‘Pretty substantial’ $100M hotel, housing, retail complex planned in Cromwell

A local developer has submitted an application to the town for a zoning exception to build a 12.74-acre, $100 million mixed-use site containing housing, a retail component, restaurant, coffee shop and more at the former Red Lion hotel property. The Lord Cromwell, named after the original occupant of the property, will be located at 100 […]

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Fort Trumbull developers see opportunity in New London

A Thursday webinar, hosted by the state Department of Economic and Community Development, touted the project as the largest in the state so far to take advantage of federal Opportunity Zone tax incentives authorized in 2017 to bolster low-income communities. Construction of The Residences at Fort Trumbull is underway on the Howard Street site. Parcels […]

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Connecticut utility regulators end state’s natural gas expansion plan launched in 2013, citing rising costs, push for zero emissions

Connecticut’s utility regulators on Wednesday ended a nine-year state program that sought to expand the use of natural gas as an alternative to home heating oil. Several reasons were cited by the three Public Utilities Regulatory Authority commissioners who voted to pull the plug on the program: Gas prices are soaring, wiping out cost advantages […]

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Inflation, interest rate hikes delay $50M Hartford housing complex redevelopment

A redevelopment of the Martin Luther King apartments in Hartford’s Sheldon Charter Oak neighborhood has been stymied after organizers learned inflation and higher interest rates have increased the project’s costs by about $8 million. Freimuth said CRDA has not yet settled on the size of the loan it will grant the project. The quasi-public agency […]

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Newington approves 225-unit apartment complex

A Pittsburgh-based construction company has been given approval to build a 225-unit apartment complex on the southern edge of town. Despite opposition from some residents, the Newington Town Plan and Zoning Commission voted earlier this month to approve a proposal to construct five four-story residential buildings on a 26-acre site at the corner of Culver […]

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Norwich school renovation project options being considered

The School Building Committee earlier this month narrowed its focus on two possible options for elementary schools, which were presented to residents at a public forum Tuesday. One would renovate and expand the John B. Stanton Elementary, Moriarty Environmental Sciences Magnet and Uncas Elementary schools, each to house about 700 students in preschool through fifth […]

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Winsted Town Manager presents road plan to zoning commission

Town Manager Josh Kelly presented an 8-24 application to the Planning & Zoning Commission Monday, bringing the town’s $15.3 million road improvement project one step closer to starting later this year. The commission unanimously approved Kelly’s 8-24 application, which is part of the process to apply for loans and a requirement for municipal projects. The […]

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Norwalk plans $600K sidewalk project near three schools

Last month, the city released a Request for Proposals for a company to complete the curbing and sidewalks along Highland Avenue, in front of three of the city’s public schools. With the bidding period closed Monday, the city received three bids on the project, Transportation, Parking and Mobility Department Director Jim Travers said. The project […]

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Developer pitches Stamford high-rise to replace industrial South End lot: ‘The area is changing’

A real estate developer wants to turn the dregs of the South End’s industrial past into the area’s latest high-rise at 441 Canal St. Heyman Properties proposed 401 apartments in all, with 429 corresponding parking spaces. On the ground floor, 441 Canal will feature over 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Hennessey said the […]

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East Hartford looks for infusion of apartments and businesses to fuel ambitious revitalization plan

Looking to reverse decades of stagnation, East Hartford has embarked on an ambitious revitalization plan that encompasses hundreds of new apartments, massive redevelopment of Rentschler Field and the foundation for townwide 10-gig fiber optic Internet service. The 25-point plan includes millions of dollars of city investment in repairing deteriorated roads, aiding local business expansion, upgrading […]

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Stamford schools to spend $12M of COVID relief funds on 23 air quality projects

About $12 million of the COVID-19 relief funds sent to Stamford schools will go toward ventilation projects. Kevin McCarthy, director of facilities operations, told Board of Education members last week that the school district has identified 23 air quality projects to tackle. Some $10.5 million for the projects will come mostly from the third installment […]

