Work will soon resume on the Durham Meadows Superfund project in the center of town, bringing fresh drinking water from a yet-to-be-built water tank near the Middletown line to families and businesses dealing with the effects of 30 years of contamination. The project will encompass building an 800,000-gallon water storage tank at the top of […]
Eversource Energy is spending $1.1 billion to acquire the Massachusetts assets of Columbia Gas, which was hit with a $53 million criminal penalty this week after natural gas ignited in September 2018 to damage dozens of homes in multiple towns north of Boston. Columbia Gas pipes natural gas to about 330,000 customers in 60 cities […]
One of Gov. Ned Lamont’s highest-profile recruits from the private sector, Ryan Drajewicz, is leaving the administration after 13 months as the governor’s chief of staff, a long-rumored departure resulting in a reshuffling of two other appointees, Paul Mounds and Josh Geballe. Mounds, the chief operating officer and deputy chief of staff, succeeds Drajewicz, giving […]
The intersection near The Home Depot, 575 Bank St., will close at 8 a.m. Wednesday and is set to reopen March 6, the following Friday. During this time, sanitary storm drainage and water main work will be performed, mayoral adviser Judith Mancini said in a news release. The work is part of the ongoing reconstruction […]
A public hearing was held on bonding for the road repairs, during which Town Council Chair Victoria Triano said two residents spoke in favor. Later, the council voted unanimously to go ahead with it. “The roads are repaired based on their condition,” explained Triano. “We go out and check their condition and then assign them […]
West Hartford’s town council on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan by Florida real estate investment firm Regency Centers to upgrade the New Britain Avenue property at an estimated cost of $7 million. Regency is aiming to complete the improvements before this year’s holiday shopping season, according to economic development specialist Kristen Gorski. According to plans, […]
The city council on Monday approved a resolution authorizing the sale of 126 and 130 New Park Ave., 161 Francis Ave. and 8 Francis Court to New Samaritan Corp. for $87,000. According to city records, the proposed four-story, 23,626-square-foot residential complex will feature a community kitchen, activity area and rooms for physical and occupational therapy, […]
The town received a commitment letter for a $1,405,200 grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation for the construction of a pedestrian bridge, according to an announcement by First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The bridge is expected to facilitate mixed-used development around the Wilton train station, to increase the value and development […]
The bridge was closed in 2010 after a March flood damaged the small span that connects the two towns and frequently was used by the Old Mystic Fire Department North Stonington Road station to respond to calls. A previous project to repair the bridge was stopped when the contractor doing the work discovered the damage […]
Plans for the first phase of development, estimated at $46 million, have grown by about 30 or so residential units in recent weeks, city officials say. The quasi-public Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has pledged $12 million towards RMS’ first-phase development. “If all goes well with our approval process, I would expect that within the […]
Regarding the Waterbury branch line, Hess told committee members that action, not another study, is what is needed now. “We don’t need a study. This has already been studied five times. The studies said we should have what we are asking for,” he testified. Local officials, state legislators and business leaders from the Naugatuck Valley […]
The currently wooded property at the town’s north end has long been eyed as prime real estate for potential development because of its proximity to both I-691 and I-84. Over the last few years, prior plans, such as for a shopping plaza, never came to fruition. Last summer, Miller Napolitano Wolff LLC and Tri-Star Development […]
Boaters nurturing hopes for a second launch at Eagle Landing State Park on the banks of the Connecticut River near the East Haddam Swing Bridge may be disappointed to learn the state says it’s not happening any time soon. There’s also increasing concern among boaters who put their crafts in at Haddam Meadows, on Route […]
The transportation fund currently supports roughly $800 million per year in state borrowing, which in turns leverages about $750 million in matching federal grants. But DOT officials say as aging, overcrowded highways and bridges demand more costly repairs, $1.5 billion-to-$1.6 billion won’t get the job done, and something closer to $2 billion per year will […]
Simsbury developer Anthony Giorgio, whose plans to build 95 upscale single-family homes on a portion of Blue Fox Run golf course were dashed by stiff local opposition and a zone-change denial last September, says he’s plotting a comeback. Giorgio, managing director of The Keystone Companies LLC, told HBJ he is negotiating the purchase of 52 […]
Lamont unveiled a revised fiscal year 2021 budget plan that sets aside $55 million in bond funding in the current fiscal year and the next to renovate and improve the arena. Both chambers of the General Assembly and the State Bond Commission would need to approve the proposed borrowing for the venue. The proposed public […]
The Aquarion Water Company has announced its plans for a water main replacement project on Bruggeman Place that is scheduled to begin Monday and be completed by the end of April. The company said the project, which will replace 1,360 feet of water main, is part of its ongoing program to improve its distribution system, […]
Lamont unveiled a revised fiscal year 2021 budget plan that sets aside $55 million in bond funding in the current fiscal year and the next to renovate and improve the arena. Both chambers of the General Assembly and the State Bond Commission would need to approve the proposed borrowing for the venue. The proposed public […]
With the political collapse of his plan for truck tolls, Gov. Ned Lamont is now proposing to fund transportation repairs and improvements through borrowing — raising concern that there won’t be state money for other projects. Lamont’s decision has sparked concern that highway, bridge and mass transit projects could monopolize most of the state’s long-term […]
