Groundbreaking for Stanton Elementary held June 10, the first of Norwich's new schools
The Norwich elementary school project is officially
underway.
Norwich Public Schools gathered a group of local leaders and
construction contractors for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Stanton
Elementary School, the first of the new Norwich schools to begin construction.
Work is expected to finish by Fall 2026.
The ceremony stated with a group of fifth graders leading
the Pledge of Allegiance, then speeches, followed by the ceremonial turning of
the dirt.
The new schools were approved
at referendum by voters in 2022. The entire project, which includes
building four new elementary schools to replace the current ones, remodeling
Teacher’s Memorial Global Magnet Middle School, and converting Huntington
Elementary into offices, was approved for $385 million.
“I want to thank the taxpayers, because without them, we are
not standing here today,” Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom said during the ceremony.
Thanks to the advocacy of local legislators, including State
Senator Cathy Osten and State Rep. Derell Wilson, who were in attendance, the
state expanded its 80% reimbursement to four of the schools, School Building
Committee Chair and Norwich City Councilmember Mark Bettencourt said.
“That’s a huge amount of (savings) to the City of Norwich,”
he said.
Getting that funding was vital because Norwich is a
distressed municipality, so families deserve quality education facilities
without out-pricing the families in the community, Osten said.
“What we are providing here is a good place, a comfortable
place, and an environmentally sound place for the young people to be and (the
staff) to work in,” she said.
Groundbreaking personal for NPS Superintendent
The groundbreaking was personal for the Norwich Public
Schools Superintendent Susan Lessard, as she was Stanton’s principal for seven
years before she was named acting superintendent in 2023.
“This is like my home,” she said.
Because Stanton is like home for Lessard, she knows where
all the leaks are, when the building needs new tiles, and that the school is so
overcrowded that some staff worked with students in the hallway, and the
library space has been turned into a classroom, she said.
It was also personal for Wilson, as his three triplet
siblings went to Stanton. The school always had a family feeling, so Wilson
hopes the new school will retain that feeling, just on a larger scale, he said.
“The next phase I’m looking forward to is that final beam
going up,” he said.
Two warehouses, totaling 881,500 sq. ft., proposed in Windsor Locks
Indianapolis-based developer Scannell Properties is
proposing two new warehouses, totaling 881,500 square feet in Windsor
Locks.
Scannell is seeking a special permit and site review for the
project, at the corner of Old County Road and Route 20, on 76 acres owned by
tobacco company OJ Thrall. Architecture and engineering firm BL Companies
submitted an application, dated May 6, on behalf of Scannell.
The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission, on Monday, agreed
to table the proposal as Scannell works through an approval with the town's
water pollution control authority, said Justin LaFountain, senior vice
president of planning and economic development with land-use and development
consultant Goman + York.
LaFountain is filling the town planner role in Windsor
Locks.
In a statement released to the Hartford Business Journal,
Scannell Director of Development Daniel Madrigal asserted Monday’s hearing was
a chance to demonstrate positive changes to the company’s development plans,
which were prompted by input from residents and local officials.
“We have shaped our plans to transform this underutilized
property along Route 20 into a high-end industrial warehouse center that will
diversify the Windsor Locks tax base, provide significant tax revenue and jobs,
harmonize with the surrounding area through its size, scale, traffic and sound
mitigation, environmental protection and stormwater management measures,
respect area neighbors and protect the Waterworks Brook Conservation Area,”
Madrigal said.
In its application, Scannell proposed to launch construction
next year, starting with road and utility infrastructure, followed by a
387,500-square-foot warehouse, according to the application. As the first
building nears or reaches completion, Scannell would launch construction of a
494,000-square-foot warehouse.
The first warehouse would be completed and occupied in late
2026 or early 2027, according to the application. The entire project would be
completed over two to three years, according to the application.
A market feasibility and economic impact study of the
proposal by land-use services and advisory firm Goman + York estimates project
costs of $129.9 million.
The project would result in the equivalent of 153 jobs
during construction, then 110 warehouse jobs and 50 truck driving jobs,
according to the Goman + York analysis.
The town would realize $965,945 in permit fees, followed by
$2 million in annual personal property and real estate taxes, according to the
analysis.
$43M New Haven affordable housing renovation to proceed
Adevelopment partnership has announced a new $43 million
affordable housing acquisition and renovation in Brewery Square, in the Fair
Haven neighborhood of New Haven.
Community Preservation Partners and Beacon Communities will
collaborate on the purchase and upgrading of Brewery Square Apartments, a
two-building development with 104 units. The historic complex was originally
constructed in 1896 as the Quinnipiac Brewery Co., and then converted to
housing in the 1980s after being vacant for several decades.
