The state is poised to approve more than $150 million for dozens of Connecticut communities, helping Bloomfield to build a new library, Hartford to improve Pope Park and West Hartford to replace high school tennis courts. The Bond Commission on Thursday is expected to authorize grants that will aid Glastonbury, Rocky Hill, East Hartford, Vernon, […]
The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) has announced Wednesday that the Interstate 91 Interchange 29 Exit Ramp Flyover Bridge – recently finished last year in an attempt to ease traffic in the area – won the 2022 Bridge of the Year award. The flyover bridge was part of the state’s $240 million Charter Oak Bridge […]
In a tense meeting where councilors argued as much about procedure as they did data centers, the Groton Town Council voted to end negotiations with NE Edge over an agreement for a proposed large data center. NE Edge owner Thomas Quinn had been pushing the council for a quick vote on a Host Municipality Fee […]
With warehouse distribution centers becoming a bigger part of Connecticut’s economy, South Windsor next week may adopt a one-year moratorium against any new ones. Kerrigan in January called on the planning and zoning commission to pass a one-year ban; it began a hearing on the idea last week and will resume it on April 5. […]
Randy Salvatore’s ambitious push to add about 1,000 downtown Hartford apartments has run into a string of supply chain woes, but the Stamford-based developer said he is still on track to begin leasing apartments in late spring. Salvatore’s company — RMS Cos. — has an agreement with the city to develop several vacant parcels around […]
During the nearly four-hour public hearing before the Board of Estimate & Taxation, several of the 78 speakers targeted the proposed $2.8 million allocation for bumpout improvements at Greenwich Avenue and Arch Street for criticism. Several speakers said the money would be better spent on Greenwich’s schools, pointing to the need to build a new […]
The city’s roughly $208 million plan to manage its overcrowded school system with improvements and new construction cleared another hurdle after a sparsely attended public hearing this week. The money will cover a $164 million career academy, which would house a high school and middle school, a new pre-kindergarten academy, and improvements at various other […]
Now, after years of planning and negotiation, officials voted in February to approve a mixed-use development proposed by Hamden developer Michael Belfonti for the 12.1-acre property. The plan is to knock down the roughly 225,000-square-foot building and replace it with 213 apartments in 11 buildings, 11,067 square feet of office space and 9,959 square feet […]
A week after Mayor Caroline Simmons first announced that city-hired engineers would expand their investigation into Harbor Point developer Building and Land Technology, her administration laid out a sharper focus for its inquiry. Engineers hired by the city will examine eight additional Harbor Point properties built by the South End’s biggest developer as part of […]
The Government Administration and Elections Committee voted 16-0 to approve a bill mandating that the five investigative posts sought by the State Contracting Standards Board be filled before the first quarter of the next fiscal year ends, in late September. Senate Bill 473 also would expand the contracting board’s authority to probe quasi-public agencies and […]
Signing the $1.5 trillion 2022 omnibus spending bill into law in mid-March, President Joe Biden released the full benefits of last fall’s bipartisan infrastructure and jobs act. Praised by the transportation construction industry for its broad infusion into the U.S. economy for years to come, IIJA couldn’t become reality until the omnibus bill was signed. […]
Hurricane Ida, which dropped more than 6 in. of rain in many parts of Connecticut in early September 2021, caused massive flooding, highway closures and water rescues. It also damaged roadways and a bridge on Route 9 Southbound in Cromwell, which is currently being rehabilitated. Arborio Construction of Cromwell, Conn., is the contractor. An Emergency […]
In a special meeting Wednesday, the city’s Common Council voted to use the sum of $26,950,000 to be appropriated for the cost of various capital improvements for the city. The decision was made after the council voted to close out completed capital projects and de-authorize any related unused bond authorizations. The money from the unused […]
As construction at Jefferson Elementary wraps up, the city is preparing to break ground on its first new school building in over 50 years. Newfield Construction is reviewing bid packages for the new Cranbury Elementary School and will then submit a maximum price for the project to Common Council. Construction is scheduled to start in […]
