Tweed New Haven environmental study says expansion would bring improvements

A draft environmental assessment for Tweed New Haven Regional Airport’s proposed expansion project says extending Tweed’s runway and building a new terminal on the East Haven side actually would improve the airport’s impact on the environment. Among the EA’s findings, highlighted by airport officials, is that the project would reduce overall noise by shifting aircraft […]

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For Walk Bridge project, CT buys Norwalk property for $3.85M and begins demo of former IMAX building

In the latest phase of the Walk Bridge Project, the state Department of Transportation purchased a property about one mile from the bridge to act as a staging area. News of the purchase comes as construction to replace the 127-year-old bridge is expected to begin in full swing this spring, and as the state begins […]

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IIJA money starting to flow to projects

Funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is finally making it to projects, according to the CEOs of several major public construction companies. Additional federal money from the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act is also boosting the civil construction outlook, they said. President Joe Biden signed the IIJA in November 2021, and despite […]

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Developer planning 172-unit luxury apartment project in West Hartford buys former Children’s Museum property

The New York developer planning to build 172 apartments on the former site of the Children’s Museum in West Hartford recently paid $10.57 million for the property, as well as a small portion of the neighboring Kingswood Oxford School site. Developer Continental Properties bought the 3.96 acres from the Kingswood Oxford School – which has […]

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Divided Southington leaders approve tax break for Texas developer

Texas-based Anthony Properties seeks town approval for eight residential buildings, two commercial buildings and a clubhouse off West Street. The 41-acre property is in an enterprise zone, making the development eligible for a seven-year tax abatement. If the project is approved by the planning commission, Anthony Properties will get a 100 percent tax break on […]

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ThayerMahan cancels plan to redevelop Groton Heights School

ThayerMahan, a Groton-based marine technology company, no longer plans to redevelop the Groton Heights School property, located in the city near the Bill Memorial Library and Fort Griswold, as its headquarters and research and development center. The growing company, which is located at 120 Leonard Drive in Groton and has more than 100 employees, was […]

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Greenwich officials spar over new Central Middle School price during budget talks

The four-member BET Budget Committee is currently split on how much to spend on the new school; the question became divisive Tuesday morning after new design information was provided to the CMS Building Committee. The architect on the project said a new school would need to be about 20,000 square feet larger than first estimated […]

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Norwich selects East Hartford firm to oversee first phase of $385 million school project

The committee voted unanimously to hire Construction Solutions Group of East Hartford for $3.68 million as the city’s owner’s representative. The firm will oversee the applications for state reimbursement for the bulk of the cost, design and construction of the three schools in the first phase of the project. The group will review the project […]

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Owners of Stamford’s Lofts at Yale & Towne sue BLT, saying developers knew it was unsafe when they sold it

Manhattan-based GAIA Real Estate has sued South End developer Building and Land Technology, the city of Stamford and multiple other entities over their handling of the Lofts at Yale & Towne. GAIA bought the factory-turned-apartment building around October 2016 from BLT. Loft residents were forced to move out by the end of July 2021 after […]

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Buy America provisions can improve construction lead times — for a price

A reliance on construction materials produced overseas has left U.S. contractors susceptible to long lead times and extreme price volatility, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic slowed global supply chains. About 32% of building materials come from outside the U.S., according to Marcum, a New York City-based accounting and advisory firm. The main building materials sourced […]

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Bradley International Airport chosen for $5 million federal infrastructure grant to help pay for major upgrade

A major improvement project at Bradley International Airport that is part of $230 million in upcoming renovations got another financial boost from the federal government’s infrastructure program aimed at improving air travel. Bradley will receive a $5 million grant in a second round of funding from the Federal Aviation Administration. The grant comes on top […]

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Norwich Public Utilities to receive $1.6 million for water, sewer projects

Norwich Public Utilities will receive $1.6 million in federal grants to support two projects utility officials called critical projects, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., announced Monday during a visit to NPU headquarters. The funding is part of the 2023 fiscal year federal budget signed into law in December, Blumenthal said, addressing a group of NPU […]

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Excitement grows in Meriden as library project nears completion

