CT Construction Digest Wednesday September 30, 2026

Colchester developer explores data center plan backed by 10-megwatt fuel cell facility

Joseph Villanova

COLCHESTER — A local developer wants to pair 10 megawatts of approved fuel cell power generation with a "sustainable" data center project on Old Amston Road.

Colchester-based ReNew Developers is seeking to build a pair of data centers on 17.15 acres along Old Amston Road, listed in the town's land records without an address but referred to by the developer as 42 Old Amston Road. Though detailed plans have not been filed, representatives told the town's Planning and Zoning Commission that one of the two data centers would be 20,000 square feet, with each building be supported by a 4.99-megawatt fuel cell facility.

Earlier this year, ReNew Developers, filing as CMMD LLC, approached Colchester for a "preliminary review" of a zone change application for 42 Old Amston Road. A master plan included with the developer's materials describes two "technology buildings" with associated fuel cell facilities, designated for two separate phases of construction, as well as two pads for carbon capture equipment. Each building would also have an associated "farm pad," intended for an attached hydroponics facility.

The Planning and Zoning Commission discussed the plan with ReNew Developers at a meeting on Sept. 16. Commission members asked questions and discussed the plan but took no action, as no formal application had been filed for the PZC to act on.

Harry Heller, an attorney representing the applicant, said at the meeting that the next application that the developer would file would be for the proposed zone change. If granted by the PZC, the developer would then fully engineer the project and return to the PZC with an application for a site plan approval.

John Matheson, president of ReNew Developers and principal of CMMD LLC, said at the meeting that the plan reflects a "bring-your-own-power" market focused on smaller facilities located closer to where they're needed for AI-powered products and services, rather than "hyperscale" facilities designed for training large language models that have proven controversial across the country.

Heller said he recognized it was "probably a bad time politically" to propose a data center, but stressed that the developer's plan is different in scale and impact to many others that have received national attention.

Matheson said he had previously approached the town about a much larger development on the site, as large as 250,000 square feet of floor space and 25 megawatts of fuel cell power generation.

"Since then, of course, look what's happened on the national scale," Matheson said. "The data center businesses at the hyperscale level ... has done, at that size, a terrible job coming into neighborhoods, taking prime farmland, plopping down, using power, using land, creating noise, not paying a fair tax bill."

The Connecticut Siting Council approved a petition for a 4.99-megawatt fuel cell facility for the site in October 2022, and a modified plan for a pair of facilities totaling just under 23 megawatts in November 2023. A June 2023 filing by ReNew Developers LLC states that it was negotiating a sale of the property for a planned data center development that would be built alongside the 4.99-megawatt facility, though the larger 18-megawatt facility would also be needed to "meet their prospective buyers' energy demand needs."

Matheson said after ReNew Developers secured approval for the fuel cells, Gray Wolf Data Centers approached the developer for a "sustainable" data center project, ultimately leading to the proposed master plan. He highlighted design elements including the carbon capture equipment, which would store 90% or more of carbon emissions for sale to various industries, as well as the hydroponics facilities that would use waste heat and unused power from the data centers for growing produce to be donated to local organizations.

The project's fuel cells would also keep it off the local grid, Heller said, with backup generators in place in the event of a power failure.

Heller said the facilities would use closed-loop liquid cooling systems, only replacing water that evaporates as a result of heat. Matheson said the fully built project would use 165,000 gallons of water a year, roughly comparable to the usage of a three-bedroom house.

"My kids went to Bacon (Academy), and they would shoot me if we did anything that wasn't sustainable that we do in other places," Matheson said.

Residents, officials advocate for rail line extension

Kimberly Drelich

New London — Expanding Shore Line East rail service to Westerly, adding a second train station in New London, and providing better accommodations for bicycles on trains were among the suggestions residents and officials offered Tuesday on the state's updated rail plan.

More than 65 people attended the state Department of Transportation's open house at the Public Library of New London on the long-range plan.

The updated plan, anticipated to be finished in the winter of 2027, "provides an overview of the existing rail systems, a vision and goals for future improvements, and near and long-term investment priorities for passenger and freight rail," according to the project website.

Westerly Rail Advocates group members voiced support for extending Shore Line East, a commuter rail line that runs from New Haven to New London.

Doug Brockway, the chairman of Westerly's Economic Development Commission and a Westerly Rail Advocates member, said he supports raising the platforms at the Westerly station and doubling the five Amtrak trains that stop daily in Westerly and extending commuter rail there and farther in Rhode Island.

He said the commuter rail extension would help the many Westerly residents who commute to Electric Boat in Groton, New London or Quonset Point to save money and have a less stressful commute, while Electric Boat also would not have to build parking lots.

He pointed out that other companies are struggling to hire in the face of competition from Electric Boat and need the mass transit to help fill jobs and hire from areas such as New London and Providence. He said a small manufacturer in Westerly recently told him that if there were reliable commuter rail, it would adjust shift schedules to match commuter rail schedules.

Vincent Kubicsko of Westerly, who works at Electric Boat's Groton shipyard, said more employees would be open to taking the trains if the frequency improved and matched EB's schedules. He said he'd like to see a Groton station with bike parking at the station and at EB.

A second New London station?

Alex Berardo, a rail advocate and planner who is the vice chair of the Rhode Island Association of Railroad Passengers and a member of Westerly Rail Advocates as well as the Shore Line East Riders Advocacy Group, said he is advocating for opportunities for near-term Shore Line East extensions to Westerly through Mystic, as well as increased service on the existing route.

