NEW HAVEN — Tweed New Haven Regional Airport has filed
inland and tidal wetlands permit applications with the state Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection for the airport's proposed expansion,
including runway extension, a new eastside terminal and associated parking and
roads.
The filing by the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority and The
New HVN LLC, the subsidiary of Avports LLC that manages the airport, comes 16
months after the Federal Aviation Administration approved Tweed's plan, issuing
a "Finding
of No Significant Impact."
It was also met with continued
concern from some.
East Haven Mayor Joe Carfora said the town, home to part of
the airport and to the proposed new terminal, "continues to thoroughly
evaluate this application. Despite repeated requests of Avports and the
Tweed Authority to be consulted on this application, the town has not
been."
"From the outset of the (FAA) Environmental Assessment
process, the town engaged multiple experts to assess the proposed project and
its potential impacts, including all of the many environmental impacts,"
Carfora said. "Our environmental professionals have consistently indicated
that the project's effects would be significant and harmful unless key changes
are made to the scope of the project."
The expansion
first was announced on May 6, 2021 — at the same time that city
and Tweed officials, joined by Gov. Ned Lamont, announced that Avelo Airlines
would begin service to and from Tweed.
The only air service Tweed had at that time was 5-day-a-week
American Eagle service to Philadelphia, which it subsequently lost that
September, before Avelo, a low-priced start-up airline, began flying to and
from New Haven in November 2021.
The relatively short length of Tweed's runway and its small
terminal — along with road access that currently cuts through a largely
residential neighborhood in the Morris Cove section of New Haven's East Shore —
have long inhibited Tweed's efforts to grow.
Traffic issues rose up to cause serious issues at Tweed
during the holiday peak travel season in December — just as Breeze Airways
began service to and from Tweed alongside Avelo — creating traffic jams on the
way to and from the airport and delays going through security inside the
existing terminal.
"This submission is a major step forward in (Tweed's)
nearly century-long effort to unlock new opportunities for Southern Connecticut
through expanded air service and improved transportation infrastructure, while
delivering one of the most comprehensive environmental and flood resilience
plans ever undertaken for a regional airport in Connecticut," Tweed said
Wednesday in a news release.
The proposed expansion includes expanding Tweed's one
remaining runway from the current 5,600 feet to 6575 feet, construction of a
new 80,000-square-foot terminal on the East Haven side of the airport — which
straddles the New Haven-East Haven border — and infrastructure improvements.
The proposed runway extension project would lengthen the
runway by 639 feet to the south and 336 feet to the north, for a total of 975
feet in additional length.
The other infrastructure improvements include 4,000
additional parking spaces, new service roads to serve the terminal, which will
be built on what currently part of the area that once was used for Tweed's
former cross-wind runway, and new asphalt aircraft aprons.
The terminal would include four formal gates and a total of
six "boarding positions." The airport's new access road would come in
from Proto Drive, off Coe Avenue in East Haven. Vehicles come from Interstate
95 would approach the airport on Hemingway Avenue in East Haven.
Tweed filed the applications following completion of the
airport's 90 percent runway design review and a required 60 percent design
review for the proposed new terminal, which would replace the existing terminal
off Burr Street in New Haven, which was built for the Special Olympics World
Summer Games in 1995.
“This submission represents the culmination of years of hard
work, collaboration, and a deep commitment to environmental stewardship and
responsible growth,” said Jorge Roberts, CEO of Avports, which is owned by
Goldman Sachs. “We are proud to take this important step forward with a
plan that supports the needs of our growing region while carefully prioritizing
the protection of our natural resources.”
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker called the application
submission and the coming DEEP public review process "both important
milestones as we look to develop a new passenger terminal in an environmentally
responsible manner.”
Gov. Ned Lamont said of the applications, "The Tweed
New Haven Airport expansion project is an important piece of Connecticut’s
transportation and economic future. It's a growing regional asset with the
capacity to support high-quality air service, better competition, and real
convenience for travelers across Southern Connecticut. Such an expansion can
attract new carriers that meet the needs of our residents, businesses, and
visitors,” Lamont said.
East Haven and Connecticut Fund for the Environment have
appealed the FAA's finding of no significant impact.
The DEEP "has long been a trusted steward of
Connecticut’s natural resources. We expect the department will conduct a
thorough and impartial review of the significant environmental impacts
associated with this proposal," Carfora said. "The Town of East Haven
fully intends to participate in this process and to exercise all legal rights
and remedies under the state’s environmental and land use laws.”