Officials say the project to renovate and expand the Meriden Public Library now is around 90% complete. During a walkthrough of the Miller Street building on Monday afternoon, the sounds of construction were still audible and some debris was still present, as Montagno Construction crews continued on the $13 million project. Construction began in early […]

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How to retain workers when a megaproject comes to town

With trillions of dollars in new work coming online this year, contractors — already struggling to retain craft workers during a historic shortage — now face the challenge of competing with big projects that come to town with a lot to offer workers. This year, the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the […]

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Millions more needed as thousands still have homes with deteriorating foundations

With an additional $100 million needed to entirely fix the state’s crumbling foundations, lawmakers are once again pushing for assistance for the thousands of homeowners still affected. One of the most significant proposed bills calls for more borrowing for the Crumbling Foundation Solution Indemnity Co., or CFSIC, the captive insurance company that has been fixing […]

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Ridgefield to begin $2 million project to make Branchville a more ‘pedestrian friendly community’

The $2.3 million streetscape project involves creating a sidewalk that will begin at the Wilton-Ridgefield line, heading north on Route 7. It will continue north to Tusk & Cup Fine Coffee, to the intersection with Route 102. There will be a walking bridge over a brook. The sidewalk will continue north across the street. “The […]

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As floods worsen on Danbury’s Still River, Army Corps of Engineers returns to tackle the problem

Since 2007, Antonio Iadarola, the city engineer and public works director, has tried to convince the engineers that flooding on Kenosia Avenue and West Street are connected to development damage to the Still River and its flood plain that could be fixed if the federal government would commit its resources. But it wasn’t until Iadarola […]

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Norwalk’s Webster Street parking lot to be transformed into 500 apartments in $250M-$300M project

Within five years, the Webster Street parking lot will be reinvented into a 500-unit apartment complex with a 1,100-space parking garage, with a price tag of between $250 million to $350 million. In December, the state announced a $2 million grant to improve the Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor, remediating a nearly 5-acre plot in […]

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New Wilton police station will meet PD’s needs ‘for generations’ — pending Planning and Zoning’s OK

Sanctioned by voters last May in a town-wide referendum, the $16.4 million project would nearly double the size of the station at 240 Danbury Road to almost 19,000-square feet and, if approved, require approximately 20 months of construction. “Since the station was built, the size of the department has almost doubled, leading to overcrowding and […]

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Hill Properties Sold For 194-Apt Plan

A California-based developer has purchased nine Hill properties for a combined $4.35 million — advancing plans to construct 194 new apartments on Congress and Davenport Avenues. The new owner of all nine properties is an affiliate of a company called Catalina Buffalo Holdings, a family-run real estate business with properties in California, South Dakota, and Connecticut. The […]

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New Middletown Big Y supermarket to bring 150 jobs, $2 million to grand list

Area shoppers soon will have an additional supermarket option with construction set to begin on a $22 million, 52,000-square-foot Big Y World Class Market in the southernmost part of the city. The Springfield, Mass.-based chain would create about 150 new jobs (50 full-time and 100 part-time), and “substantially increase” the tax base in Middletown, according […]

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Tweed New Haven airport gets unanimous City Plan permission to expand parking by 34 spaces

The parking crunch at Tweed New Haven Regional Airport will ease slightly, at least for the short term, following the City Plan Commission’s unanimous approval of Tweed operator Avports LLC’s application to increase its past parking expansion by 34 spaces. Parking has been an issue at Tweed as Avelo Airlines continues to grow. During holiday […]

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Lead paint chips falling off CT bridges, DOT reports

Chips of lead paint are falling off hundreds of bridges in Connecticut at such a rate that the state Department of Transportation has put out an alert to municipalities and intends to hire contractors to clean it up. “Bridge structures statewide have been experiencing a sudden, unexpected release of lead-based paint chips, which is believed […]

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Waterford opens the door to data centers at Millstone

The Board of Selectmen, in a joint meeting Wednesday with the Representative Town Meeting, agreed to become the host municipality for a data center project, the first of its kind per Attorney William McCoy, who represents the developer, NE Edge, LLC. The town is set to receive more than $231 million over 30 years from […]

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Officials: Bridgeport Hospital eyeing old Harding High School site

