Connecticut Supreme Court orders new trial over termination of original Dunkin’ Donuts Park developers

The original developers — Centerplan Construction Co. and DoNo Hartford LLC — in July 2016 filed a $90 million lawsuit challenging the termination. In 2019, a jury in Superior Court in Hartford sided with the city, placing blame on Centerplan and DoNo for not meeting deadline. The jury also awarded the city $335,000 in damages. […]

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Hartford Healthcare planning to add a dozen new medical facilities in Fairfield County

Hartford Healthcare is making a major push into southwestern Connecticut, adding a dozen new medical facilities in Fairfield County over the next 18 months, according to an executive with the company that will be handling the construction work. Rich Lee, managing director for Branford-based for O,R & L Commercial said most of the new medical […]

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New Torrington High School to open in 2025

Construction is slated to begin in October with a scheduled occupancy date of February 2025. The old building will then be demolished, and construction of a new gymnasium and athletic fields will start in March 2025 with a planned completion date in January 2026. The state is paying for 85% of the $179.5 million project, […]

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As Ned Lamont promotes clean energy, Bob Stefanowski wary on cost

On Tuesday, Lamont conducted a ceremonial signing of two bipartisan clean-energy bills near a solar array in Bloomfield, a predominantly Black suburb chosen to underscore the racial justice component of curbing greenhouse emissions. One sets a goal of 2040 for all electricity supplied to Connecticut ratepayers to be carbon free, codifying in law an executive […]

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East Hartford launches $42M fiber optic infrastructure project

Construction on a $42 million, privately funded infrastructure project meant to bring fiber optic internet access to all homes and businesses in East Hartford is underway, public officials announced Tuesday morning. The East Hartford FiberCity project will provide the town’s 19,046 households, 4,649 businesses and institutions with high-speed, affordable internet service, they said. SiFi Networks, […]

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UPDATED: Stonington PZC approves Pawcatuck affordable housing development

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday night approved the permits needed to construct a 100-unit housing development, that would mix affordable and market-rate units, on the 2.4-acre vacant lawn in front of the Brookside Village complex on Route 1 in Pawcatuck. Before the commission’s vote to approve the project, it held a public hearing […]

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With settlement, plans to build 20-megawatt solar farm on Candlewood Mountain in New Milford dropped

After more than three years, litigation against controversial solar plant plans for Candlewood Mountain has concluded with settlement agreements that prevent a 20-megawatt solar farm from being constructed on the land. The agreement not only ensures environmental preservation, but secure acres of open space for the town. Casagrande said the project would have destroyed not […]

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6 months in, Biden’s infrastructure plan has 4,300 projects

Six months after the signing of President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure package, the government said Monday there are 4,300 projects underway with more than $110 billion in funding announced — milestones the administration is publicly heralding as midterm politics intensify. The administration made a strategic calculation that delivering results would help Democrats retain control […]

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Renovation of Chamberlain Elementary School is nearing halfway point

The $55 million renovation of Chamberlain Elementary School is nearing the halfway point and on schedule to be completed by December of this year. New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart toured the property with the construction team Monday, including architect Kaestle Boos, construction manager Newfield Construction and members of the School Building Committee. This project broke […]

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Why the Northeast is quietly running out of diesel

The East Coast typically stores around 62 million barrels of diesel during the month of May, according to Department of Energy data. But as of last Friday, that region of the U.S. is reporting under 52 million barrels. The sharp increase of diesel prices has been a major stressor in America’s $800 billion trucking industry […]

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Stamford schools ditch pre-K facility at Lockwood, which could be site of new K-8 school

The 100,000-square-foot building at 83 Lockwood Ave., which at one point housed the Rogers Magnet Elementary School and later charter school Trailblazers Academy, is one of the places officials are examining as the home of a new public school, said Matt Quinones, the city’s director of operations. A school building master plan presented in February […]

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Waterbury and Naugatuck leaders approve $2.5M sale of land for Amazon development

Municipal leaders in Waterbury and Naugatuck signed off on a $2.5 million sale of a 157-acre property with portions in both communities for redevelopment into a massive Amazon distribution center. The approval sets off a due diligence period of up to 18 months for Bluewater Property Group, the Pennsylvania-based developer behind the Amazon proposal. Bluewater […]