He said in a recent phone interview that he also is in favor of a Groton station and is proposing the state add a second New London train station, in addition to Union Station, that he said would capture the "single largest pocket of untapped ridership potential on the Shore Line East route."

Berardo said the proposed station — potentially along the tracks adjacent to Crescent Street and Pequot Avenue — would be within walking distance of Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and Electric Boat's engineering office and make taking the train a compelling alternative to get to work. He calculates that about 6,000 jobs are located within a quarter-mile radius and almost 4,000 residents live within a half-mile radius.

Berardo said the proposed pedestrian-oriented station would not need a large parking lot.

New London Mayor Michael Passero said the proposed station is just for pedestrians so it wouldn't disturb Calkins Park or Green Harbor Park.

"It would open up being able to bring employees to New London, whether it's for the healthcare system or for EB from all along the shoreline," he said. "It's just a win-win for everyone."

City of Groton Mayor Jill Rusk said she'd love to see Shore Line East extended with a stop in Groton and Mystic and then into Westerly, which would help the many EB employees who commute from both directions as well as residents who love to travel within the region. She said with the Gold Star Memorial Bridge construction project, now is the perfect time to expand commuter rail.

Joshua Caskey, a Connecticut College senior, said he'd like to see improved bus frequency and Shore Line East service and improvements to make it safer for people to walk in the region.

"I think in Connecticut we often forget about transit riders and people who don't own cars," said Caskey, explaining that in New London, over 10% of residents don't own a car.

Karen Pham and her partner, Peter Henry, of Norwich said that the aging demographics in the region has made them think about what options are available as people get older and might not be as comfortable driving.

State Rep. Dan Gaiewski, D-40th District, said with Electric Boat's growth in southeastern Connecticut, it's important to look at rail as an option for transporting the workforce to alleviate the congestion on local roads, as well as looking at expanding bus transportation from the train station.

State Rep. Aundré Bumgardner, D-41st District, also supported extending Shore Line East service to Mystic and Westerly, adding the state could also explore new stations in Stonington Borough and Groton, which were suggested in a state feasibility study a few years ago.

The state's rail plan identifies potential projects "that enhance rail service and provide public benefit" and helps "helps Connecticut secure and direct federal funding and allows Connecticut to allocate local matching funds to maximize rail investments in the state," according to the DOT.

According to DOT data, ridership on rail in Connecticut is increasing, including ridership on Shore Line East which increased from 193,400 riders in Fiscal Year 2024 to 246,600 in Fiscal Year 2025.

At the same time the state is updating its rail plan, Amtrak also is undertaking a New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study.

More information on the state's plan is available at: https://portal.ct.gov/SRP?language=en_US

The DOT is asking people to submit comments by Oct. 13. Details on how to submit comments are available at: https://portal.ct.gov/dot/programs/connecticut-state-rail-plan/project-updates-and-public-meetings?language=en_US

CT Construction Digest Monday September 28, 2026

Infrastructure contractors dodged a funding cliff, but another looms on Dec. 11

Sebastian Obando

Congress bought infrastructure contractors more time, but it didn’t buy them much certainty.

Lawmakers extended federal surface transportation programs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act through Dec. 11, averting a Sept. 30 expiration that had many construction firms on edge. The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, signed by President Donald Trump on Sept. 2, enacted the short-term extension.

The funds are key for the construction industry, especially since infrastructure work remains one of the few reliable sources of construction activity outside data center projects.

But the roughly 10-week reprieve falls well short of the multiyear funding certainty contractors hoped for, according to construction trade associations. Some state transportation departments had already begun scaling back on bid openings earlier this summer, said Alex Etchen, vice president of construction advocacy and risk management at the Associated General Contractors of America.

“One short-term extension, it’s not a long period of time,” Etchen told Construction Dive. “We heard from some of our chapters that their state DOTs were pulling back on lettings out of concerns of the IIJA expiring and having some doubts that Congress was going to be able to get a longer-term bill done in time.”

The price of the extension

In addition to a delay in lettings, the process where an agency solicits competitive bids, short-term extensions also can cause agencies to phase projects into smaller pieces, said Michael Clark, partner at Smith Currie Oles, an Atlanta-headquartered law firm specializing in construction.

“When that happens, costs increase,” Clark told Construction Dive. “From a legal perspective, contract clauses that are typically already in the contract documents, for instance involving contingencies, termination, suspension, conditional payment and delay or suspension are activated.”

Construction firms make workforce, equipment, bonding and subcontractor decisions well before a project reaches advertisement, said Josh Leonard, senior manager of legislative affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors. With a long-term agreement in place, state agencies have a clearer funding baseline for programming, and that visibility flows through the entire construction market, he said.

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“A multiyear authorization gives state transportation departments more visibility into federal funding and helps them maintain more predictable schedules,” Leonard told Construction Dive. “A roughly 10-week extension preserves the current framework but does not provide the same planning horizon.”

The extension also doesn’t cover all funding from the IIJA.

The money left behind

The IIJA used a unique funding structure, said Etchen. Historically, the Highway Trust Fund funds road and bridge work.

Various revenue streams feed into the HTF, including the gas tax, the diesel tax and the federal excise tax on heavy trucks, he said. For the last 20 years or so, Congress has done a general fund transfer into the HTF to ensure they’re meeting the needs of the system. The IIJA kept up those historic revenue streams, but also included what was called “advance appropriations,” said Etchen.

Congress, this time around however, did not include those advance appropriations in the extension, said Clark.

“It’s not a clean extension,” Clark told Construction Dive. “The deadline moved, but not all of the money moved with it.”