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Man injured in construction accident in New London

A 54-year-old man was taken to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital with serious injuries Monday after a construction accident on Governor Winthrop Boulevard behind the Garde Arts Center, according to the city and the fire department. Fire Battalion Chief Jonathan Paige said the fire department responded to the rear of the theater around noon after a […]

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Submarines are big business in CT. As manufacturing rises, federal money will flow to find, train workers

As much as $750 million is to be allocated in 2023 to the submarine industrial base, particularly workforce training by community colleges, Electric Boat, regional workforce boards and other agencies, he said. Electric Boat said in January it plans to hire more than 3,000 workers this year. Over the past five years, 352 submarine suppliers […]

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Lamont promises next year years would see ‘most important investments in infrastructure since Ike’ at Southington event

Gov. Ned Lamont promised that the next five years would see “the most important investments in infrastructure since Ike” at the annual meeting of the Connecticut Association of Street and Highway Officers (CASHO) Friday. At the meeting, which was held at the Aqua Turf Club, Andrew Tierney, president of CASHO’s Board of Directors and Hebron […]

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Greenwich’s plan to build a new Central Middle School moves to next step on ‘very aggressive timeline’

The town took a major step toward building a new Central Middle School, but the clock is already ticking on the high-priority project. The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved creating a building committee to lead the constriction project. Establishing a building committee is standard procedure for major town capital projects, especially new schools. The Board […]

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Shelton developer bringing 55+ housing to city

The local developer, owner of S&G of Shelton, is in the process of constructing phase one of The Crossroads, a 55 and older active adult community, the first such development built in the city since the 1970s, according to the nearly lifelong Shelton resident. S&G of Shelton originally filed a proposal in 2018 to develop […]

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Why the Connecticut construction boom is costly for homebuyers, tenants and developers

In South Windsor, T&M Building Co. Inc. is just completing 155 townhouses, duplexes and detached homes; during the course of construction, lumber prices added an average of $18,000 to each one, said President Greg Ugalde. And even though Bristol’s Carrier Construction Co. has been a major homebuilder in the region for decades, this year it’s […]

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After years-long delay, Windsor’s Great Pond Village development eyes biotech research center, data center, major industrial tenants, more housing

Windsor’s Great Pond Village mixed-use development experienced more than a decade of delays and many plan changes before its first phase debuted in 2019, with the opening of the 230-unit Preserve at Great Pond luxury apartments complex. Several other projects are lining up, including a data center, age-restricted residential community, 185 units of additional housing […]

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Touching the Surface — Federal Highway, Bridge Funds Steadily Increase Due to IIJA

In 2021, approximately $53 billion in highway formula funds were made available to states. The DOT FY 2023 budget includes $68.9 billion for the Federal Highway program, representing a $19.8 billion increase from the 2021 enacted level. ARTBA reports that in 2021, states leveraged $31.4 billion in federal funds for federally supported projects. Included were […]

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Winsted selectmen take first step to repair roads, fix lake drainage

Voters will soon be asked to approve an ambitious spending proposal that will launch road repair projects, repair drainage around Highland Lake, provide a new ladder truck for the fire department and begin payments on Hinsdale School’s renovation. “The Board of Selectmen can vote to approve this bond resolution (for $24.700 million) and set the […]

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2 Stamford Reps. wanted to stop all BLT projects temporarily. The city law department had an answer for that

Public Safety Committee Chair Jeff Stella, D-9, and board President Jeff Curtis, D-14, at a Board of Representatives meeting Wednesday floated the possibility of suspending all projects spearheaded by dominant Stamford developer Building and Land Technology until engineers complete their investigation into the partial collapse at one of its high rises. Yet, despite any concerns […]

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Economic headwinds threaten construction’s spring recovery

