There Will Soon Be A 400-Foot Drill Making Its Way Underground From Hartford To West Hartford

After nearly two years of digging and blasting through bedrock with dynamite, the Metropolitan District boasted a significant construction milestone in the $2 billion Clean Water Project this week — the lowering and construction of a 400-foot-long machine that will dig a 4-mile long tunnel from Hartford to West Hartford. With the boring so far […]

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Council continues to discuss fuel cell park proposal at old Stanley campus

The Common Council’s Committee on Administration, Finance and Law met Wednesday night to discuss a tax agreement with EIP Investment, LLC, for the company’s upcoming project at the old Stanley Works campus. In short, the project will convert parts of the Stanley Works campus into a 20-megawatt fuel cell park utilizing clean energy and a […]

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Klee decries slow progress on $229M waste-system overhaul

State officials estimate the modernized plant could help increase Connecticut’s recycling and diversion rate from 35 percent to 63 percent. State officials had hoped developer Sacyr Rooney Recovery Team and the plant’s quasi-public owner, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA), would reach a formal deal on the estimated $229 million redevelopment by Aug. 29, […]

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Bradley Airport scores $13.2M infrastructure grant

Bradley International Airport will receive a $13.2 million federal aviation grant for taxiway enhancements, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award Bradley the grant, part of a $3.18 billion funding package for airport improvements at runways, taxiways, aprons and terminals across the country. http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20180731/NEWS01/180739981/bradley-airport-scores-132m-infrastructure-grant#.W2CmJDgpJYM.twitter

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Bond commission approves $10M for electronic tolls study

After a nearly hour-long debate, the 10-member commission voted 6-3, with one abstention, to approve the funding proposed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker estimated tolls could raise as much as $1 billion per year, with up to 40 percent coming from out-of-state motorists. Depending on the level of discounts […]

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Downtown North Developer Lays Out Vision, Fields Questions From Hartford Leaders

Randy Salvatore, owner of RMS Companies, the group chosen by the city to build 800 apartments and 60,000 square feet of retail space in the long-barren neighborhood, outlined a proposal that would begin with 200 housing units behind the Red Lion Hotel on Trumbull Street. The more than $200 million project would be financed primarily […]

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Developer pitches 108-unit Newington apartment project near busway

A Massachusetts-based developer that has been active building new apartments in Greater Hartford is eyeing a $32 million transit-oriented development on a long-vacant lot near a CTfastrak station in Newington. Newington Town Planner Craig Minor said the proposal will be discussed at the planning board’s Aug. 8 meeting and could meet town approval at subsequent […]

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Groups Ask OSHA for National Heat-Protection Standard

In a petition sent to OSHA on July 17, the groups, led by advocacy organization Public Citizen, recommend that the proposed heat standard include mandatory rest breaks away from the heat, including a complete halt at certain extreme heat levels. The groups say that construction and agriculture have the “highest risk of heat stress injuries […]

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Crumbling Stamford bridge may get $2M facelift

It was replaced with a metal-truss design manufactured by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company, then the state’s only major bridge manufacturer. Now the double-arched bridge of intricate metal work is 130 years old – one of only eight left in Connecticut. It has been deteriorating for decades. In 2002, the city closed it to car […]

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Developers see opportunity with increasing demand for youth-sports facilities

Youth sports in the United States has blossomed into a $15.5 billion industry, with parents often treating out-of-state tournaments as a family vacation. Plans were recently unveiled for a $200 million sports complex in Windsor Locks that aims to be a premier facility for top youth athletes from around the country, particularly for Amateur Athletic […]

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Tolling only viable choice to pay for Connecticut’s transportation needs

Connecticut needs to implement some form of electronic tolling on its highways. The state Department of Transportation has issued preliminary estimates that tolls could yield up to $800 million annually, providing a critical influx of funding to the State Transportation Fund. Continued dependence solely on the fuel tax will not get the job done. In […]