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Torrington P&Z approves schools building project site plan, with conditions

Members of the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Planner Jeremy Liefert have approved the city’s $180 million school building project, though concerns remain about traffic and sustainable practices such as solar panels. The School Building Committee requested special exception permits and site plan approval for the middle and high school buildings and new administrative […]

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Hartford, Farmington receive added funds from state budget after miscalculations in school construction reimbursement rates by Kosta Diamantis

Farmington will also receive an additional $14.4 million, due to an overall increase in its state reimbursement rate, for the construction of a new $135.6 million high school. According to Connecticut law, the state reimburses school districts between 10% and 80% of the eligible costs of local school construction projects. Reimbursement rates are determined by […]

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Legislation would allow Millstone to expand

A bill passed in this spring’s legislative session would exempt Millstone Power Station from a state nuclear power facility construction moratorium. Nuara said there are no immediate plans by Dominion to add a small modular reactors to the Millstone site, as the commercial viability of the technology is “many years away.” But Dominion supports the […]

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Stamford, Norwalk gain big in ‘earth-shattering’ change to how CT refunds new school buildings

Through their advocacy, they were able to convince Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, to include three provisions into a budgetary bill that was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont this week, the officials said. Two of the provisions target specific projects in both Norwalk and […]

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Norwalk Hospital plans $220M expansion amid anticipated ‘surge’ in births

Norwalk Hospital is scheduled to begin a $220 million expansion within the next year, with particular focus on services to mothers and newborns. Construction will begin with the demolition of two existing pavilions on the hospital’s grounds, which will take place in the next 12 months, Norwalk Hospital President Peter Cordeau said. The project, which […]

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New Canaan couple donates $20 million for Norwalk Hospital expansion

Carol Bauer described Norwalk Hospital as “the health care monument on the hill,” and with a $20 million donation from her and her husband George, the facility is about to see a monumental expansion. The New Canaan couple’s contribution will help Norwalk Hospital construct and renovate the new 188,000-square-foot Patient Pavilion, the largest expansion project […]

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White House Rolls Out ‘Action Plan’ to Speed Project Permitting

Construction industry officials and many federal lawmakers have long complained that the federal permit-review and approval process takes much too long, running up project costs. Administration officials on May 10 unveiled a “permitting action plan ” that outlines steps agencies can take to expedite environmental and other reviews for a project’s road to a federal […]

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Stamford schools to get more state aid, including $200M for new Westhill High: ‘A game changer’

Among the long list of provisions in a recently passed state budget bill is another item that sets the reimbursement rate from the state for new school construction in Stamford at 60 percent, much higher than the 20 percent rate currently in place. The new framework will provide much more funding for the city’s ambitious […]

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CT will support national historic status for Newtown’s Fairfield Hills apartment project on 1 condition

The good news is Connecticut is willing to support a proposal to redevelop two empty hospital buildings into apartments and commerce by helping Newtown gain national historic status for its Fairfield Hills campus. The bad news is the state’s historic preservation office wants a commitment from Newtown to keep all the other vacant former hospital […]

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The controversial study will cost $1.5 million. It could shape future of Hartford-Brainard Airport

A controversial, $1.5 million study examining whether Hartford-Brainard Airport should remain open or be closed for redevelopment has been approved by the General Assembly, a study some hope will finally shape the future of the century-old airfield. The study must be completed by October 2023, pushed back from the initially proposed Jan. 1. The study […]

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Connecticut’s infrastructure conundrum persists amid renewed focus

Boughton, a former Danbury mayor, explained that his role was both to provide a single point of contact in the government for concerned business leaders and to serve as the governor’s senior adviser on infrastructure matters. Boughton then asked his interlocutors: “What does government need to get right to ensure that this bipartisan infrastructure law […]

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What comes next in Bridgeport’s plan to sell Sikorsky Airport?

