After three years of work, the state Department of Transportation has announced the final stage of construction for the ongoing Merritt Parkway improvement project in Fairfield and Westport. The five-mile stretch of the Merritt Parkway included in the $56.7 million project will transition to full final alignment progressing east to west (Fairfield to Westport) as […]
With Connecticut’s economy reeling from the coronavirus, legislators insist they won’t hike gasoline taxes or impose tolls this summer — even with new projections the transportation program is headed for collapse in just over one year. Gov. Ned Lamont outlined the urgency last week when he and the legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal analysts noted the STF […]
In the midst of refueling one of its two active nuclear reactors, a process that has brought in 750 temporary workers, 10 employees at Millstone Power Station have tested positive for COVID-19. Foley said Millstone began working with the union in developing its pandemic plan in March. One aspect of that plan was having security […]
While ridership on CTrail’s Hartford Line has slowed to a trickle in recent weeks, the town of Windsor Locks in April scored a major $45-million commitment from the state Bond Commission to fund construction of a new train station downtown on Main Street. With $62.4 million in state and federal funding now approved for the […]
North America’s Building Trades Unions and its affiliated research organization, The Center for Construction Research and Training, urged employers on Monday to develop a “comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control plan” with temperature checks and designated COVID-19 officers at job sites. NABTU, which is an alliance of 14 unions representing building and construction workers, said the national […]
Disappointments and delays continue for the New London public schools’ building project, an integral part of the plans to convert the district to the state’s first all-magnet-schools system. Way back in 2014, voters approved $168 million for new school construction. For the bulk of the project the state is reimbursing 80% of the costs. So, […]
A Hamden developer has started construction on a $50-million apartment home community on a long-vacant property near Cromwell’s well-traveled Route 372. Belfonti Companies LLC on Thursday said the 160-unit complex at the end of Country Squire Road will be constructed in multiple phases over a 22-month period. Property management firm Bozzuto Management has been selected […]
Coronavirus disruptions have slowed millions of construction sites across the U.S., making it difficult for material distributors in the industry to stay busy. Nationally, many states, including Connecticut, have ordered all essential workers wear face masks to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Grocery stores and airlines are also ordering workers, customers and passengers to wear masks. […]
As more people stay at home during the pandemic, traffic volumes on state highways have dropped significantly to an average of 50%, and even lower in areas of southeastern Connecticut. Fewer cars on the roads has led to a host of impacts for the state’s transportation system. Crews are able to work more efficiently on […]
The $3 million bid, which includes $743,000 to build out a sally port and holding cells, was submitted to the town last week by Noble Construction & Management of Centerbrook and was the lowest of nine bids for renovations in the 30,000-square-foot-building at 277 West Main St. Noble has completed projects for Yale University and […]
Connecticut, which currently has about $2.5 billion in its rainy day fund, expects to have $1.8 billion-to-$1.9 billion left by July 1 after closing another deficit this fiscal year. But Lamont and the General Assembly have an even bigger task facing them next spring when they must craft a new, two-year budget to cover the […]
Superintendents at Bridgewater, Massachusetts-based Callahan Construction Managers have implemented a variety of protocols to promote social distancing and employee health, including a ban on carpooling, a 100% mask and glove policy and well-stocked handwashing stations, according to president Pat Callahan. In addition, the company’s safety team made 200 gallons of sanitizing soap that has been […]
Construction will get underway this week on the third and final phase of a $7 million expansion of Eversource Energy’s natural gas distribution network between Wallingford and Middletown, company officials said Monday. The natural gas distribution network expansion is being allowed to continue because it is considered essential under the state’s coronavirus pandemic plan. Social […]
Though little is certain amidst unprecedented economic chaos and partisan feuding over federal relief for states, Connecticut’s fiscal leaders agree on one thing: The worst-case scenario — no fiscal cushion and a revenue base down $1 billion or more — could be facing Lamont and state lawmakers as early as February when they start crafting […]
Groton-New London Airport temporarily is closed to air travel until Sunday morning due to pavement maintenance work on the intersection of the runways, airport officials said. Tony Sheridan, chairman of the Connecticut Airport Authority board of directors, said the project is part of scheduled repair and maintenance at the Groton airport. Terminal and airport businesses […]