The groundbreaking on extending Constitution Boulevard is planned for April 15, and it appears construction will be on the state’s dime. A request for $5 million to cover the costs of extending the roadway — which is essential to the eventual development of the nearly 70-acre, city-owned Mas property — will be before the state […]
On Friday, the city hosted a celebration of the $50 million in federal funding now dedicated to the project as part of a federal funding bill signed by President Joe Biden last week. Members of the Coast Guard Museum Association, which leads the fundraising efforts for the museum, call it a game changer and the […]
Town Mayor Juan Melendez Jr. said he received the memorandum, but the Town Council will proceed with holding a previously scheduled meeting on Tuesday to vote on whether or not to discontinue efforts to pursue a municipal host fee agreement with NE Edge. Melendez, who is one of nine councilors, said he personally plans to […]
The Capital Region Development Authority will shortly launch $20 million in repairs and upgrades to the XL Center, Hartford’s premier sports arena and convention center. Michael Freimuth, executive director of the CRDA, told his board in a Thursday meeting the funding will come from a $40 million pool of state bond money the agency received […]
Because of a change in state government’s pension rules, workers throughout the system are retiring by the end of June. Giulietti is anticipating that he’ll need to hire between 600 to 800 workers, from bus drivers and snow-plow steerers to bridge inspectors, paving testers, and supervisors responsible for making sure crews are on the road […]
A pedestrian bridge over the Norwalk River that has been in the works for years is set to go out to bid Friday. It is planned to connect Merwin Meadows Park and the surrounding Wilton Center with the Wilton Train Station. Funding for the bridge will come through a Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program, or […]
Tweed New Haven Regional Airport neighbors and opponents of airport expansion who have been frustrated by the lack of information flowing their way will hold their own airport forum in a “Tweed Talk” meeting Tuesday night at East Haven’s Hagaman Memorial Library. Organizers aim “to create a neighbor to neighbor conversation to share information regarding […]
After Connecticut’s Supreme Court ruled in its favor, Stamford developer Building and Land Technology is moving forward with rebuilding more of the South End. Even though a development plan for the buildings cleared the city zoning board in 2020, its future was tied up in the court system after a group of South End residents […]
The city has redesigned its Community Recreation Center to keep it within its $30 million budget and adjust to changing market conditions. Felix Reyes, director of the city’s Office of Development and Planning, presented the changes for the first time publicly at Monday’s City Council meeting. He is part of a special task force meeting […]
The White House will announce on Wednesday a funding opportunity of $2.9 billion earmarked by the Transportation Department for major infrastructure projects this year, as part of a $1-trillion law Congress approved in 2021. The figure includes $1 billion for projects of national or regional significance that are too large or complex for traditional funding […]
The future of the state-owned airport, whether it should be expanded or closed and redeveloped, has been debated for decades, heating up again last summer. The airport is overseen by the Connecticut Airport Authority, so the state would have to initiate — and likely pay for — any environmental study on the 200-acre airfield. Concerns […]
South Windsor’s Planning and Zoning Commission is poised to adopt a year-long moratorium on new warehouse and distribution centers in response to resident concerns following a development boom of just over a decade. Members delayed action, however, after an attorney representing an unspecified landowner raised concerns the measure had not been publicly available long enough […]
US Service Group (USSG), a New York based industrial services company, has acquired Walker Crane & Rigging Corp. of Plainville, Conn. Walker operates out of a 130,000 sq. ft. facility located approximately 30 minutes southwest of Hartford, Conn. Along with ABLE Rigging Contractors and Transcope Services, USSG now consists of three separate operating businesses focused […]
“A decision point is approaching the board on the recommendation on the Long Lots facility,” Scarice said. “The board at this point is in need of criteria in order to make a decision on a full renovation or a new construction on the Long Lots campus.” Scarice said the five main areas of criteria include […]
The subpoena for Groton officials seeks records for two school projects, the West Side Middle School and the Carl C. Cutler Middle School, which were converted into elementary schools at a cost of about $90 million in 2019. Groton is the fourth municipality to receive a subpoena from the federal grand jury concerning school construction […]