CFE Senior Legal Director Roger Reynolds said the
organization has a copy of the DEEP applications but has not yet gone over them
in detail.
"I think all we can say at this point is we will be
looking at it and engaging," Reynolds said. "We also hope and expect
DEEP will do a more serious job of evaluating and addressing these issues than
the FAA did in its (Environmental Assessment.) Also, as you know, I expect East
Haven will be engaging in this as well."
The Tweed release states that "this historic
investment" in airport expansion will mitigate environmental impact
through a mitigation plan to address wetlands issues, flood resilience and air
quality.
The mitigation project would aim to offset the
"unavoidable impacts" to 9.31 acres of wetlands by enhancing 28.5
acres of tidal wetlands and creating 3.61 acres of new tidal salt marsh,
according to the release.
To improve hydrology, "tide gate operations will be
modified to enhance tidal exchange and salinity ... creating favorable
conditions for native vegetation," the release states.
With regard to birds that live and breed in the wetlands,
the plan includes a "grassland bird habitat mitigation plan" that
would permanently conserve 25 acres of land specifically to support wildlife,
protecting habitat for declining grassland bird species. It would include a
five-year monitoring plan, it states.
Tweed plans to hold six public community meetings between
June and November, with each focused on key topics like environmental quality,
economic development, quality of life, traffic and noise, the release says.
West Hartford nonprofit continues $100M expansion and redevelopment of its affordable housing campus
WEST HARTFORD — The ongoing
$100 million redevelopment and expansion of the West
Hartford Fellowship Housing campus is continuing, with the first of
the nonprofit's brand-new units ready to be occupied soon.
The Starkel Road property provides
critical housing to people 62 and older and adults with disabilities —
as evidenced by their long waiting list — but its buildings were also showing
their age and needed updates that bring residents modern amenities and
upgrades that make the building more accessible.
In the end, the nonprofit will bring dozens of more units
through the expansion, totaling
more than 300 affordable housing residences by the end of the
expansion.
"From design to construction, to housing our mission,
this project is a beacon of hope for our residents," Mark Garilli, its
chief executive officer, said in a statement. "We are working hard to
erase the stigma around the word ‘affordable’ and these buildings are a shining
example of what affordable housing could and should be."
The first phase of construction, which broke ground in
November 2023, is nearly finished — a grand opening is being planned for June.
Units are expected to be at least 50% larger than they currently are, with
washers and dryers added. Common spaces will also be improved for residences.
Phase two of the plan is expected to begin shortly after
that. The nonprofit is also eyeing its third phase, which will replace 77 of
its units. The nonprofit just received $2.1 million in low-income housing tax
credits at the most recent Connecticut Housing Finance Authority meeting, which
the nonprofit said equates to around $19 million in equity from private
investors.
In March, Garilli
told CT Insider about the need for this type of housing, particularly as
rent rises and some senior living facilities close their doors.
"Our average age is around 74," Garilli said.
"They're more independent. In the new development, affordability, safety
and security is top of mind for them and ease of mobility and opportunity to
stay with us throughout whatever challenges aging might come along with
them."
Amazon buys Enfield land for $20M, plans for new warehouse but timeline unclear
Amazon has completed the purchase of 200 acres of land
in Enfield for $20 million, with the company having
already aired plans to build a new distribution warehouse.
Amazon spokesperson Mike Murphy confirmed the purchase
Wednesday, saying only that "plans are in the early stages" without
providing a timeline for development at the 35 Bacon Road site.
"Amazon represents a major opportunity for job growth
and economic development," said Aaron Marcavitch, Enfield's director of
economic and community development on Wednesday. "We are glad they chose
Enfield and Connecticut and look forward to working effectively with them
through the permitting and development process."
Earlier in April, Amazon received
approval to build a huge warehouse on nearly 160 acres on the
Waterbury-Naugatuck line, with a projected employee base of 1,000 people. The
company has existing
fulfillment, sort and distribution centers in Cromwell, Manchester,
North Haven, Wallingford and Windsor.
A state tax conveyance document lists the Enfield purchase
price at $20 million. Amazon completed the transaction on April 22 with prior
owner Winstanley Enterprises, a Concord, Massachusetts-based developer that has
an office in Windsor.