It’s currently managed by Shoreline Partners and owned by a
subsidiary of the Massachusetts-based Cambridge Development Corp.
The renovation will transition 84 of the 104 units into the
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, with affordability levels ranging from
30% to 80% of the area median income, averaging just below 60%. The partnership
has been in negotiations with the city of New Haven over the terms of the tax
break for several months.
California-based CPP says the planned renovations will
invest $112,342 per unit in upgrades, including updated kitchens and bathrooms,
new windows, refinished floors, and the installation of advanced security
systems.
The site will also feature enhanced landscaping, cobblestone
walkways, and the adaptive reuse of the historic gatehouse into a secure indoor
bike storage area.
The developer says the renovations are expected to improve
the property’s energy performance by more than 15%.
The property’s existing federal Housing Assistance Payments
contract, currently set to expire in 2034, will be extended by an additional 20
years.
Financing partners include NewPoint as the construction and
permanent lender, KeyBank as the tax credit and EBL investor, Eversource as the
state historic tax credit investor, and JPMorgan Chase as the federal historic
tax credit investor.
The development includes two efficiency units, 41
one-bedroom units, 55 two-bedroom units, and six, three-bedroom units. CPP says
occupancy has consistently exceeded 95%, and residents have played a role in
shaping the planned improvements.
Beacon Communities also currently manages Ninth Square
Apartments, Edith Johnson Towers and Monterey Place in New Haven, and started
construction last year on The Atwater at Ninth Square, which is expected to be
completed in 2026.
CPP recently completed the Fairbank Apartments in Fair
Haven.
Wallingford YMCA on track to begin aquatic center expansion early next year
Christian Metzger
WALLINGFORD — The Wallingford YMCA has received approval
for renovation of its 26,900-square-foot west side
facility following a unanimous vote from the Planning and Zoning Commission on
Monday,
The Y is aiming to double the size of their existing
facility with a brand new aquatics center at their west side location at 8
North Turnpike Road. Primarily a gym facility, the addition will add a 17,500
square-foot space for a six-lane lap pool along with a lazy river exercise
channel and splashpad playscape.
The indoor features will be designed by Rain Drop Products,
which has designed pool features for Six Flags, Great Wolf Lodge, and others.
The project not just be an addition, but a complete interior
and exterior renovation of the building and its workout facilities. The old
facade of the building would be completely replaced and feature long glass
windows and a large YMCA Community mural. Meanwhile the interior would be
refitted to feature a large two-story reception area with a viewing area into
the pool wing, children’s adventure zone playscape, yoga studio, and universal locker room.
As part of the application put forward to the commission on
Monday, representatives from the Y revealed that they anticipate a 24-29%
increase in membership upon the completion of the aquatics center, amounting to
1,500 to 1,700 new members, which would bring in a small but noticeable
increase in traffic during peak hours from 70 to upwards of 90 vehicles.
The parking lot, currently a flat plane of asphalt, will be
completely reconfigured, only slightly reducing the number of parking spaces to
190 while adding in crosswalks and islands with planted trees to better direct
traffic in and out of the property.
“What his addition represents is, quite frankly, a complete
rebirth of the existing building at the west side line.” said Samuel, a
principal with Sargeant Lazarus & Sargeant Architects who is working on the
project, who noted the property’s long history as a commercial center, night
club, and fitness center in its past before coming into the hands of the Y,
with the building’s age showing through its facade.
“It has suffered through its history and some of the pieces
left from the original design - the marquees, elements like that- have suffered
over time. And what we’re proposing here is a rebirth of this facility, with
all new facades facing the street and the building itself will become a
prominent element that will proclaim the Y’s new aquatic center.”
According to Executive Director of the Y, Sean Doherty,
there is still around $3 million of the total to meet their $7 million project
goal, and while they’re still talking behind the scenes with donors and
legislators to secure more funding, he encouraged members of the public to
donate what they could to reach their goal - to limit the amount of financing
needed for the project.
The increased need in aquatics programming was what first
gave rise to the aquatics facility renovation proposed in 2024, as the east
side facility is unable to expand its pool any further and often have to go to
the nearby Choate Rosemary Hall to host their swim team and other activities.
With the new addition, it will meet the programming needs for all members and
age groups.
The current plan is for the project to go out to bid this
summer so that construction can commence in January or February of 2026. While
the construction is anticipated to take 12-15 months, Doherty said that they
will be trying to make the interior renovations as minimally disruptive to
their activities as possible, and hope to remain open every day throughout the
process.
“This is an exciting project for us,” said Doherty. “The
addition of these amenities will be much wanted and in demand from our
membership … it’s more recreational use for all ages and all abilities -
inclusive to all.”