Construction and engineering spending reached $1.57 trillion in July 2021, according to Deloitte, and revenue growth will likely accelerate in 2022. In a survey of over 500 U.S. executives and other senior leaders in the field, Deloitte also found that 92% characterize their business outlook as somewhat or very positive, 23% higher than the previous […]

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Amazon developer offers $2.5M for 157-acre building site in Waterbury/Naugatuck

Pennsylvania-based Bluewater Property Group is offering Waterbury and Naugatuck $2.5 million for a 157-acre site on the municipalities’ shared border, where the developer hopes to build a distribution facility for Amazon. Bluewater will require a deal on local property taxes, must clear regulatory land-use reviews and must finish its own due diligence on site conditions […]

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Gas and water pipeline project to begin in Wilton

Aquarion Water and Eversource Energy are beginning construction this month on 1.8 miles of new water pipeline and two miles of new gas pipeline between New Canaan and Wilton. The joint project is expected to be completed by December. Burns Construction was awarded the contract for the project and three crews from the firm will […]

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Preston wetlands commission approves RV park near Avery Pond

A proposed RV park and campground cleared its first hurdle Tuesday, with the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission voting 3-2 to approve the scaled-down but still controversial project on 65 acres of land owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation at the junction of routes 2 and 164 and abutting Avery Pond. Maryland-based Blue Water […]

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United Illuminating to rebuild transmission lines along rail corridor between Milford and New Haven

The United Illuminating Co. is preparing for a multi-year, $300 million transmission line upgrade along a 9.5-mile stretch of the railroad corridor between Milford and New Haven, officials with the Orange-based electric utility said. The project, which will begin in late 2023 and run until late 2028, will serve two purposes, company officials said in […]

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Litchfield proposes $10 million for Bantam school

The town facilities review committee Tuesday issued a recommendation that a $10 million renovation of the former Bantam School is warranted so the facility could continue to serve the town for decades to come. Selectmen tabled action on the request and plan to consider it May 3. Public comment was supportive of the idea of […]

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Middletown seeks development proposals for prime downtown real estate

The city’s Economic and Community Development office has issued a request for proposals for developers interested in building on the prime real estate near the Connecticut River. The federally designated opportunity zones, which offer “scenic and panoramic views,” include a 1.5-acre city-owned parcel at 60 Dingwall Drive, the police parking lot at 222 Main St., […]

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Spring 20222 roadway resurfacing is on the horizon in Bristol

As weather gets warmer, Spring 20222 roadway resurfacing is on the horizon, said city officials. Beginning April 21, streets will be milled and resurfaced. Residents can anticipate work on Daniel Road, Holley Road, Carriage Road, Country Lane, Artisan Street, Marine Court, Root Avenue and High Street from the Queen Street intersection to the cul-de-sac. Road […]

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New Haven’s Ferry Street bridge repair to bring detour

he Ferry Street bridge between Middletown Avenue and State Street will be closed to traffic beginning “on or around April 25” for repairs to the bridge over the railroad tracks, according to the state Department of Transportation. The $3 million project, awarded to the Rotha Contracting Co., will include replacing the bridge deck, repairs to […]

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Tweed airport growth could mean more state funds for East Haven, but Carfora says it’s not enough

Expansion of Tweed New Haven Regional Airport — and specifically the construction of a new, 74,000-square-foot, carbon-neutral terminal with 4-6 departure gates on the East Haven side of the airport — could more than double the payments the town gets from the state, officials say. East Haven currently collects $462,000 a year under the state […]

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Biden to require US-made steel, iron for infrastructure

The Biden administration is taking a key step toward ensuring that federal dollars will support U.S. manufacturing — issuing requirements for how projects funded by the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package source their construction material. New guidance issued Monday requires that the material purchased — whether it’s for a bridge, a highway, a water pipe […]

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Orange Intersection Ready; Temple Bridge Next