The Department of Transportation has announced that a nighttime resurfacing project on Route 25 northbound and southbound in Bridgeport and Trumbull will begin on Thursday, May 7. This project is expected to be completed by Monday, June 8. The milling segment of this project is anticipated to be performed on Thursday, May 7 through Friday, […]
The Town Council approved an amended ordinance Tuesday evening to appropriate funds and authorize bonds for the renovation of Community Pool Park. The ordinance amendment that passed Tuesday increases the appropriation and bond authorization by $6,845,000, from $625,000 to $7,470,000. Michael Savenelli Sr., Parks and Recreation Commission member and pool committee chairman, said that the […]
Charlie Adams, regional vice president for Philadelphia-based Pennrose LLC, a partner in the housing redevelopment, said Tuesday he does not expect the COVID-19 pandemic to delay leasing. The construction schedule has not been impacted, Adams said. The initial stage, costing $28 million, is backed by a combination of state funds, a federal home loan grant, […]
The Connecticut Port Authority on Monday authorized its chairman to secure an agreement with a company that will oversee the estimated $157 million redevelopment of State Pier. The project to create an offshore wind hub is expected to start early next year and finish in 2022. Activity could start before year’s end with demolition and remediation […]
A Southington development firm says it will break ground in the coming months on a $5-million apartment complex in downtown Bristol after receiving a tax abatement and other development approvals from the city. The city council recently approved a multi-year tax abatement for Carrier Construction Inc. to push forward its plan to erect 32 market-rate […]
From necessary upgrades to keep roads and highways safe to maintaining and upgrading utilities, continuing construction work ensures that the country will have the infrastructure it needs during this critical time. Union construction — not just through the AFL-CIO, but through any trade union — has long had a strong reputation for its attention to […]
The $600 payments will be in effect from March 29 through July 25. Those who received benefits since March 29 without the additional $600 will be provided the funds in a lump sum that will be given in about a week. All unemployment claims will be paid retroactively to the date they were filed. The […]
Leaders at two major building trade unions this week described an increasingly desperate economic climate for their members. Eric Dean, the president of the 130,000-member Ironworkers Union, said that 30% of his work force was “idle or sitting at home,” and that unemployment continues to rise by the day. Jim Williams, vice president and organizing […]
Bids on the largest phase of the $108 million high school construction project have come in at more than $4 million above projected budget estimates. Combined with escalating costs for construction management, currently more than $14 million, the project is now $5 million beyond what the city can afford and has forced designers to revisit […]
The state Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin a $13.9 million project to repair the Niantic River Drawbridge on May 4. The yearlong project will require periods of alternating one-way traffic. The state has hired Middlesex Corp. of Littleton, Mass., to do the work. All roadwork on the bridge is to be completed by […]
The job has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic with construction jobs not stopped in Connecticut. Though Gov. Ned Lamont has established business restrictions during the pandemic, he has spared the construction industry, with limitations only placed on indoor construction jobs. New England Road of Clinton, Conn., is the general contractor and won the job with […]
Nooyi — the retired chair and CEO of PepsiCo and top business executive leading the efforts to reopen the state — said the committee to reopen Connecticut has been brainstorming ways to “selectively” reopen the economy when the time comes. “We are never, ever going to not focus on public health,” Nooyi said. She estimated […]
The project building committee hired Colliers International, which will now be analyzing the building’s needs and formulating a cost for the school’s reconstruction. Newington Town Council has also shown its support, voting unanimously at its most recent meeting to appropriate $50,000 to the committee for the construction manager’s selection. In addition to a failing roof, […]
The developers of Brookview Commons in Danbury confirmed receipt of a $24.5 million construction loan from M&T Bank, with the next phase of the complex to total nearly 150 apartments. Danbury-based BRT and Rochester, N.Y.-based DiMarco teamed on an initial phase of the complex next door at 30 Crosby St. that has 115 units, with […]
The new Hazel Plain Road bridge opened to traffic Friday afternoon after a year of construction. The 22-foot wide bridge will provide travel in both directions. It has an estimated life span of 75 years, Public Works Director Rich Lamothe said. The new 37-foot-long bridge was built for $2 million, 20% of which is the […]
Developer Winstanley Enterprises LLC of Concord, Mass. has proposed to build 500,000 square feet of laboratory and life-sciences incubation space at a new address: 101 College Street. The 101 College Street project was first reported in January. That was before the coronavirus pandemic hit, dealing a body blow to economic-development projects in Connecticut and around […]
As part of a five-mile, $57 million improvement project on the Merritt Parkway, the northbound and southbound traffic lanes approaching and crossing the Saugatuck River Bridge are being shifted to support the next stage of bridge restoration work. The $57 million project that began in 2017 is about $5 million over budget. Much to the […]
