Plainville moving ahead with several projects

Town Council Chair Kathy Pugliese said that the town has put out RFPs (request for proposals) for remediation work to the former White Oak Construction building at 1& 63 W. Main St., next to the Municipal Center. The town also plans to utilize $100,000 of the $200,000 allocated to the police department from ARPA (American […]

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State Bond Commission to inject millions into brownfields, small business and other development priorities

Gov. Ned Lamont, on Monday, announced plans to pump $75 million into the small business program. he State Bond Commission is set Friday to borrow $25 million to fund the state’s brownfield remediation grant program, and another $25 million for a rebooted version of the Small Business Express program. These are among a laundry list […]

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New Haven’s 101 College Street: On time, on budget as Downtown Crossing advances

“Just over 13 months after city and state officials joined developer Carter Winstanley to break ground on the 10-story, 500,000-square-foot 101 College Street bioscience lab building, part of the city’s Downtown Crossing project, it’s on time and on budget, with four stories of steel up so far, officials said Tuesday. Downtown Crossing is a city […]

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Stratford council asks Bridgeport peers to sell Sikorsky Airport to town

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim’s Democratic administration for the past few years has been seeking ways to revive regular commercial passenger service at Sikorsky, which currently caters to business, charter and private planes. That effort resulted in talks to either sell or lease the facility to the CAA, which operates Bradley International and five other state-owned […]

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Bristol City Hall renovations continue to move forward

With the demolition of city hall’s front brick exterior, workers observed that brick and concrete block walls were not “tied structurally with the building’s substructure” and additional ties were set to be installed in mid-July. The eastern facade of the building will not require ties because much of the area is going to be covered […]

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Is Bridgeport’s Congress Street Bridge finally getting replaced?

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) in a statement said, “Construction is set to proceed by the end of 2022, with materials procurement through the winter and major construction beginning spring 2023.” The coronavirus pandemic has been one reason for the delay, according to the DOT, along with “design challenges and project management staff changes.” […]

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Glastonbury P&Z approves plan to build 74-unit apartment building

The Glastonbury Town Plan & Zoning Commission finalized a developer’s proposal Tuesday to build a 74-unit apartment building that could be occupied in early 2024. The commission voted 4-2 to approve the application during a nearly four-hour meeting. Developer Richard Hayes, principal of Manchester/Hebron Avenue LLC, will build the multifamily units. The property, on Manchester […]

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Federal funding may unclog Old Lyme sewer project

If approved by the committee and Congress, the town could receive the money by next June. The project was approved in 2019 to connect the neighborhoods, which currently use septic systems, to sewer systems to mitigate pollution to Long Island Sound. The associations governing Old Colony Beach, Old Lyme Shores Beach and Miami Beach, which […]

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Demand for electricity soars in heat wave; pressure put on New England power surplus

As a heat wave bakes the Northeast, demand is soaring for electricity that’s powering air conditioners, pressing New England’s “relatively small” electricity surplus, according to the region’s grid operator. ISO on Friday reported a capacity of 26,690 megawatts and an excess of 95 megawatts. The capacity is down slightly from Thursday and the surplus fell […]

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SoNo Collection mall needed $11 million in fixes following design flaws, developer alleges in lawsuit

The developer of the SoNo Collection mall in Norwalk is accusing the architect of the development of significant design flaws in the building that cost $11 million to fix, according to a lawsuit filed in state Superior Court. Brookfield Properties claims several mistakes by a Connecticut affiliate of architecture firm CallisonRTKL, which has offices globally […]

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Experts weigh in on OSHA trench death enforcement

In response to what the Department of Labor organization called an “alarming” increase in trench and excavation deaths — 22 thus far in 2022 compared to 15 in all of 2021 — OSHA said it “will consider every available tool at the agency’s disposal,” including criminal referrals.In response to what the Department of Labor organization […]

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Norwich just committed to a Complete Streets policy. What does that mean for city roads?