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Hartford’s Swift Factory Renovation Aimed At Providing Jobs For Neighborhood

A $34 million renovation of the long-vacant M. Swift & Sons factory in Hartford is now under construction and will bring jobs and new businesses to the Northeast neighborhood. The Swift project drew on more than a dozen funding sources, with major contributors including the state Department of Economic and Community Development, the Capital Region […]

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Millstone Power Station debate heats up

Millstone’s participation in the zero-carbon auction follows years of pushing from Dominion and lawmakers, who are concerned that cheaper, abundantly available natural gas could threaten the plant’s survival in the wholesale energy market. DEEP in February agreed to let Millstone compete in the zero-carbon auction against higher-priced hydropower, solar and wind. But the draft RFP […]

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Demolition begins at former Hamden Middle School as revitalization project continues

A portion of the former Hamden Middle School on Newhall Street is being demolished, as efforts to remediate and redevelop the site continue. Dale Kroop, town economic development director, said Monday the two buildings being knocked down used to be the school auditorium and cafeteria. The Hamden Economic Development Corporation received a $600,000 grant through […]

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Windsor Locks Sports Complex Plan Still Alive As Developer Questioned About Background, Financing

A day after worried Windsor Locks officials put a hold on talks for a $200 million sports complex, First Selectman Chris Kervick said he is hopeful the project’s developer can explain away troubling new information about his background. The civil lawsuit filed in October in the Supreme Court of the state of New York, Suffolk […]

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Malloy does what legislators won’t: Orders $10 million study of tolling

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy ordered state agencies Tuesday to develop a comprehensive, $10 million study of electronic tolling that would examine pricing, locations, and the potential to capture revenue from out-of-state motorists. The governor has been pressing lawmakers throughout his second term to commit to a two-to-three-decade-long rebuild of the state’s aging, overcrowded transportation infrastructure […]

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Report identifies some causes, solutions to lack of women in the construction workforce

In a study funded by the city of Portland, Oregon, and The Portland Metro Workforce Development Board and conducted by nonprofits and consultants such as Portland State University and Oregon Tradeswomen, researchers found that there are significant barriers keeping women and minorities out of the city’s construction trades workforce despite increased demand. The study’s authors […]

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Work on 2 CCSU buildings on track for January

With doors set to open in January, Central Connecticut State University construction is on track for the big reveal of its two new and improved academic buildings. The $62 million Willard-DiLoreto Halls project, which is being funded by bonds issued by the state, will feature 21 departments including English, modern languages, veterans affairs, and financial […]

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CT’s natural gas expansion plan well behind schedule

Connecticut’s multibillion-dollar plan to convert 280,000 properties to natural gas heat by 2023 is far behind schedule, though it’s still created tens of thousands of new customers for utilities. Connecticut has set ambitious greenhouse-gas emission reduction targets, with milestones approaching in 2030 and 2050. Natural gas generally burns cleaner than oil, so getting more customers […]

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The Haven high-end outlet mall advances, winning site plan approval from West Haven PZC

The Haven high-end outlet mall took a major step forward this week: the Planning and Zoning Commission late Tuesday unanimously approved the site plan application for the 265,000 square feet of retail and restaurant development. The Haven would provide 800 full-time and 400 part-time jobs, plus 800 construction jobs using all Connecticut-based contractors, said The […]

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Coast Guard Musuem organizers hire Connecticut firms for pre-construction work

The National Coast Guard Museum Association has hired two Connecticut firms to assist in the ongoing pre-construction work on the estimated $100 million museum planned for the downtown New London waterfront. The museum association has selected North Stonington-based construction company A/Z Corporation as the pre-construction manager, and GEI Consultants, with offices in Glastonbury, to provide […]

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Work on CCSU buildings on track for January