The omission has raised particular concern among precast producers that supply bridge construction projects, Nick Rhoad, CEO and president of the National Precast Concrete Association, told Construction Dive.

“Without congressional action, bridge funding will cease immediately, limiting states’ ability to plan, bid and begin new projects,” Rhoad said. “They have failed to provide the multiyear certainty states need to plan and deliver critical transportation projects.”

For example, the $1.2 trillion IIJA included $5.5 billion for the Bridge Formula Program, a federal initiative on bridge rehabilitation, said Rhoad. The absence of additional advance appropriations will affect contractors waiting for states to put new projects out to bid, he said.

“These projects take years to plan and bid, and without certainty that funding will be available, new work will come to a complete halt immediately,” Rhoad told Construction Dive. “We need to lock in surface transportation reauthorization for the long-term, not just extensions.”

The need for a long-term bill

The construction industry is now looking to BUILD America 250, the proposed multiyear surface transportation reauthorization.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the legislation 62 to 2 in May. Still, the House has yet to vote on it. The Senate, on the other hand, has not released its highway reauthorization proposal, Leonard said.

Etchen added the House Ways and Means Committee also needs to provide the tax title for the bill before it moves to the full House floor for a vote.

Paying for it could be another headwind, said Clark.

BUILD America 250 attempts to address that problem with a fee on electric and hybrid vehicles, Etchen said. The measure would provide the first new revenue stream into the HTF in 30 years, he added.

“Ultimately we would have preferred that they get a long-term bill complete, but we are appreciative that they did pass a short-term extension to keep that funding going until December 11,” Etchen told Construction Dive. “We’re hopeful that they can get this wrapped up in the lame-duck session of Congress.”

Waterbury seeks $25M to fix aging water system after major outages

Michael Walsh

WATERBURY — City leaders are asking the Board of Aldermen to approve a $25 million capital appropriation and bond authorization to improve Waterbury’s water system after water main breaks in December and July left thousands of residents without water for days.

Ramon Esponda, who became the city’s new water superintendent over the summer, said this request is just “a drop in the bucket” in terms of what Waterbury will need to spend to completely rectify problems plaguing the water system. But it’s a start, he said.

“The system needs a lot of work,” he said. “There’s a lot of issues that need to be addressed. It’s my problem now and I’ll fix it as best as I can.”

A key piece of this ask, he said, is replacing three “major” valves that contributed to residents in parts of the city losing water during those water main breaks.

“These valves are broken,” Esponda said. “If I have a break in these lines, I’m stuck. I can't get water to certain places. If these valves are in place, I’m able to change the direction of water, isolate breaks and keep larger portions of the city with water.”

Esponda also wants to enhance lines used by the fire department in emergencies.

“We have a lot of lines that are very limited in their capacity,” he said. “They require a lot of cleaning and lining. We’re planning to do probably nine miles of cleaning and lining, over multiple years, phase by phase, to get it done.”

He also wants to replace fire hydrants that he said aren’t up to standards, a process that also would include surveying the city’s hydrants, of which there are around 5,000.

Esponda said another $8 million project would replace a water tank that currently has a hole in it, limiting its effectiveness.

“There’s a ton of work to be done here,” Esponda said. “I want to put the plans in place and put the projects in order. It’s about making tomorrow better.”

The Board of Aldermen held a public hearing on the bonding, but delayed a vote on it. Only one resident spoke during the public hearing.

“We cannot have half the city out of water every three months,” said resident Paul Kondash. “We’ve known for 40 years that these water pipes and the water supply system of our city was not getting any younger.”

Earlier this year, the Board of Aldermen approved a hike of the water usage rate from $2.65 to $3.50 per centum cubic feet. The board also approved a service charge rate for large commercial uses, increasing it from $12 to $120.

The city has also targeted another $32 million towards repairs, including new high service pumps and mixers at the water treatment plant, new lining on Thomaston Avenue pipes and installing new pumps in parts of the city.

Plans for Unilever’s New Haven innovation center detail $34.7M in state infrastructure support

Greg Bordonaro

Plans for Unilever’s $270 million innovation center in New Haven call for a nearly 253,000-square-foot building and $34.7 million in state funding for public infrastructure, including tunnels and plazas connecting the site to neighboring developments.

The City Plan Commission is scheduled to review the project and hold a related public hearing Sept. 29.

The four-story laboratory and office building would rise at 2 Church St., on a roughly 1.8-acre site between 101 College St. and the Church Street Bridge. It would be the third development in Downtown Crossing, an effort to reconnect New Haven’s Hill neighborhood and medical district with downtown on land once occupied by the Route 34 highway corridor.

The city currently owns the site, which would be sold to WE 2 Church Street LLC, a company controlled by Massachusetts-based Winstanley Enterprises. Winstanley would develop the building, adding to the two major life sciences properties it built at 100 and 101 College St.

Unilever would be the building’s primary tenant. The consumer goods company said in May that it planned to occupy about 100,000 square feet on two floors and expected roughly 300 employees to work at the center. The facility would replace Unilever’s longtime research and development operation in Trumbull.

The plans put the entire building at 252,892 square feet, including its lower level, parking garage and mechanical space. For zoning purposes, its floor area would be 177,022 square feet.

The building also would be designed to accommodate a quantum science organization, potentially QuantumCT, according to the site plan narrative. The filing does not identify a committed occupant for that space.

The development is part of New Haven’s Quantum and Life Sciences Innovation Cluster, which was awarded $50.5 million in state support in 2025 through Connecticut’s Innovation Clusters Program. The state said the funding would support infrastructure, research facilities and other projects intended to grow the city’s life sciences and quantum technology industries.

