Given the success of the Mixmaster, it is no surprise that DOT is planning to utilize a PLA on the Gold Star north-bound bridge project between New London and Groton. DOT is making a common-sense and fiscally sound decision to include a PLA in the contract for construction. It’s a win-win for the state. Opponents, […]
Construction workers should receive the coronavirus vaccine after other frontline essential workers and people age 75 and older, according to recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. ACIP voted that the roughly 30 million Americans that fall into the frontline essential workers group, including first responders and […]
The State Bond Commission at its Dec. 18 meeting approved a $4 million grant from the state Department of Housing that will help fund the first phase of a 64-unit complex under development by Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities, or ECHO. That grant, combined with funding from a variety of other sources, gets ECHO to the […]
Schematic designs for the new Pleasant Valley Elementary School have been released, illustrating how the 102,000-square-foot building will look equipped with two entrances, a larger space for collaboration, and a wing specifically designed to serve preschool students with special needs. Once the design is completed, Barrett said, town officials will perform another cost estimate, and […]
The cinema at Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Conn., which features a six-story IMAX screen — the largest in the state — will close on Jan. 18 and be demolished to make way for a project to replace a 124-year-old railroad bridge, the aquarium has announced. Another cinema, with a two-story 4D screen and 169 seats, […]
The new year offers some hope for a rebound: a new presidential administration considered more friendly to public transit needs; vaccines that will slow the virus’ spread and help bring back commuters; federal stimulus dollars to blunt some of the pandemic’s effects and advances in major infrastructure projects. The federal stimulus bill recently signed by […]
A new deal with Nuvance Health is expected to bring 500 jobs to the state and fill much of the commercial space at the expansive Summit building. Nuvance and Summit Development have signed a lease for the seven-hospital health system to rent 220,000- square- feet of office space at the 1.2 million-square-foot building on the […]
On Monday, the day after President Donald Trump signed a $900 billion spending bill with COVID-19 relief measures, Gov. Ned Lamont provided preliminary numbers detailing how Connecticut will receive more than $4 billion in direct relief, with much more to come in additional relief. The direct relief to the state includes $1.6 billion for the […]
At last week’s board meeting, the school naming subcommittee revealed a list of five names — Candlewood Elementary, Candlewood Lake Elementary, Lakeside Elementary, Newbury Elementary and West Brook Elementary — for the board to consider. The committee compiled the list based on suggestions from students and the Municipal Building Committee. The Municipal Building Committee is […]
The bill includes $5 million for the museum, which brings the total support for the project from the federal government over the last four years to $20 million. The Coast Guard Museum Association, the fundraising arm for the project, has set a goal of $30 million in federal support. The museum association, in its 2020 […]
Officials have come to the conclusion that a Westhill renovation or replacement is a necessity, Mayor David Martin said this week during a meeting of the Long Term Facilities Committee. Last year, a proposal was presented to the Board of Representatives to have a private developer rebuild five schools — Toquam, Hart and Roxbury elementary […]
he U.S. Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief bill last night that includes $600 stimulus payments to qualifying individuals and a new round of Paycheck Protection Program funding for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Although it took months to reach an agreement on a second relief bill, funds in the bill for transportation and […]
A new facility that recently opened on Breault Road takes the recycled glass collected by municipalities and changes it into a white, powdery material that can be mixed into cement, which can then be used for everything from roads to bridges to sidewalks. Not only does it make the cement more durable, the material, known […]
Connecticut’s congressional delegation Tuesday hailed the approval of $135 million for a new federal courthouse in downtown Hartford that would replace the aging and outdated court complex on Main Street. The $135 million approved late Monday in the federal budget and COVID-19 relief bill is just the first appropriation that will be needed for the […]
The new public works/Water Pollution Control Authority garage is in the final stages of construction, according to town officials. The new nearly 40,000-square foot building could be ready to open “on or close to the first of the year” – months ahead of schedule, officials said. The $9.3 million facility sits on a portion of […]
The bright yellow beam lowered into place by a crane on Tuesday was part of a topping off ceremony marking an early but significant step in the $108 million construction project at New London High School, now known as the New London High School Multi-Magnet Campus. The completion of the steel frame of the new […]
The Connecticut Port Authority is undertaking a big project to spur much-needed economic development in eastern Connecticut. We applaud Gov. Ned Lamont’s decision to include a Project Labor Agreement in the contract for construction of the State Pier in New London. This is a complex, large-scale project that requires a highly skilled local workforce. The […]