The $62 million Willard-DiLoreto Halls project, which is being funded by bonds issued by the state, will feature 21 departments including English, modern languages, veteran affairs, and financial aid. Barnard Hall, however, which houses the School of Education and Professional Studies, will immediately begin renovation after the completion of the Willard-DiLoreto building. http://www.newbritainherald.com/NBH-New+Britain+News/330743/work-on-ccsu-buildings-on-track-for-january

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Dominion to state: Millstone ‘at risk now’

After Dominion argued for years that increased expenses and competition from cheap natural gas threatened Millstone, regulators this year agreed to let the plant compete among solar, wind and hydropower for fixed-price contracts with state-regulated utilities. Regulators will pick bid winners by the winter and approve contracts by next spring. Dominion says if DEEP doesn’t […]

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Worker dies in fall at Darien storage facility

A worker died Thursday morning after falling 20-feet from scaffolding at a construction site along Interstate 95. The OSHA Bridgeport office opened an inspection Thursday in response to the fall on Hollow Tree Ridge Road. According to Ted Fitzgerald, regional director for public affairs for the U.S. Department of Labor, the company being inspected is […]

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J.C. Penney’s Manchester facility sold at $70M

Department-store retailer J.C. Penney has completed a sale-leaseback of its sprawling Manchester distribution center for $70 million to one of New England’s most active landlords who plans to convert the property into a state-of-the-art manufacturing-distribution campus, authorities say. Winstanley Enterprises, a closely held, family run real estate investor-developer, has been one of Connecticut’s busiest and […]

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First phase of upgrades at Bradley International Airport slated for fall completion

Construction of the new roadway system began in June 2017. The project is being paid for with money collected from passenger facility charges and other customer fees. The transportation center will include a new parking garage on two lower levels and car rental locations on multiple levels above the parking garage. https://www.middletownpress.com/business/article/First-phase-of-upgrades-at-Bradley-International-13031442.php

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South End developer proposes deal to revitalize neighborhood

Free money has the South End split as the neighborhood’s largest developer is offering $8.5 million to rehabilitate old historic homes and slow gentrification in a deal to avoid making city-mandated affordable units available in two new opulent waterfront towers. A quarter-million of BLT’s money should fund a study of the South End’s affordable housing […]

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Ansonia, Bridgeport, New Milford receive state brownfield grant money

Another $200,000 in state grant money is on its way for help the re-develop the 40-acre vacant Ansonia Copper and Brass property which abuts the downtown. The program, created in 2015, encourages municipalities with multiple blighted properties to develop strategies to assess, clean up and reuse the parcels for business, housing and public amenities that […]

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Downtown Danbury to get facelift

It is the first phase of the large-scale makeover outlined in the city’s new transit-oriented development plan, released this spring, that envisions a new $30 million Danbury Transit Center that could improve all types of transportation downtown and help stimulate redevelopment. The state’s $2 million contribution is one of just five grants it is distributing […]

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CT approves $8.5M for transit-oriented development projects

Projects in Hartford and West Hartford are among five municipalities that share in an $8.5 million grant to accelerate transit-oriented development, the governor announced. “Transportation isn’t just about cars, trains, and buses – it’s about building vibrant communities and continuing to make Connecticut a more attractive place to live, visit, and do business,” Malloy said. […]

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Work Continues On Park Road/ I-84, Local Road Projects Continue Through July

While the I-84/ Park Road project continues, the town has about 8.3 miles of road reconstruction, reclamation and milling projects slated to be completed by summer’s end. Road reconstruction projects include work on: Wilfred Street, Bonny View Road, Smallwood Road and Brainbridge Road from Ballard Drive to Foxcroft Road. http://www.courant.com/community/west-hartford/hc-news-west-hartford-park-road-i84-june-update-20180619-story.html

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Wallingford wastewater plant project estimated to cost $86 million

Proposed upgrades to the town’s aging wastewater treatment plant are projected to cost about $86 million. The first phase, estimated to cost $55.7 million, will address the state-mandated phosphorus limits, according to a presentation given to the Public Utilities Commission this week by AECOM, a firm hired to design the project. The second phase, estimated to […]