The estimated cost to complete the reconstruction of State Pier will rise by a minimum of $6.8 million, and more likely end up being double that amount, the Connecticut Port Authority learned on Tuesday. Most of the increase is being blamed on the delay to the start of the project and the need for expediency […]
Atlantic is a nationwide firm that has operated hangars at Sikorsky for over three decades and provides fliers a host of services, from fueling and de-icing to baggage services, catering and hotel arrangements. Three Wing, purchased by Christoph about three years ago, is a similar, long-standing business. Officials with Atlantic did not respond Monday to […]
According to a recent email from a DOT official to town First Selectwoman Beth Heller obtained by the Register, there are potential plans in the works for a major rehabilitation in fiscal year 2025 and a proposal for improvements in 2023/2024. The latest inspection report on the tunnel shows “items that may need to be […]
The school construction program, which reimburses school districts for a portion of the costs to build and renovate school buildings, is anticipating spending more than $139 million on nine projects next year, according to legislation before the Education Committee. Legislative authorization for that funding, however, comes as lawmakers are simultaneously scrutinizing Diamantis’ six-year tenure atop […]
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh rolled out new rulemaking proposals for the first time in nearly 40 years to change the Davis-Bacon Act, which sets the prevailing wages contractors must pay workers on federal projects. Under the current process, at least 51% of surveyed wages need to be within a “same or similar” margin. If […]
A series of agreements secured in the past two years allow the town to reimburse developers for the infrastructure investment from new taxes generated by the project. It’s what’s known as a tax increment financing (TIF) deal. That money comes with strings. The development needs to add at least $50 million in value to the […]
Examples of large investments in ports can be found up the Northeast coastline in anticipation of work for the burgeoning offshore wind industry. States are turning more and more to wind power and repurposing or building new ports to be used for staging and assembly of turbine parts or repair and maintenance facilities. The QDC […]
The Connecticut Department of Transportation has proposed changes to Route 85 in Salem and Montville that include widening the roads, a new roundabout and replacing two existing bridges. The $38 million proposed project is split into four separate sections and begins in Salem just south of the intersection of routes 82 and 85 and extends […]
Across Connecticut’s system of 139 state parks and forests, delays in needed maintenance and repairs have piled up for decades, officials say, impacting everything from roads, toilets and campgrounds to historic mansions, museum halls and New Deal-era public works projects. At a February appearance at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, Gov. Ned Lamont pledged […]
City officials are expanding their investigation into South End developer Building and Land Technology after a terrace at one of its high-rises collapsed because of structural problems, according to a letter sent by Mayor Caroline Simmons to BLT Co-President Ted Ferrarone. A 20-foot-by-15-foot section of the fifth-floor outdoor terrace at Allure collapsed on Feb. 1, […]
The city’s Common Council has agreed to sell a collection of city owned parcels to a developer, moving forward with the second phase of the Berkowitz building construction project. Alderman Robert Smedley said the city had previously entered into an agreement with Douglas Bromfield, Capital Restoration, the parcels of land would be available to purchase […]
The vast majority of the roughly 48 speakers were opposed or sought more information and time for the town to deliberate. Residents were applauded after they spoke, and some wore stickers that said “NO DATA CENTER NOW.” NE Edge LLC, under manager Thomas Quinn, is asking the council to approve a host fee agreement to […]
The estimated cost of the total project is $225 million. However, the state reduced the city’s initial request and approved $189 million for the project at a reimbursement rate of 80 percent in 2020. The board approved the city’s recommendation to move forward with design “option B” for the new high school, which would construct […]
Following the final three-hour session late Tuesday, the commission closed the public hearing on the application by Maryland-based Blue Water Development Corp. for the RV park and campground resort on 65 acres of land owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. The wetlands commission will begin deliberations on the wetlands permit application at its April […]