The city council adopted a Complete Streets policy. Under the policy, Norwich would have to consider access to the roads by bicyclists and various pedestrians, including those with disabilities, families traveling as a group and people of different ages. Some ways this can be achieved, according to Monday’s meeting minutes, can include marking bike lanes […]

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After months of debate, Hartford trash-burning plant now officially closed

After decades of burning garbage, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority said Wednesday it has officially shut down its trash incinerator in Hartford. The announcement follows months of debate about the state-owned facility’s future, which came in the wake of a rejected redevelopment plan, mechanical breakdowns, and falling energy prices. MIRA saw a large share […]

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Federal Reserve report signals slowing construction demand

Some construction activity has begun to slow in various regions around the country as commodity pricing, building permit applications and even calls for construction workers eased, according to the latest Beige Book reading, the Federal Reserve’s informal measure of economic activity. The report comes as contractors have started to note cooling material prices, and after […]

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Developers see market for upscale rental housing in Granby and Bloomfield

After a better-than-expected experience with marketing a large apartment complex in Granby, developers Reggie Kronstadt, Bard Kligerman and Robert Kligerman are putting up 165 rental homes in Granby and Bloomfield — with another 150 or so planned. At a time when some single-family home builders are caught between high construction prices and rising interest rates, […]

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Greenwich High entryway bids arrive $1.3M over budget. ‘Excessively high’ costs shock school officials

The Greenwich High School vestibule project’s building committee expected construction bids to hit just above the $2.7 million budget, board of education and building committee member Christina Downey said. But when members of the committee opened two bids from what Downey described as ‘reputable’ companies Tuesday, they were surprised to see both construction companies charging […]

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Gales Ferry residents voice concerns on proposed dredging facility

Roughly 250 residents, mostly from the Gales Ferry area, met face-to-face and virtually with officials who hope to build a dredging material processing facility on a portion of the former Dow Chemical plant property in town. Officials with Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting out of Quincy, Mass., purchased the 165-acre Dow site along Route 12 […]

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Middlesex Corp. Reaches Milestone On Housatonic River Crossing in Connecticut

The reconstruction of two adjoining bridges on I-84 over the Housatonic River in Newtown and Southbury, Conn., which began in June 2020 and is scheduled for completion in December 2023, has reached a milestone and is proceeding ahead of schedule. The project started in June 2020 with completion expected by December 2023. When asked why […]

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Walsh Group signs with DOT for Windsor Locks train station project

The state Department of Transportation signed on with The Walsh Group on Friday for the $65 million train station project. The state expects a groundbreaking in late August, which should launch other downtown revitalization efforts, Windsor Locks First Selectman Paul Harrington said. Mixed-use residential and commercial projects would be ideal, Harrington said, creating areas where […]

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Waterbury hires contractor for $2.5M to complete demolition at 17.4-acre industrial complex ahead of redevelopment

Waterbury officials on Friday signed off on a $2.5 million contract with a demolition company to finish clearing away several dilapidated buildings on an abandoned 17.4-acre industrial site targeted for redevelopment. Anamet touted itself as the world’s largest producer of flexible metal hose before shuttering its campus off Waterbury’s South Main Street about two decades […]

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Curaleaf proposes cannabis dispensary at former Friendly’s in Manchester

Manchester has received an application from a national, multi-state cannabis operator to open a dispensary at the former Friendly’s restaurant on Buckland Street. The Planning and Economic Development Department received an application from Curaleaf on July 5 for a retail marijuana dispensary in the former eatery at 240 Buckland St. No substantial exterior changes are […]

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Pedestrian bridge crossing Bethel’s train tracks is among the ways to enhance downtown, experts say

Even after praising the way Bethel has developed its downtown, experts say the town could further enhance accessibility for pedestrians. One recommendation is the construction of a pedestrian bridge connecting the east side of Bethel’s train station and the west side of the tracks. An over-the-tracks pedestrian bridge, which has been an idea for at […]

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Waterbury-Oxford Airport to get $40 million makeover, set to create 200-plus jobs

A Los Angeles-based business aviation company is preparing for taking off with a multi-phase project development project at Waterbury-Oxford Airport that will created hundreds of construction jobs and 202 permanent aviation jobs. “The goal is to grow nationally, on both coasts and in between,” Hand said. Clay Lacy Aviation has signed a 30-year lease with […]

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Tweed New Haven airport seeks 507 more on-site parking spaces — a 54.7 percent increase