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East Windsor Casino Wins Crucial Local Zoning Approval

East Windsor’s planning and zoning commission unanimously granted a zoning permit for the development proposed by MMCT Venture LLC, a partnership of the tribal operators of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun. The venue — to be built on the site of the now-demolished Showcase Cinema movie theater off I-91 — is intended to blunt […]

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Competitive Power Ventures and GE Achieve Commercial Operation at 805-MW CPV Towantic Energy Center Connecticut

“The Towantic project is a positive for our state and our region,” said Governor of Connecticut, Dan Malloy. “From the hundreds of construction jobs created, to the potential for economic development in adjacent lots, to 805 megawatts of new electricity, I am pleased to see the plant come to fruition.” http://cpv.com/news/2018/06/competitive-power-ventures-and-ge-achieve-commercial-operation-at-805mw-cpv-towantic-energy-center-connecticut/

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Old Greenwich slated for more construction work

More construction work is slated to begin in Old Greenwich to improve drainage, likely creating more disruption and headaches for residents and merchants in the area. The work is part of the ongoing drainage improvements in Old Greenwich but this phase will be handled by a different contractor in an attempt to expedite the work. […]

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Lamont proposes trucks-only tolls

Ned Lamont, the Democrats’ endorsed candidate for governor, has been pitching the idea of highway tolls — but only for trucks — as a way to raise the kind of revenue that could help pull Connecticut out of its budgetary death spiral. “When it comes to transportation I need a more reliable and predictable revenue […]

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CT looking to bond $50M to create more ‘job-ready’ citizens

Connecticut taxpayers could fund up to $50 million to train and certify as many as 10,000 eligible residents to fill job shortages in manufacturing, health care and construction, workforce development pros say. State lawmakers at the end of this year’s legislative session quietly authorized the “Apprenticeship Connecticut” initiative, which requires the state Department of Labor […]

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USDOT announces $2.1B of grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced two major infrastructure allocations, with almost $1.5 billion for potential, discretionary grants through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program and $677 million from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) . The INFRA grant process, according to the USDOT, encourages applicants to use the program as a […]

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Gunnery breaks ground on new arts and community center

Wearing a white hard-hat featuring the Gunnery’s crest, Tony-nominated producer Thomas S. Perakos broke ground Saturday on the school’s new arts and community center, which soon will bear his name. Head of School Peter Becker told the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony that since Perakos’ donation several months ago, the school has raised $16.5 million […]

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DEEP approves New Britain fuel cell project

The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection on Wednesday approved a proposal that will allow the start of the first phase of an energy and innovation park to be based in New Britain. The project will provide 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and generate significant tax revenues – $8 million for New Britain for […]

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Connecticut joins the offshore wind rush

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Wednesday awarded its first offshore wind project to Deepwater Wind for a 200-megawatt installation in the area it owns about half-way between Montauk, N.Y. and Martha’s Vineyard. It could begin providing electricity to the state by 2023 – enough to power about 100,000 homes. What also sold Connecticut […]

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Report: 90% of contractors face labor challenges

In their Q2 2018 United States Gypsum (USG) + U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index (CCI), the two organizations said that 9 out of 10 contractors are concerned about the ongoing labor shortage, marking the fourth consecutive quarter that construction companies have expressed apprehension about being able to find enough qualified workers. In addition, […]

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XL Group acquired for $15.3B

XL Group, which has a major presence in Hartford and Stamford, has agreed to be acquired by a French multinational insurance firm for $15.3 billion. The Bermuda-based insurer, operating under the XL Catlin insurance brand, announced Wednesday that its shareholders recently agreed to be acquired by AXA in a full cash exchange. In March, XL […]

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Malloy vetoes bill expanding apprenticeship tax credit