The city has placed the former Harding High School property on the market, and several officials said neighbor Bridgeport Hospital aims to submit an offer to expand in some capacity onto the site. The city’s economic development department began accepting requests for proposals from prospective developers for the site Jan. 18. The deadline is March […]

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Hartford’s Village at Park River eyes next construction phase with sense of community intact

Like Westbrook Village, its replacement, The Village at Park River, includes affordable housing. However, the project, which is wrapping up its fourth phase of residential construction, aspires to be much more. The Cloud Company is a minority-owned, family-run real estate development firm focused on projects in the Connecticut market. The CEO of the Cloud Company […]

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East Haven zoning officials approve 55+ housing complex on Sperry Lane

After years of arduous negotiations and frequent setbacks, a Branford developer has finally gotten the go-ahead for a 55-and-older housing project at the site of a former Girl Scout camp. The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the application for a 378-unit housing complex on Sperry Lane and Foxon Boulevard, ending a seven-year saga over plans […]

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5-year plan would improve Meriden road conditions citywide

John Lawlor, the city’s director of public works and engineering, told city councilors this week that the city would need to invest around $5.5 million into road improvements annually in order to improve the overall conditions of roads it owns and maintains. Lawlor was joined by Anthony Garro, a senior vice president of the engineering […]

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Construction starts plummet 27%

Total construction starts fell 27% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $865.6 billion, according to Dodge Construction Network, a dramatic reverse from December, when new project kickoffs ended 2022 on the upswing. On a year-over-year basis, total construction was 14% lower in January 2023 than in January 2022. Despite the stark contrast […]

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Republican Minority Wins Public Hearing On Highway User Fee

Republicans are in the minority in the General Assembly, but they were able to secure enough signatures to force a public hearing on repealing the highway user fee that went into effect in January. The Democrat-controlled Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee refused to hold a public hearing on the bill, but according to Republicans they […]

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Proposed bill would make offshore wind developers create compensation fund

A long-sought bill with bipartisan support that would require offshore wind developers to establish a compensation fund will get a hearing Wednesday before the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee. The hearing was scheduled for Tuesday but postponed to 11 a.m. Wednesday due to an internet outage at the state Capitol. Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, co-introduced […]

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Port authority updates timeline ― but not cost ― for State Pier construction

Connecticut Port Authority officials said Tuesday that construction work to position State Pier for the South Fork Wind project remains on track for “substantial completion” at the end of this month ― but there are some delays, and Executive Director Ulysses Hammond won’t say yet how much they will cost. Board Chairman David Kooris said […]

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Proposed $24 million in repairs, upgrades at Rentschler Field comes as UConn football reaches agreement to extend playing at East Hartford stadium

A plan to start tackling big-ticket repairs at Rentschler Field in East Hartford — the home turf of the University of Connecticut football program — could get a major boost if state lawmakers approve a proposed $24 million upgrade for the next two years. Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed capital budget includes $12 million in each […]

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New Milford DPW partners with DOT to replace seven town bridges: ‘Constantly looking’ at the structures

The Department of Public Works, which is “constantly looking” at the town’s bridges to make sure they’re safe, is working with the state Department of Transportation on the design work for the complete or partial replacement of seven bridges in New Milford. New Milford is working on the final contract to replace the bridge, which […]

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For $68M, Darien students will get large bay windows, more learning space at 3 elementary schools

Darien’s $68 million in renovations for three elementary schools are on track after Planning and Zoning officials signed off on the latest plans with some small updates. Members of the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission have approved site plans for Hindley, Holmes and Royle Elementary Schools. Construction for the project is slated to begin this […]

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CT seeks $47M more in federal funds for delayed Bridgeport flood project

State officials are seeking an additional $47 million in federal aid to build and complete Resilient Bridgeport, a significant flood control plan for the South End that was already awarded $40.8 million but is now estimated to cost much more. Given the uncertainty, Mayor Joe Ganim’s administration made a controversial decision to redesign the new […]

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65 Senior Apartments OK’d For Stone St.