Around the U.S., efforts to flatten the curve have pushed the federal government, often spearheaded by the Army Corps of Engineers, to construct hospitals in convention centers or other similar spaces, or for contractors to speed up construction of traditional hospital projects already underway. One of the first was the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center […]
An $80 million cancer treatment center offering a therapy only available in 36 other facilities in the country could be coming to the city. The announcement comes as the city and globe is roiled with the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed 1,331 Connecticut residents and led to mass unemployment. The project is expected to create […]
During a special joint meeting Monday night, the Board of Selectmen authorized the purchase of the 2-acre property for $325,000, and the Board of Finance voted to authorize the appropriation from the town’s capital and non-recurring projects fund balance. Officials have said the $325,000 property purchase price will not be an added cost as the […]
Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said Monday that they haven’t ruled out a special session, however, the state Capitol will remain closed through the constitutional adjournment of May 6. Looney said they can’t bring people back into the building without the proper protection, such as masks and gloves. He said they are working with […]
Ridership was breaking records almost every year in the last decade – until the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now ridership has dropped precipitously, especially on Metro-North trains, where ridership is down a stunning 95%. Bus ridership is down about 50% across the state, according to Connecticut transportation officials, though in the past week it has inched […]
Town officials are looking to acquire 78 Gillotti Road for its high school building project, but some New Fairfield residents are questioning whether that move is legal without a referendum. One resident called for the project to be “formally placed on an indefinite hold” due to construction costs and financial hardships taxpayers are facing as […]
Gov. Ned Lamont and labor officials announced earlier this week that emergency programming revisions to the department’s nearly 40-year-old IT system will reduce a six-week average wait time to seven days by April 25. “If we can do direct deposit you will have the funds within two business days” of claim approval,” said DOL spokeswoman […]
Killingly High School was hoping to get the turf project for its football field approved by the Killingly Town Council earlier this week. A special town meeting to approve the project could not be held since Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has banned all public gatherings. If the turf field is not approved in May, the […]
Bids for the reconstruction of Wendell Cross Elementary School have come in millions of dollars cheaper than city officials predicted. The architect and project manager estimated a $50.6 million cost in October. But on Monday, the Board of Aldermen will be asked to sign off on contract amendments that set the cost at $46.2 million. […]
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which allowed for a cap of $349 billion in loans to small qualifying firms in need due to the coronavirus outbreak, ran out on April 16. As of April 13, the construction industry had received 114,838 loan approvals, totaling just under $34 billion — more than any […]
He also noted that any plan depends on the rate of ongoing infections and hospitalizations. Resumption of construction will move ahead cautiously, with Massachusetts entering what state officials say is likely the peak period for coronavirus deaths and infections. Walsh floated the idea of seeking affidavits from contractors pledging to follow coronavirus safety protocols. He […]
The quick answer is that contractors are generally not required to pay employees for time off during a project suspension, but it may depend on the specific circumstances. While federal wage and hour law does not require contractors to pay employees during time off from work, the new federal leave laws do require paid leave […]
The Capital Region Development Authority’s (CRDA) board of directors on Thursday afternoon unanimously approved, via teleconference, an $11.8 million low-cost loan for the first phase of the project led by RMS Cos. Salvatore recently said the first phase, estimated to cost $46 million, could be completed in 18 months. The development will house up to […]
Republican legislative leaders charged Gov. Ned Lamont with retaliating against toll opponents after the State Bond Commission scrapped financing at the last minute for rail cars for the Waterbury and Danbury lines. The administration countered that the change was due to a simple, agenda error. But Lamont also told critics that the state’s transportation program […]
The White House announced the formation of Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups Tuesday night, made up of more than 200 people, largely corporate CEOs, who will give Trump advice on when and how the federal government should reopen the economy. Associated General Contractors CEO Stephen Sandherr, who was among those named on the list, […]