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Wednesday refused for a second time to extend Connecticut’s manufacturing apprenticeship tax credit. The governor said the expansion would create a revenue shortfall of $650,000 unaccounted for in the bipartisan state budget. Those supporting the tax-credit expansion during the legislative season argued the apprenticeship program has helped reduce the manufacturing […]

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Tariffs Threaten to Push Highway Project Costs Higher

The Trump administration’s long-threatened imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from Canada, Mexico and the European Union went into effect at midnight on May 31 – a move that is hiking construction costs for state departments of transportation across the country, especially for steel-intensive bridge projects. “The better way to boost domestic steel […]

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Southington planning for new water tank

Town and water department officials are planning for a new concrete water tower to replace two aging steel towers on Mill Street. The Town Council approved the first step in the planning process last week and sent the proposal to the Planning and Zoning Commission. http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Southington/Southington-News/Southington-plans-for-new-water-tank-on-Mill-Street.html

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New London set to begin $98 million high school project, sort of

The City Council has approved the start of construction of a new high school track and helped to save the $98 million portion of an upcoming high school construction project. Eventual completion of the project will complete the school system’s conversion into what school officials say is the state’s first all-magnet public school district. The […]

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Mills apartments in Meriden transferred to city in preparation for demolition

The Meriden Housing Authority has transferred the Mills Memorial Apartments to the city, which will begin demolishing the former public housing complex this summer. The city selected Bestech Inc. of Ellington to demolish the Mills for $1.9 million through a competitive bidding process. After the buildings are razed, the city plans to extend the Meriden Green […]

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CT Bond Commission OKs $15M to repair New London pier

The State Bond Commission on Friday approved a $15 million investment to repair and improve State Pier in New London, state officials said. The commission also voted to approve the following borrowing: $20 million for the Department of Economic and Community Development’s Small Business Express program. $3.5 million for the Capital Region Development Authority to […]

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Phase 2 of Stamford bridge project to start next week

Phase one of the Atlantic Street Bridge project is nearly complete, city cops said on social media Thursday. The project, which intends to move the Interstate 95 exit ramp from Atlantic Street to Canal street, will continue into the second phase — lowering Atlantic Street, replacing the railroad bridge and adding a seventh train track […]

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Federal Regulators Clear Way For East Windsor Casino

Federal regulators are clearing the way for the tribal operators of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun to partner in building the state’s first commercial casino in East Windsor. The U.S. Department of the Interior is expected to publish a much-delayed notice Friday that satisfies concerns in Connecticut that the Mohegan tribe’s revenue-sharing agreement with […]

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Meriden diner demolished to make way for bridge project

The former diner and a small red building at 367 W. Main St. were recently razed to allow the state Department of Transportation to begin the $6 million project to replace the 88-year-old bridge. Those properties will be landscaped after the work is completed, said DOT spokesman Judd Everhart. http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Meriden-dinner-demolished-to-make-way-for-bridge-project.html

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Smalley Elementary project finally, officially begins

It was a long, bumpy ride, but Smalley Elementary School’s extensive renovations are officially underway. For years, legislators and educators have been pushing for money from the state, and the budget passed in October 2017 included $42 million for the project. The city will borrow the remaining 20 percent of the project’s $53 million cost. The […]

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Developer Plans Elaborate Food Market For Hartford’s Parkville Neighborhood

For more than a year, plans have inched along for a 20,000-square-foot food market in the building Mouta purchased at the turn of the century in the city’s Parkville section. He is talking with more than 40 vendors in and around Hartford to form the Parkville Market, reminiscent of Manhattan’s Chelsea Market and Brooklyn’s Dekalb […]

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Developers say demand for commercial, residential development in New Haven area is strong

David Salinas, real estate developer and co-founder of Digital Surgeons in New Haven, said because of the presence of Yale University, the city has an international reputation. While Salinas is busy trying to bolster New Haven’s reputation as a technology hub, another member of the panel, developer Juan Salas-Romer, is focused on trying to increase […]