Gov. Ned Lamont has signed on to a regional climate initiative, which if approved by the General Assembly would likely result in the first hike in the state’s gasoline tax since 2000, though in an indirect way. The goal of the Transportation and Climate Initiative Program is to rid the air of carbon emissions, while […]
Bronin, who served as first vice president of the conference this year, was elected the group’s top board officer for 2021 at CCM’s virtual, statewide convention earlier this month. He follows outgoing CCM President Michael J. Freda, first selectman of North Haven, and is the first Hartford mayor elected to the yearlong president position since […]
The so-called Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) is a type of cap-and-trade (or cap-and-invest) program that will place a limit on transportation fuel emissions and require fuel distributors to purchase allowances at auction to exceed the cap. Connecticut expects to collect about $1 billion from TCI over a 10-year period, including $89 million in the first […]
The $65.8 million renovations to Rockwell and Johnson elementary schools are mostly complete and about $878,000 under budget. With natural light, more office and collaboration space, and other features, the buildings are major step up from before the renovations began last year, she said. Rockwell was built in 1971, while Johnson was built in 1980. […]
When state and federal officials unveiled the $6.3 million Tingue Dam fish bypass in 2014, they heralded it as the fish maker. The bypass was designed to enable migratory fish to climb the nearby Kinneytown Dam fish ladder built in 1998 and swim along the 32 miles of the Naugatuck River to spawn. But Zak, […]
The board awarded the renovation project to Black & Warner Construction Co. in Unionville for about $900,000 for all four bridges. The bridges to be renovated will be on East Litchfield, Wheeler, Sawmill and Duck Pond roads. All are slightly greater than a 20-foot-span. According to Public Works Director & Town Engineer Raz Alexe, the […]
Leadership at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) — the entity that governs Metro-North commuter rail lines, which serve tens of thousands of Connecticut residents — approved a 2021 budget proposal on Wednesday that does not include drastic service cuts, layoffs or fare increases. That budget, however, assumes a $4.5 billion boost in 2021 from the […]
Under the Shared Clean Energy Facilities program, the contracts would fund electricity generators to share the benefits of alternative energy in low-income areas. Fuel cell makers — including FuelCell Energy, based in Danbury — have proposed converting industrial sites including brownfields for the purpose. In a Thursday interview, FuelCell CEO Jason Few expressed frustration with […]
Buttigieg’s “Building for the 21st Century: An infrastructure plan to create jobs, increase resilience, and usher in a new era of opportunity” included $165 billion for the Highway Trust Fund to make it solvent through 2029. This would be funded through a user-fee system — perhaps a vehicle-miles traveled fee, the plan suggested — to […]
Residents overwhelmingly approved a $1.1 million proposal to rehabilitate athletic fields at the high school. The vote was 36-1, with 28 people voting by Zoom and nine — “mostly council members and staff,” according to Town Manager David E. Cox — voting in person. In addition to the track, the project also calls for renovating […]
The Capital Region Development Authority this month received renderings from SCI Architects depicting what some of the key elements of the interior renovations — which will focus on premium offerings in or around the XL Center’s lower bowl — could look like. The renderings of the fan-facing amenities are only preliminary designs, and there’s no […]
The Connecticut Port Authority is negotiating a contract with Omaha-based Kiewit, a national construction, engineering and mining company, to serve as construction manager for the $157 million redevelopment project at State Pier in New London. The recommendation of Kiewit, one of two companies shortlisted for the job, came after review by representatives from the port […]
The city of Hartford is considering significantly raising fees on downtown parking-lot operators, a move that will help raise new revenue, but also likely lead to higher parking rates for consumers. The city council is scheduled to vote on an ordinance change at its Dec. 14 meeting that would increase the biennial permit fees it […]
Through a federally funded project, the town could be extending the life of four of its bridges by several decades. The project, called the Preservation of Four Bridges Project, involves an 80-20 split of funding to repair four bridges in town that are greater than 20 feet. Eighty percent would be covered through federal funds […]
Pete Buttigieg is emerging as a leading contender to be Joe Biden’s Transportation secretary, multiple sources familiar with the transition’s deliberations tell CNN. The possible nomination would vault the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate into the federal government, getting the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor what many Democrats see as needed experience should he want to […]
Despite having all the approvals in place — on both the local and state levels — the developer for 300 Danbury Road has decided not to pursue the project, according to listing real estate broker Kevin O’Brien. The developer, the Spinnaker Group, which had been paying the taxes on the property, “decided to put it […]