The City Plan Commission voted unanimously during its latest online meeting Wednesday night to support a plan put forward by the Queach Corporation, a development firm run by Michael Giordano, to construct a new seven-story apartment building along 7 – 17 Stone St. The construction is contingent on the demolition of four single-family homes and the relocation […]

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Expansion of South Norwalk hotel, building demolition approved by Planning and Zoning Commission

During its Wednesday night meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission heard public comment on the proposed expansion and voted unanimously to approve the plans. The expansion encompasses 31-35 S. Main St. and will add nearly 50 rooms to the Marriott SoNo Residence Inn and a possible conference/banquet room, along with solar panels on the rooftop, […]

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Amtrak details Connecticut River Bridge replacement

The proposed new Connecticut River Bridge will feature a longer movable span that will improve navigational clearances for boaters and will open and close more quickly than the current structure, according to a presentation from Amtrak. Construction on the new bridge, between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook, is expected to start next year, with the […]

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Stamford bans pedestrians from crumbling West Main Street Bridge while temporary structure is built

The deteriorating 135-year-old bridge will officially close for construction Feb. 20, according to a sign posted on nearby fencing. It had been labeled hazardous by city officials last July, with pedestrians advised to walk only on specific parts of the structure. And though city officials have yet to decide on how exactly to restore the […]

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Waterford asked to host data center project at Millstone

Data center developer NE Edge LLC has asked the town to serve as a host municipality for a two-building data center on Dominion Energy’s Millstone property. In a letter to the town, NE Edge Manager George A. McLaughlin III described one of the two proposed buildings as two stories high with a 568,000-square-foot footprint. More […]

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CT legislators vow harder look at utilities, and a regulator applauds

Frustrations over Connecticut’s high cost of electricity and concerns over its ability to adequately regulate Eversource, the state’s largest distributor of electricity, are fueling a bipartisan effort to revise the complex rules of utility regulation for the second time in three years. On Tuesday, the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee will hold a hearing on […]

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Stratford legislators’ bills target Bridgeport’s sale of Sikorsky Airport to CT agency

A pair of lawmakers representing Stratford in Hartford — Republican Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly and Democratic Representative Joe Gresko — are behind four bills that would further complicate the CAA’s already delayed purchase of Sikorsky Memorial Airport and also give their town more influence in the deal. Daniel Roach, an aide to Democratic Bridgeport […]

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At former Eversource site in Newington, new commercial complex arises with a supermarket and a Sally’s Apizza outlet

Contractors are completing the framework for the largest building at Meadow Commons, a mixed-use project along the Berlin Turnpike that is on track to be one of Newington’s biggest new developments in a decade. Most of the walls are up for the roughly 43,000-square-foot retail building closest to the turnpike, and a large crane is […]

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Comcast tapping into East Windsor solar farm

Comcast, one of the largest telecommunications operations in America, has purchased 70 megawatts of renewable solar electricity from a town business that is in the early stages of development. Serving millions of customers across the nation, Comcast will now power 43% of its Connecticut and Massachusetts operations utilizing renewable solar electricity from the Gravel Pit […]

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Marine Company Plans Industrial Buildings for Thames River Site, Awaits Dredging Regs

With their plans to process dredged soil at a rail-connected industrial site on the Thames River on hold, Massachusetts-based Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting is now pushing to develop the rest of the 165-acre site into a complex of industrial buildings. Cashman Vice President Allen Perrault presented a conceptual plan to the Ledyard Planning and […]

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NY union head: Material prices are construction’s ‘biggest challenge’

A former lawyer and government affairs officer for the General Contractors Association of New York, she said her passion lies at the intersection of construction and public policy. Farber was appointed executive director of the Subcontractors Trade Association — a New York City-based association of union subcontractors — in January, becoming the first woman to […]

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Cromwell Middle School Building Committee trying to close $21M budget gap in $58.6M project

The Town Council voted to allow the Middle School Building Committee to proceed with the $58.6 million school project while expressing concerns about the budget being $21 million over what voters approved at referendum. The committee’s website offers a breakdown: $17.2 million for construction and $3.8 million for other “soft” costs. The new middle school […]

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An obscure dormitory building on Elm Street may hold the key to Danbury’s homelessness master plan

An obscure dormitory building on a downtown residential street is becoming part of the complex homelessness puzzle leaders are piecing together to find enough shelter for those without a roof and keep them off the streets permanently. The building in question, which is three houses away from the historic Octagon House, is the center of […]