Winstanley Enterprises bought the Bacon Road parcel in 2016,
and released a conceptual plan for a warehouse totaling as much as 815,000
square feet of space, which was approved by the Enfield Planning & Zoning
Commission. The project triggered litigation by local opponents but that was
later settled.
Winstanley owns a warehouse next door at 25 Bacon Road
totaling more than a million square feet, which it leases to packaging vendors
Plastipak and Veritiv; and to DSM-Firmenich subsidiary i-Health based
in Shelton, which sells Culturelle and other probiotics products.
Amazon is slated to release its first-quarter results on
Thursday afternoon. Profits totaled $59.2 billion in 2024, as revenue rose 11%
from a year earlier to $638 billion.
The company has been working to expand its warehouse count
to get more products closer to customers, and to include more items in a single
package from any one order in an effort to trim costs. With Amazon already
using robotics in Connecticut warehouses for tasks such as transporting bins of
products to stations for packaging in advance of shipment, the company has been
piloting the use of a more automation at a warehouse in Shreveport, Louisiana.
"We are very, very encouraged by what we're seeing
there," said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, speaking in early February on a
conference call. "We have plans now to start to expand that and roll that
out to a number of other facilities in the network — some of which will be our
new facilities and others of which we'll retrofit existing facilities to be
able to use those same robotics innovations."
Stoneridge in Mystic plans $40 million expansion
Lee Howard
Mystic — The StoneRidge retirement community has announced
plans for a $40 million addition to its 32-acre campus that will include a new
wing with 72 apartments attached to its existing buildings.
StoneRidge Senior Living Community officials said Monday
that plans still need to be approved by the Stonington Planning & Zoning
Commission, but they are hoping to break ground for the project next spring and
be finished within three years. The project, which would involve 14 new
assisted living apartments and 54 independent units, would also include
improvements to its dining area and amenities such as a woodworking shop that
some of its current 350-plus residents have requested, they added.
The new wing will include 143,000 square feet of common
space that will include a dining area, maker space, multipurpose room and a
"wellness hub" with cardio and weightlifting equipment. Fourteen
assisted living apartments will be at ground level, with independent living
apartments on the second, third and fourth floors. Preliminary drawings show
the new wing located between existing structures and the memory care unit,
auditorium and the Avalon Health Care Center.
"It will accommodate our residents, especially as they
age," said Executive Director Pamela Klapproth. "This will fulfill
what residents have been asking for."
The new wing will be the final phase of the retirement
community project. Opened as a continuing-care community in 2004, it offered a
range of options for residents as they age including assisted living, memory
care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. It is now known under the newly
adopted industry term of Life Plan community to emphasize the active lifestyle
many residents engage in as they age in one place.
In an April 23 press release, StoneRidge said the
20-year-old facility is at capacity with a growing waitlist for its 322 units.
Last month, U.S. News & World Report recognized StoneRidge with the
2025-2026 Best Independent Living and Best Continuing Care Retirement Community
awards, and StoneRidge Senior Living also has been honored as tops in customer
satisfaction by the rating firm JD Power.
StoneRidge is well known for hosting a wide variety of
programs while transporting its residents to local shopping areas, doctor
appointments and theaters. The community annually hosts a biography project at
Pine Point School in which students interview residents about their lives.
"Our residents appreciate the quality of life here and
the long-term security of a Life Plan community," Klapproth said in a
release. "The lifestyle offered allows them to focus on what’s important
to them, whether it's volunteerism or education, fitness or woodworking, they
can participate with their neighbors and forge new friendships."
StoneRidge said SB&A Architects of Ames, Iowa, has been
hired to do the building design work. The construction firm has not yet been
named.
The new assisted living apartments fulfill StoneRidge's
master plan of having a dedicated area for seniors needing more assistance with
day-to-day tasks, officials said. They added that over the years, StoneRidge
has changed as seniors' preferences have evolved, such as now being more likely
to want two meals a day from dining services as opposed to only one in the
early years.
Klapproth said she expects to hire an additional five to 10
staff members, mostly in housekeeping and dining, when the new wing is
completed. StoneRidge currently employs about 220 full- and part-time
personnel.
Marketing director Jamie Cornell said in a phone interview
that StoneRidge is already taking applications for the new apartments and can
take prospective residents on tours of the campus. She can be reached at (860)
572-5615.
"We're all excited for the project," Klapproth
said. "It's a great win-win."