 — whom Albert Einstein once hailed as “the greatest mind in American history,” according to the application.

The Georgian Revival facility would include a robotics design and competition studio — for a program that now serves more than 130 students — and a 2,500-square-foot research center for the school’s Hopkins Authentic Research Program in Science, known as HARPS.

It also would include computer science classrooms, an innovation and fabrication space for engineering, entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary projects, a digital media production studio, a learning center, flexible classrooms and a 360-degree immersive theater, according to the plans. 

The design was prepared by The S/L/A/M Collaborative of Glastonbury, Tighe & Bond, Salas O’Brien and Cavanaugh Tocci Associates Inc. Construction is anticipated to begin in March 2027 and be completed in August 2028. 

CT Construction Digest Wednesday July 15, 2026

New Haven poised to advance 200,000-square-foot Unilever lab as Downtown Crossing nears final

Mark Zaretsky

NEW HAVEN — City officials are preparing to move forward with a 200,000-square-foot laboratory and office building that would become the centerpiece of New Haven's growing life sciences and quantum technology hub while completing the final phase of the Downtown Crossing redevelopment project.

The proposed development at 2 Church St. would become the home of the previously announced Unilever Global Innovation Center. Backed by millions of dollars in state funding, the project is the third and final phase of Downtown Crossing, the city's long-running effort to replace the former Route 34 highway and reconnect downtown with the Hill neighborhood and medical district.

The project's development and land disposition agreements will go before the Board of Alders' Community Development Committee during a public hearing at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Board of Alders chamber at City Hall. If approved, the agreements will advance to the full Board of Alders for a vote.

“New Haven is one of fastest-growing hubs in the nation for the life sciences and quantum science, and the developments of 100 College Street, 101 College Street and 2 Church Street all demonstrate the growth of these industries in our city and underscore how New Haven is a center for cutting-edge research, development and innovation in these fields," said Mayor Justin Elicker.

"Importantly, as we grow, we are committed to growing inclusively — and, just like the other buildings, 2 Church Street and the companies housed there will provide new job opportunities for our residents and also generate new tax revenue for the city that helps pay for critical municipal services that support our residents," Elicker said. "It’s a really exciting time of economic growth and development for New Haven.”

Downtown Crossing was created to repair the damage caused by urban renewal and the construction of Route 34, which demolished the Oak Street neighborhood and divided the Hill from downtown. The 2 Church St. project represents the final phase of that effort.

For Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli, however, the project is about more than a single building. It's about growing efforts like QuantumCT and BioCT to put Connecticut — and New Haven — on the cutting edge of quantum technology and biotechnology.

Just as importantly, he said, "it reinforces and provides opportunities to connect New Haven residents to meaningful career opportunities at all levels." 

The state has committed about $37 million to support those broader efforts, with funding benefiting not only the city and development partner Winstanley Enterprises but also organizations including QuantumCT and BioCT, Piscitelli said.

QuantumCT is a public-private partnership that includes the University of Connecticut, Yale University, Southern Connecticut State University, ConnCORP, Connecticut Innovations and the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

The National Science Foundation announced Tuesday that QuantumCT will receive a two-year, $15 million award to support technology translation, workforce development and incubator operations. The award could grow to as much as $160 million over the next decade if the partnership demonstrates sufficient progress, according to the announcement.

The developer, 2 Church St. LLC, is a subsidiary of Winstanley Enterprises, according to documents submitted to the Board of Alders.

The building would rise on a vacant 1.8-acre parcel that is part of a 4.5-acre site originally owned by the state and later transferred to the city for economic development. The property is bounded by College Street, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Church Street and South Frontage Road.

The city previously transferred an adjacent 1.75-acre parcel to Winstanley for construction of the nearby 497,762-square-foot 101 College Street laboratory and office building.

The city and Winstanley have secured commitments for $34.7 million in state funding for the 2 Church St. project and related infrastructure improvements, including the Church Street Promenade across South Frontage Road — a key element in reconnecting downtown with the Hill neighborhood — and a pedestrian Arc Bridge that would extend the promenade.

"There's some time sensitivity here," Piscitelli said, citing global competition to develop quantum technologies.

The city hopes to transfer the property to Winstanley in 2027. After an estimated two-year construction period, the building is expected to open in 2029.

Gov. Ned Lamont and DECD awarded funding for the Quantum & Life Science Cluster in September 2025 to accelerate growth in industries including biotechnology, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and quantum technology.

According to the Board of Alders application, the New Haven initiative is intended to create jobs in the life sciences and quantum technology sectors while expanding opportunities for city residents. The project also includes a new public plaza, completion of roadway and tunnel improvements associated with Downtown Crossing, and space for business and institutional partners, including QuantumCT.

A city flyer says the project would create career pathways for New Haven residents through local hiring, internships, workforce partnerships and training programs in quantum technology and life sciences in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University, Gateway Community College, Albertus Magnus College and QuantumCT.