David A. Simler, of Messier Survey LLC, filed an application with the town last month seeking to build a 13,400-square-foot industrial complex at 360 Burnham St. The area near the East Hartford town line is mostly developed with a mix of commercial, industrial and residential use, according to documents accompanying the application. Simler will need […]
Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said in a release that the project developer is setting up detour signs and digital sign markers near Elm and Main streets to give motorists notice of the road closure and traffic change. The development company is led by John P. Dionis, vice president of development for Simon Premium Outlets, based […]
The City Council Tuesday night approved a construction project to replace the Louisiana Avenue Bridge, with approximately 80% of the $3.7 million cost state funded. Construction is expected to start in May. The project is being funded through the Federal/ Local Bridge program administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, said Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu. However, […]
But amid the COVID-19 pandemic, operators have had to restructure this spring’s refueling for Millstone’s Unit 2 reactor to ensure the safety of both resident and visiting workers. That effort will include social distancing protocols but should be carried out successfully, Millstone spokesman Ken Holt said, as workers at the plant already have been practicing […]
The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday announced more than $30 million in stimulus funds for Connecticut airports, with Windsor Locks’ Bradley International claiming the lion’s share. Bradley, which has seen its customer traffic plummet and its debt outlook dip amid the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, will receive $28.5 million, according to the FAA. The Connecticut […]
O&G Industries, Connecticut’s largest privately held construction company, recently went live with a 1.3-megawatt (MW) solar array at its quarry on Roxbury Road in Southbury, Conn. The solar array sits on 5-acres and will produce the energy equivalent necessary to power 150 homes. The project is one of three solar projects that O&G has developed […]
Southington Public Library announced, at a virtual Southington Town Council meeting, that they plan to pursue the construction of a new building and the demolition of the existing one. The library has agreed to a plan that would cost $13.9 million. Kristi Sadowski, library director and Jeff Hoover, library design director with Tappe Architects, spoke […]
The Permanent Building Committee voted last week to recommend the purchase of the 2-acre property to the boards and move forward with a construction plan that incorporates it into the $84.2 million project. During next Monday’s virtual meeting, the selectmen will vote on authorizing the purchase of 78 Gillotti Road, while the Board of Finance […]
The plan to re-open Coleytown Middle School on Sept. 1 may likely face a delay because of the coronavirus. Last summer, the Representative Town Meeting approved a $32 million plan to restore Coleytown after the middle school closed in 2018 due to massive mold problems. But with social distancing guidelines now in place, O’Day said […]
Two of the biggest projects in town — the medical building on South Main Street and the American Mural Project on nearby Whiting Street — are both moving forward despite an state shutdown to slow down COVID-19. The $4- to $5-million, three-story, 28,000-square-foot building will include seven providers of both primary and specialty care on […]
Officials were happy to report the $87.35 million middle school project is right on schedule, despite a roadblock involving nonessential business amid the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Ned Lamont’s recent executive order deemed only construction projects already underway could continue, however, New York-based Schenectady Steel’s production was deemed nonessential by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, according to Gene […]
The city announced that the Grand Avenue Bridge in Fair Haven will close for construction Monday, allowing for “significant structural improvements.” The bridge is expected to remain closed for approximately 610 days, Mayor Justin Elicker and other officials said in a release. The $22 million project is expected to completely replace the mechanical and electrical […]
The Public Works Department has released its schedule for this year’s spring paving program, which will be completed in two phases. The initial phase consists of milling off the existing bituminous pavement of the road. The second phase consists of installing a new bituminous roadway surface and will commence shortly after the first phase. Once […]
Construction is underway on a new Mitchell College outdoor athletic complex, weeks earlier than expected due to the cancellation of the spring sports season and students leaving campus. The state-of-the-art complex will replace the existing grass fields with artificial turf multi-sport, baseball and softball fields, each complete with a scoreboard, bleachers and elevated press box […]
The city and the Board of Education are collaborating on the project to transform the closed Memorial Boulevard School into an arts magnet school for grades six through 12. The opening date is projected to be August of 2022. “Given the current COVID-19 pandemic we’ve had to adjust the way we’re doing business so the […]
The city is exploring the idea of constructing a $5 million school administrative office building as part of the $49 million middle school construction project. The original costs for the two schools were estimated to be $98 million and $49 million, with funds left over to cope with any cost overruns or changes. The cost […]