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Towns, cities to get more state aid next year

The bipartisan state budget passed by the legislature late Wednesday restores funding to municipalities and calls for $70.5 million in increased state aid to towns and cities next year than in the current fiscal year, according to a statement from Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, co-chairman of the Appropriations Committee. The spending plan approved Wednesday also calls for no new taxes and “fully funds” […]

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State budget agreement close, lawmakers say

House Democrats anticipate that a budget adjustment for fiscal year 2019 will be passed before the legislature adjourns at midnight Wednesday. With more revenue coming into state coffers this spring, lawmakers are eager to reverse some of the more draconian cuts they approved to municipal and education aid, the Medicare Savings Program and transportation. https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/State-budget-agreement-close-lawmakers-say-12900931.php

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Bridgeport lawmakers say not enough time to pass casino bill

The two-part bill requires the commissioners of Consumer Protection and Economic and Community Development to develop and issue a request for proposals from casino developers. Those responses, which would include everything from a market analysis to designs and a construction timeline, would be due by Jan. 1, 2019. The state agencies would then evaluate the […]

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Construction Jobs Rebound in April after March Decline

Construction jobs bounced back in April, adding 17,000 positions, after shedding 10,000 in March, possibly because of bad weather during that month in some parts of the U.S., the Dept. of Labor has reported. All but one construction segment gained jobs in April, led by specialty trade contractors, whose combined workforces rose by 11,000. Buildings […]

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Bridgeport casino may live another day

A bill that could bring a new casino to Bridgeport may live for another day as House leaders on Friday promised discussion and a possible vote over legislation that was suddenly revived late Thursday evening. Lawmakers from the Bridgeport and New Haven House delegations Thursday evening forced a debate over the bill that would call […]

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Push for return of Connecticut’s tolls looks unsuccessful

State Democrats have predicted tolls could eventually generate about $1.2 billion a year. But skepticism remains as to whether tolling would generate that much and whether Connecticut should join neighboring states like New York and Massachusetts with tolls. Opponents argue that state citizens are already taxed too much. https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Connecticut-drivers-would-get-a-discount-under-12880199.php

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House aims for Wednesday vote to create highway tolling plan

House Democratic leaders moved forward Tuesday with plans to vote on a watered-down bill that could lead to electronic tolling on the state’s highways. The measure specifically would direct the Department of Transportation to develop a detailed plan for legislative consideration next year. Aresimowicz and other advocates have said critics have spread grossly inaccurate rumors […]

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Farmington is on the cusp of another development wave

The affluent, suburban enclave seven miles west of downtown Hartford has about 25,000 souls who lay heads there at night, but its daytime population swells to 32,000 — the result of commuters who arrive daily to work at UConn Health, Jackson Laboratory, Carrier, Otis Elevator and Stanley Black & Decker. Farmington’s fiscal 2018 property tax […]

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Some lawmakers still pushing for tolls as session winds down

Democratic House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz said he hopes the House of Representatives will vote this week on a bill that would require the Department of Transportation to come up with a plan for tolling, including discounts for in-state drivers and commuters and possible long-term reductions in the state gas tax. The Berlin lawmaker said he’s […]

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Bradley International Airport officials prep new 20-year, $1.4B master plan

Bradley International Airport officials are recommending $1.4 billion in projects over the next two decades as part of an ambitious master plan that would prepare the state’s largest airfield for millions of additional passengers. There were 6.4 million Bradley passengers last year, still below the 2000 and 2005 peaks of roughly 7.4 million and 7.2 […]

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Buyers Sought For Hartford’s XL Center As General Assembly Opens Bidding For Aging Arena

The Capital Region Development Authority is issuing the “request for proposals” for the purchase of the aging XL Center in hopes of attracting a buyer that would relieve taxpayers, at least in part, of the costs for operating and upgrading the arena. One bidder — Oak Street Real Estate Capital, a Chicago private equity firm […]