House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said if anything, the nearly year-long debate over tolls made everyone aware of the issue and the consensus that something needs to get done to improve Connecticut’s transportation system. Looney said he doesn’t place the blame on anyone for the governor’s decision to pull the plug on the debate. He […]
DonMar Development Corp., a North Haven-based, family-owned business, unveiled conceptual plans for the redevelopment of the site during an informational meeting attended by about 70 people Wednesday evening at the Town Hall Annex. The proposed development is designed to appeal to millennials, as well as empty nesters, DonMar Project Executive Anthony Di Gioia said in a […]
The success of Norwalk, or any city or town, depends heavily on education and ensuring that students receive the resources they need to succeed and compete in an every-changing 21st century economy. Given that, there’s no better time than now to think big and embrace the construction of a state-of-the-art, new Norwalk High School. With […]
Lamont didn’t offer a precise date for releasing the stalled grant dollars, but said it wouldn’t take long for him and lawmakers to adopt a bill authorizing the funding, and to then have the State Bond Commission — which also must grant approval — endorse the borrowing. Lamont chairs the bond commission and his budget […]
After pushing the issue for more than a year, Gov. Ned Lamont is pulling the plug on his latest plan for truck-only tolls after the state legislature repeatedly failed to vote on the issue. Lamont said he would instead use state borrowing to increase investment in transportation, which he noted would be paid for 100% […]
According to a press release from First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick, the project will cost a total of $7.4 million but $3.33 million will be funded through a grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Developments’ (US HUD) Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery. The release said the project will project the […]
The Town’s Planning and Development Director Jon Reiner said an interview committee has recommended DonMar Development Corporation of North Haven as the “preferred developer” for the site, but the Town Council has not yet approved an agreement with the developer. “Although this plan is in the early stages, we would like to share with you our […]
The city has yet to strike a formal deal with an airline, despite negotiations last year between Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim’s administration, an unidentified carrier and the Federal Aviation Administration to launch a revived passenger service by 2021. In the meantime, however, one of Sikorsky’s two runways — 11-29 — is “at the end of […]
The developers who proposed a 75-acre solar project off Oil Mill Road that state officials rejected two years ago have asked the state to reconsider its decision. Originally proposed by Greenskies Clean Energy in 2018, the proposal’s application was denied by the state Siting Council after the town and Save the River-Save the Hills raised […]
Last summer, PURA commenced a review of United Illuminating Co. and Eversource’s performance during an emergency, defined as 10 percent or more of a company’s customers without power for 48 hours. Additionally, the study said it would consider possible updates to the “Make Safe” protocol, which requires that utility companies commit one crew to each […]
The lengthy legal battle delaying the East Windsor casino has caused the project to be scaled back to reflect the saturated gambling market in the region, Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council, said. “Now that we’re seeing some stabilization, we’re refining the plans slightly,” he said. Another obstacle has been a local […]
The state Department of Transportation is giving Newington $2 million to fix critical issues and facilitate multimodal transportation along a 1.6-mile stretch of road, town engineer Gary Fuerstenberg told a few dozen people who attended a recent public information meeting on the Complete Streets Project. “We expect to increase the quality of life throughout the […]
The complete design set is now on file with the Board of Education’s facilities office, said Dietter, who chairs the building committee for the project. “We understand that we’re up to date and everything has been submitted at the appropriate timelines,” Dietter said. “We do anticipate that in June the work will be moving forward […]
Repairs to the 82-year-old bridge are set to begin on or about Feb. 27. That will include a new protective fence system ranging in height from 8 to 12 feet on the approach and main spans. Construction will be completed in three stages to maintain traffic flow and provide the contractor with space to complete […]
The state Department of Transportation has announced the start of construction in a $46 million rehabilitation of the Arrigoni Bridge. Construction work on the 72-year-old bridge is set to begin on or about Feb. 27. The Arrigoni Bridge, built between 1936 and 1938, was the largest and most expensive bridge in the state at the […]
Elected officials have been reluctant to relinquish public property, and question the financial information provided by Director of Administration Michael Handler, who heads SAMG. Handler said a private company can build and maintain schools for 70 percent less than the city. During the board discussions of the last few months, elected officials asked about SAMG’s […]
Waterbury lawmakers, even those who support truck-only tolls, are concerned about the number of gantries in the area. But there’s not much time left to negotiate. The House and the Senate have told their members to hold Feb. 18,19, and 20 as possible days for a vote on the measure. Lamont went on to explain […]
Not without warnings of financial gray clouds on the horizon, the Planning Board issued its final recommendation for a $48.2 million budget, with mold remediation and city and school infrastructure projects among the highest priorities. The budget recommendation now heads to the mayor’s office, who can increase or reduce the budget. The mayor will issue […]
Work at the so-called north campus, which eventually will be home to three magnet schools, could start as early as May if the current timeline holds. It is the first of a two-part, nearly $160 million overall public magnet school project that also involves an overhaul of Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. A team of […]