According to the site plan narrative, the $34.7 million infrastructure grant would help pay for service tunnels linking the building to the existing tunnel network beneath 101 and 100 College St. It also would support sidewalks, stormwater systems, improvements to surrounding streets and two public plazas.

The larger plaza, at 13,089 square feet, would adjoin the existing plaza at 101 College St. Together, the spaces are intended to provide a pedestrian connection between the Hill neighborhood and downtown. Plans show seating, bicycle parking, space for events and a spot for a food truck.

The building would have a 35-space underground garage. Under a proposed agreement with the New Haven Parking Authority, up to 400 parking permits would be available at the Temple Medical Garage for building workers and guests.

New Haven’s Board of Alders approved a land disposition agreement for the project Sept. 8. Unilever said in May that it expected the center to open in spring 2029.

CT residents are taking on a $100M project. It’s a fight against a town’s biggest taxpayer.

Don Stacom

Opponents of AI data centers in Trumbull initially cheered when the town passed a moratorium earlier this month, but they’ve now gone into fundraising mode to try to block an existing center that wants to expand operations.

At the same time, First Selectwoman Vicki Tesoro has been assuring residents that the change wouldn’t create the massive power and water usage associated with modern jumbo data centers. Instead, it would generate additional revenue from Trumbull’s biggest taxpayer, officials said.

“I told the applicant directly: no increase in electrical draw beyond existing site capacity, no increase in noise, no increase in water use, no expansion of the building’s footprint. They have agreed to all four,” Tesoro told the town in a recent memo.

But opponents are still concerned that vastly expanding operations at the existing 80 Merritt Blvd. data center would jeopardize the immediate neighborhood and possibly other parts of town.

Congress moves to shield consumers from AI data center power bills

After officials agreed to a two-year moratorium against new data centers, the resident who had been promoting an online petition to get more information about them announced it is time to switch gears.

“While we should celebrate that our efforts thus far resulted in a two-year moratorium on new AI data centers, we are disappointed that the moratorium was passed without an amendment that would address the many concerns we have about 80 Merritt Blvd., which is unaffected by the moratorium,” Sarah Beck wrote in an update to her initial change.org petition.

“We will continue to fight to make sure the public heath, environment, utilities, and costs related to the AI data center currently under construction at 80 Merritt Blvd. are not ignored,” she wrote.

Opponents must now petition the Planning and Zoning Commission to amend its regulations by defining the term “data center” and by allowing a moratorium that would also encompass the 80 Merritt expansion, she wrote.

“This proposal requires a $520 fee. We asked the town for a waiver on this, but it was not granted. Therefore, we are asking for the community to pitch in $5 each,” according to her petition update.

The owners of 80 Merritt this month have been giving tours of the facility to explain what they’re doing.

The three-building campus has been a data center serving financial institutions for decades, but would undergo an extensive modernization.

AI data centers use far more power and water than older, traditional ones, and opponents in Trumbull are concerned about that possibility along with the risk of noisier operations.

Shinsuke Tanaka, a UConn assistant professor of agricultural and resource economics in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and an expert on health and environmental economics, has said data centers can contribute to increased air pollution.

“The biggest issue is that data centers use a lot of energy,” Tanaka has said. “Currently, fossil fuels are still used as a major energy source, and they emit pollution as electricity is generated.”

“Air pollution has a huge impact on human health,” he has said. “There are a lot of studies on this topic. The data centers are just increasing and expanding and the trajectory is skyrocketing, and the concern about air pollution is not just local, but it’s regional.”

A new property owner, Aphorio Carter, intends to lease the modernized center to Norwalk-based 365 Data Centers. Tesoro has said the plan would be lucrative for the town, because Aphorio will put more than $100 million into the project.

“This will mean real, reliable revenue for our community,” Tesoro said. “This is expected to generate significant annual property tax revenue for the town, and that revenue will continue to grow over time. No local tax abatement or local incentive package is being requested by Aphorio Carter.”

The campus was most recently assessed at $81 million. Digital Realty sold it to AC Trumbull LLC,  a unit of Aphorio Carter, two years ago. With retail values declining, the campus recently overtook the Trumbull Mall as the town’s top taxpayers.

Opponents contend that too many discussions about the modernization have been done in private, with details reaching the public after decisions have been made.

They noted that one the property’s three buildings was demolished this summer with no apparent public discussion by selectmen.

Developer unveils final 214-unit phase of Bloomfield town center apartment project

Andrew Larson

Developer Paul Butler has unveiled plans for the final 214-unit phase of his Bloomfield town center apartment development, which will include about $4 million in public improvements.

Butler presented the plans to the Town Plan and Zoning Commission Thursday night.

He said he expects to file a formal site plan application in late winter and aims to begin construction in the spring.

The project site is at the corner of Bloomfield Avenue and Gabb Road. Butler said the building would be set back from the intersection to create a small park. The building would appear to be three stories tall at the corner, with the first floor below grade because of the site’s elevation.

The design would incorporate stone and wood elements, Butler said.

Much of his presentation focused on improvements beyond the project’s property lines.

He said the town has asked him to build a raised crosswalk on Gabb Road at a cost of about $250,000. The crosswalk would be part of a broader traffic-calming project for which Butler said the state awarded Bloomfield $913,000.

Butler also said Eversource has agreed, after three and a half years of negotiations, to a 200-year lease that would allow him to build a public dog park and public parking on a utility-owned parcel across Bloomfield Avenue.

Butler said the owner of the apartment building would be responsible for maintaining the dog park under a contract with the town. Also, he said 20 of the parking spaces on the parcel would be set aside for Bloomfield residents, in addition to the parking required for the apartments.