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I-84/Park Road Construction In West Hartford To Pick Up Next Month, Lane Closures Expected

Construction costs are estimated at $6.8 million, 80 percent of which will be paid for through federal funding, with the state and town each contributing 10 percent to the cost. Construction to align the I-84 exit ramp with the entrance ramp started in October. The project has largely been contained to the area between the […]

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Aresimowicz promises House vote on tolls

House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said Tuesday he intends to call a vote next week on legislation making an initial commitment to implementing electronic highway tolls, despite Republican opposition that could brand Democrats as the party of tolls. Aresimowicz said he did not fear Republican campaign mailers accusing Democrats of opening Connecticut motorists to tolls […]

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Parties sharply divided over higher ed, labor costs, transportation

Democrats devote $26 million more to the Special Transportation Fund than Republicans did, nearly matching the resources Malloy sought. Malloy has been warning since November that the fund is headed for insolvency. Absent more funding, the state would need later this year to scrap some rail services, drive up fares, and suspend 40 percent of […]

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New AG opinion a blow to tribes’ East Windsor casino

Attorney General George Jepsen strongly warned the legislature Tuesday against allowing the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to jointly develop a casino in East Windsor without the approval of the Interior Department, a condition of the 2017 law permitting the project to compete with MGM Springfield. The Interior Department has refused to accept or reject […]

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Long-delayed development in Bridgeport back on track

After several setbacks that delayed the project, developer Mark Reed said he and his partner Patrick Normoyle are looking to ramp up construction after closing on much-needed loans last month. Construction of the mixed-used development is expected to bring 104 apartment units and 8,000 square feet of retail space to what had been decaying sites. […]

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State OKs $6 million loan for Columbus Commons

The State Bond Commission approved a $6 million loan to go towards the first phase of New Britain’s Columbus Common project Friday morning. The $6 million, 50-year, interest-free loan will help project stakeholders with the first phase of the project: the building of the first structure. The L-shaped building will contain 80 new units of […]

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Developers pitch $1B N. Britain fuel-cell powered data center

The developers, Energy & Innovation Park LLC (EIP), recently submitted a $1 billion proposal to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to build a 20-megawatt fuel-cell park and high-tech data center on the manufacturer’s historic campus. Stanley is in support of the project, and Mayor Erin Stewart also submitted a letter of support […]

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Fed. Agencies Set Two-Year Goal for Infrastructure Project Reviews

Under a memorandum of understanding that department and agency heads signed on April 9, a “lead agency” would take charge of drawing up an environmental impact statement and record of decision for eligible projects. Signatories included the Transportation and Interior departments, Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers. There is wiggle room in the […]

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Hartford city council approves Dillon Stadium redevelopment

The Hartford city council on Monday approved a major redevelopment plan that authorizes the Capital Region Development Authority to manage Dillon Stadium for at least five years in an effort to bring pro soccer to Hartford. The license agreement allows CRDA to manage Dillon Stadium while the Hartford Sports Group (HSG) lures a United Soccer […]

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Speaker: Legislature May Take No Action On Casinos This Session

House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz said Tuesday he would not be surprised if the legislature takes no action this year on casinos. MGM Resorts International has been lobbying hard for a Bridgeport casino, but eastern Connecticut lawmakers have been pushing equally hard to preserve jobs and the money the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes have been […]

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Construction decelerating, but not declining, experts say

Total construction starts anticipated for the coming year amount to a 3% gain, which, although lower than last year’s 4% rise and more substantial increases in previous years, is still in positive territory. Bob Murray, Dodge’s chief economist, said that the market is functioning at a decent clip and that despite rising interest rates and […]

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Program in Meriden helps women break into male-dominated fields

Building Pathways Connecticut is an apprenticeship program that focuses on helping women and minorities break into the construction and industrial careers. The four-year program is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Grant Program and gives participants the opportunity to gain real work experience, earning essential certificates and preparing for jobs in the industry. […]