The project also calls for expanded STEM opportunities for students, including an additional $200,000 for BioCity, support for the ACE mentoring program at Hillhouse High School and guaranteed program admission for qualifying students from the Hill, Downtown and Dwight neighborhoods.

Renderings unveiled for Stonington technology park

Kimberly Drelich

Stonington — READCO has unveiled preliminary renderings for a proposed technology park on Route 2 just off Exit 92 of Interstate 95.

The first phase of the Stonington Technology Park calls for an 80,000-square-foot office building and 125,000-square-foot light manufacturing building.

The Old Lyme-based developer went before the Architectural Design Review Board on Monday and will incorporate the board's feedback into the renderings. READCO plans to return to the board in September to seek final approval.

The proposed four-story office building features a large conference area on the ground floor that allows for collaboration and presentation of ideas, Christen M. Robbins, the architect for the project and senior project manager at BL Companies, said Tuesday. The idea is that it is not just an office space, but a place to solve problems and research and develop in the technology realm.

A cafeteria within the building opens out into an outdoor patio and green space.

The office building entrances are adjacent to the light manufacturing building, so employees can move between the two buildings, as they do office and desktop work and manufacturing, she said.

The proposed manufacturing building is built into the grade and features a single story with a level below that is buried, Robbins said. It is designed for very light, not waste-generating manufacturing and has a smaller two-bay loading dock.

Both buildings incorporate various colors and textures of metal panel to provide better insulation, she said. Design features include banding and different column pillars to break up the facades, and each building entrance is designated in blue.

Overall, the buildings are designed to look high-tech and sleek, she explained, with green space and plantings on the campus so employees can walk around the site.

The proposed development features a loop road for trucks outside the buildings so pedestrian and smaller vehicular traffic remain separate and employees feel a level of safety and comfort to walk between the two buildings and go outside on their breaks, Robbins said.

READCO CEO Michael Lech said the adjacent Stonington Village residential development will have walking trails, and there is additional land adjacent to the technology park, so people will have different opportunities to get into nature.

Christen and Lech said the board was interested in the amenity spaces and creating a campus setting for the technology park and offered ideas about color and adding more vegetation in some areas.

"We enjoy the opportunity to engage with the architecture review board," said Lech. "They are talented architects themselves and offer insightful advice on appropriate fits of our project into the area."

Lech said groundwater protection is at the forefront of any development they are doing along Route 2, and the intent is also to make the building as sustainable as possible and potentially incorporate solar panels.

The next phase includes another 80,000-square-foot office building, farther back in the site, for which the developer would later seek approval from the Architectural Design Review Board, said Robbins.

READCO had initially proposed an 80,000-square-foot Stonington Technology Center farther south, but then decided to pursue a technology park to meet a high demand for technology space, Lech said last month. He said targeted prospective tenants are companies with high-tech jobs, such as computer programming and computer design.

Lech said residents will move into the adjacent Stonington Village on Aug. 1, as part of the first 72-unit phase of the overall approximately 275-unit housing development. A Stop & Shop supermarket and a McDonald's are next to the apartments.

Readco Holdings, LLC and Readco Hookset, LLC applied for a zoning map amendment to the Neighborhood Design District for the two office buildings and light manufacturing building. A public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 21 at the Stonington Board of Education District Office at 204 Mistuxet Ave. in Mystic. READCO would also need site plan approval for the project.

Hartford seeks tax break for 125-unit affordable housing project near cinema site

Greg Bordonaro

Hartford officials are seeking a long-term tax abatement agreement to support a proposed 125-unit affordable housing development on land that formerly served the Apple Xtreme Cinema in the city’s Parkville neighborhood.

The City Council on Monday referred the proposal to its Planning, Economic Development and Housing Committee after Mayor Arunan Arulampalam introduced the measure. The committee is expected to review the proposal later this month or in early August before sending it back to the full council for a final vote.

Specific financial terms of the deal were not immediately available, but the proposal would authorize the city to enter into a 15-year tax-fixing agreement, with two optional five-year renewals, for a $18.75 million development at 332 and 344 New Park Ave. The project, known as Edge 400, would include two mixed-use buildings with 125 affordable apartments, resident amenity space and ground-floor retail.

A 65,311-square-foot building at 332 New Park Ave. will contain 61 apartments affordable to households earning between 50% and 80% of the area median income, while the 70,678-square-foot building at 344 New Park Ave. will include 64 apartments affordable to households earning between 30% and 80% of AMI.

Construction is expected to be completed within two years of the project’s financial closing.

The project has been proposed by EG1 Owner LLC and EG3 Owner LLC. The limited liability companies are connected to Marc Daigle, principal and CEO of affordable housing developer Dakota Partners, state records show.

The two apartment buildings would be constructed on what is now a vacant parking lot that formerly served the Apple Xtreme Cinema, which closed earlier this year. The development is part of a plan to transform the broader movie theater site with more than 300 apartments, a reimagined entertainment venue and additional commercial uses.