To help make the project work financially, Butler said he is seeking a tax agreement from the Town Council. He is working with Goman & York, the town’s economic development consultant, on the financing.

Butler told the commission he plans to include workforce housing or pay a fee instead. His current plans designate about 12% of the units as workforce housing.

Planning and Zoning Director Jon Colman said town staff supports the proposal, citing Butler’s willingness to fund the Gabb Road improvements and public amenities.

Butler has been developing the town center in phases under a master plan that called for 407 apartments along Bloomfield and Jerome avenues and Jerome Way.

The first phase, Heirloom Flats, is a 215-unit complex that leased up within a year and sold for $61 million in early 2019. A $9 million, 42-unit building on Bloomfield Avenue followed, and the third phase called for 129 market-rate apartments on Jerome Avenue.

Butler first proposed the fourth phase in 2020.

CT Construction Digest Thursday September 24, 2026

New Haven Union Station could look very different. Here’s what’s planned

Brianna Gurciullo

Two separate projects planned for New Haven Union Station stir passengers to imagine a completely different experience entering the station, making their way to the platforms and waiting for their train.

Past the station’s front doors will be a revamped atrium that has a bar and café in the center and a winding staircase leading to another bar on the mezzanine level. To fill the time before their train arrives, riders will have more than a dozen different retail and dining options to choose from within the station.

Then they’ll pass through an updated pedestrian tunnel as they head to an extended platform covered by a new canopy system.

But it will take some years for all those plans to come to fruition.

The interior renovations as well as exterior repairs to the station and its parking garage are expected to be completed by 2029. The overhaul of the platforms is expected to start that year, and it is unclear how long that construction work will take.

Meanwhile, there are also plans to build housing next to and across from the station in the coming years and to make improvements at New Haven’s other train station on State Street.

Here’s what we know about the different projects.

Interior, exterior upgrades

This week, state and local officials touted plans to make $15.7 million in interior improvements and $9.1 million in exterior repairs at Union Station, which first opened in 1920 and serves almost 4 million passengers annually today. Metro-North Railroad, Amtrak, Shore Line East and Hartford Line trains stop at the station.

The plans for the interior include the two bars, new retail and food service space, new flooring and ceiling tiles, expanded seating options, LED lighting, renovated restrooms and hallways, additional family restrooms, a new wellness room and upgraded utility connections.

The state is fully funding both the exterior repairs, which are already underway, and the interior work. Some exterior work and the first phase of interior work are expected to wrap up by the end of 2027. The second phase of interior work is expected to be finished in the latter half of 2028, and repairs to the parking garage should be done in 2029.

New platforms, canopies

The separate project involving the station’s platforms is estimated to cost more than $400 million, with the federal government funding a to-be-determined amount.

As part of the project, the current platforms will be replaced by longer ones, and the existing canopies will be replaced by a system that includes a central arched canopy, lower canopies on both ends and skylights. One platform will be taken out of service for construction at a time while the others continue to serve passengers.

The plans also include stair and elevator upgrades; rail, power and utility improvements; as well as waterproofing and “interior aesthetic improvements” to the pedestrian tunnel to the platforms, though some people have cried out against the potential aesthetic changes.

The project is still under design. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2029, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation has not yet provided an estimated completion date.

Around the station

In 2025, the state DOT selected a developer to build a complex with hundreds of apartments plus retail space and parking spaces where there is currently a parking lot next to Union Station’s parking garage. As of last year, DOT was projecting that the project would be completed in late 2031.

DOT also plans to transform a separate lot for rental cars and buses into a multistory parking garage with a bus depot on the ground level. The agency included the project in its most recent five-year capital plan.

Across Union Avenue, there are plans to build about 2,500 housing units and tens of thousands of square feet of commercial space as part of a project called Union Square. The first phase of the project will include more than 500 units.

What about the State Street Station?

DOT has two projects planned for the State Street Station that will cost an estimated $113 million combined. They include replacing the station’s island platform, replacing a vehicular bridge over the tracks with a pedestrian bridge and upgrading elevators and stairs, among other changes.

Construction on the bridge is expected to begin in spring 2027 and finish in summer 2028, while construction on the station is expected to start in spring 2029 and conclude in fall 2030.

Killingly continues review of two proposed warehouse projects 

Sara Bedigian

Killingly — The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission heard presentations from both developers looking to build warehouses at Putnam Pike and Westcott Road Monday night, before continuing the monthslong discussion on the proposed facilities to Oct. 19.

Putnam Pike developer Killingly 1 LLC, proposing two warehouses of 178,750 square feet and 297,500 square feet at 90 Putnam Pike, said it would implement an 8-foot-high and 250-foot-long sound barrier fencing to prevent noise from traveling.

This follows two warehouse sound studies on the construction and facility operations.

Project Engineer Kevin Solli said most of the louder construction and rock crushing will be done toward the back of the property to reduce the sound.

Acoustical engineer Marc Wallace said the results indicated adherence to all construction noise guidance criteria and state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection regulations.

“Even though we have demonstrated compliance with your regulations and noise ordinance, we will take another look to see if there is anything further we can do,” Killingly 1 attorney John Knuff said. “Even in those instances if you might hear it from a greater distance, the mere fact you can hear something, doesn't mean it exceeds the sound requirements.”

Commission member Keith Thurlow said the sound study was insufficient.

“It is more than hearing something, you are talking about an industrial facility with back-up alarms...” Thurlow said. “We look at it at from the point of view of the public, safety, health and welfare. You are looking at it technically; we are looking at it socially.”

