Bond Commission Approves $40M For Hartford’s XL Center

The State Bond Commission Wednesday backed borrowing $40 million for improvements to the Hartford’s aging XL Center arena, with the intent of seeking a private buyer for the downtown sports and entertainment venue. In a 7-2 vote, the commission approved the expenditure, with two Republicans opposing it, one of them, Rep. Christopher Davis of Ellington, […]

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Trump: White House will reveal infrastructure plans ‘soon after taxes’

President Donald Trump said Monday that he will reveal his plan for a $1 trillion infrastructure package after Congress passes tax reform legislation, The Hill reported. The House passed its tax bill Thursday, but lawmakers aim to pass a Senate bill and negotiate a final deal by Christmas. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chair of the Transportation […]

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Connecticut Economic Growth Slowest In New England

Connecticut’s economy grew more slowly from April through June than any other New England state and was 43rd among the states, according to federal statistics released Tuesday. The state’s economy, which is measured by the sale of all goods and services, amounted to $260.1 billion in the second quarter of the year and expanded by […]

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City receives $2 million grant to restore vacant hospital

Meriden Economic Development Director Juliet Burdelski says the commitment by the state will allow them to get the project started. The Record-Journal reports the hospital has been vacant since the 1990s and has continued to degrade since then, despite efforts at remediation. Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy’s office said Monday a total of $13.6 million in […]

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Hartford’s XL Center May Be Put Up For Sale Soon

The XL Center arena could go on the block sooner than 2019, if the State Bond Commission approves $40 million for the aging sports and entertainment center in downtown Hartford. Michael W. Freimuth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority, said the agency, which oversees the arena, is considering seeking buyers sooner. The $40 […]

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Growth to Remain Modest in 2018

A dip in public works combined with a substantial decrease in utility work, weak industrial markets and slower-than-anticipated growth in residential construction all put a damper on general construction growth in 2017. The consensus among economic forecasts analyzed by ENR indicates a very modest rebound in growth in 2018. The American Road & Transportation Builders […]

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Radio Broadcast Booth, TV Studio In Design Plans For Hartford’s Weaver High School

A radio broadcast booth, a TV studio and four arts studios will be included in the $133 million Weaver High School when it reopens after renovation, according to architectural designs presented to the public this week. With construction underway, a chief architect for the project said the first floor will also include a WQTQ-FM radio […]

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Tweed Airport Authority approves $2.9M for 3rd phase of sound insulation

The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority unanimously approved a $2.56 million contract Wednesday for the third phase of its residential sound insulation program, which will soundproof 54 houses in East Haven and the Morris Cove section of New Haven. The authority also unanimously approved a task order for $774,274 in design and construction services for […]

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Hearing set for $30 million Brainerd Place construction details on Elmcrest site

The commission is scheduled hold a public hearing on the site plan for the proposed $30 million mixed-use development during a meeting beginning at 7 p.m. in the Mary Flood Room of the Portland Public Library. Brookfield-based BRT proposes to construct some 240 studio, one-, and two-bedroom rental units, as well as various retail and […]

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Plan for new East Hampton police station/town hall on Tuesday’s ballot

One key issue tops the ballot in Tuesday’s election: Whether residents will end 30-plus years of dithering and approve a proposal to build a new Town Hall/police station. Heading the ballot is the proposal to spend $18.98 million to build a 33,400-square-foot building on a 5.4-acre parcel of land in the Edgewater Hills mixed-use development. […]

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2018 construction starts will climb to $765B

Dodge Data & Analytics in its 2018 Dodge Construction Outlook forecasts a 3% rise in the value of total construction starts to $765 billion next year. Robert Murray, Dodge chief economist, said the slower growth of 2016, 2017 and 2018 compared to the double-digit boom years from 2012 to 2015 signifies a “mature stage of expansion” for […]

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With construction permits down, Connecticut builders wonder about 2018

In Connecticut, construction industry employment dropped sharply since June, according to estimates by the state Department of Labor. As of September, builders employed 56,200 people in Connecticut, DOL determined, down nearly 9 percent from last April that represented the sector’s peak employment in 2017. Since then, construction employment has dropped five months running, and is […]

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Connecticut Budget Has New Prevailing Wage Rule

Contractors that do business with the state of Connecticut no longer have to pay prevailing wages on construction projects that cost less than $1 million. Kimberly Glassman, director of the Foundation for Fair Contracting of Connecticut, said other states that have increased prevailing wage thresholds, or repealed the law altogether, have not seen significant savings. […]

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PSEG announces apprenticeship initiative in Bridgeport

Dubbed PSEG Ready2Work, funded with $500,000 from the company and managed and run by The Workplace and Building Pathways CT, the apprenticeship program unveiled Wednesday resulted from a deal the city and PSEG brokered in 2015 and early 2016. That pact — a “community environmental benefit agreement” — required PSEG’s controversial coal-fired plant to cease […]

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