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Newly renovated library in New Milford offers expanded amenities: ‘A true destination point’

Patrons will find additional programming and much more space after visiting the newly renovated New Milford Public Library, which reopens this week. “It’s going to be a true destination point for the downtown,” said Mayor Pete Bass, while giving a tour of the library to Hearst Connecticut Media. A ribbon cutting to open the library […]

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Food court proposed in Farmington mixed-use office building

A developer is seeking zoning approval for a food court in a mixed-use building at 17 Talcott Notch Road in Farmington. The 34,208-square-foot building, which contains healthcare offices, a hair salon and an accounting firm, is owned by Sarjac Partners LLC, a real estate development company. The principal of Sarjac Partners, Michael Reiner of Farmington, […]

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House confirms Katie Dykes at DEEP, Michelle Gilman at DAS

Dykes, the commissioner of energy and environmental protection, had come under fire for enforcing a bottle deposit law as written, as opposed to how lawmakers described their intentions in debate. Gilman, the commissioner of administrative services, angered Republicans during her confirmation hearing for failing, in their view, to adequately explain what her agency was doing […]

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CT construction contractor among those imprisoned and fined in expansive state-wide bid-rigging conspiracy

A man authorities describe as part of a years-long conspiracy to rig bids at major construction projects across Connecticut has agreed to pay the government more than $300,000 in addition to serving five months in prison. Gary DeVoe of Bethlehem is one of four men and three companies convicted of dividing up among themselves industrial […]

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Gov. Lamont proposes $600M for affordable housing, tying it to fair economic growth

Gov. Ned Lamont plans to nearly double the state’s investment in affordable housing development, raising it to $600 million in the coming two-year state budget, according to documents released Wednesday. Lamont unveiled his $50.5 billion two-year budget proposal Wednesday in a speech focused on economic growth that benefits a wider range of incomes. That speech […]

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Former Gateway building, Long Wharf reimagined under New Haven district plan

A former Gateway Community College building on Sargent Drive may become home to the school’s automotive and transportation technology programs, according to city officials. The initial concept for reuse of the currently underutilized building would be a part of Gateway District, which is under the Long Wharf development plan to upgrade the city’s waterfront. The […]

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Construction, from the ground up Students learn about building, architecture at career panel

Nonnewaug High School students learned firsthand about life in the world of architecture and construction during a career-panel discussion Wednesday morning. The student-led event featured seven local professionals, including a civil engineer, welder, plumber, heavy equipment operator, Department of Transportation supervisor, construction manager, architect, and pool business strategist. As for skills, each explain the degrees […]

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Rensselaer to sell downtown Hartford campus; property marketed for redevelopment

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has put its Hartford campus up for sale, CBRE announced Wednesday. The school plans to look for a new campus location with smaller space that provides both remote and in-person classroom opportunities, the source said. The 12.7-acre site also includes a four-story parking garage and surface parking lot, totaling more than 860 […]

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Proposed charter school in Danbury is a definite maybe under Lamont’s budget: What we know and don’t know

Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed $50.5 billion two-year state budget includes money for a Danbury charter school if that is what stakeholders decide is best for the city, a spokesman said Wednesday. That means a new public charter school proposed for Main Street in downtown Danbury appears to be a definite maybe under Lamont’s budget plan. […]

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Decision to close Farm River Rock quarry was code-related, former East Haven official says

The trial between East Haven and plaintiff John Patton, who owned Farm River Rock quarry, began last week, with tens of millions of dollars in damages hanging in the balance. Patton previously filed a $30 million lawsuit against former East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. and other town officials, alleging they illegally closed his 1 […]

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EPA: 4,500 truckloads of toxic soil removed from former Raymark sites in Stratford

Crews have now removed more than 52,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and waste left across town by the defunct Raymark Industries, according to Jim DiLorenzo, an environmental engineer with the Environmental Protection Agency. The cleanup is aimed at removing contaminated soil that was polluted with cancer-causing agents such as asbestos, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls […]

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Bloomfield library construction staff will be 25 percent residents following labor agreement

One in every four people hired to work on Bloomfield’s two library construction projects will reside in town thanks to a project labor agreement. Council approved the resolution last year in conjunction with Connecticut State Building Trades, which represents construction workers across the state and is committed to hiring 25 percent Bloomfield residents. The union […]