Commission member Brian Card suggested extending the sound wall to the other side of the property to help with the noise.

Noise has been a common topic of concern among residents, as many have spoken about living in Killingly for its quiet, rural environment and continued to do so Monday.

“I would rather have sound from 50 decibels from tree frogs than from trucks,” resident and Councilwoman Ulla Tiik-Barclay said.

“It is going to be hell for us from the day they start construction (to) the rest of our lives,” added resident Rebecca Rainville.

Another concern was the sound and safety of truck traffic, with the possibility of hundreds of trucks going in and out of the facility each day. Solli reviewed a traffic study and truck turning measures at the commission’s August meeting.

The development has been discussed for months by Planning and Zoning Commission since the initial application was received at the end of last year but then withdrawn. A new application was filed this spring, and the commission has held several nights of public hearings since then.

Solli said the site is “topographically challenged” because of the increased elevation but the developers have been addressing comments from Tighe & Bond, which the town hired to review the plans. Solli said 94 of the 101 consultant's comments have been addressed.

Andrew White of Tighe & Bond said Monday the outstanding comments are related to the stormwater management, groundwater volume reduction, and fire marshal regulations.

White said noise regulations were met but the commission’s concerns about the sound study were valid.

It has still not announced what companies will be coming into the facilities.

Amazon warehouse

After the Putnam Pike developments took up the larger portion of Monday’s meeting, the developer of a proposed 1.3 million-square-foot Amazon distribution center on Westcott Road presented a portion of its new application to the commission.

Adam Winstanley, founder of Winstanley Enterprises, explained Monday he has contracts to buy the 25 properties that make up the site and is working closely with developer Ryan Companies and Amazon on the project.

Winstanley said he chose Amazon as the client for the warehouse over two other Fortune 500 companies because he knew from previous experience the company is flexible. 

“This is the best possible client I could have brought to this site,” he said. 

Ryan Companies Project Engineer Tim Onderko said the size of the building has been reduced by 58,000 square feet in addition to an 87,000-square-foot reduction in an earlier revision.

The new application said the building will be 1.3 million square feet with 290 acres of the 555-acre site designated for permanent conservation and protected space.

Onderko said Ryan has also reduced the parking area by 230 spaces. He also reviewed stormwater management, soil erosion and sediment control plans.

Traffic engineer Mark Vertucci said the facility will see about 334 truck trips per day, which equates to roughly 14 to 20 trips per hour.

He presented the results of the traffic analysis study, which suggests the additions of a westbound left turn lane onto Gauthier Avenue and eastbound left turn lane at the site driveway.

Traffic signals have also been proposed to be constructed at Knox Avenue and new signage to be placed at the Westcott Road and Interstate 395 off-ramp.

Parker Davis from Amazon’s development policy team reviewed the project benefits; including $2.6 million annual tax revenue and at least 500 full-time jobs.

Ryan resubmitted its application in July after being denied by the town's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission.

The Wetlands and Watercourses Commission will also continue hearing the application at its next meeting on Oct. 5.

Waterford proposes road project to ease future EB traffic

Jack Lakowsky

Waterford — First Selectman Rob Brule is asking the state Department of Transportation to give the town land so it can build a new road that would connect the former Crystal Mall, soon to house thousands of Electric Boat workers, to Parkway North.

Brule on Wednesday said the goal is to ease the traffic that could congest the area when EB eventually moves some of its growing workforce into the former mall.

Electric Boat plans to use the former retail hub, which it acquired last year, for offices and training. It said this will open up more space for submarine manufacturing at its main facility in Groton.

Brule said the state once planned to use the land to extend Route 11, which never made it past Salem.

"The main piece of this idea (is to) give people another entrance and exit to the mall," Brule said.

DOT spokesperson Eva Zymaris said this week the agency has "received the request from the town, and an internal review is underway."

"No decision has been made," Zymaris said, adding the department will share its response when it completes its review.

Electric Boat on Wednesday said the company works closely with state, regional and local partners "to support sustainable community development."

The submarine maker, one of the region's top employers, said it continues to work with the town to address the future impact of its activity at the mall.

Brule in his letter to the state said a second entrance and exit would make Route 85 "safer and more convenient for both Electric Boat and travelers in this area."

Brule said DOT and other state agencies like the Department of Economic Development would probably have to fund the project if it went ahead.

"That would probably be the path," Brule said, "I don't know for sure. But they would absolutely need the town to own the road."

Brule in his letter also said the proposal provides an alternate path to I-95 north and south and to Cross Road, a busy commercial area.

Electric Boat has previously said it expects "significant employee occupancy" of the former mall by the middle of next year.

When EB's transformation of the property and building is complete, it will occupy 542,000 square feet of space on 42 acres of land along Route 85.

EB, which employs more than 24,000 workers in Groton, New London and North Kingstown, R.I., plans to move 4,000 to 5,000 current employees from Groton and new hires onto the property.

Dodd Stadium revamp tops $66.4M in state Community Investment Fund awards

Andrew Larson

A plan to turn Norwich’s Dodd Stadium into a year-round, multi-sport venue landed the largest award in the latest round of state Community Investment Fund grants.

The Community Investment Fund 2030 Board on Tuesday recommended $8.1 million for the stadium, part of $66.4 million approved for 27 projects in Round 9. The board voted without opposition.

The awards still need final approval. Gov. Ned Lamont will determine the funding mechanism for each project and recommend them to the state Bond Commission, according to Connecticut Sports Group.