Opportunity Zones are a federal tax incentive intended to draw private investment to distressed neighborhoods. A year ago it was one of the hottest ideas around. The state created a website and appointed a coordinator of the program. A year later, the program is, as U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, said in a recent […]
The Town Council will hold a unique combination in-person and virtual meeting Monday to act upon a proposal to renovate three athletic fields and the high school track. Residents will be asked to vote on approving $1.2 million for the upgrades. In addition to the track, the proposal also calls for reinvigorating the baseball field […]
After hearing from residents during a special Saturday public hearing, the Town Council unanimously approved the appropriation and borrowing of $34 million for an expanded rehabilitation project at the Killingly Memorial School. The change in direction came after state officials offered an attractive reimbursement package for the entirety of the work. The Board of Education […]
The U.S. transportation construction market is expected to shrink 5.5 percent next year, driven primarily by the severe economic recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to ARTBA’s annual forecast. Overall, the value of work is expected to drop from $294.2 billion in 2020 to $278.1 billion in 2021. The major drop-off in transportation user […]
Hope that in 2021 — when the $15 million construction project to the center is expected to be completed — hospital officials will be able to celebrate not just the project being done, but also the defeat of the covid-19 pandemic that has killed nearly 300,000 people around the country. The addition is on budget […]
Days after the council on Dec. 2 voted to withdraw an application to the state Office of School Construction Grants & Review for a $16.5 million proposal to demolish portable classrooms and add a new wing to the Killingly Memorial School, the council set a Saturday public hearing on a new plan to conduct a […]
Demolition of the aging 795-car parking garage at One Talcott Plaza owned by Hartford’s largest commercial landlord may not happen until next year, as talks with historic preservation officials continue. The Historic Preservation Commission, according to Bronin, has raised questions and concerns about a two-story pedestrian footbridge attached to the garage and offices above it. […]
A year after the district scrapped the construction of a new West Woods Elementary school building, the town is moving forward with a plan to put nearly $1.6 million toward roof and window projects there and at Dunbar Hill Elementary School. The Legislative Council unanimously approved an ordinance reallocating funds from old capital accounts to […]
After a Zoom meeting with state and local officials representing East Windsor, the chairmen of the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes announced Wednesday they will continue delaying development of the state’s third casino in the north-central Connecticut town, a project the state authorized in 2017. Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun have struggled to withstand downturns in […]
Leaders have secured a $128,000 state grant to help convert a dirt lot into a destination for outdoor events in downtown Sandy Hook and encourage the crowds to return once the pandemic is conquered. The state money, part of $11 million in capital improvement grants awarded in November by Gov. Ned Lamont to help Connecticut […]
Providing enough parking may be the biggest obstacle facing a proposal for 18 apartments and commercial spaces in the downtown. The plan calls for offering 27 parking spots for an expanded 155 Greenwood Ave. building and four other buildings between Greenwood and School Street. Also proposed is an at least eight-foot pedestrian walkway on the […]
Presented with a time-sensitive – and higher state reimbursement – opportunity to apply for a top-to-bottom school renovation project, the Town Council on Wednesday agreed to withdraw a previous application that would only have demolished portable classrooms and added a new wing at the Killingly Memorial School. The cost for the main building work is […]
Contractors have dealt with a range of challenges this year, including layoffs, government shutdowns, canceled projects and the increased costs of keeping sites open during the pandemic. For example, despite enjoying essential business status in most of the country, the construction industry still lost jobs across 58% of metro areas year-over-year through October, due to […]
Inclusive Prosperity Capital (IPC), a nonprofit spinoff from the Connecticut Green Bank, is entering into partnerships with San Diego’s Greenprint Capital and the Green Bank that will enable IPC to acquire, build and operate solar projects across the country. IPC now has a tax equity partnership with Greenpoint, which works with municipalities to fund environmental […]
The agency that runs the regional trash-to-energy plant in Hartford has set June 30, 2022 as a target date to stop burning garbage and truck the waste instead to out-of-state landfills. Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority President Tom Kirk said Monday that he does not see costs to MIRA’s 51 member communities changing significantly after […]
Construction work at 1201 Kennedy Road hummed along Thursday morning, with crews hauling materials from a roadside staging area about a quarter mile to the building site. The multistory structure is now visible from vantage points along Interstate 91 and Route 20. In an email, Town Manager Peter Souza said the project’s developer expects the […]