Lamont announced Eversource and its Denmark-based partner, Ørsted North America, will transform New London into the green energy capital of the Northeast as part of a deal unanimously ratified by the Connecticut Port Authority’s oversight board. “Economic growth has remained a top priority throughout my administration, and this agreement paves the way for a surge […]
The vote took place at a special meeting Tuesday. At a news conference later in the day, Gov. Ned Lamont and the principals involved in negotiating the public-private redevelopment said it sets up New London and the state of Connecticut as key players in the burgeoning offshore wind industry in the Northeast and would help […]
2019 was the seventh straight year of passenger gains at Bradley, said Kevin A. Dillon, CEO of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Bradley. Bradley has taken steps toward starting construction this year on its long-awaited ground transportation center, a $210 million project. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking in July. That followed […]
Farmington developer Prospect Enterprises LLC acquired South Windsor’s Geissler’s plaza almost a decade ago with aspirations of recasting the property into a mixed-use development. Now, after a wave of support from residents and town officials, Prospect is eyeing a $30-million investment to expand and modernize the popular Geissler’s Supermarket and add new apartment buildings at […]
Twelve years after the Boombridge Road Bridge closed, a new bridge is set to be built. The defunct bridge, which connects the town with Westerly, was built in the 1960s. The primary reason it took so long to begin construction is because the bridge is owned by both towns, and both Connecticut and Rhode Island […]
In January, the Representative Town Meeting approved $2.47 million to replace the bridge. The project is eligible for funding under the state local bridge program, which allows a 50 percent reimbursement. “Back in 2016 the Connecticut DOT decided to go out for the first time in about 20 years and do a screening for all […]
Dylan’s father, 42-year-old Colchester resident Ronald Crabb, was among six people killed on Feb. 7, 2010, a Super Bowl Sunday, when there was a massive explosion at the River Road power plant. The blast came as “gas blows” — which force natural gas through pipelines at extreme high pressure — were used to clean pipelines […]
Gov. Ned Lamont has proposed borrowing $45 million to launch a transit-oriented development authority that still lacks an oversight board and that he and lawmakers effectively opted not to fund eight months ago. The governor and Democratic-majority legislature created the authority last June to stimulate commercial and housing development in urban downtown areas or within […]
Frank Manafort, of Manafort Brothers Inc., died on Sunday at the age of 78 in Florida. Manafort was born and raised in New Britain, the son of Frank and Ida Manafort. His father was one of the owners of Manafort Brothers, a well-known construction company based in Plainville. Manafort worked in the Plainville office from […]
The $22.3 billion budget’s capital plan earmarks $27.5 million in the current fiscal year and the next to renovate and improve the 16,000-seat arena. Both chambers of the General Assembly and the State Bond Commission would need to approve the proposed borrowing for the venue. In recent years, the quasi-public Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) […]
Lamont now is recommending $2.5 billion in new borrowing for the fiscal year than ends June 30, and $2.61 billion for 2020-21. At issue is a subset of those proposals, about $1.4 billion each year in general obligation (G.O.) bonding. This involves borrowing which, if approved, would have to be paid off out of the […]
The Democratic governor is seeking $300 million in bonding for affordable housing construction, sources said, but roughly 40 percent of that involves previously approved financing for housing that was never spent. “We are going to continue to grow and expand on that,” Lamont said Monday when asked about his plans for affordable housing funding. “Housing […]
Developer Ron Lyman, of Sam Center LLC/REL Inc., filed the lawsuit in November just weeks after the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously denied his application for a special permit and site plan approval to allow construction of a four-story, 126-room hotel and 5,660-square-foot restaurant on the east side of Silas Deane Highway adjacent to […]
At an event Monday in Bridgeport, Lamont said that aside from the transportation plan that he announced last year and is still trying to pass, he has no plans to increase spending, decrease taxes, or to announce any other sweeping new policies in 2020. Lamont said there’s a very strict spending cap in place and […]
Lamont then clarified he was referring to the downtown train station on Water Street. “Right now our plan is to look at existing stations,” he said, adding later: “I want to make sure existing stations are up to speed, state of the art.” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced $2.75 million for the design in 2014 […]
The city will be giving Tabacco & Son Builders Inc. a tax abatement for buying 126 Burlington Ave. It formerly housed the Mastrobattisto Inc. construction company. The City Council at its January meeting approved the five-year, 80% property tax abatement for Tabacco. While the city will not be getting that tax revenue, it “will benefit […]
Spinnaker co-partner Matthew Edvardsen said his firm is now designing plans to renovate the offices formerly housing the state attorney general, comptroller and treasurer for hotel, office and retail use. It’s also looking to build a mixed-use development across the parking lots with offices, shops, restaurants and housing in a project aimed at linking downtown […]
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is blaming New England’s regional power grid for continued high electric rates in the state, saying ISO-New England failed to follow a competitive bidding process as is required law. “Connecticut is plagued with some of the highest energy costs in the nation, and families and businesses simply cannot afford these […]
The Acadia report also says emissions from the plants covered by RGGI are down 47% – outpacing the rest of the nation by 90%. The gross domestic product of the RGGI states, all in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, also grew by 47% – again outpacing the rest of the country, which grew by 31%. […]