The Norwich Community Development Corp. will administer the grant and partner with Norwich Stadium Co., a Connecticut Sports Group subsidiary that will operate the city-owned ballpark under a multi-year lease starting in 2027.

Connecticut Sports Group owns CT United FC, the MLS Next Pro team that signed on to play at Dodd after a plan for a Bridgeport stadium fell through, HBJ reported in May.

The ballpark, which opened in 1995, is home to the Norwich Sea Unicorns summer collegiate baseball team, which will stay after the soccer team arrives, according to the Norwich Bulletin.

The first phase of work will address drainage and field improvements, roof repairs, electrical and plumbing upgrades, and ADA and code compliance, according to Connecticut Sports Group. The project also includes a new synthetic turf field and upgraded premium and back-of-house spaces.

Later phases are expected to add capacity for larger sports events, concerts and festivals.

Round 9 drew 128 applications seeking $482 million, state Department of Economic and Community Development Deputy Commissioner Matthew Pugliese told the board in June. In Round 8, 118 eligible applications sought about $438 million in Round 8, when the board approved $62.9 million for 38 projects in March.

Ten of the Round 9 awards complete projects that were partially funded in earlier rounds, and six fully fund new projects, Pugliese told the board Tuesday.

Several projects that won awards in March received more money. The conversion of East Hartford’s 111 Founders Plaza office tower into apartments and the demolition of Stamford’s St. John Towers each received $3 million, on top of $6 million awards in Round 8. The University of New Haven received another $5 million for its Center for Innovation and Applied Technology in West Haven, and Meriden received $2.5 million for its One Stop Health and Human Services building, after $2 million in March.

Hartford-based projects received about $13.9 million, led by $4.3 million for Oak Hill’s 6,825-square-foot addition and renovation of its behavioral health and clinical specialty facility at 33 Coventry St.

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England received $3.5 million to convert 26,000 square feet of vacant space at State House Square into an experiential learning center, the first in New England. The center will host 8,000 to 10,000 students a year at no cost.

The iQuilt Partnership won $3 million for permanent Winterfest Hartford infrastructure in Bushnell Park, including a refrigerated rink slab. The Mark Twain House & Museum received $2.8 million for HVAC and roof work, and the Connecticut Historical Society received $250,000 for exhibition planning.

Nearby, Ben Bronz Academy received $2.5 million to renovate its new East Hartford campus, and Ädelbrook Behavioral and Developmental Services received $1.5 million to expand its Manchester school.

CitySeed received $6 million for a food business incubator in a former manufacturing building in New Haven. Norwalk’s three awards totaled $2.85 million, including $1.1 million to replace the storm-damaged Keeler Brook sewer pump station.

In Torrington, $900,000 will help convert a former mill at 245 East Elm St. into a grocery market, children’s recreation center and banquet hall.

Applications for Round 10 open Oct. 26 and are due Dec. 4, with board recommendations scheduled for March 9, 2027.

CT Construction Digest Tuesday September 22, 2026

Allen Street Flooding Fix Could Take Up to Four Years

Luke Fenney

NEW BRITAIN — City officials outlined the next steps in the proposed multimillion-dollar solution to replace the roughly 100-year-old storm and sewer pipes under Allen Street — an area known in colonial times as the “Great Swamp” — at City Hall Thursday night.

New Britain’s director of public works, Mark Moriarty, told residents, “what we’re really trying to do here is stop flooding and to stop sanitary sewer issues — that’s the crux of the project.”

Allen Street’s century-old 24-inch clay pipes lack the capacity to handle water, which has led to chronic flooding in the area. City officials said they plan on installing new 66-inch pipes in the area which could help decrease flooding.

Moriarty estimated the construction for the storm and sanitary sewer would take about two full construction seasons, and projected an overall timeline of three to four years.

Other work will include road reconstruction, water main replacement, as well as sidewalk and curb installation. Construction cannot begin until the city receives an authorization letter as well as a project review from the state Department of Transportation.

Moriarty said he expects that letter to come at the beginning of next year, but also acknowledged that the city will be in a “waiting game” for some of the final steps to begin construction.

“We’re just trying to get through a process which is pretty bureaucratic,” he said.

Audience members at the meeting included Allen Street residents, city officials, as well as Democratic State Rep. Dave DeFronzo.

While many residents said they appreciated the update, several expressed frustration and anxiety about the shifting timelines and how long they may be living with flooding before construction begins.

“We’re not questioning you in any way. We just want realistic numbers. So when people ask us what’s going on, we can give them reasonably realistic answers,” Frank Chase, an Allen Street resident, said.

Sharon Case, Frank’s wife, said the couple were “cracking up on flooding — and we lived in a houseboat.”

While Moriarty said he felt the project was in “good funding shape” he also described it as a complex project without many similar models for the city to follow.

“There’s not like similar projects out there that we can compare apples to apples to. That’s why we’re nervous about the cost,” he said.

The project has secured roughly $13 million through local, state and federal grants.

In May, Mayor Bobby Sanchez, announced an additional $5 million in state bonding support through a partnership involving New Britain’s legislative delegation, Gov. Ned Lamont and U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes on top of the initial $8 million in combined federal, state and transportation infrastructure funding that was already secured for the project.

The city has been meeting with its design consultant, Cardinal Engineers, every two weeks to discuss the project. Moriarty estimated that the full design plans will be ready for review by January.

There is also a scheduled meeting with all project utilities scheduled at 10 a.m. on Oct. 20.

Sanchez made the chronic flooding on Allen Street a top priority during his 2025 campaign for mayor. At the meeting, he promised to make sure that the project makes it over the finish line.