The city’s Common Council has agreed to sell a collection of city owned parcels to a developer, moving forward with the second phase of the Berkowitz building construction project. The Council passed a resolution last week to sell the city owned property at 634, 666, 676 and 686 Main St. for $65,000 to Douglas Bromfield […]
A plan to replace the fencing along railroad tracks in Niantic has been pushed off by Amtrak due to concerns raised by residents, business owners and politicians that the proposed design doesn’t do enough to preserve Main Street’s unique views. Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams said the project, initially slated to begin in late February, won’t […]
With gasoline prices rising sharply in an election year, Gov. Ned Lamont called Monday for cutting the state’s gasoline tax by 25 cents per gallon. The excise tax would be eliminated until the end of the fiscal year on June 30 and would cost state coffers $90 million. The package does not include any cuts […]
The Town Council is postponing a vote on a data center agreement scheduled for Wednesday after the developer agreed to give the town more time to address concerns raised by residents, particularly about sound. The council still will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to hear comments from the public but will not take a vote, […]
Federal investigators have subpoenaed records from Hartford and questioned a city engineer about a school construction project during which the city claims it was “required” by the state office financing the construction to hire two consultants to perform much the same work. The state is financing almost all of the cost of multiple school projects […]
The special Town Council and Committee of the Whole meeting to review a data center agreement has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. There will be an opportunity for public comment, according to a town notice. The meeting will take place at Thrive 55+ (Groton Senior Center) at 102 Newtown Road and also virtually via […]
Also during a meeting Friday, the board passed two motions related to the Connecticut Port Authority, a quasi-public agency that is the subject of a recent report from the State Contracting Standards Board. The board voted to request formal opinions from the attorney general regarding the port authority’s ability to enter into public–private partnerships via […]
The Bristol Arts and Innovation Magnet School construction project has become the subject of a federal grand jury subpoena as part of an investigation into Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis’ pressuring schools to take specific build contracts. A letter obtained by the CT Mirror indicated that Diamantis had put forward a “directive” in April 2020 telling the […]
The physical construction work for schools has historically been put out to bid so that other subcontractors can compete for those jobs and the millions of dollars that come with them. But Diamantis wanted that arrangement to change, and to accomplish that goal he convinced lawmakers to alter state law so that school projects could […]
The designs for a massive undertaking aimed at reducing flooding in the South End are, after eight years of planning, 90 percent complete, with construction tentatively scheduled to start next winter. But the project’s budget has also increased beyond the initial $56 million estimate from 2014, and more money must be found, acknowledged Shante Hanks, […]
Developer Jon Hendel is a town resident and businessman who in 1994 formed the development company TerraMax in 1994, which has developed and managed several properties in New London County and in New York. He said his family has owned the Waterford property since the 1970s and he has wanted to develop it for years. […]
The city of Hartford wants to transform a former scrapyard in the Parkville neighborhood — which currently serves as the largest undeveloped and unutilized land parcel in the Capital City — into a major ground-up development that would serve the advanced manufacturing industry. The plan is part of a much broader $242 million public-private redevelopment […]
About 1,000 Meriden households are the first in the state to participate in a food scrap co-collection program in the hopes of demonstrating how waste diversion solutions can help address the statewide disposal crisis. The Meriden households are customers of HQ Dumpsters & Recycling in Southington, a trash hauler who is participating in the four-month […]
Gilbane doubled down on its industry-wide push for more diversity in construction, committing $4 billion in contract awards to underrepresented firms over the next five years, including veteran, minority and women-owned businesses. Annualized, the amount would represent about 13% of Gilbane’s revenues, which were $6.2 billion in 2021. Since November 2020, for example, Gilbane has […]
Union trade workers with various local agencies voiced their displeasure with the Bristol City Council for not taking part in a project labor agreement connected with Bristol City Hall renovations, that they say would have brought jobs to local workers. According to city documents, the council unanimously voted to “notify and instruct the Construction Manager […]