The operator of Tweed New Haven Regional Airport has applied for city approval to add 507 additional on-site parking spaces, which would raise the parking capacity at Tweed from the current 927 spaces to 1,434 spaces. Avports, LLC’s application for the 54.7 percent increase in parking capacity would help accommodate the continued growth of Avelo […]

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Connecticut attorney general fines Eversource $1.8 million over accusations utility deceptively marketed natural gas connections

Eversource will pay $1.6 million to Operation Fuel, which helps low-income ratepayers, and $200,000 to the attorney general’s office for consumer education and enforcement, Tong said. The state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in December fined Eversource $1.8 million for failing to disclose whether marketing materials for gas connections were paid for by shareholders, ratepayers or […]

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The Northeast is poised to become a ‘hydrogen hub’

The bipartisan infrastructure law that Congress passed in 2021 gave $8 billion to the Department of Energy, or DOE, to support the development of at least four regional “hubs” for clean hydrogen, which is seen as a promising alternative fuel to fossil fuels for a variety of industries. And while DOE has yet to begin […]

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Developer seeks Stratford’s OK for 129 apartments on Hawley Lane

The New Jersey-based development company behind the Merritt 8 Corporate Park is aiming to build a 129-unit apartment complex on the same site. Mountain Development Corporation is seeking the town’s approval to construct the four-story building on a largely-undeveloped plot of land off Hawley Lane, according to an application submitted to the town. The application […]

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Greenwich Hospital rejected several site options for its expansion. Here’s why.

The Greenwich Hospital administration considered and then rejected several alternate sites for its proposed upgraded cancer facility, in part because of parking, its formal application spells out. The hospital is seeking to build a 56,000-square-foot Smilow Cancer Center near the main hospital, which is raising concerns in the neighborhood. An earlier plan was voted down […]

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City Hall renovations kicked off with a ceremony Thursday

City and project leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the planned City Hall renovations Thursday. Following the ceremony, which saw city leaders don hard hats and dig with shovels, Mayor Jeff Caggiano gathered architectural renderings for the new city hall and spoke of the history and importance of the project. He was joined […]

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Demolition grows near for hulking, abandoned Ames headquarters in Rocky Hill

With excavators and a bulldozer standing by, the developer planning apartments at the long-abandoned Ames headquarters in Rocky Hill has begun environmental remediation after buying the property for $2.3 million. Rocky Hill struggled for years to find a major retailer or office management company interested in reusing the 250,000-square-foot building after Ames went out of […]

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Biden PLAs, Apprenticeship Mandates Meet Industry Opposition

The Biden administration has a plan to create a highly skilled diverse workforce to complete infrastructure projects over the next decade. Biden’s idea is to encourage job training programs in certain sectors in order to benefit communities and groups lagging in male-dominated trade industries. A Biden executive order seeks to impose project labor agreements (PLAs) […]

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Grant could bring millions to infrastructure, development improvement along Riverside Avenue

City Council approved a motion to allow the mayor to move forward in applying for a state grant which could potentially bring millions to infrastructure and development improvement along Riverside Avenue. The mayor said state officials encouraged Bristol to apply for up to $30 million in grant funding because the state’s economic and community development […]

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Crossing the CT River? Construction begins on new trail connection for pedestrians, bicyclists

The Putnam Bridge Trail Connection Project will provide a safe and simpler way for pedestrians, pets and bikers to cross the Connecticut River between Wethersfield and Glastonbury. The project, which is expected to be complete in October 2023, will cost about $8.2 million, Department of Transportation spokesperson Josh Morgan said. The State Bond Commission already […]

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Shelton zoning board OKs 100-apartment development on Petremont Lane, double the original ask

A 47-apartment development on Petremont Lane will more than double its size. The Planning and Zoning Commission, at its meeting Tuesday, approved Good Guys Development’s proposed modification to Petremont Lane and brings the apartment total to 100. Tuesday’s vote was 5-1 in favor of the project, with commissioner Jimmy Tickey opposed. He voiced concerns about […]

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Waterbury encourages redevelopment of Grand Street with grant money

Lynn Ward, president and CEO of Waterbury Regional Chamber, and Joseph Violette, chamber director of public policy and economic development, walked past several vacant storefronts on Grand Street Wednesday, hoping a proposed program will soon rejuvenate the area. The program would administer grants of $50 per square foot, with a maximum grant of $100,000 to […]