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Bid awarded, work to begin in May on Waterbury Mixmaster rehab project

The state Department of Transportation awarded a $153 million contract to rehabilitate the Mixmaster to a Chicago-based company Friday. The DOT received six responses to its invitation to bid on the project, which involves renewing the 10 bridges that comprise the Route 8 and Interstate 84 interchange, and Walsh Construction’s $152.9 million bid was the […]

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Business leaders, transportation execs talk infrastructure woes at senator’s summit

Local business leaders and transportation executives gathered on Tuesday afternoon for a transportation forum that touched on the viability of public-private partnerships, rail siting and transit outlook for the coming decades. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., hosted the summit at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Instead of federal funding, Trump would like to see more public-private […]

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DEEP details three offshore wind proposals

A day after two offshore wind developers announced proposals for Connecticut, state regulators released details of three total projects submitted this week, including one from New Bedford, Mass.-based Vineyard Wind LLC. Developers said Vineyard Wind could create 450 jobs in Connecticut during construction and operations, starting as early as 2021. The proposal includes $10 million in […]

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Boost in federal transportation money unexpected, but welcomed in CT

The massive federal omnibus spending bill increased transportation spending by $10 billion, a windfall for Connecticut’s struggling transportation system which will benefit from Washington’s unexpected generosity. In the spending bill, which will fund the federal government until Sept. 30., Congress rejected President Donald Trump’s proposal that local governments and private entities pay more for the […]

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Facing deadline, Wallingford council waives bidding to design $47M sewage plant upgrade

The Town Council unanimously approved a bid waiver this week for design work on a state-mandated phosphorus removal upgrade at the town’s wastewater treatment plant. Utility officials said the waiver was needed for the town to enter into a construction contract by July 1, 2019, the deadline to be eligible for the maximum amount of grant funding for […]

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Bethel police station almost $889,000 over budget

The new police station is only halfway completed but already $889,000 over budget, owing mainly to higher-than-expected costs for the electrical, heating and cooling system. The police station has long been a contentious project. Residents rejected a $14.1 million proposal for the new building in 2014, but a year later approved a $13.5 million version. […]

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Builders, trades launch ad to bolster CT’s transportation program

A coalition of Connecticut construction businesses and trades launched a new advertising campaign Wednesday to press for a major state investment in transportation. Absent more funding, the state would need to scrap some rail services, drive up fares, suspend 40 percent of planned capital projects — worth about $4.3 billion in construction activity — including […]

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The Haven upscale outlet mall is alive and moving forward in West Haven, developer says

The Haven upscale outlet mall project is alive and moving forward, although an executive for the developer acknowledged it is taking longer than expected to complete the site acquisition. “I think you can say we’re still very committed to the project,” said Matt Armstrong, executive vice president of The Haven Group LLC. https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/The-Haven-upscale-outlet-mall-is-alive-well-and-12782923.php

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Construction Employment Increases, New Metals Tariffs Threaten Future Sector Job Gains

Construction employment increased in 248 out of 358 metro areas between January 2017 and January 2018, declined in 68 and stagnated in 42, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that future construction job gains could be undermined, however, as new […]

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Price tag for Wallingford sewer plant work is estimated at $47 million

Work to bring the town’s wastewater treatment plant into compliance with new phosphorus discharge rules is estimated to cost $47 million.Phosphorus is considered an environmental hazard because it causes algae bloom, which depletes oxygen in water bodies and poses a threat to wildlife. The town is eligible to receive just under $20 million in state […]

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State, tribes, Interior agree MGM lacks standing to intervene in third-casino lawsuit

Both sides in the legal dispute over the U.S. Department of the Interior’s failure to act on gaming agreements between the state and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes agree on one thing: MGM Resorts International shouldn’t be allowed to weigh in. In filings Monday, attorneys for the tribes and the Interior Department and its […]

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