City Plan Senior Project Planner Donna Hall gave those updates Wednesday morning during the latest regular monthly meeting of the city Development Commission. The virtual meeting took place online via Zoom. Hall’s presentation focused on the latest with Downtown Crossing. That’s the $50 million-plus, state and federally funded overhaul of the Rt. 34 mini-highway-to-nowhere that […]

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East Hartford OKs major Rentschler development

East Hartford’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved two applications on a planned development of a 300-acre site on the former Rentschler field. Boston-based National Development filed applications for a zone change to facilitate its master plan for the site, which includes two warehouse buildings totaling 2.5 million square feet and two 100,000-square-foot […]

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New Haven to realign lower State Street with ‘game-changer’ $5.35 million state grant

The city will use a $5.35 million state grant to realign and redevelop lower State Street from Audubon Street to George Street and open several existing parking lots for transit-oriented, mixed-use development, Mayor Justin Elicker announced, calling it “truly a game-changer.” “The realignment of State Street in this critical commercial and transit hub will help […]

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Hearing set for Wednesday on Rentschler Field development

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday night on a plan to develop 300 acres of the former Rentschler airfield. Pratt & Whitney agreed to sell the parcel to Boston-based National Development in November 2021. The developers filed applications for a zone change to the Design Development District where the property […]

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CT lawmakers tout funds for infrastructure: It’s about roads, bridges, airports, jobs — and faster trains with 5G

In his first public appearance since testing positive for COVID-19 last week, Gov. Ned Lamont teamed with part of the state’s Congressional delegation to tout the $250 million the state will receive each year, for the next five years, as part last year’s historic infrastructure bill. Planned improvements to the state’s rail system will shave […]

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CT DOT puts a spotlight on work zone safety: ‘The horrific crashes are up’ with three fatalities last year

Hundreds of drivers, passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians die every year in crashes in work zones nationwide, including three such fatalities in Connecticut last year. And in 2020, there were nearly 900 accidents in work zones with four fatalities in the state, according to the University of Connecticut’s CT Crash Data Repository. As construction season begins […]

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Winsted gets $1.8 million grant for street improvements, other projects

A grant of $1.8 million, part of the state’s Department of Economic & Community Development’s Communities Challenge Grant program, was recently awarded to Winsted. The grant, called the “Winsted Pedestrian Experience Transformation,” will include $800,000 for sidewalk replacements downtown; $829,604 for repaving the Bridge Street intersection; $70,500 for brownfield remediation; $20,000 for signs on Main […]

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Bridgeport library board, contractor at odds over $500K cost overruns for new branch

The new East End library branch has finally opened after a few years’ worth of delays. But that milestone accomplishment is marred by an ongoing dispute involving $500,000 in alleged cost overruns between the developer, Ashlar Construction, and the city’s library board. The matter is in the hands of the municipal law department. The tensions […]

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Demolish historic part of Farmington High School? Here’s why that’s a question

As Farmington residents are surveyed about what to do with the historic section of the existing high school, a retired community leader is suggesting it should become the new town hall. Combining municipal offices and school administrative offices in that space would solve several problems in one move, Stockwell wrote. Her suggestion is among numerous […]

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Chewy backing away from $135M Windsor distribution center

Pet products retailer Chewy is backing away from plans for a $135 million fulfillment center in Windsor. Even so, the developers that lined up to erect the giant e-commerce company’s planned 750,000-square-foot building said they are going to proceed with construction anyway. Winstanley and ABB Group — owner of the former Combustion Engineering nuclear-boiler production […]

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Is Right-to-Repair Order a Sleeper Issue for the Construction Industry?