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Sources: Marty Walsh will be installed as next Executive Director of NHL Players’ Association

Sitting U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh will be formally installed as the next Executive Director of the NHL Players’ Association in the coming days following Tuesday night’s State of the Union address by President Joe Biden, sources tell Daily Faceoff. Walsh was unable to leave his government post until after attending the president’s annual […]

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At groundbreaking for Danbury’s new career academy, a pledge for students to ‘take control of their learning’

The city’s much-anticipated campus for 1,400 middle and high school students will be delayed by one year and won’t open for the 2024-25 school year as planned, but at a groundbreaking ceremony at the site educators said they will implement the district’s comprehensive career academy curriculum on time. The ceremony Monday was held at the […]

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West Haven $6.5M short on Washington School project, expecting state funds

“The bottom line is we’re short $6.5 million,” said Ken Carney, a remodeling company owner who has volunteered to lead the city’s efforts on numerous city building projects. On Monday, the school board voted unanimously to approve the demolition. Carney said the signed contract following that vote constitutes the official start of the project in […]

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Middletown’s $8 million pool complex splash pad to be free, accessible to all

With just more than three months remaining until a planned mid-June opening, the $7.8 million Veterans Memorial Pool rebuild will transform the circa-1958 facility into a state-of-the-art swimming complex to rival that of other similarly sized municipalities. Preliminary plans were announced in October 2020. Costs associated with updating the facility rose about 200 percent since […]

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State legislature to consider funding for Norwich’s $385 million school project

The city’s $385 million school construction project was approved easily by voters in November, but state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, needed to convince the General Assembly committee in charge of school funding that the project should be on the state’s priority list this spring. As the local School Building Committee is going through the early […]

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Bridgeport seeks exemption of CT regulation for Sikorsky Airport sale

The exemption would address the costly snag that recently hit the months-long negotiations between Mayor Joe Ganim’s administration and the Connecticut Airport Authority over the latter’s proposed $10 million purchase of Sikorsky Memorial. A preliminary review by the CAA of potential environmental contamination at the Bridgeport-owned, Stratford-based facility identified issues requiring anywhere from $6 million […]

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Plan for Timex site pulled in Middlebury

An applicant has withdrawn its request to change the town’s zoning regulations as part of an overall plan to convert the current Timex world headquarters site into a large “Amazon-like” distribution facility. However, while JSD Partners of Waterbury did not offer an explanation for the pull out, local residents say they expect the applicant will […]

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Once envisioned for commercial development, Fort Trumbull is now filling up with housing

Development on the peninsula, until recently, has long been hindered by restrictions the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has placed on the number of residential units. Mayor Michael Passero on Friday said the city negotiated with DEEP in December and the state modified the certificate to allow a total of 604 multi-family housing […]

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Bye-Bye, Parking Lot? Lab Rezoning Advances

A 200-space Munson Street parking lot could be the site of New Haven’s next biotech lab building — according to a Winchester-factory-redevelopment zoning update that received a favorable, if still skeptical, recommendation from the City Plan Commission. The vote was in support of a request submitted by the redevelopment team behind the so-called ​“Winchester Center” project in […]

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West Hartford Inn affordable housing project an ‘amazing opportunity,’ developer says

After considering opening a boutique hotel or market rate apartments, Brown, Vallone and the rest of WHI Camelot LLC settled on creating a mixed-income affordable housing development. Brown and his Honeycomb partner Steve Caprio, along with Vallone, the Simsbury-based Vesta Corporation and his brother Hagan Brown’s Avon-based Corridor Ventures, are planning to transform the property […]

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Inflation is pushing wages higher

Contractors are reviewing their budgets to find creative ways and additional financial incentives to retain workers in today’s inflationary environment, said Misha Nikulin, managing director at Deloitte’s engineering and construction practice. Average hourly earnings for construction workers climbed 6.1% from December 2021 to December 2022, exceeding the 5% rise in average pay for all private […]

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State plan for Seaside: Demolish buildings, spend $7.1 million on “passive park”

A plan for Seaside State Park will include “the removal of the deteriorated buildings,” the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Wednesday in its announcement that the state has committed $7.1 million to implement a “passive park” design using federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The plan will also include new restrooms and […]