The Town Plan and Zoning Commission approved two new dorms at Sacred Heart University on Tuesday, despite residents’ concerns about the proposal’s possible impact on the neighborhood. Sacred Heart requested a zoning regulation amendment and a special exception permit to create freshmen housing on Jefferson Street. The 15.48 acre property abuts the rest of Sacred […]
The Town Council will hold a meeting next week to vote on a revised proposed data center agreement for land south of Interstate 95 between Hazelnut Hill and Flanders Roads, after the developer requested the council make a decision soon. Thomas Quinn, manager of NE Edge LLC, which is seeking the host fee agreement with […]
The Farmington Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday approved a proposal to construct apartments and commercial space at a site along Farmington Avenue. The McCallum industrial building, situated between Farmington Avenue and the Farmington River, would be converted for residential and commercial use, eventually joining other residential buildings that would be built in the area. […]
The city has issued a pair of requests for proposals from developers for municipal-owned lots at Golden Hill Street, which is across from the historic Superior Court building, and around the corner from that location at Main and Middle streets adjacent to the new Berlinetta Brewing Company. Currently city-based developer John Guedes, known for his […]
During a vote Tuesday, the Budget Committee approved the additional proposed allocation of $2.5 million for architecture and engineering work for a new Central Middle School as well as the previously requested $1.5 million allocations each for design work for renovations at Old Greenwich School and Julian Curtiss School. Next, the proposed $464 million municipal […]
The first phase of construction for the National Coast Guard Museum could begin as early July, with demolition to begin on a portion of City Pier Plaza. Sen. Chris Murphy has said he is seeking the $50 million as part of the fiscal year 2022 Homeland Security bill, which provides for discretionary funding of $71.7 […]
A Southington electrical contractor who worked with a Bristol construction company for “more than 30 years” voted to make that company the general contractor on a $67 million school building project in Bristol — and later received a $2.5 million contract from that same company to work at another project in Tolland, documents show. Stephan […]
Advocates for bringing data centers into Connecticut warned that a proposal to restrict emissions from large diesel power generators could halt the industry’s interest in the state, undoing the progress of major incentives lawmakers approved to attract data centers last year. Dykes said the bill applies generally to businesses that use diesel-fueled generators for “peak […]
State legislators were told Monday that incorrectly calculated state reimbursement rates for school construction projects could add millions of dollars worth of additional local costs. Members of the Education and Finance, Revenue and Bonding committees were also informed Monday that the school construction funding program was riddled with problems that went uncorrected for years until […]
The Board of Finance recently approved a $4.5 million two-part project to address the flooding. The first part costs $3.1 million for sewer lines will add sewer lines to 124 homes along Evergreen Avenue, Evergreen Parkway, Tamarac Road, Lone Pine Lane, Gorham Avenue, Compo Road North and Brookside Drive. Ratkiewich said while the town will […]
It’s the end of the line for the proposed Killingly natural gas plant as far grid operator ISO-New England is concerned, at least for the immediate future. Two rulings in the last two weeks, one by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the other by the U.S. District Court of Appeals in Washington D.C., paved […]
Wegmans, the New York-based grocery chain that announced plans this week to open its first Connecticut location on Richards Avenue, intends to demolish an old office building and two adjacent businesses before erecting the new store, according to plans submitted to the city. Site plans filed with the city show the chain anticipates building a […]
Amid testimony before Connecticut lawmakers Monday, a top state official said they intend to hire an outside firm to do a comprehensive review of the school construction program formerly run by Konstantinos Diamantis. A top deputy to Gilman, Noel Petra, said DAS has been engaged in a full review of the policies that were in […]
The proposal calls for buying 30.4 acres of land at the former Cartus Corp. site for $57.2 million and renovating the building. Total cost of the career academy proposal is projected at $164 million. Another $43.9 million would go toward “additional school and related facilities projects” that are separate from the career academy. Mayor Dean […]