“When I focus on something, I focus on it. If it comes to a point where we can’t get some information from the state, I’ll be on that phone. Actually, it won’t be the phone – I’ll be going to Hartford personally to make sure we get what we need,” Sanchez said.

The city will host a similar meeting to update citizens on the progress of the project in December.

Montville officials again push for large commercial project near school

Jack Lawkowsky

Montville — The Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled Tuesday to consider a proposal by the town to lease a portion of the road that leads to Mohegan Elementary School to a commercial developer. 

State law requires the commission to review any transfer of property by the town and issue a report.

Mayor Leonard Bunnell is asking the commission to allow the town to lease a portion of PTA Lane in Uncasville to Dominic Carpionato, a Rhode Island-based commercial developer whose previous attempt to develop the land for a "large-format" operation voters defeated in July. 

In July, voters were asked to transfer the road to Carpionato. 

Bunnell is making the request without disclosing any details about the project Carpionato wants to build. The only information that has been released is that it will provide jobs and tax revenue with no specifics.

Bunnell, who could not be reached to comment Monday, asked the commission to make a decision Tuesday.

If the lease is approved, Carpionato would realign PTA Lane at his own expense. This will maintain two-way public access from Route 32 to the school, "with no change in location of access" to Route 32 and the school, Land Use Director Dennis Goderre wrote in a memo to the commission. 

An original proposal rejected by voters and the one being discussed Tuesday called for the displacement and relocation of residents in a mobile home park on Golden Road, which adjoins PTA Lane in a loop. 

Carpionato owns about 10 acres at 87 PTA Lane, across the street from the mobile home park. He does not own the mobile home property.

Carpionato previously said his company would work with the park's tenants "to achieve a positive outcome for all."

The town said that properties that sit directly on Route 32, which includes the 30 mobile homes at 15 Golden Road, 1905 Route 32, 73 PTA Lane and 25 PTA Lane, offer "substantial development opportunity."

Most residents of the mobile homes have said they don't want to leave the park. Some have lived there for decades and are worried about where they would go if displaced. 

Goderre said residents in a mobile home park have protective rights when an owner sells the land, including "certain notices and financial assistance."

He added the playground at the school would have to be taken down and replaced with one up to modern standards, like ADA accessibility, and moved to the rear of the building. 

The town would also require Carpionato to extend the sidewalks from Route 32 to the school entrance along Golden Road and PTA Lane, and putting in a new traffic light at the intersection with Golden Road.

The town also wants Carpionato to install sidewalks on both sides of Route 32, leading to the Montville Commons plaza, with Stop & Shop and Home Depot, across the street. It also wants more signs and crossing signals to improve pedestrian safety. 

Approving the lease, town officials said, would provide the town much needed revenue and a chance to develop the "underutilized" area of PTA Lane and Golden Road. Bunnell has previously said the town is in "dire" need of more commercial tax revenue. 

Goderre said letting the developer build this project could "create jobs, bring visitors and supports needs of local consumers."

Officials break ground on 120-unit Benedict Court in Greenwich

Greenwich officials gathered Friday to mark the groundbreaking of Benedict Court, a 120-unit multifamily development at 19 Benedict Place in downtown Greenwich.

The six-story building is being developed by Lonicera Partners and Nimbus Properties, with design by BKSK Architects, and is slated for completion in 2028.

Forty percent of the units — 48 apartments — will be set aside for moderate-income households, in collaboration with the Town of Greenwich and Greenwich Affordable Housing Trust Fund, officials said.

“Benedict Court’s affordability mix meets Connecticut’s 8-30g statute and represents a way to provide housing options for those who work in town but can’t afford to live here but who also earn too much to qualify for conventional affordable housing,” said Phil Wharton, a partner at Nimbus Properties. “They’ve been stuck in the middle — until now.”

The building will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment units, with all parking located below grade. Amenities will include a fitness center, resident dining room, private library, coworking space and a shared rooftop terrace.

Check out major developments to watch in Connecticut

Thousands of housing units, new hotels and a massive Amazon fulfillment center are part of the next wave of major development taking shape across Connecticut.

In this special report, Hartford Business Journal examines four development efforts — from Bridgeport’s waterfront and the neighborhood around Hartford’s Dunkin’ Park to a vacant Enfield corporate campus and a long-stalled industrial site on the Waterbury-Naugatuck border.

The stories explore what’s being built, what developers envision next and how financing, public investment and market demand will shape the pace of construction.

Check them out here:

After 25 years, massive Bridgeport waterfront redevelopment enters new phase

With a 420-unit apartment complex welcoming residents and a hotel under construction, Steelpointe Harbor’s developer is planning a residential tower as part of a broader vision for roughly 2,000 apartments and condominiums.

Read the story

Salvatore envisions up to 2,500 apartments around Hartford’s Dunkin’ Park

Developer Randy Salvatore’s plans for North Crossing and the former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus could bring roughly 2,500 apartments and a boutique hotel to the ballpark neighborhood. The buildout could take another decade.

Read the story

Dormant Enfield corporate office campus set for nearly 500-unit residential redevelopment

A roughly $150 million plan would transform the former MassMutual campus into apartments, for-sale townhomes and commercial space. Developer MB Financial hopes to begin the office conversion and first phase of townhouse construction in early 2027.

Read the story

3.2M-sq.-ft. Amazon fulfillment center rises on Waterbury-Naugatuck border

The multilevel facility is expected to be completed in 2027 and employ about 1,000 people. Its construction follows decades of unsuccessful efforts to develop the site and adds to Amazon’s expanding Connecticut footprint.

Read the story