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Groundbreaking held for Great Wolf Lodge at Foxwoods

Joined by Gov. Ned Lamont, Mashantucket tribal leaders, Foxwoods officials and local dignitaries, Great Wolf Resorts executives officially broke ground Wednesday for the $300 million indoor water park resort that’s about to rise adjacent to Foxwoods on 13 acres of Mashantucket-owned land off Foxwoods Boulevard. Lamont thanked Chicago-based Great Wolf for showing “confidence in the […]

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Middletown garage to add 600 more spaces to accommodate increased development downtown

If all goes well, city officials are hoping to break ground on a sorely needed, multilevel municipal parking garage downtown sometime this spring. The delay in announcing the developer selected for the garage project mostly is due to staffing challenges in the office of Economic and Community Development, as well as behind-the-scenes activity, including negotiations, […]

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With no public opposition, Bloomfield gives Fine Fettle OK for a 46,000-square-foot cannabis-growing center

Bloomfield’s planning and zoning commission unanimously approved a nearly 46,000-square-foot cultivation center Thursday night, with members mostly complimenting Fine Fettle for planning to build it. Fine Fettle Chief Operating Officer Benjamin Zachs quickly did away with two common objections to indoor marijuana farms: The risk of offensive odors to neighbors, and the possibility of future […]

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CT commissioner grilled about school construction audit

Michelle Gilman, who was nominated for a full term as commissioner of the state Department of Administrative Services, was grilled Tuesday by lawmakers who are unsatisfied with a recent audit of the state’s controversial school construction program. On Tuesday, she was questioned by lawmakers on the Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee during her nomination hearing […]

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2 virtual meetings will discuss Mixmaster’s future

The state Department of Transportation is once again seeking the public’s input on The New Mix Program, which will address the long-term needs of Waterbury’s Interstate 84/Route 8 interchange. There will be two virtual meetings today: one at noon and the other at 6 p.m. Those interested in participating and listening to the meetings can […]

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New Connecticut economic development chief faces headwinds

Alexandra Daum, Gov. Ned Lamont’s nominee to lead the Department of Economic and Community Development, told lawmakers at her confirmation hearing last Thursday that growth will be her top priority — a now-familiar refrain from the governor’s office. The threat of a recession looms this year, as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates […]

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Southington leaders hopeful about Cheshire development

A major residential and commercial development underway in Cheshire has Southington business and town leaders hopeful about economic growth for the entire area. In November, Cheshire planners approved special permits for Stone Bridge Crossing, a 107-acre development bounded by Dickerman Road to the west, Highland Avenue to the east, Interstate 691 to the south and […]

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Proposed New Britain cannabis warehouse is like a liquor store, officials tell opponents of plan

Rocky Hill-based developer CCC Construction wants to convert the old Webster Bank training facility into a cannabis warehouse, a move that some residents have condemned due to risk of smell and proximity to schools. The ZBA’s public hearing will consider the warehouse for special exception and variance approval. The timeline of construction depends on the […]

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From Norwalk High School to the SONO school, here’s what to know about school construction projects

The city plans to build three new schools — one high school and two elementary schools — over the next few years. Work has already begun on the new $45 million Cranbury Elementary School, while officials are designing South Norwalk’s first elementary school in decades and coordinating the logistics for the construction of the new […]

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One of Stamford’s last vacant downtown lots could become a 2-building, seven-story apartment complex

Last week, the Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend plans for two seven-story residential buildings, totaling 471 apartments, in the 70-100 blocks of Clinton Avenue. The 4.3-acre site is located along the Rippowam River. Officials have been working for decades to piece together a riverside walking path connecting Scalzi Park to Kosciuszko Park — a […]

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Commentary: Results in states that repealed their prevailing-wage laws aren’t pretty

Between 2015 and 2018, six U.S. states—Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia and Arkansas—each repealed their state prevailing-wage laws that established minimum labor standards on taxpayer-funded projects like roads, bridges, schools and water infrastructure. All did so promising to save money, including by “building five schools for the price of three.” The problem is: it […]

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State says it won’t pay New London for school demolition work