The $63 million overhaul of Nonnewaug High at 5 Minortown Road began in the fall of 2017 and is expected to be completed this summer. The school has been closed since March 10 due to the COVID-19 crisis. Project manager Nelson Reis of O&G Construction said crews are practicing social distancing while they work, schedules […]
Mystic Seaport Museum announced Wednesday that construction of a 26-room boutique hotel on the site of the Latitude 41 restaurant will be delayed until early 2022 because of the “economic and market uncertainty caused by COVID-19.” Construction of the $12 million project by Greenwich Hospitality Group had been slated to begin in early 2021 and […]
In a close vote, members of the Board of Representatives this week defeated a resolution to schedule a public hearing that would advance a project to widen Washington Boulevard just south of the train station. Representatives have hesitated to approve the project because it would involve claims of eminent domain, a government right to take […]
During a remote meeting of the Plainville Town Council, town leaders received an update on the environmental study of the White Oak Construction site which led to a reduced estimated cost for remediation. Sarah Burkhalter-Sweeney, Senior Project Geologist at Loureiro Engineering Associates, Inc., said that by better confining the areas of contamination, she has new […]
Scannell, which is currently building a $50-million distribution hub for Home Depot in South Windsor, last month filed an application with the town of Windsor seeking approval to construct an 819,800-square-foot “packaging and distribution” facility at 1201 Kennedy Road and 1 Joseph Lane. The Indianapolis-based company is seeking a special use permit and site plan […]
The Hebron Elementary School Drinking Water Remediation Committee is taking advantage of schools closed by COVID-19 to get a head start on the $1.2 million lead pipe replacement project. Preliminary work was originally set to begin during April break while students were away and kick into full gear in June after students are released for […]
Thousands of members of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters refused to show up for work on April 6 at new housing and infrastructure projects across Massachusetts after a top union official issued a stay-at-home order. The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35 will also follow suit, with the […]
Gov. Ned Lamont has signed another executive order that prescribe new rules for how businesses that remain open during the coronavirus pandemic should operate to keep workers safe. They range from instructions on how to keep portable bathrooms on construction sites clean to asking for social distancing in the workplace. Lamont signed the executive order […]
As of April 6, 280,000 workers applied for unemployment insurance benefits, according to the state Department of Labor. The unprecedented number of claims has caused a five-week backlog in processing, meaning some people are waiting more than a month to receive funds after filing a claim. You can collect unemployment if you have been laid […]
The surety industry is asking federal, state and local officials to take emergency action to update decades-old surety rules requiring stamped notarizations and ink signatures that the Covid-19 pandemic has made impossible or more difficult while social distancing and shelter rules are in place. The industry seeks permission to use electronic signatures without notarization of […]
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and all of the attendant precautions, traffic on the state’s major roadways has dropped off precipitously, particularly on weekends. Data compiled by the State Department of Transportation show that from early March through the end of the month, traffic volume on most roads was down 40 to 50 […]
And while the State Bond Commission will consider $5 million for emergency supplies for state and municipal public health agencies, most of the $1 billion in new financing is aimed at transportation infrastructure, economic development and long overdue municipal aid. The meeting of the 10-member panel, which is chaired by Gov. Ned Lamont, will meet […]
Work crews have spent the better part of two months in the century-old State Street building performing restoration and repair work. Otis Elevator is working to rehabilitate a broken elevator, while separate crews are restoring historical areas of the third and first floors. Skilled tradesmen and construction companies are exempt from the governor’s executive order […]
Crews starting on Friday will begin the 19-month effort to replace the bridge, labeled #00302, running over Route 14 and the Moosup River in the Moosup section of town. The span, located on Interstate 395, will be upgraded with a new deck and parapet walls, along with concrete and steel repairs and a paint job […]
South Windsor-based ClearSpan, which makes fabric and metal buildings and structures for a variety of industries, has transitioned its manufacturing operation to produce temporary disaster structures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. ClearSpan, a division of South Windsor’s Engineering Services & Products Co. (ESAPCO), said it’s shipping temporary medical facilities to governments and medical centers […]
The Connecticut Department of Labor processed more than 33,000 initial claims for unemployment benefits last week, according to new federal figures Thursday, after cranking out more than 25,000 over the previous week as layoffs spiked with business closures forced by the coronavirus pandemic. This week, Gov. Ned Lamont suggested some newly unemployed workers may have […]