The aim of the right-to-repair order was to allow owners to self-repair personal electronic devices, automobiles and machines. Farmers would benefit from the opportunity to repair the heavy machinery they own, and by extension so would construction equipment owners. The order has met with some opposition from equipment manufacturers and distributors. Congressman Bobby Rush of […]

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Stonington receives nearly $2.7 million in funding for Pawcatuck water and sewer projects

The town has received almost $2.7 million in federal funding for two water and sewer projects in Pawcatuck. The money was part of the 2022 Omnibus Appropriations bill which President Joe Biden signed on March 15 and was put forward by U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy. It includes $1,952,130 […]

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Brookfield streetscape project enters third phase with push to expand Still River Greenway

In a project update given this past week, Brookfield Community Development Specialist Greg Dembowski said the phase three work now underway will see the extension of the sidewalk and the Still River Greenway Trail south on Federal Road to the site of the new Dunkin’ Plaza before continuing south on Old Route 7 to Laurel […]

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Norwalk receives $6M grant for development near SoNo train station

The city has received $6 million in state funding to support developments in South Norwalk as a plan by the governor to boost community livability. Gov. Ned Lamont announced last week the distribution of $45 million spread among 12 municipalities that aim to improve “distressed municipalities” and add to downtown areas. Norwalk’s plans will enable […]

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Parent concerns prompt Norwalk defense of school construction firm tied to Diamantis probe

The Common Council’s Land Use and Building Management Committee, which approved on Wednesday the plan to build the new Norwalk High School on the existing football field, defended CSG after some residents raised concerns about the company and its president, Jim Giuliano. In a letter sent to the Common Council and Mayor Harry Rilling on […]

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Developer plans apartment village at Shelton locks

Local developer Don Stanziale, Jr., is hoping to bring his vision to the end of Canal Street on a property known as the Ascom Hasler site. Stanziale, owner of Midland Development & Contracting, told Hearst Connecticut Media his plan is for an unspecified number of apartments at 287 Canal St. in what would be called […]

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East Hartford Mayor calls Silver Lane Plaza a ‘cancer’ on corridor development

Community members and town officials gave suggestions for redevelopment, including the possibility of taking the decrepit Silver Lane Plaza by eminent domain, as they discussed the state of the Silver Lane corridor Wednesday night. Walsh said Silver Lane Plaza is the “single largest problem” the town faces and a “cancer” on the corridor. Without acquiring […]

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Democrats advance covid relief budget’ for consideration

With Connecticut flush with federal COVID-19 relief funds, the Democratic-controlled Appropriations Committee advanced a one-year, $24.16 billion spending plan on Thursday that attempts to address the pandemic’s continuing impacts. Along with a tax package that passed Wednesday, it will become the basis for closed-door negotiations between the General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, who […]

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Lamont pulls plug on I-95 project in Greenwich costing $205 million; residents say, ‘Our voices were heard’

Due to complaints that it would not do enough to reduce highway noise in local neighborhoods, the state has pulled the plug — for now — on a $205 million project to improve Interstate 95 in Greenwich, Gov. Ned Lamont and First Selectman Fred Camillo announced. The major project on the busy commuter corridor — […]

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New state grant to aid redevelopment near Hartford’s Dunkin’ Donuts Park, 11 other towns and cities

The grant for the redevelopment of a long-blighted corner northwest of Hartford’s Dunkin Donuts Park was part of $45 million in funding announced Wednesday by Gov. Ned Lamont, the first round from the Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant Program. In Hartford, the $6.3 million was considered crucial to redeveloping city-owned property at the corner of Main […]

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South Windsor adopts a year-long moratorium on new warehouses, distribution centers and freight terminals

South Windsor’s Planning and Zoning Commission, on Wednesday, unanimously approved a year-long moratorium on acceptance of new applications for warehouses, distribution centers and freight terminals. The commission came close to approving the moratorium at its March 22 meeting. However, members opted to extend the hearing after the commission decided to include freight terminals in the […]

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Downtown projects in New London, Norwich to receive state grant funding

New London and Norwich each will receive multimillion-dollar grants to boost downtown development projects through a $45 million Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant program announced by Gov. Ned Lamont on Wednesday. New London will receive $5.9 million to help renovate several buildings on State, Bank, Water and South Water streets, and Norwich will receive $2 million […]

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Some construction audits were performed years later, reviewed by Diamantis himself