While the Sikorsky Memorial Airport Commission has recommended the Connecticut Airport Authority as the next owner of the Bridgeport-owned, Stratford based airport, there are still some steps to go before the CAA takes over. Namely, the Bridgeport City Council and the Federal Aviation Administration still have to approve the transfer and $10 million sale price. […]

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Waterbury Amazon deal vote likely

Officials from the city and Bluewater said this hearing and vote is not for the Amazon plant application, nor does it grant or supersede any of the numerous steps, permits and approvals required to eventually build the facility. Rather, Monday’s vote, if favorable, will allow both parties to execute the purchase and sale agreement, officially […]

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Danbury earns grant to cover 80 percent of $164M career academy: ‘remarkable opportunity’

The city has officially earned a state grant that will cover 80 percent of the expected $164 million cost for its proposed career academy. It’s an achievement for the proposed landmark school that would serve about 1,400 middle and high school students and be constructed at the former Cartus Corp. property. Approval of the grant […]

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Contracting Standards Board bill killed in House after passage in state Senate

The Connecticut House of Representatives did not raise a bill concerning the state Contracting Standards Board on Wednesday, the last day of the legislative session, leaving it stranded after the Senate passed the bill last week. By a bipartisan, unanimous, the state Senate approved the bill to shore up Contracting Standards Board staff Friday night. […]

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With trash plant closing, CT rethinks waste policy

First, the trash-to-energy plant in Hartford’s South Meadows will close. However, 20 miles down I-91, a solution may be in the works. Hundreds of Meriden residents are separating their food scraps from other trash so the organic waste can be turned into biogas and fertilizer. It’s a state-funded, four-month pilot program that, if successful, could […]

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CT lawmakers set to pass reforms to troubled school construction program

State lawmakers are poised to enact a number of reforms to Connecticut’s school construction office as a federal investigation continues into the multibillion-dollar grant program. The reforms tighten the bidding procedures for school construction contracts and set stricter deadlines for completing audits of school building projects. One of the biggest changes requested by the state […]

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Legislators Move to Approve Limited, but Durable Oversight by the State Contracting Standards Board

Connecticut lawmakers are moving toward fully funding and staffing the State Contracting Standards Board, but won’t give the board the authority to review the contracts of every quasi-public state agency this year. The bill requires the board to hire five, full-time staff by September, and lawmakers will vote on a budget adjustment that includes $467,055 […]

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House adopts one of the largest tax cuts in CT history

The House of Representatives approved a $24.2 billion state budget early Tuesday morning that provides more than $600 million in income tax cuts, a car tax freeze, an extended gasoline tax holiday and other relief. The Democrat-controlled chamber voted 95-52 along party lines shortly after 12:20 a.m. to approve the budget for the fiscal year […]

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CT lawmakers approve $3M plan to replace Whiting Hospital

House lawmakers on Monday gave final approval to a multi-million dollar plan to begin replacing the beleaguered Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown with a more modern facility. The bi-partisan effort, which passed by a vote of 147-0, follows years of alleged abuses and inadequate supervision at the maximum-security psychiatric hospital. The agency was also tasked […]

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Ridgefield starts second phase of Route 7 sewer project, despite delays to treatment plant upgrades

Construction is poised to start on the second phase of the town’s $55 million upgrades to its sewer infrastructure, even as the first half of the project is behind schedule. Crews have marked spots along the roads and begun drilling so they can install an underground force main pipe that will extend from the South […]

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Torrington side roads to see major improvements in project starting this summer, officials said

A road improvement project designed to improve access to Torrington’s share of the Naugatuck River Greenway Trail is set to begin this summer. The project is financed with city-bonded funds and is expected to be completed in about five months. The engineers plan to present the project to the City Council on Monday. According to […]

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System operators at FuelCell Energy vote to join union

A dozen workers at one of Connecticut’s high profile tech companies, FuelCell Energy, voted Friday to become members of a union. The FuelCell Energy employees work are joining Local 478 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, according to organizers of the unionization drive. The workers voted 8-4 to join Local 478 after having launched […]

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Connecticut Senate approves bill to shield contracting watchdog from budget cuts

The Senate voted 35-0 Friday evening to approve a bill that prohibits the governor from imposing cuts — after the state’s fiscal year is underway — on the standards board. The legislature already extends this protection to other watchdog agencies, including the Freedom of Information Commission and the Office of State Ethics. Advocates for the […]

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‘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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