Board member Mike Altamura said he was not sure what the next steps would be in the school rebuilding plan. He said there’s been little communication for the board since schools closed on March 13. Five schools — Toquam Magnet Elementary School, Hart Elementary School, Roxbury Elementary School, Cloonan Middle School and Westhill High School […]
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a $2 trillion infrastructure package should be part of Congress’ next response to the coronavirus pandemic, reviving a 2016 campaign pledge to ramp up construction projects despite public health guidance that Americans should stay home and isolated to the greatest extent possible. But lawmakers, for more than three years […]
State Pier is the future site of a massive $157 million upgrade project, in part to accommodate a wind turbine staging area for partners Ørsted and Eversource. Since the offshore wind industry does not require rail service, the port authority has said that in return for the lease, it will help facilitate use of the […]
Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, is not seeking re-election, opening a fight to succeed him in a suburban New Haven district and as leader of the GOP minority in the Connecticut Senate. With Donald J. Trump in the White House and the Democratic base energized, Democrats won 23 of the 36 Senate seats […]
Gov. Ned Lamont said plans are underway to expand hospital bed capacity in Connecticut to prepare for the anticipated surge in patients diagnosed with COVID-19, including transforming the field house at Southern Connecticut State University into a 250-bed temporary hospital. Representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have toured […]
Construction and infrastructure work, which includes paving, have been classified as essential services. Only two states, Pennsylvania and Washington, have put this work on hold. In other states, work goes on while emphasizing federal, state and local guidelines including social distancing, sterilizing work surfaces and keeping meetings to 10 people or less. Necessary precautions have […]
Project teams in New York City may be fined up to $10,000 if found working on non-essential or non-emergency construction—or if workers on projects that are allowed to continue don’t practice social distancing to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus, say new city Dept. of Buildings protocols. Essential construction includes roads, bridges, transit facilities, utilities, […]
Efforts to curtail the spread of coronavirus, including the shutdown of many businesses across the state, has had an immediate impact on Connecticut’s economy with more than 150,000 people out of work for now and filing for unemployment insurance. But local economists are optimistic that the long-term economical ramifications will not be as severe as […]
During a Friday afternoon board of directors meeting for the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA), which oversees Bradley, CAA Executive Director Kevin Dillon touted an element of the legislation that provides $10 billion to airports, $7.4 billion of which has few strings attached. Bradley has seen a significant dropoff in passenger traffic amid the COVID-19 crisis […]
The Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance approved separate resolutions this month to borrow $5 million to pay for road work, including storm water drainage and sewer improvements, and another $1 million to make improvements at the treatment plant. The wastewater treatment plant, which is over 40 years old, is outdated, officials have said. […]
Patrick McLaughlin, director of Public works in Norwich, said it’s important for Norwich to have well-maintained bridges. McLaughlin said work on the Sunnyside Street Bridge in Yantic is expected to start on April 13. He describes the project as a rehabilitation project, preserving many of the existing features. The project cost is currently around $1.49 […]
While state and city-based shutdowns of construction sites due to COVID-19 have thrown a wrench into projects in many areas of the country, another factor is impacting general contractors: a lack of available specialty contractors, according to panelists in a Associated General Contractors of New York State webinar earlier this week. A decrease in the […]
Stephen Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, and Sean McGarvey, president of North America’s Building Trades Unions, issued the following joint statement: “Government officials at all levels should treat the construction industry and the work it performs as vital and essential to the critical industries that must remain in operation. […]
The massive stimulus bill approved by the Senate and now before the U.S. House would give unemployed workers an additional $600 a week in benefits, above what they are eligible to receive from their state. Those increased benefits would continue for the next four months. In Connecticut, the maximum weekly benefit is $649. Under the […]
With $1 million for Ridgefield, money to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, and for engineering work on Route 84 exits in Danbury, a $166 million state bonding package won the support of State Rep. John Frey (R-111), despite some misgivings about some of the other spending it supports. Rep. Frey agreed with provisions in the plan […]