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43-unit, mixed-use apartment development to help stitch a void north of Hartford’s downtown

Bronin, Gov. Ned Lamont and other dignitaries gathered in the rear lot of a long-shuttered brick building off the northern tip of Ann Uccello Street to celebrate the grant. It will help pay for a $17.5 million project adding 43 apartments and near 8,000 square feet of retail space in three buildings, helping to reforge […]

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South Windsor approves 165 more Evergreen Walk apartments after developer makes change

South Windsor planners have approved a proposal to build 165 more apartments at Evergreen Walk after the developer slightly increased the number of units to be set aside for affordable housing. Town officials and business owners at the shopping hub have argued that the new development is essential for nearby retailers and useful for generating […]

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Fairfield University plans to build new sophomore dorm

Fairfield University wants to build a 165-bed student dormitory on its campus, but some residents are pushing back. The new sophomore residence hall is planned to be called “Regis West” and would be on the school’s campus at 1073 North Benson Road near Round Hill Road. The university is seeking site plan approval and a […]

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Gilbane sees slivers of hope for material, supply chain woes

Jay Pendergrass, director of supply chain management and equipment at top 11 contractor Gilbane, issued some upbeat notes in his latest Market Conditions Report looking ahead to the second half of 2022. While not universally positive, Pendergrass’s outlook for 2H 2022 pointed to key areas displaying better conditions for contractors. Pendergrass’s outlook comes as the […]

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Here are the 4 developers with visions for Hartford’s Bushnell South project; 2 are familiar names in redevelopment of the city

Two of the four developers submitting visions for a major redevelopment near the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford on the largest of a jumble of parking lots have built a total of hundreds of apartments in the downtown area in the last decade. The two developers are Spinnaker Real Estate Partners LLC […]

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Montville commission approves Gateway Project salt facility plan

The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a proposed road salt storage and distribution facility at a special meeting Tuesday night. The commission voted 7-0 in favor of the plan at Town Hall; Commissioners Bruce Duchesneau and Anthony Siragusa were absent. The decision, with few members of the public in the audience, comes seven weeks […]

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Why June’s upbeat jobs report isn’t necessarily positive for construction

Nonresidential construction added 16,500 jobs in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a surge that offset 4,100 jobs lost in the residential sector. The June gains helped push the industry’s overall unemployment rate even lower, to 3.7%. AGC’s Simonson said the report gave contractors other reasons for worry. Namely, with more workers already […]

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Few public comments on proposed $381 millon Norwich school construction project

Fewer than a dozen residents attended a public presentation Monday when architects presented plans for a $381 million proposal to build four new elementary schools and completely renovate one middle school. The plan likely will be put to voters in a referendum in November. After an estimated 67% state reimbursement, city taxpayers’ share of the […]

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Decision expected on proposed Evergreen Walk apartments in South Windsor; project could bring estimated $400,000 in new tax revenue

As Evergreen Walk prepares to welcome two prominent new tenants, South Windsor planners likely will decide Tuesday on a proposal for 165 apartments at the retail hub. The idea got extensive public support and only mild criticism at a recent hearing, and Town Manager Michael Maniscalco wrote that it will bring in an estimated $400,000 […]

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More upgrades are coming to Bradley International Airport with $20 million grant

A $20 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration will be used for improvements at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Gov. Ned Lamont and members of Connecticut’s federal legislative delegation said Friday. Money from the FAA’s airport terminals program will be used to increase the capacity of Bradley International’s ticket counter area as well […]

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Norwalk schools have four building projects underway. Are they on track?

Cranbury is one of four school construction projects underway in Norwalk, all in various stages of development. The project managers with Construction Solutions Group also provided updates to the Common Council’s Land Use and Building Management Committee on the nearly completed Jefferson Elementary School, the new Norwalk High School, and the South Norwalk neighborhood school. […]

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Master plan calls for transformation, new development along 220 acres of Middletown’s waterfront

A master plan has been unveiled that would reconnect Middletown to the Connecticut River, transforming an underused 220-acre stretch of riverfront land into a mix of uses, including restaurants, multifamily housing, entertainment, recreational trails and a pedestrian bridge leading to downtown. The town has hired the architecture and urban design firm Cooper Robertson to develop […]

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