New CT law clarifies property tax payments for solar arrays

 John Moritz

As large solar arrays have proliferated across Connecticut in the last decade, so have questions about how much tax revenue local governments can draw from the fields of panels.

For years, state law gave municipalities and their tax assessors the leeway to determine the value of solar panels and other equipment subject to personal property taxes. At the same time, developers could seek a variety of tax exemptions on their projects allowing them to drastically reduce — or in some cases eliminate — their local tax obligations.

Towns have faced challenges even with projects that don’t qualify for tax exemptions, because the value of solar panels tends to depreciate quickly. In some cases that’s left towns with budgetary holes to fill in the years following a project’s initial installation.

As a result, litigation has erupted in some towns over tax bills for solar projects. Fearing financial uncertainty, both developers and municipal leaders have negotiated deals to stabilize their tax payments and provide more predictability to both parties. They’ve also appealed to lawmakers for a long-term solution.

After several failed attempts to address the issue, lawmakers passed an omnibus energy bill during the 2025 legislative session that includes a new calculation for levying taxes on large solar arrays.

The law, which applies to commercial solar facilities that commence operation after July 1, 2026, creates a uniform tax of $10,000 a year for every megawatt of electricity the panels are capable of producing. For example, an averaged-sized facility with an installed capacity of 6 megawatts would pay $60,000 in annual taxes to the town in which it is located.

The uniform capacity tax, as it’s known, only applies to large, ground-mounted solar arrays with an output of over 1 megawatt. (Most residential rooftop systems, for example, are between 5 and 10 kilowatts in size and are exempt from property taxes.)

The author of the policy was state Rep. Jamie Foster, D-Ellington, whose district in the Connecticut River Valley is home to several of the state’s largest solar arrays.

Under the new system, Foster said that most commercial solar developers will no longer be eligible for broad exemptions from local property taxes (including those for distributed energy systems). But when taxes are easier to calculate, she said, it’s simpler for developers to project future costs and secure financing for their projects.

It’s not that commercial developers are all trying to avoid paying local taxes, Foster said. They just want to know exactly what their tax liability will be, so they’re not surprised after the fact, she said.

 

The uniform capacity tax applies for 20 years, during which time solar developers will be exempt from paying personal property taxes on the equipment. The land underneath the array is still subject to local real estate taxes.

The law exempts arrays built on state-owned land, brownfields, landfills, solar canopies or systems that are designed to power certain critical facilities such as a hospital or police station.

Despite widespread support for a more uniform tax structure, talks in the legislature stalled for years as developers and local officials debated the exact tax rate commercial solar projects should face.

In 2021, state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, introduced legislation proposing a flat, $5,000-per-megawatt tax on commercial solar arrays. While Rhode Island already had a similar law charging the same rate for solar facilities, Osten said the idea failed to gain traction in Connecticut.

“I don’t think people understood the concept of it, and nobody had had the experience,” Osten said. “I think it took a long time to get people’s interest on it.”

The following year, lawmakers tucked language into a broader energy bill requiring the Office of Policy and Management to conduct a study of taxes that are applicable to commercial solar projects. That report, released in 2023, highlighted the number of legal disputes over tax exemptions and called for a more “clear and consistent framework.”

Over the next several years, Foster said negotiations over setting a flat tax ranged from the initial $5,000-per-megawatt proposal to some as high as $13,000-per-megawatt. By 2025, the two sides were able to meet at around $10,000, according to multiple people involved in the discussions.

“I think it was really tied to figuring out what that number should be that created the delay,” said Will Herschel, chief executive at West Hartford solar developer Verogy.

The idea gained the support of East Windsor First Selectman Jason Bowsza, whose town is home to the largest concentration of commercial solar arrays in Connecticut, with seven facilities either active or under development.

Bowsza said the town was able to negotiate a tax stabilization agreement with one developer; another developer agreement was worked out via court settlement. Bowsza said five other projects qualified for exemptions allowing them to pay no property taxes.

Earlier this year, Bowsza and other local officials successfully lobbied lawmakers to pass a moratorium on new solar development in East Windsor and neighboring Enfield due to frustrations over the amount of land being turned over to developers, in addition to the loss of revenue from tax-exempt projects.

But for other towns that are just starting to field interest from solar developers, having a standard tax rate will make it easier for local officials to determine whether or not a specific project is in the best interest of the town — and its finances — Bowsza said.

It’ll be easier to compare the revenue a town currently receives from a given property against what it would receive if solar were installed there, Bowsza said. “They can then decide based on looking at those numbers whether or not they want to contest an application.”

During the 2026 legislative session, before the new tax went into effect, lawmakers made a last-minute fix to it. A drafting error in the original legislation had exempted some existing projects from having to pay personal property taxes.

Foster said the inadvertent exemption applied to around six projects. The fix, which was included H.B. 5442, subjected those projects to the uniform capacity tax starting in 2026 and lasting for 19 years — as opposed to 20 for those projects that commence operations this year.