In an indication that a federal grand jury is focusing its attention on specific school building projects, the town of Tolland on Thursday received a subpoena for records and correspondence with state officials surrounding the new Birch Grove Primary School project. The elementary school was built after the state Department of Administrative Services granted it […]
A state-owned garbage incinerator was supposed to close by July. But now that a potential deal with a private company to transform the site into a transfer station appears dead, leadership at the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority has approved a budget allowing the burn plant to operate for one more year. The quasi-public’s Hartford […]
The Bristol Arts and Innovation Magnet School continues to make strides toward its June target to finish construction and hand off the school to Bristol Public Schools for finishing touches in preparation for classes this fall season. Sheetrock and trim is being placed in the theater in preparation for a painter as well as efforts […]
Critical decisions are looming over funding the design work for planned renovations at Julian Curtiss School and Old Greenwich School. The Board of Education requested $1.5 million for each school project for architecture and engineering work that will lead to final design plans. For fiscal year 2023-24, that would bring the estimated construction costs for […]
Tuesday evening, architecture and design firm SLAM Collaborative gave the finance board the same presentation the Board of Education and other officials received last month on its draft master plan for Stamford schools. The plan includes building a new K-8 school in the southern part of the city, shuttering four schools, turning three elementary schools […]
A project to repair and strengthen the northbound Gold Star Memorial Bridge span is underway, with the Department of Transportation making preparations for the under-the-deck work slated to begin next month. The bridge, comprising two separate spans, carries Interstate 95 over the Thames River between Groton and New London. The DOT has said the northbound […]
The developer of a controversial proposed 302-unit RV park resort at the junction of routes 2 and 164 abutting Avery Pond described changes to reduce wetlands impacts, but residents at Tuesday’s inland wetlands public hearing remained strongly opposed to the project. Maryland-based Blue Water Development Corp. has proposed the $25 million RV park and campground […]
A zone change that could clear the way for a 13-story building with 136 apartments, including 14 affordable units, on what now is a parking lot next to the Strouse-Adler building cleared a key hurdle this week, winning the unanimous approval of the Board of Alders’ Legislation Committee. The zone change from BA to BD1, […]
Slate School has filed an inland wetlands application to build its campus for older students on Kings Highway parcels adjacent to its existing campus, according to Timothy Lee, an attorney who represents the school. The wetlands application is for 91 and 103 King’s Highway as well as the lower school’s current address of 124. In […]
The Planning and Zoning Commission is considering two major housing developments, a 160-unit expansion of Village Apartments and a 22-unit condominium project on Route 32. The developer of Village Apartments at 82 Jerome Road submitted an application last month to expand from its 54 units to 214. The new units would be located in three […]
The city announced major plans on Monday afternoon to purchase land and develop its highly anticipated career academy at the property where Cartus Corporation is located. After a resident vote, the city hopes to purchase the property for a still-unnamed sum, Esposito said. The addition of the career academy is Danbury’s main focus in plans […]
An attorney for Southington-based Superior Products Distributors said it was fitting for a full-service construction company to occupy the former Ehrbar warehouse on Kenosia Avenue, as the building boom on Danbury’s west side continues. Marcus was describing plans by the family-owned Superior Products Distributors to open a fifth sales and service center in a 20,000-square-foot […]
Manresa Island neighbors and property owners are speaking out against the state Department of Transportation’s plan to use the island for the Walk Bridge project. The DOT first announced in June 2020 its plans to use the former power plant site, known informally as Manresa Island, to house Walk Bridge supplies and construct the lift […]
The Appropriations Committee has raised legislation that potentially would shield the state’s contracting watchdog board from job freezes, emergency budget cuts and other budget-management techniques at the governor’s disposal. Diamantis frustrated municipal leaders last August when he informed Coventry officials that the state wouldn’t help to pay to upgrade aging ventilators in its middle and […]