Traffic volume was lower by more than 43 percent on three consecutive days (March 21-23) before increasing to negative-38.6 percent on March 24, the most recent day for which statistics were available. The break in traffic is allowing the DOT to facilitate construction work on its Route 8/I-84 Interchange (Mixmaster) rehabilitation project in Waterbury, with […]
Leaders at two major building trade unions this week described an increasingly desperate economic climate for their members. Eric Dean, the president of the 130,000-member Ironworkers Union, said that 30% of his work force was “idle or sitting at home,” and that unemployment continues to rise by the day. Jim Williams, vice president and organizing […]
Phase 1 of the Columbus Commons Apartments has been completed. Located off Columbus Boulevard, the brand new Columbus Commons Apartments is a mixed-used space offering 80 apartment homes spanning five floors. The building has a fitness center, community gathering space and bike and tenant storage. In addition to the apartments, it offers 10,000 square feet […]
In a historic expansion of unemployment insurance, the federal government would give jobless workers an extra $600 a week on top of their state benefits for four months as part of the $2 trillion stimulus deal lawmakers agreed to early Wednesday. “The generosity of this benefit is unprecedented,” said Michele Evermore, senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law […]
State workers in Connecticut are processing 20 times the number of unemployment claims they normally process, a deluge caused by the coronavirus, officials said Wednesday. The agency received more than 72,000 unemployment claims in just one week, from March 13 to 20, officials said. In a more typical week there are 3,000 to 3,500 claims. […]
We’ve implemented new measures that go above and beyond in protecting workers from common sources of infection. Worksites will now be mandated to limit the number of workers in confined areas, the sharing of equipment will no longer be common, all shared areas will be sanitized with the highest industry standards for infectious disease control, […]
As the number of Connecticut residents testing positive for the novel coronavirus continues to increase, legislative leaders decided to postpone the legislative session until at least April 13. Eleven days ago legislative leaders shut down the state Capitol, Legislative Office Building, and Old State House, and expected to keep them closed to the public until […]
Shelton’s city landscape is changing. Construction has begun on two new developments with retail and apartments downtown. Plans are moving forward on adding apartments along Canal Street, and Fountain Square on Bridgeport Avenue will add an eighth hotel and numerous restaurants and retail shops. All the development comes with a need for more parking and […]
Lamont’s latest executive order affects more than two-thirds of Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns. In these communities it gives the board of selectmen — and not a town meeting or a referendum — final authority to approve spending levels and local mill rates. The governor’s order also directs local leaders to make options available for […]
New Haven hired Milone & Macbroom to provide a series of services, including designing plans to stabilize shoreline at River Walk Park as part of a larger effort to improve the shoreline in the Lloyd Street area, attorney Deborah Monteith Neubert alleged on behalf of the city in the suit. The effort, known as the […]
Gov. Ned Lamont and legislative leaders are working on creating an economic stimulus package amid the coronavirus pandemic, and much of it could be implemented by Lamont through executive orders under his sweeping powers in an ongoing public health emergency. If the two sides finalize an agreement, lawmakers said that the social distancing required to […]
State Pier operator Gateway has extended the deadline for port tenants to move out, giving commercial fishermen and a major local road salt distributor an extra four months to find a new home. The extension is not coronavirus related, rather the result of negotiations among Gateway, the Connecticut Port Authority and tenants who were expecting […]
Unlike office employees who take their laptops and smart phones home to help tamp down the spread of coronavirus, workers in factories, warehouses, construction sites and prisons must stay put. Construction companies have put similar plans in place, said Don Shubert, president of the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, which represents large commercial construction companies. Job […]
The project, deemed a top priority to evaluate, renovate or close some of the city’s 15 aging and costly school buildings, would have to be put to voters in a referendum in a year or two. The new committee is not expected to meet until May, and officials are unsure whether the initial meetings will […]
Construction continues on transportation projects throughout the U.S., but transit and airport groups have called for federal aid in the wake of rapidly decreased revenue from falling ridership due to the coronavirus, with warning of potential long-term erosion of capital programs. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) on March 17 requested from Congress $12.9 billion […]
While Boston, and now neighboring city, Cambridge, have been the only U.S. cities to officially stop all construction, other areas are under orders that ban nonessential services, causing some construction leaders to wonder whether their work is considered essential or not. Contractor reaction to the threat of potential construction shutdowns has been mixed, with some […]