Construction on the second phase of Brookfield Village is moving ahead at the town’s Four Corners. The project’s second phase is expected to reach completion by the end of next year, according to George Walker, a marketing representative who works for Advantage Commercial Realty. The project’s first phase buildings are “100 percent leased up,” and […]
Since my column last week, arguing that installing electronic tolls on state highways remains the best means of paying for Connecticut’s transportation needs, an alternative proposal has been placed back on the table — raising taxes. This is what you get, anti-toll folks, because the need to address Interstate 95 congestion, shore up aging bridges […]
The Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a site plan for two multistory buildings with 173 apartment units between Bank Street and Shaw’s Cove. The buildings are considered Phase 2 and 3 of Shaw’s Landing at 400 Bank St., a development completed in 2006 that now contains 35 condominiums. Mayor Michael Passero said […]
SLAM Collaborative, a Glastonbury-based architectural firm, has been selected as the architect for the $159.6 million school, which residents approved last month. The building committee last week picked SLAM after interviewing three other firms that also submitted requests for quotes: JCJ of Hartford, Kaestle Boos Associates of New Britain and Perkins Eastman of Stamford. SLAM […]
A “crucial phase of Groton Utilities’ water treatment plant construction project” has been completed and water is now being clarified and filtered within the plant, according to an announcement. The plant is slated to be completed in spring of 2021. Cam Walden, supervising sanitary engineer from DPH, said the project “was considered the state’s number […]
At its 60-acre site on Bogue Road in Harwinton, O&G has invested more than $800,000 over the past year in equipment and system upgrades that should significantly reduce the amount of energy its asphalt and concrete plants use. Paul Balavender, O&G’s general counsel, said the upgrades are projected to reduce annual electric use by 12% […]
Ideanomics, formerly Seven Stars Cloud Group, closed the deal on its $5.2 million purchase of the 58-acre former UConn campus, the company announced Wednesday. The company plans to invest $283 million to develop fintech solutions through artificial intelligence and blockchain, and create 330 jobs. Ideanomics purchased the former UConn parcel for $5.2 million. Ideanomics, when […]
Over the past few months, the permanent schools facilities building committee has been interviewing architectural firms. Once hired, the architect will start designing the building. The next step is for the state to review the project and give recommendations. Then the construction can go out to bid, he said. The renovation will include a new […]
The full U.S. House and Senate are expected to vote on the bill, which authorizes $740 million in national spending, early next week. The bill is expected to easily pass both chambers despite a threat this week by President Donald Trump to veto the measure. Courtney, who helped negotiate the final version of the bill, […]
The city received three bids this week to deconstruct an 1830 granite mill on the Yantic River as part of a plan to create the Uncas Leap Heritage Park at the historic rocky gorge and waterfall. Wiese Construction of Norwich submitted the low bid of $349,752 for the proposal to remove the roof and upper […]
As work begins on the second stage of the $46 million rehabilitation of the Arrigoni Bridge, motorists can expected a traffic shift starting the week of Dec. 14. “The construction stage shift consists of placing a temporary concrete barrier on Route 17/Route 66 to facilitate work on the center lanes of the Arrigoni Bridge approach-spans,” […]
Work is almost complete on the new home of Coastal Wealth Management, one of the largest buildings constructed here in recent years. The more than 40-foot-tall, 9,800-square-foot building sits along Route 1 just west of Masons Island Road. It’s among several projects under construction or about to start within a short distance just east of […]
West Hartford zoning officials are scheduled to hear from the public at 6 p.m. today about a controversial proposed 26-unit apartment complex planned for New Britain Avenue and Berkshire Road. Developer Joseph Calafiore has twice asked for rezoning of the 1.7-acre parcel at the northeast corner of the two streets to allow for the complex […]
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a 15-term Democrat from New Haven and the dean of the Connecticut delegation, has been selected as the chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. DeLauro, a close ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, replaces retiring U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey of New York. She won the gavel by a vote of […]
With tolls off the table in 2021, state officials could look to gasoline tax hikes to salvage Connecticut’s imperiled transportation program. And while neither Gov. Ned Lamont nor legislators have proposed an increase, one of the argument most frequently used to defeat it — Connecticut’s gas taxes are among the nation’s highest — no longer […]
The Public Works Common Council Committee is set to vote Tuesday night on a more than $2.9 million bid for the construction of the milelong Norwalk River Valley Trail. The trail will be constructed by Deering Construction, Inc., a Norwalk-based company, for $2,924,135, according to city documents. Deering was the lowest of 12 bidders from […]
In a wide-ranging podcast with Hearst Connecticut Media on Monday, UConn Athletic Director David Benedict said he thought that because of the ramifications of the pandemic, the construction costs of the school’s new hockey facility will be lower. Yet it is with the future use of the XL Center in Hartford and Gampel Pavilion in […]