The audits, obtained by CT Mirror through a Freedom of Information request, were completed between 2018-2020 and will be part of the forensic audit initiated by the state after the federal government launched an investigation of school construction grants overseen by Diamantis. DAS Commissioner Michelle Gilman and Deputy Commissioner Noel Petra announced last month that […]

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150-unit apartment building approved for Bloomfield center

The developer behind Heirloom Flats apartments has been given the green light to build a new 150-unit residential building in Bloomfield’s town center. The Bloomfield Town Plan and Zoning Commission voted unanimously last month to approve plans from Paul Butler, a Hartford County-based developer, to build the four-story structure at 25 Jerome Avenue. The property […]

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New Haven alders advance Dixwell, State Street affordable housing projects

Two closely-watched affordable housing projects — one in the heart of Dixwell and one on the State Street seam between downtown and Wooster Square — will move forward following approval this week by the Board of Alders. Developers from Beulah Land Development Corp., New York City-based nonprofit developer HELP USA and Spiritos Properties previously told […]

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150-unit apartment building approved for Bloomfield center

The developer behind Heirloom Flats apartments has been given the green light to build a new 150-unit residential building in Bloomfield’s town center. The Bloomfield Town Plan and Zoning Commission voted unanimously last month to approve plans from Paul Butler, a Hartford County-based developer, to build the four-story structure at 25 Jerome Avenue. The property […]

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Third high-rise comes down on Crystal Avenue in New London

Crews from Stamford Wrecking Co. used an excavator to topple Building C, the last of three nine-story apartment buildings that had been home to countless families since 1967. The work to demolish the former 124-unit apartment complex for low-income families started on Feb. 9 and is expected to last several more weeks. The entire Crystal […]

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Raymark cleanup continues on schedule, EPA tells Stratford

Cleanup of the Raymark Industries site is mostly on schedule at this point, environmental engineer Jim DiLorenzo from the Environmental Protection Agency said at a public meeting Wednesday night. Cleanup efforts are focused on removing soil containing lead, chrysotile asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and copper, according to a Raymark Community Advisory Group meeting presentation from […]

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Major milestone marked in development of Hartford’s ‘Bushnell South’ that has been decades in the making

The prospect of new housing, paired with shops, restaurants and entertainment venues on 3 acres just east of the historic and recently-renovated State Office Building on Capitol Avenue can’t come soon enough for some area residents. Now, the Capital Region Development Authority is seeking developers for the state-owned parking lot, the first of a half-dozen […]

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Here’s what Stamford officials have learned from their investigation into the Allure terrace collapse

Escape, a Harbor Point high-rise, could have suffered a similar fate to neighboring Allure, which had part of its fifth-floor terrace collapse. At Escape, however, developer Building and Land Technology uncovered the similar structural quirk during construction. The problem — missing interior supports in the terrace’s cement — was preemptively fixed before Escape was completed […]

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Bristol students gaining hands-on insight into potential careers

In its second year, Bristol Public Schools high school students are gaining hands-on insight into potential careers as part of the district’s cooperative work experience program. According to Bristol Public Schools STEM Supervisor Dr. Jaime Rechenberg, the program allows for students to engage in a semester of introduction to the program where they build employability […]

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East Haven mayor says Tweed airport expansion a ‘burden’ he can’t support

In his State of the Town address, Carfora said plans for the airport, which is in both New Haven and East Haven, would create problems for the town — including “traffic, flooding, environmental, public safety” — while not bringing much of a benefit. The expansion, to be financed by Tweed’s Goldman Sachs-owned operator, Avports LLC, […]

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Borrowing Sails Through Bond Commission

The State Bond Commission borrowed $333 million in general obligation bonds Thursday, during its first meeting of the year and its first entirely in-person meeting since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The panel moved quickly through its 24-item agenda, which included bonding for transportation upgrades, IT upgrades, and grants to support town construction projects. […]

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