New London may be forced to pay several million dollars in demolition and remediation work for a new high school project because local officials allegedly heeded the directions of Konstantinos Diamantis, the former leader of Connecticut’s school construction program. Officials with the Department of Administrative Services, which houses the state’s school construction office, recently informed […]

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CT developer continues $15M construction to transform historic Middletown buildings into housing, dining, more

In all, Durham developer Dominick DeMartino, who owns properties around the state, will be investing $15 million in these ambitious projects. He chose Middletown because he’s “very connected” to the city and active in numerous area organizations. Construction is underway for 10 housing units in the top two stories of 418-22 Main St., where, on […]

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Quinnipiac University’s new $45 million recreation center part of plan to ‘nurture the community’

University officials, along with students, faculty and local community members, officially opened the new Recreation and Wellness Center in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, with the goal of providing students with “social, emotional and physical well-being support.” The $45-million building also is home to the university’s partnership with Hartford HealthCare. The university’s student health services merged […]

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Developer wants to transform former Stamford Savings Bank into 11-story, 4-star boutique hotel

The Old Towne Hotel project would convert the Stamford Savings Bank building at 160 Atlantic St. beside Veterans Memorial Park into an 82-room boutique hotel with a ground-floor restaurant and rooftop patio. A 2022 valuation appraised the building at about $3.27 million, city building records show. The renovation would add nine additional stories atop the […]

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Danbury career academy won’t open in fall 2024; ambitious plan for west side school delayed at least a year

The new career academy-style high school and middle school that aims to accommodate 1,400 city students at a refurbished west side office park will miss its 2024 opening goal and be delayed at least a year. The reason for the missed opening date: Negotiations to buy the hilltop building on Apple Ridge Road ate up […]

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CT school construction program audit done, but questions remain

State officials released a highly anticipated audit into Connecticut’s school construction office late last week, but it is unlikely to alleviate all of the concerns about the multibillion-dollar construction program, which became the focus of a federal investigation last year. The 23-page report that was produced by Marcum LLP, an independent auditing firm, included an […]

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CRDA program will allow deep-pocketed benefactors to loan money to Hartford development projects

The Capital Region Development Authority has lent out about $150 million for private development projects over the past decade, like the $12 million it granted to RMS Cos.’ nearly completed 270-unit apartment building next to Dunkin’ Donuts Park. RMS needed $13.5 million from CRDA, but the agency wasn’t able to deliver the final $1.5 million. […]

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Meriden cannabis developer, OSHA settle after Massachusetts worker dies

Florida-based cannabis producer and retailer Trulieve reached a settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration last month after a Holyoke, Massachusetts employee died from an apparent asthma attack while filling pre-rolled joints. Trulieve, which is building a cultivation facility on Kensington Avenue, agreed to undertake a study to determine whether ground cannabis dust is […]

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More Apts, Parking, Labs OK’d For ​“Square 10”

The redevelopers of the ex-Coliseum site won city approval to build 120 more apartments, 657 new parking-garage spaces, and a new 11-story lab and office building — all as construction of another 200 new apartments right next door has already begun — in the latest chapter of the planned overhaul of a former-arena-turned-parking lot into ​“Square 10.” That area, […]

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Middletown zoning board to consider $65M plan to build luxury dwellings

The Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission is hearing a proposal Wednesday for modified site plans which will allow for a “more luxurious and efficient” layout for an apartment building to be built on Newfield Street. The project was originally approved over a decade ago, with planning done by Middletown developer Glenn Russo. He then teamed […]

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North Stamford is less than a year from city sewers, but it will cost residents $8 million long term

Local water authority officials were able to give North Stamford residents more details on sewer improvements expected to break ground before the end of this year including the cost of phase one: $8.15 million, much of it financed by homeowners long term. The city’s Water Pollution Control Authority and the project’s structural engineers Tighe and […]

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Citing economic headwinds, developers want option to scale back 477-apartment development in East Hartford

Facing rising challenges in the economy, developers Brian Zelman and Avner Krohn are seeking an option to significantly trim an approved 477-apartment development at the former Showcase Cinema site in East Hartford. Zelman is principal of Zelman Real Estate. Krohn is principal of Jasko Development. The town has agreed to sell the 25-acre Showcase Cinema […]

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